Keeping a pulse on the Fashion Industry is must at The Karen Curtis Company. We have always made it our mission to create style in jewelry by focusing on color schemes that have surfaced in the world of fashion. With research, knowledge, and other resources Karen has been able to consistently keep her limited edition jewelry collections a must-have to all the women who are passionate for fashion and savvy to high quality accessories.
With the fast approaching New York Fashion Week almost here, we thought it would be fun to create a sneak peek of what direction our color stories are heading in. As most of our customers know,we debut all of our new collections every year at the Grand Central Terminal Holiday Fair November 12 – December 24. This blog is a way for anyone who is attending the shows or keeping up with what’s happening, to know that there will be a perfect piece of jewelry waiting for you to accessorize with. Like always the individual pieces of each collection will have what we at Karen Curtis like to refer to as “Elegant Edginess“.
What you are likely to see at the upcoming NYFW is projections of Spring 2013. We anticipate some very vibrant color designs, open neck lines (perfect for Karen Curtis Necklaces), and slim 1960′s style dresses.
To get all of you fashionistas started here is our peek into our gorgeous new color collection, guaranteed to get you noticed!
Triple Layer Necklace for Winter 2013
Get Ready for another fantastic jewelry line by Karen Curtis!
Available at The GCT Holiday Fair 2012 and online at KarenCurtis.com starting in January
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Tags: bracelet, Crystal, designer jewelry, earrings, fashion, fashionista, Jewelry, Necklace, Swarovski, trends
It is kind of funny how things work out. In 2005, my 5th year in business I found myself spending months looking for the perfect colorful chandelier for my NYC apartment. I found shapes that I loved, colors that stood out to me but couldn’t find the complete package of vintage/traditional elegance mixed with a little flare, style, color and quality. It really never occurred to me that this seemingly fun task would be draining both my time and patience. That is when I took matters into my own hands, instead of searching for the best chandelier I began looking for the best elements to a chandelier. I acquired a few of the most amazing original antique frames from high end vintage and antique stores, pieces that had history( no reproductions) frames that had sexy curvature and quality materials like ornate brass and venetian glass.
Now I had something to work with so I had all of the wiring redone with up to code antique looking cords, keeping with the feel of the piece. It was time to come up with interesting color arrangements and bring to life what I had been searching for. There is no denying that I know a lot about crystal and crystal quality, and for my personal chandelier I was not going to use anything but the best crystal available. By using my resources at Swarovski I started to build a selection of all the colored STRASS Swarovski crystals in a variety of different shapes and sizes. I let my imagination go wild and made some really cool chandeliers!
As friends would come over they would comment on the lamps and chandeliers, next thing I knew they were asking me to design 1 for them, or telling a friend to contact me. I had developed my own style of chandelier…. ECO Friendly by using antique frames, super colorful, and the highest quality by using only STRASS Swarovski crystal. Next thing I know the chandelier/home interior part of my company was born!
TIPS FOR CHOOSING THE RIGHT CHANDELIER FOR YOU!
Over the years I have gained some insight into the right size chandelier for certain areas of your home. First off, there is no restrictions on where to hang a chandelier! The traditional areas i.e. over the dining room table, in an entryway, top of a stairwell are great places. In these circumstances it is best to take the length of the room in feet + the width of the room in feet and try and keep the diameter of the chandelier to the that size in Inches. EXAMPLE BELOW:
In addition to the size of the correct chandelier it is important to hang it properly. So over a dining room table, don’t go lower then 30″ from the top of the table…. this is a great height so that the piece is obviously the focal point of the room but will not interfere with conversations of guests at dinner.
FOR NON-TRADITIONAL PLACES….
• BATHROOM- nothing is more spa-like than having a chandelier in the bathroom, we suggest hanging it a minimum of 7 ft. off the floor and ideally place it over the bathtub for a very luxurious effect!
• CORNER OF THE ROOM- Corners are usually forgotten, we don’t think they should be! This can help a room feel larger by creating artwork in the ceiling corner and not to mention the amazing shadowing effect you will have on the 2 walls and ceiling. You can hang this chandelier where ever you think it looks good, because a corner of a room never really gets any foot traffic it will not interfere with moving around the room.
Chandeliers are an opportunity to place a floating piece of artwork in your home. The right chandelier should reflect your personality and most of all make you happy to see it and own it. Don’t treat a chandelier as just a light, treat it as a masterpiece for your decor!
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Tags: antique chandeliers, chandelier choices, chandeliers, choosing the right chandelier, colorful chandeliers, crystal chandeliers, high end chandeliers, how to pick the right chandelier, luxury chandeliers, nyc chandelier designer, strass chandeliers, strass swarovski crystal, swarovski crystal chandelier designer, swarovski crystal chandeliers, vintage chandeliers, worlds best chandeliers
GETTING MARRIED?
WE WANT TO HELP!
Manhattan Bride’s coverage and photography by Rick Bard showcases some of our new designs for the bride this year. This necklace is fabulous! Layers and layers of Swarovski crystals artistically overlapping with sterling silver. We are very excited about this new look, considering the edginess and non-symmetrical look of the bib part of it. : ) Link to http://www.karencurtis.com/bridal-jewelry/ to see more!
So I guess we feel at this point in our career, and life for that matter, we have seen a lot of what the wedding industry has to offer, especially in the New York area. That being said my husband and I have come to agreement on what wedding professionals we feel deserve recognition for being cool, innovative, high quality, and really just provide outstanding service and products. By no means have we scouted out everyone in the industry, but over the course of a few years we have gone to lots of weddings big and small, attended so many bridal expos, and on a personal note planned our own wedding which I feel we did a lot of research for.
HERE WE GO
Lets start by giving you some great resources for planning:
- Great writing, excellent selection in the advertisements and a very cool section that highlights individual weddings. We like this because you can see everything someone else choose, and view some photographs from their wedding that can give you an idea of what these vendors bring to the table. Read each couples story and some of them you can associate with and maybe even get some ideas if you are looking to create a theme of some sort. This is a link to our wedding featured in the magazine! http://www.karencurtis.com/manhattan-bride-our-wedding/
http://www.manhattanbride.com/
- This is a pretty big publication, that highlights lots of different vendors in the industry. They have a more national scope to them so if it is a destination wedding this could be a good starting point for the bride and groom to look through. Cool DIY areas and tips on how to make the most of what you are going for. Even good tips for the guys… ( seriously if any grooms are reading this blog, surprise your girl with a spa/message session a couple of days before your wedding! Big Points, Just Saying) http://www.theknot.com/
- Also a great way to get ideas on how to make the day even more smashing. You can read though a lot of reviews on people and venues on wedding wire… It’s a wonderful source for wedding planning! They have an incredible listing of vendors where you can view by your location and category, e.i. Jewelry, NY. http://www.weddingwire.com/
THE DRESS
- The one and only! It’s kinda dreamy for a bride to walk in there with her girls to try on some gowns. They have a huge selection and all of the staff is super friendly and eager to find the perfect dress for each bride. ”IS THIS THE ONE” is their trademark question every time you look at yourself in a mirror with a new dress. Have fun with it and we have no doubt that you will be able to find something special for your big day. Important to note that you need to call ahead for an appointment they get a lot of traffic. http://www.kleinfeldbridal.com/
- This place is A+. They have a great selection of dresses that are top-notch quality. Lesser known then the big names but that is why we find them so appealing. It’s that couture, edgy, no one else has it feeling you get after buying your gown from these guys. The owners/designers are Steven and Robert and we have to say that they are awesome, you couldn’t find a more helpful, friendly and stylish group to work with and lets face it, working directly with the owners of a particular company makes a girl feel special. Don’t pass up the opportunity to try out their designs this could definitely be the place you find the perfect gown! http://www.birnbaumandbullock.com/
Quick note: This is me in my dress by pnina tornai. http://www.pninatornai.com/default.aspx
Other designers that I personally loved were
Ree Macra http://www.reemacra.com/Collections/Bridal/1a525329-1da4-4094-a86e-cb86a9c72550
Monique Lhuillier http://moniquelhuillier.com/
FLOWERS
Just simply beautiful, both the floral designs and Maria’s personality! She creates the most stunning arrangements and brings her A game to every events she is a part of. It is rare to find someone who is so enthusiastic about their work and Maria is the epitome of that individual. Great pricing for any budget as well. She engages the bride and groom to become part of her design process, using images of her prior events as well as imaginative ways that she can create unique features for your particular wedding. She recently launched her new company and she is well worth inquiring about! http://mcninodesigns.com/ or mcninoevents@gmail.com or 1-718-383-2424
PHOTOGRAPHY/VIDEOGRAPHY
- Special! This is a really talented group of photographers headed by owners Lina and O.B. and they are great professional people to work with. The style is photo journalism and it is everything you could imagine, creative, artsy, but at the same time they find a way to make it a bit traditional also. Lets be honest, you are never going to see everything that happens at your wedding fortunately you can have this amazing team of photo “ninjas” documenting the entire event. Before you pull the trigger on hiring your photographer make sure you look at what this company has to offer, we think they are legen…. “wait for it”… dary! http://www.linajang.com/
Note: Above photos are by Jang Photography
MUSIC
We recently attended a wedding that used this company for the night and we gotta say it was Fantastic! The dance floor was packed, the music was a good mix of modern dance and classics, we would’ve stayed till 5 a.m. dancing. The catch is that you have to trust them when they tell you they will have the perfect band for your night. I don’t believe you get to see them perform live and essentially they combine talented musicians catered to the type of event you want to throw. Needless to say we witnessed this come off very well so we give a stamp of approval! http://www.hanklane.com/
HONEYMOON
You can get lost on websites and if you don’t have a good recommendation from a friend or family member then you should consider using their resources. Located all over and every time we have visited them we have enjoyed the information. Give them a budget and the type of vacation you want and they will steer you in the right direction. There is also a good price insurance with the company and they will most likely match a deal if you think you can find something better. Walk right into one of their locations and you might find the perfect spot that you didn’t know existed! http://www.libertytravel.com/
Alright that is pretty much it. Hopefully this helps someone out as they plan their wedding. My husband and I are young and like to think of ourselves as trendy, sophisticated, and quality orientated people. A lot of the time when we read reviews it is hard to get a reading on what the person writing the review is like so if we share some of the same tastes in life this could be helpful to you. OH I ALMOST FORGOT DON’T FORGET ABOUT THE JEWELRY AT KARENCURTIS.COM TO COMPLETE YOUR LOOK, YOUR BRIDESMAIDS AND THE MOMS OF THE NEWLY WEDS!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks for reading and we wish you all the best with planning your wedding!
Karen & Aaron
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Tags: best, bridal, Bride, Crystal, Design, Jewelry, MANHATTAN, New York, planning, Relationships, Swarovski, Wedding, wedding ideas, wedding reviews, Weddings
What’s Hot for Summer 2012
NOT YOUR MOMMA’S COSTUME JEWELRY!
MORE EDGY, MORE BOLD, MORE YOU!
Loving some of the newest designs that will be coming out later this year! This is an example of a spiked cuff bracelet that was one of the top sellers last season. This year we are bringing in even more flavor with deep, rich colors and larger beads. It kinda reminds me of a hybrid of 1980′s studs and spikes with fashion forward color trends.
There are many fashion and trend magazines, websites, and blogs that I look at every month just to keep a pulse on the industry. In a recent article in http://www.millionlooks.com I ran across one of their write ups on jewelry trends spring/summer 2012 that made me feel very like-minded with the trend experts. It was this particularly that seemed important….”An outfit without a jewelry piece never looks finished. A delicate bracelet, luxurious necklace, exquisite earrings or even an unusual hairpin are small pieces which play such a big role in making our fashion looks. So, its essential to know as much about them as possible.”
-WHATS IN-
COLOR
CHANDELIER EARRINGS
BRACELETS (ESPECIALLY LAYERS OF BRACELETS)
AND FOR THE 3RD YEAR IN A ROW… CHUNKY!
Being informed is the best way to get the look you want. Even though my blog may be small I am determined to bring what I know and what I do to my audiences eyes. We create the glitz, the glamour, the color and the sophistication all with Swarovski crystal, and build these elements into a wide range of designs.
For more info on the jewelry line by Karen visit: http://www.karencurtis.com/jewelry/
or to read the article in millionlooks visit:http://www.millionlooks.com/trends/accessories-trends/jewelry-trends-for-spring-summer-2012/
Until next time,
Karen
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Tags: bracelets, Chandelier, Crystal, earrings, fashion, Jewellery, Jewelry, jewelry trends, necklaces, New York City Jewelry designer, Swarovski
As a designer of chandeliers, people and our clients often ask what steps to take to maintain and keep their fixtures clean? Every chandelier that we create is different so depending on the frame being glass or antique brass is going to dictate the proper steps for maintaining the beauty of the piece. First I would like to address an old school common way of keeping the crystals of a chandelier clean which I tend to think is outdated not ideal. Often people would lay newspaper or cloth down under a chandelier and use a cup of warm water mixed with white vinegar and raise the cup up to submerge the crystal in the liquid. While this does breakdown the oils and dust that often accumulates on each crystal, it does have its drawbacks….
1. Unless you really enjoy the aroma of italian dressing in your home, there are better cleaning products
2. The acidity of the vinegar can cause damage and tarnish the metal used to actually hold the crystals in place
That being said the following are a few techniques and suggestions that we have found useful for all of our chandeliers.
1. COMPRESSED AIR!!!!!
We have all used the small cans of compressed air to clean a computer keyboard, but this little tool can be used for chandeliers also. You will be able to get to hard to reach areas on the frames of the lights, as well in all the nooks and crannies that are found in the intricate designs on the arms and in the bobesh dishes. Especially with the brass frames, the patina and antique look of the brass is something that you want to keep, so using any cleaner on it may result in discoloration and take away from the overall look. We recommend starting off by spraying away all the dust on the frame.
2. GLASS CLEANER
Windex or any similar product is going to give the crystal a fantastic finish. These are typically very soft cleaning products and will not remove any finish that might be on some of the crystals, whether it is an AB coating or a metallic foil. This will also not be harmful for the metal holding the crystals onto the frame. Also windex smells better than vinegar. Just spray a paper towel with the glass cleaner a rub each stone, this will take care of any oils from fingerprints and any dust left over after using the compressed air.
3. INSPECT
It only takes a few seconds to go over each stone, but by cleaning them individually you can inspect each element to make sure there hasn’t been any damage to the crystal. If for any reason you find a chip you can contact us and get a replacement piece so that we help keep your chandelier in pristine condition.
It is important to let you know that each of our chandeliers are created using STRASS crystal, which is a division of the SWAROVSKI company. STRASS crystal has a patented anti-dust finish and works very well, but after about a year there may be some light build-up of dust on the stones although it is significantly less than that of a lesser quality crystal. Regardless of the type of crystal that you may have on a chandelier it is always nice when the colors shine brightly so small tips like these can go a long way in getting the most beauty out of these functional pieces of art!
CHEERS,
Karen
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Tags: Chandelier, Compressed air, Crystal, Home and Garden, Light fixture, Lighting, Shopping, Swarovski
Hi Everyone,
This month has been a busy one, completing a bunch of goals that I set for myself this year. I have spent a lot of time going over my website, and with the help of blueflyweb.com, I am finally near completion of the new look!!!
Through the course of 2011, I have experienced a lot more volume from web orders and inquires prompting me to update the website. It is now more user friendly, has pictures that can be enlarged for exploring the details of each item, and an easy to use shopping cart. I couldn’t be happier. This will make my online store more interactive and fun for customer shopping. As soon as it is finished I will send out an email to all of our clients encouraging them to take advantage of the new features, products, and sales! I am also hoping that if you enjoy the new look, send a link to your friends and family because if you are like me, then some of your favorite sites to shop at have come from recommendations. Stay tuned for all the new updates, so much more to come!!!!
-Karen
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