Sunbrella was one of the Green Room sponsors this year, providing fabrics for the stars’ paparazzi-free zone. Additionally, we were invited to sit in on part of an Oscar’s rehearsal, tour the famous Green Room and meet esteemed designer Roger Thomas, known for his designs of the luxurious Wynn Properties worldwide.

For this year’s Green Room design, Roger drew his inspiration from old Hollywood glamour.  This was the 82nd year of the Oscars, and Roger’s designs harkened back to the event’s beginnings when the country was in a depression and people looked to Hollywood for escape and glamour.

Roger, a self proclaimed history buff, modeled his design after the classic Hollywood starlet with ashen hair and dark eyes. The colors in the room – from upholstery to draperies to rugs – reflected that inspiration. He created several intimate conversation spaces in the room with comfortable furniture that would allow guests to perch while awaiting their turn on stage.  Check out the LA Times article on Roger’s design methods.

The tour was lead by Adrienne Karner Byrne, Promotion Director, Architectural Digest, and we were joined by Randi MacColl, Associate Publisher, Architectural Digest; Jeff Petersen, Executive Director, Architectural Digest as well as our Sunbrella partners and dear friends, Barbara and Joe Ruggiero, Catherine and Richard Frinier.

Pictured (L to R): Adrienne Karner Byrne, Randi MacColl, Amanda Williams, Roger Thomas, Catherine and Richard Frinier, Me (Gina Wicker), Barbara Ruggiero, Robert Hernandez, Joe Ruggiero and Jeff Petersen.

The San Francisco Gate reveals many of her helpful hints and design ideas.

We included our fabric search, which is the most popular feature on our website, so it’s like having a searchable Sunbrella fabric collection in the palm of your hand.   Care and cleaning tips, warranty information and our Where-to-Buy dealer locator are also accessible from the mobile site. 

So, the next time you’re at a barbeque and witness a spill on Sunbrella fabric, you’ll be able to come to the rescue with just the right cleaning tip to remove the spot. 

New mobile site designed for on-the-go inspiration.

The big winner at the ADDY Gala was RLF Communications for their International Civil Rights Center & Museum campaign.  Sunbrella friend and fabric photographer, Matt Hulsman of dcube studios, took home gold and silver awards in the category of Elements of Advertising, photography for his work for The Fresh Market.  You’ll find some of Matt’s Sunbrella photography under the product portion of his web portfolio.  You’ll also see examples of his award winning food photography, but be careful.  They’ll make you hungry.

Special thanks and congratulations go out to the Sunbrella web team of Michael Hogan, senior graphic designer, Josh Wyrick, web programmer and Gene Wicker, e-marketing manager who put in phenomenal creative energy into developing the new Sunbrella website. I acted as creative director for the project.  Obviously, we’re not done.  It’s an ongoing effort to make the site better and more informative.

The award winning Sunbrella website.

It was a wonderful opportunity to interact with professional builders and help them to understand how awnings can set their projects apart.  Adding awnings to a new home during the construction phase extends the future home owner’s usable living space, provides shade and protection for the home’s interior and reduces heat gain inside the home during warmer months.  That’s a key benefit in the Southeast where summers can be brutal. 

Look for awnings with Sunbrella fabric at a Southern Living Showcase Home near you in 2010.

Southern Living Builder of the year, Eric Sasser, with his lovely wife, Shirley, on the left and Sunbrella Design and Creative Director, Gina Wicker on the right.

Conference attendees enjoying the presentation portion of the conference.

Here is Ron Gray, seasonal trainer for Frontgate catalog, who educates Frontgate’s call centers on all facets of the product range. Paige joined Ray recently for a Sunbrella 101 seminar.

Here you see JoAnne, who is the face of Frontgate at Cinmar (owners of Frontgate, Grandin Road, Garnet Hill, Ballard Designs, and several others). She looks quite fashionable posing with her Sunbrella tote. Watch out Runway!

Check your latest Frontgate catalog for the most up-to-date Sunbrella fabric applications for the home and garden.

Inspired by jazz improvisation, Korten developed the line with unique pattern features together with innovative colorations, to create a line analogous to the unexpected but delightful harmonies and rhythms found in great jazz music. There are 60 sku’s and 10 new patterns in the IMPROV collection that work well with previously released fabrics from other Sunbrella offerings.

See all the details at FabricLink.

I really love the outdoor pool table provided by The Grill Doctor that features Sunbrella fabric. Who needs to go to the local pub for the party and the pool, they’ve got it all, literally, right in their own back yard! The Charlotte Observer has all the details.

Both have been fond projects of retired dentist, Phil Savage, from North Carolina who steals away on these classy rides with his wife, Betsey, or kids and grand kids, whenever the opportunity presents itself. They spend summers at Lakeside, OH – one of the original Chautauqua communities that sprang up in the 19th century – and still attracts families today.

The 1957, 23 ft. Lyman shown here was restored and launched in June 2009. Notice the beautiful Burgundy Sunbrella top. This craft, Phil says, is a keeper.

This 1955, 15 ft. Chris Craft was a labor of love and is fully restored and FOR SALE. With the opportunity for cruising with more passengers in recent years, the 15 feet fill up quickly. But like all love affairs with boats, parting is such sweet sorrow (or elation – depending on who you’re talking to). But I have a feeling this mint condition boat won’t likely stay on the market long.

Wouldn’t I love to lounge in this paradise!

This fascinating sculpture was created for the Western Michigan University Frostic School of Art using Sunbrella braid. In and of itself an imaginative piece, this installation is illuminated nightly for added depth and perspective. Randy has many public commissions behind him – his current project well underway in Santa Fe, New Mexico. He has also won numerous awards for his talent and creativity.

You can check out several of Randy’s works and learn more about his current projects and methodology on his web site. It’s worth a peek just in case you’re in a location where he has displays or exhibits. He’s got talent and then some - and lots of patience I’d say.

Marni sees this not as a trend, but as an ongoing design practice. And she credits Sunbrella with helping in the development of this transitional design technique by offering fabrics that no longer scream “put me outside”. Our loyal followers know that you can use Sunbrella furniture fabrics outside or in and it’s nice to see we’ve got some company.

The lucky ones, Vince Hankins, marine market manager; Zoe Horrocks, fabric designer; and Bill McDaniel, regional sales manager all took one for the team in Orlando last week to represent the latest in Sunbrella marine offerings. Aside from the traditional products of marine canvas for boat tops, covers and interiors, we also highlighted products that have a little added value for special projects like luxury toppings made with Sunbrella Supreme. This unique marine canvas is the ultimate answer to every boaters’ desire for durable, waterproof protection with the aesthetics of a custom headliner. A unique bonding process adheres an outer layer of Sunbrella marine canvas with a matching or contrasting Sunbrella flocking interior layer. The result is a completely waterproof marine canvas that gives the cockpit legendary protection from the elements and a beautifully sophisticated interior.

It really is a beautiful fabric and adds a touch of class to any marine canvas application. Ask your marine fabricator about Sunbrella Supreme.

The Atlanta Gift Mart is the country’s premier resource for gift and home furnishings buyers and designers. Even though Atlanta saw an unusual half inch of snow during the early days of the show, it didn’t stop the buyers from coming out to market. It was cold outside but the buzz inside the mart was anything but.