Take A Glimpse Inside This Year’s Garden Party

Previewing the newest products and gathering with industry leaders to discuss what’s next in the marketplace was a highlight of this year’s Garden Party. Gabby joined the event, a longtime tradition of sister company Summer Classics, for the first time this year, hosting customers at the Alabama headquarters

Show & Tell

The lure of beautiful materials continues to influence the Gabby design team to create the most compelling transitional pieces, and this proved to be true for introductions that arrived in our showroom just in time for Garden Party. Gabby customers got a first look at these designs.

Peggy Chandelier

“My customers loved the rattan chairs and barstool,” says sales rep Heather Robert. “They were in awe. And they also loved the Peggy Chandelier.”

Crissy Greene of Elle Design and Décor in Lafayette, Louisiana agrees with Heather. “I thought Garden Party was fabulous,” she says. “I loved all the black and gold in the showroom and I thought the Peggy Chandelier was wonderful. I love the rattan pieces and how they bring a more casual look that will balance out a room.” Crissy also loves that the Baldwin is now offered in a swivel rocker because, as she says, we in the South like to rock, but most of the rocking chairs out there look like they belong in a nursery.

The Bentley, Coralee and Tessa Dining Chairs fit nicely around the Cortez Breakfast Table -Photo courtesy of Olive and Home

“There were so many pieces that we loved, but we were really impressed with the new rattan dining chairs” says Kim Holley and Megan Hernandez of Olive and Home in Tyler, Texas. “Gabby really took rattan to a whole new level with the color palettes. We love the soft tones and curves of the Coralee Dining Chair with its unique scalloped pattern that could easily be used as an accent chair in any room.” The two designers also loved the Mori Dining chair for its contrasting colors and straight line design and thought it would be perfect paired with the Cortez Breakfast Table.

With the growing popularity of outdoor rooms, rattan is a nice way to bring a feel of the outdoors in. Our design team has created some fresh new patterns, finishes and combinations that will really make our pieces stand out.

The Beatrice Side Table — photo courtesy of A Well Dressed Home

Carolyn Hrncir and Liz Villarreal of A Well Dressed Home in Dallas, Texas love how Gabby mixes wood, metal, shagreen, acrylic, mirror and other materials. “We also love how some of the Gabby items can be just as at home in a casual setting as a more formal space,” they say. “A Well Dressed Home’s focus is on creating clean, sophisticated and classic styles with an emphasis on textural interest. Gabby helps us do just that.”

Industry Inspiration

Guests also enjoyed a design panel lead by Ellen Mcgauley of Coastal Living magazine. Christina Samatas & Renee DiSanto of Park & Oak Design out of Glen Ellyn, IL; Jan Ware of Jan Ware Designs in Birmingham, AL; and Pam Kellogg of Designers Resource Collection in Orange Beach, CA all shared their thoughts on topics such as trends and how they make their rooms so special.

From left to right: Jan Ware, Renee DiSanto, Christina Samatas, Ellen Mcgauley, Pam Kellogg

Pam says that her showroom typically showcases new trends before they actually hit the marketplace. “We’re a little ahead of the nation in design looks here in California,” she says. “Contemporary is very in where we are right now.”

Jan sees her clients living more practically today than their grandparents did, which has an influence on her designs. “People are living a simpler and a little bit easier,” she says. “There’s a lot less clutter in today’s homes. But I do like to make a room special by finding that one unique piece in a room that will make things a little different.”

Design by Jan Ware Designs; Photograph by Jean Allsopp

In Chicago, Christina and Renee are seeing a good bit of remodels where people are taking care in thinking about the architecture when they create their designs. “We like to make sure the foundation of a room is clean lined and traditional,” they say. “And then we work a trend into that space in the form of an accessory or a piece of art, things that can be changed out later on.”

Following the Design Panel, Ken Dewitt, founder of DeWitt LLC and a life-long entrepreneur, shared his insights into how he helps business leaders get powerful results through the Entrepreneurial Operating System. He advised the group on how to create a culture based on your core values and keep your core focus.

“The retail landscape is changing,” says President and Gabby founder William White. “So Garden Party provides us with a great opportunity to talk with our clients about new ideas. It’s a special time for us to be with our customers and the event continues to get better and better each year.”