THE MART 222 Merchandise Mart Plaza Chicago, IL 60654 800.677.MART F O R M O R E O R I G I N A L C O N T E N T S H O W C A S I N G T H E B E S T I N D E S I G N, V I S I T D E S I G N C H I C AG O M AG .C O M D E B O R A H L . M A R T IN Ed i to r in C h i e f Top: Wallcoverings from Pierre Frey’s Jardin á la Française collection, now available at their new showroom at THE MART. Left: A Ward Bennett Scissor Chair, reupholstered in bold red Knoll upholstery from Kravet , pops against the backdrop of a white wall with traditional moldings, painted in Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace. Below: The iconic Vues d’Amérique du Nord wallcovering, by Zuber , a part of Pierre Frey’s vast archive. I love opposites. Sweet and salty, light and dark, Felix and Oscar. It’s the tension, of course, that makes opposites work so well. In design, I gravitate to rooms filled with juxtaposition. How about some Scandinavian midcentury modern mixed with a smidge of Louis XIV? Or a rustic cabin aesthetic with sculptural, modern lighting? Delicious. As we put together this issue I realized that we have several projects that employ that tension. The team at Alter Interiors blended a client’s British aesthetic with a Spanish Revival home in San Francisco, striking the perfect balance. And Searl Lamaster Howe’s designers combined Paris eclecticism with midcentury modern in a vintage Chicago condo, for two clients who had never lived together before. Our cover story is about third-generation family-owned Maison Pierre Frey and its impactful influence on the decorative arts. In addition to the work the Frey family has done to preserve valuable and historic textile archives, they also understand the power of juxtaposition as they continue to innovate with designers all over the world. Their newest collection, Jardin á la Française, was shot at Château d’Aunoy and is inspired by classical French gardens. They paired this collection, in that setting, with the clean lines of modern furniture and accessories, with every image more beautiful than the next. In fact, the French fabric house is known for this type of juxtaposition, combining modern graphics with age-old techniques, a blend of contemporary and traditional that merges into something completely new. That is the best of design. Cheers to spring, and we will see you at THE MART!