PROFILES AT NYDC

A LOOK AT PROFILES SHOWROOM AT NYDC

It's that time of the month; time to visit another showroom at NYDC. This time I'm stepping over the threshold into the 12th floor showroom of Profiles. The showroom represents a large number of furniture designers as well as producing pieces of their own. If you're making your first trip to 200 Lex, Profiles is a good place to begin your journey. Some of the most recognized designers in the field of furniture are represented in the Profiles showroom.

My guide through the showroom was David Gittleman, sales associate for Profiles. David has always been our go-to man for finding the missing piece of furniture we couldn't seem to find anywhere else. David took me around pointing out some of the most important pieces of their collection.

David first took me past the William Yeoward collection to show me the Curved back and tiny silver toes of the Sylvie sofa.

Profiles is the exclusive distributor for French designer, Philippe Hurel's, collection. Pieces from the Hurel Collection are internationally sought after.

They also represent such distinguished brands as Victoria Hagen Home and the revival work of the William Hines collection.

Who can resist the Valentine sofa or a set of his Drum dining chairs?
Here's how David answered our ten questions:









TEN QUESTIONS FOR NYDC SHOWROOMS

1. What's the mood like at your showroom?
Profiles offers an updated classic look with a twist
2. What's the strangest request you've had?
A woman was shopping for a chair for her husband. She asked me to sit in it like I was watching the Super Bowl. I did my best imitation of sitting like a butch TV sports viewer. Then I crossed my legs and blew the whole image. I am now forever known around the showroom as football guy.

3. What's your most popular item or category?
We sell more buffets, sofas and lighting fixtures then any other items.
4. Are your clients predominantly professional designers and architects or direct clients?
We tend to work with mostly with designers and architects.
5. What was your biggest sale or most interesting client?
We once sold 150 dining chairs to a single client

6. How often do you change around your showroom?
I change the showroom around about four times a year. It's interesting. When I change the showroom around, clients will think some old samples are brand new.
7. Other than your own showroom where do you shop for furniture?
I like West Elm. I love to mix expensive things with inexpensive ones.

8. What do you offer that retail can't offer?
We can offer the opportunity to customize whatever you want. That means if you need a specific size we can do it. If a particular comfort level is needed we can make that happen. If you're allergic to certain materials we can work around that. We can add detail or subtract it. If a chandelier needs to hang at a certain height we can have it made to an exact measurement. Retail isn't necessarily going to help you out with this.
9. What color, wood species or fabric are clients asking for?
Walnut has become a very popular species of wood, especially with a medium to dark finish but not a java color.
10. What's your prediction for next year's hot trend?
We are beginning to sell wire brushed oaks and walnut. The wood has a lot of texture from the wire brushing. It's really interesting.

OPEN SIGN REDO

Knowing my chances of finding another sign like the one that vanished from our front yard were in the realm of needle in a haystack odds I, well really Rick, decided we should paint our own. He researched vintage signage online and printed out a version of what we finally ended up painting. As with many of our projects, the idea and inspiration percolated in Rick's head and the execution was left to my amateurish hands. For now we're staking the sign a little closer to the store. It may have lost some of its curb appeal stuck here in the center of our slightly threatening barbed wire ball but that's the point. I'm trying to keep a closer eye on it this time and any bike burglars are going to have to make an extra trip onto the sidewalk to grab this one. Here's hoping we won't have to paint another.

THE GALLERY

Barney Greengrass The Sturgeon King, New York
James T. Murray, photographer
Represented by Clic Bookstore and Gallery