The New York Design Center’s second annual What’s New, What’s Next event was a smashing success and I was privileged and honored to be a part of it. For What’s New/What’s Next the NYDC together with its showrooms developed a fabulous lineup of events, presentations, lectures and parties to showcase all things new and buzzworthy in the world of design. I was a part of The New Curators event on the 4th floor which paired top design bloggers with showrooms to host previews of their latest collections. I was assigned to host the Rooms by Zoya B showroom which makes the most beautiful, hand crafted furnishings for babies and children. Above is a photo of myself with proprietor Zoya Bograd (to the right) and her showroom team.

Here’s an example of the cuteness you’ll find inside the showroom. I adore those vintage Barbie prints…They would look so chic in a little girls room! (They’re available online here!)

Here’s another pretty vignette inside the showroom. That giant 8 foot giraffe was another favorite piece and is sure to add a bit of drama and whimsy to any child’s room. For more on Rooms by Zoya B click here to visit their website.

After I finished meeting and greeting guests at Rooms by Zoya B I was off to explore the NYDC and check out all of the exciting events and programs that were going on. I stopped by Arteriors home to see their beautiful new lighting collection from Lisa Luby Ryan, visited Hickory Chair to hear designer Suzanne Kassler talk about her Fall furniture collection for Hickory Chair and then headed to Benjamin Moore where I heard the Vicente Wolf speak about his design career and give us a sneak peek at his new book, Lifting the Curtain on Design, which is due out  October 19. Vicente is incredibly intriguing and also quite funny which made for an entertaining presentation. He was also kind enough to take a photo with me and a couple of my blogger buddies just after his talk. Here I am with Vicente, Camila Pavone from High Heel Foot in the Door and Marianne from Haven and Home. Fun times! I’m already looking forward to next year’s What’s New, What’s Next!

_{Top Photo via Guest of a Guest}

The second annual What’s New What’s Next program hosted by the New York Design Center is coming up next week on September 21 and I’m so excited to be participating! I’ll be joining a group of esteemed bloggers (dubbed ‘The New Curators’!) who will be hosting previews for the showrooms on the NYDC’s 4th floor…and we’ll be live blogging and tweeting while we’re there! I’ll be at the adorable Bograd Kids showroom from 4-5 PM and would love to meet you so be sure stop by and say hello!

Aside from the fun on the 4th floor, this year’s What’s New/What’s Next has a slew of great programs in store to celebrate and showcase the newest materials,  products and ideas in design. You’ll also have the opportunity to hear from and meet some of the industry’s most notable designers, magazine editors and of course, bloggers! The below list highlights  some of the exciting programs that are currently scheduled.

To RSVP and download the complete event program, click here. Hope to see you there!

Q. Hi Nicole, I have been following your blog for a while now and love your sense of style. I’ve been looking for a gold leaf/faux gold leaf coffee table and am having the hardest time finding one that is reasonably priced. Can you help? – Corin

A. Corin, Nate Berkus has a beautiful gold look coffee table in his collection for HSN (pictured above) that I would highly recommend. It has a delicate gold faux bamboo frame and comes in both a glass top and mirrored top version. The styling is reminiscent of high-end French designs from the 1940s and 1950s. As for affordability, this one retails for just $199.95, proving that you don’t have to spend a fortune to achieve high style at home. Vintage is another great way to go. If you have the patience to search around you can score an amazing deal. Craiglsist and eBay are two of my favorite online sources for inexpensive vintage furnishings and I also recommend trolling your local flea markets…flea markets are a guaranteed treasure trove full of wonderful vintage finds. Good luck!

Need design advice or help solving a decorating dilemma? Email me at info {at} sohautestyle.com and your question could be featured on So Haute!

Thanks so much to HGTV.com for featuring me as an expert in a trend story about layered rugs! Click the photo to enlarge and you can check out the full feature here!

I’m so excited to bring you the first episode of So Haute TV! Join me as I take you behind-the-scenes with designers Nate Berkus, Steven Gambrel, Laura Kirar and Jesse Carrier at the Right Now In Design event I hosted back in July. Hear these design superstars share the deets on their latest projects, new collaborations and current design obsessions. Plus, Nate gives us the scoop on his new TV talk show which premieres Monday, September 13th! (Check your local listings here.) Click the play button to watch the video and let me know what you think!