Last week I had the pleasure of heading to Brooklyn with some media friends to check out the west elm Holiday 2014 preview. First off, for all you west elm fans, get ready for some fabulous new items this coming holiday season. I can’t post anything too detailed just yet, but stay tuned in the next few months. I fell in love with pretty much everything they showed me! Here are some pictures I snapped from the whole trip – a whirlwind 24hrs. It was my first real venture into Brooklyn…and I’m dying to go back and explore some more.
View of the Manhattan Bridge just down the street from the west elm head office. There was actually a giant TV screen playing the US world cup soccer match set up under the bridge!
The first part of our trip (and most important part!!) was to check out the west elm Holiday 2014 preview. Since I can’t share too much just yet (check back in a few weeks from now!), I wanted to share a sneak peek of one of my favourite vignettes. LOVE this room shot – with the fun deer head boxwood above the bed (top left) and the gorgeous pin-striped bedding. Those contemporary plaid toss cushions were so soft and complete the whole effortless, comfy-cabin look. Perfect for creating a cozy Christmas bedroom.
The whole west elm office (which is absolutely stunning…as one would imagine!) was set up showcasing what’s to come in the next couple of years. Bill Clinton had dropped into the office the week before (no big deal.) so the whole team was joking that we were getting the tour at the best time. Everything looked flawless! They even took us ‘behind the scenes’ into the design area. It’s crazy how far ahead the design team plans. We saw little teasers of what to expect all 2015 and even into spring 2016!! Below are a couple pics I snapped from one of the studios – it was a painters/crafter’s paradise!
They even had a couple of their own looms to play with pattern and texture!
After our tour of the office we strolled down to the waterfront to check out the legendary carousel and view. We passed Anne Hathaway on our way and I died a little inside.
We stayed at the Wythe Hotel in Williamsburg and I have nothing but good things to say. Everyone we chatted with was super helpful, even down to the (stylish) guy who manned the front door. Having a design background I usually pay most attention to the decor details and boy was there plenty to take in. The exterior had a super funky ‘hotel’ sign made of various materials that were welded together. My room had stunning exposed brick, sleek concrete floors, feminine blue wallpaper behind the bed paired with contemporary black sconces, and a fully tiled bathroom that is about the size of my kitchen here in Toronto.
We quickly popped up to the rooftop patio for a pre-dinner cocktail and I was blown away by the view. Manhattan truly does have a gorgeous skyline (below).
For dinner, we joined back up with the fabulous west elm ladies at Reynard – the restaurant in the Wythe hotel. We were by far the loudest group there (all 14 of us!). The table was set with stunning flower arrangements (courtesy of the west elm team) and we all enjoyed some great family style dining.
It was a whirlwind trip but by far one of the best I’ve been on in a while! I can’t wait to head back to Brooklyn for a longer trip and really get to explore. Anyone heading to Brooklyn soon should check out this post Amanda did a few weeks ago.
And get ready for some fun and stylish holiday pieces from west elm this winter season. My Christmas wish-list continues to grow…
What should I make sure to check out when I head back to Brooklyn next time? Tweet me @missmlindsay
