Traci Thomas (L), Tina Frey (C), Maria Skopas (R) hang out at NYIGF!
It was my pleasure to assist Tina Frey of Tina Frey Designs at the New York International Gift Fair held at New York City’s Jacob Javits Center in late January, with my fellow LMP Traci Thomas. This Fair is absolute heaven for design savvy shoppers featuring a gazillion booths split into categories like New York’s Newest, Accent on Design, Handmade and Tabletop & Housewares. Walking down the endless aisles is something like being caught in the looking glass of everything you could ever want in your exquisite, palatial and epic fabulously over the top home, office, studio, world, life. Epic. It really was epic. Completely overwhelming in the best way possible and just as exciting and adrenaline inducing as the Barney’s Warehouse Sale. Really it was.
I was the luckiest to be there with the Fair’s most original, shiniest star, Tina Frey. Not only is Tina one of the kindest and most inspirational individuals I have had the pleasure to meet, but her hand crafted creations bring a smile to even the grumpiest, blackest clad, rain soaked and disgruntled New Yorker.
Here is a bit about Tina Frey Designs:
Inspiration for the designs come from many things: The shapes are inspired by organic forms in nature and objects found in travels around the world. The colors are inspired by delicious translucent popsicles, candies, and jelly beans.
The pieces in the collection are hand sculpted by Tina Frey in San Francisco, California. Sculpting starts with an idea that is cohesive with the rest of the collection.
When the clay design is completed, hand-made molds are created for each object and cast in resin.
The molds are used to cast each item individually by hand in small batches by color. Slight color variations between batches contribute to the beauty and uniqueness of each piece.
After the pieces are cast and removed from the mold, they are hand sanded. They are truly made with care. In this way, we can ensure the quality and integrity of each piece.
What I discovered as the days went on, is that each of these unique pieces has an infinite number of uses. I was drawn to the beautiful organic shapes as well as the amazing colors and realized I could do so many things with every piece! Imagine being surrounded by them day in and day out! Even this New Yorker felt the sunshine on her shoulder… and it’s February.
Here are a few of my very favorite uses for my newest very favorite things. Oprah, put these on the list. Readers, be sure to download Tina’s full spring catalog and check out her fantastic blog!
Entry Way AKA Drop Off Zone
Your entry way can easily be kept organized by using the Large Tray coupled with either Gerd or Pete Dish. Perfect for keys, change, phones and other miscellaneous items we bring home and tend to unload everywhere…only to spend 20 minutes looking for them later. See more tips on dumping miscellanea and how to channel that here: The Pleasures of A Drop Off .
Desk and Office
A Desk can come alive with The Trio of Bowls for clips, post its, rubber bands, business cards etc…
The Deep Cookie Dish is great for pens and pencils and the Champagne Bucket would make for the most elegant of waste paper baskets.
Look at the killer ensemble Brooke picked up!
Jewelry
Let’s not forget our favorite…jewelry!
Woofy is perfect for keeping our rings in place. And he is cute cute cute.
The Baguette Dishes are excellent for keeping our chains from tangling.
The Pedestal Egg Cup is a perfect holder for studs, and the Pedestal Goblets are great for larger earrings.
The Small or Large Lapin pieces are exactly the thing for storing cuffs or larger pieces out of sight.
How handy… the Hans Dish for more earrings, bracelets, watches and cufflinks too!
Organizing can be as fun, funky and colorful as you are thanks to the fabulous Tina Frey.
Post authored by Maria Skopas
See what Tina has to say about the team at Brooke Stone Lifestyle Management:
