Ridgefield Guild of Artists’ 11th Annual Festive Home Fundraiser

Let the holiday countdown begin! We are gearing up for the holidays at Kate Reece Design and our first stop is the Annual Festive Home Fundraiser in support of the Ridgefield Guild of Artists. Established in the fall of 1974, the Guild plays a major role in the regional arts community. Funds raised at Festive Home are key to keeping the Guild’s doors open and programs going like the many exhibitions and opening receptions each year.

Kate Reece design has been selected along with eight other decorators to transform a white-walled, antique barn gallery space into a magical holiday emporium for the 11th Annual Festive Home, opening Friday, November 20 with a special Preview Party, open to all for an entry fee of $20. Join Andrea Romeo and KRD as we celebrate the start of Festive Home that night from 6-8pm and enjoy festive refreshments, music, a raffle and more, along with the first peek at the “homey” but ever so glittery holiday market. Then, the event continues for five weeks with free admission from Saturday, November 21 through Sunday, December 23.

This year’s theme for the event is “Home for the Holidays!” We’re bringing back that homey feeling of a joyful home with decorated foyer, mantel and tabletop designs. The stunning holiday vignettes around the barn act as dramatic backdrops, showcasing the many items for sale. 

Expanded holiday hours are Tuesday – Sunday, 11am-5pm. Galleries will be closed November 25 and 26 for Thanksgiving. Call 203-438-8863 or email rgoa@sbcglobal.net for more information about the Eleventh Annual Festive Home.

Andrea's Feature in East Coast Home + Design Magazine

You may see a familiar face in the September/October issue of East Coast Home + Design Magazine. Andrea Romeo, founder of Kate Reece Design was selected for a feature article in the 2015 Annual Interior Designers Issue. 

For this issue, East Coast Home + Design also reached into their printing bag of tricks and created two different covers. They finessed the technology so every delivered bundle of 24 magazines will feature alternating covers. The intention was to give readers the greatest opportunity to find the right individual to help make their house a home. Check out the cover with Andrea on the front and pick up the issue today. Read her story below from the magazine about how travel influences her design aesthetic. 

Click on the cover to read the entire issue

Andrea Romeo finds inspiration in very different types of places. "There is something about the pulse of a city–and nothing like the vibe of a U.S. city," she explains. "A city's people, art, shopping, local designers, food, colors and architecture fuel and inspire me." As deep as her appreciation for cities may run, she also enjoys island settings like Bermuda and the Bahamas. There, she revels in the sense of tranquility found in the natural colors of native flora, breath-taking sunsets and blue water against white sand. 

Andrea has lived in three different areas of the U.S.–the Northeast (Connecticut and Massachusetts), North Carolina and Texas. "You learn that every region of our country has its own unique culture and style," she says. Of all the places she's lived, however, Texas will always hold a special place in Andrea's heart. She loves the uniqueness of its major cities and also appreciates its open pastures, beautiful sky and rustic decor. Andrea often pays homage to her time in Texas by adding rustic elements to her designs, including this one. 

Andrea seeks inspiration in her everyday life as well. "I am aesthetically driven, and I see beauty in sunsets, restaurants, fashion, quaint shops, nature and people – everywhere I am constantly observing," she says. She preserves those bits of beauty with photographs, capturing a charmingly decorated hotel room, a garden or a store window display so she can refer to it later.

Next on Andrea's travel wish list is a trip to Italy. Her grandmother immigrated from Abruzzo, and Andrea would love to explore her ethnic roots and visit the town. "She had a home and garden that boasted of Old World Italian style," she remembers of her grandmother. "I feel like much of that beauty and culture were creatively inspiring to me, even as a child."

"To me," she continues, "travel is spiritual. To feel the hustle and bustle of a city or the calmness of a tropical island makes us who we are and how we design."

BEFORE & AFTER: LAUREN's Home office

AFTER: Lauren's Dreamy Home Office 

Meet Lauren Wakefield, a wedding photographer located in Chicago. For years she dreamt up the perfect home office. A place where she could feel inspired but also escape for the day.  A place that is warm and bright. KRD worked with Lauren to create a home office space that was both organized and beautiful. The BEFORE  space was a catch-all for everything. The AFTER reveals how we helped Lauren find meaningful places for all of her favorite memories, pictures, and design objects. Scroll below to see the big home office reveal.

Visit Lauren's Blog For More BEFORE & AFTER images >

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BEFORE