One of my favorite places to stay in Chicago is the Park Hyatt. I guess I have stayed there so many times it feels like home. It is conveniently located right off Michigan Avenue and the view from my room of the original Water Tower, both day and night and the lake is spectacular. I also like the terrace bar in the warm weather and the private dining room at their restaurant Nomi. The staff is exceptional and let's face it I love Chicago.
What a thrill to see a rainbow outside my studio window. I guess that means we are going to have a great Furniture Market!
FALL PREVIEW: 
This fall we see Sunbrella textures for the Joe Ruggiero Collection. These remarkable textiles have the look of homespun or textiles that have been created on a traditional loom. We have worked for years to develop the look of natural, textures with all the properties of Sunbrella; easy care for heavy wear.
FALL PREVIEW: Look for sassy skirted dining chairs and architectural, clean-line upholstered chairs and a collection of Sunbrella fabrics that have an organic feeling. The fabric: Joe's Garden in the color Autumn will dress a bed in the center of the showroom with large decorative panels. Plenty of Sunbrella trims will also dress decorative pillows and shams on the bedding ensemble. Lot's of decorative surprises this
I was honored to present at the International Casual Furnishings Association Apollo Awards in Chicago. The awards are presented to outstanding retailers and their dedication to the outdoor furniture industry.
The landmark buildings that Ralph Lauren is creating from the ground up are truly remarkable. This one in Chicago on the corner of Michigan Avenue and Chicago Avenue appear to have been there from the turn of the century. Now in New York he is creating another building to house his women and home collections across the street from the famed Rhinelander mansion that he restored almost 25 years ago. Least we not forget the spectacular Parisian restoration he has just completed which has all of Paris talking about. I visited the new rooms in Chicago and loved the Heiress Collection. A mix of casual "home spun" linens mixed with heavenly embroidered silks. One is transformed into a magical world.
The Charming restaurant at the Ralph Lauren store serves an Italian oriented menu. Along with a superb outdoor cafe (before the wind and snow hits) it remains one of my favorite haunts whenever I visit Chicago. Now that Ralph's Paris restaurant is such a rave, a new wave of Ralph Lauren restaurants may be in the future.
Look forward to seeing you in Chicago for the Casual Furniture Market Sept. 21-24, 2010. I will be presenting my new collections for Woodard, Miles Talbott and Terra Furniture and the latest Sunbrella textiles from my outdoor collections.
FALL PREVIEW: The New Neutrals will dominate the fabric introductions for the Joe Ruggiero Collection. Here the Sunbrella pattern, Zulu color Barley sets the tone for a naive, islands look. Textures accent with patterns pictured, Romeo and Plush; all part of the JR collection for Sunbrella. The Maxfield chair, a Ruggiero design for Miles Talbott is part of Ruggiero's modernist collection which will be on display in the Joe Ruggiero Showroom:1690 English Road, High Point, North Carolina 27262 
Next week the International Casual Furniture market will open in Chicago (Sept. 21-24). I am happy to present my new outdoor collection called Salona for Woodard Furniture. Shown here covered in Sunbrella Trax/Nutmeg. This collection was designed to create a sleek, contemporary look that can go in many different areas. I will also be showcasing my Outdoor lighting collection for Craftmade. Outdoor decorating is the new frontier of design and I am excited to promote the opportunities for creative outdoor design and The International Casual Furnishings Association. For those of you on your way to Chicago, I look forward to meeting you in person.
Time to bring the orchids inside in time for fall and winter decorating. I merely give them light and water once a week and they will last for at least three months. If I cut them back at the right nodes they will bloom again. Here is the view in my studio/office this morning.
Look for the October issue of Veranda Magazine and the Joe Ruggiero Collection Ad. Also featured are the Miles Talbott upholstery, Gat Creek Lloyd table and the pendant lamp for Craftmade which has a Sunbrella shade. The flowers are by New Growth.
When Brian Noyes was an art director for publications such as House & Garden he dreamed of having his own business. Today he is the owner/chef of the Red Truck Bakery just about an hour drive from Washington, D.C. in Warrenton, Virginia.
The Botanical Gardens at the Huntington in San Marino, California are an ever changing exhibition of color and a constant delight. More than a dozen gardens cover 120 acres of the 207 acre grounds. Among the most remarkable is the Chinese Garden--Liu Fang Yuan or Garden of Flowering Fragrance. The Garden features a lake, a complex of pavilions, a teahouse and tea shop and five stone bridges. Such a beautiful respite from everyday life. A trip to a foreign land.
