A Stroll Through the Show House 2013

As you entered the Show House and turned to the right, a space of note and interest was The Safe Room.  Designers Barbara Reformat, Danielle Schiavitti and Debbie Ziccardi collaborated to create this unique and memorable room.  All three are graduates of the Villa Maria College Interior Design program.  The Safe RoomNew met old in the space with the introduction of a new generation of tile, Laminam by Crossville.  This large format porcelain tile measuring 39″ X 118″ clad the walls of the anteroom to one of the Knox family safes.  The tile is available from Tiles International in Orchard Park.  The space also featured artwork from Rider Frames and Gallery.

Villa Interior Design Alumni….Making a Difference

Pride of place and community support are hallmarks of Villa Maria College Interior Design Alumni.  This year’s Junior League Show House was one of the most beautiful ever, and it was also one of the most spacious.  As a professor in the Interior Design Program it gave me great pride to document over 20 spaces that were products of the efforts of Villa students and alums. villa students and alums in the IDA roomFrom grand spaces like the Master Bedroom and the outdoor terraces to bathrooms and sewing rooms, it was exciting to see so many familiar faces sharing their artistic, creative and design talents. The Garden Party was attended by a record breaking turn-out and the logistics of moving through the house were crowded, but we were able to gather a sizeable number of students and alums to capture a photo opportunity in the IDA designed room. Front hallwayPictured above are Melissa Pleace, Debbie Ziccardi, Barb King, Karen Mattoon, Sandy Nelson, Danielle Schiavetti, Barb Reformat, Joe Battaglia, Rebecca Duda, Caroline Barr, Sandra Zygaj-Borowski, Tara Clack, and Constance Strother.  This is a terrific Villa story that I take tremendous joy in sharing.  Keep an eye out for our commemorative poster featuring all the terrific spaces that have the Villa touch!  Pictured above is the Bird of Paradise Hallway, by Terry Litzinger, a graduate of the Villa Interior Design Program, she brings 20 years of experience to both commercial and residential design, bringing a classic, sophisticated style that is inspired by nature.  The chandelier in this space was a vintage birdcage that underwent a transformation to create visually interesting light patterns in the space.

Service Learning with Junior League

Every two years something wonderful happens in Buffalo, and it’s the Junior League Show House.  This year was a slight departure, going to East Aurora and re-designing the beautiful rooms at the Knox Summer Estate. Knox Summer Estate Students with the Interior Design program at Villa Maria College have been perennial participants in the process and have been successful with their proposals. This year proved no different, with the opportunity to finish one of the bathrooms at the estate….and it was the coolest bathroom ever.  Students at work on the BathroomOur space was used by the Knox family to chronicle the heights and weights of the Knox children on the door and door frame.  Preserved as a piece of wonderful family history, the Villa students played off this theme with their space, ‘Pencil me In’. Pictured to the right are Jason Cole, Therese Smith and Sandra Zygaj-Borowski painting our room. The soft, silvery quality of hand drawn pencil marks  along with the daylight from the window, inspired the color palette and material choices. Playing off the horizontal pencil marks the students installed glass tiles and a unique, Roman shade was selected for the shower curtain. Picasso Serigraph, Roman Shade and other detailsThe horizontal fabric folds are contrasted with bold, vertical fabric panels, alternating between sheer and opaque to allow for natural lighting and insure modesty. The window treatments are one-of-a-kind fused glass panes with deatiling also inspired by pencil patterns. As we discovered during our research of the space, this room originally included a Picasso painting, and to pay homage to this fact, we included a serigraph of an original Picasso that was gifted to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery by the Knox Foundation.

In Albany for NY11+

To promote the professionalism of Interior Design a select group of students from Villa Maria College travelled to Albany to participate in the opening of the NY11+ exhibit in the Legislative Office Building. students in albanyMeghan Ebert, Therese Smith, Savana Czekalski and Sandra Zygaj-Borowski displayed their Studio 6 projects which focused on healthcare design featuring a project at Roswell Park Cancer Institute.  Students were accompanied by Faculty Advisor Natalia Albul and Department Chair Sandra Reicis. The two day trip included a walking tour of the historic area surrounding the State Capital Buildings as well as a tour of the Performing Arts Center known as The Egg.  Students and faculty pictured with Jane CorwinDuring our visit the Villa Maria College students were invited to the State Legislative Chambers as guests of Assemblywoman Jane Corwin, where we were formally introduced from the floor.  This was one of the many highlights of the trip. A reception was held in the lobby of the legislative building which was attended by students and faculty from the other participating schools as well as invited elected officials and their staff.New York 11+ reception