AJ PR
a full service boutique public relations firm
Clients
PRO BONO CLIENT
The Sustainable Furnishings Council is a coalition of manufacturers, retailers and designers dedicated to raising awareness and expanding the adoption of environmentally sustainable practices across the home furnishings industry.
Their mission is to help companies reduce their environmental footprints as they grow, and to help consumers find healthy furnishings. To accomplish these lofty goals, we provide the best education, promotion, and networking opportunities available. We raise consumer interest in environmentally safe furnishings and promote the development of many more sustainable options.
SFC urges the use of Life Cycle Assessment as the best method for analyzing the environmental and health impact of products and a verifiable chain of custody as the only acceptable method for tracking wood flow. SFC members support the triple bottom line of PEOPLE - PLANET - PROFITS and lead the industry in best practices throughout their supply chains. Members are committed to continuous work toward a healthy future, inside and out.
Creator of the original decorative hide rug, Kyle Bunting has redefined how hide is used in interior applications. Hide is a material of incredible depth and dimension that brings unlimited design potential to rugs, walls, pillows, and upholstery. Kyle Bunting continues to be true to this one material, constantly creating new designs in hide. With his team of contributing designers, Kyle Bunting innovates and expands the possibilities from his studio in Austin, Texas. From elegantly understated to magnificently bold, he handcrafts the finest Italian hides into intricately designed works of decorative art. Their specification mantra, “any size, any shape, any color,” provides unlimited design potential to create the extraordinary in hide.
Alan Tanksley is one of America’s leading practitioners of residential design, detailed interior space planning, and custom furniture and fixture design. An expert colorist, he pays particular attention to make every interior space both sophisticated and relaxing simultaneously. Past working relationships with such leading architects as Maya Lin, James Dayton, Robert Orr and Harry Elson haven given the firm abilities to realize a wide range of architectural renovations for each project. In addition to residential design, Mr. Tanksley has worked closely on a number of projects with developers such as Greenwich, Connecticut-based National Resources and New York City-based Alchemy, the experience of which lends flexibility and capacity of the firm towards hospitality and commercial design.
With roots in both Indiana and Washington, DC, Keith Fritz's passion for furniture blossomed at an early age. As a teenager, Keith logged over 1200 hours into his first piece of furniture, an award-winning ornate Bombay Chippendale secretary. After years of building his business, Keith Fritz Fine Furniture is now represented by the finest trade-only showrooms across the country. Every piece Keith creates is lovingly handmade and the tailored to the client's exact specifications. Keith's reputation for timely delivery and excellent customer service make him a valuable partner to the most discerning interior designs and architects across the country.
Orlando Diaz-Azcuy has been a designer for 50 years. The hallmarks of his work — intelligent pragmatism, quiet elegance — have remained consistent over his long career. He worked alongside design luminaries like Lawrence Halprin and Arthur Gensler before opening Orlando Diaz-Azcuy Design Associates in 1987; he has designed furniture collections for Steelcase, McGuire, HBF, Boyd Lighting and Matsuoka.
Diaz-Azcuy holds a degree in Architecture from Catholic University of America, and in Landscape Architecture and City & Regional Planning, both from the University of California at Berkeley; he has also received two honorary doctorates. He is a member of Interior Design's Hall of Fame, and has been named as Interiors magazine's Designer of the Year and a California Icon of Design.
After many years of working in marketing, business development, and public relations for firms including Deloitte, Ernst & Young, PwC, and Accenture, Maryline Damour returned to school to study interior design at Parson The New School for Design, eventually co-founding a full-service design/build firm with business partner Fred Drake. Originally from Haiti, Maryline has been actively involved in building projects in her home country since the earthquake of 2010. In 2018, Maryline developed the Kingston Design Connection to connect Hudson Valley designers to each other, to potential clients, and to the growing design scene in Kingston.
Kingston Design Connection hosted its first design showhouse in October 2018. It included 10 interior designers, over 40 Hudson Valley makers and over 50 local design/build companies.
212box thinks outside theirs. The multidisciplinary design firm approaches their work with a singular mix of detail-oriented commitment and a rigorously developed sense of play. From large-scale schematic plans to small-scale conceptual design, 212box applies the same attention and no-holds-barred ambition to projects of every scale. Lead design partners Eric Clough and Eun Sun Chun are materialists - not materialistic. Exercising a tireless exploration into the material nature of things, they consider the connection between the value of the material to the value of the experience in all their design work. Collaborating with artists and artisans to create bespoke, one-of-a-kind and truly thoughtful pieces, 212box has situated themselves at the center of a global network of craftspeople, thinkers, and resources. 212box has a showcase office in New York City and works on projects throughout North America, Europe and Asia.
Sarah Von Dreele has been the creative director of Onethread Design, Inc., a New York-based design consultancy, which she founded in 2003. She has spent the last 20 years of her career developing brands and communication systems for business to business and consumer facing clients. Hailing from the rust belt of Pittsburgh, Sarah has applied her tireless work ethic to a comprehensive, visual exploratory process, informed by client goals and business strategy.
After a career of marketing strategies, photoshoots, and all things rag right, Sarah has returned to her desire of the process of making by hand. What began as a simple creative exercise at the end of the day quickly evolved into a collection of surface designs, painted exclusively in gouache. Sarah has always been influenced throughout her career by pattern as a visual and organizational tool. Her latest works explore the integration of imperfection and repetition to create rich patterns. The abstracted floral and geometric forms are ethereal and calm, lending themselves to a variety of applications for the curated home.
In addition to her collaborations with interior designers and an upcoming line of products with a home decor brand, Sarah’s work is currently being distributed as wall decor to the trade by the London-based fine art publisher Rosenstiel. In May of 2019, Sarah launched her debut collection of wallpaper at ICFF 2019 in New York.
Sarah welcomes commissions, partnerships, and collaborations which extend the hand-painted designs to bespoke interiors and consumer products.
Andrea Hysmith; Founder of ASH Interiors and Design is a Licensed Designer, Manufacturer Representative, Speaker and Presenter that has been sharing her knowledge of luxury design and products in the design industry for over twenty years. Her industry experience includes kitchen, bath, and interior design…focusing on residential and light commercial spaces. Her background as a manufacturer’s representative of luxury kitchen and bath products has increased her knowledge of products, skills in training and business development. Her relationships with the A&D Community have made her a well-recognized resource in the Washington Metro Market. Andrea recently opened her design studio and office space in Historic Ellicott City becoming the first woman of color to open a brick and mortar design space in this area. In this studio space she works with design clients as well as B2B partners educating them on the luxury products the firm represents. Andrea is a member of American Society of Interior Designers (ASID), The Hospitality Industry Network (NEWH) & Black Interior Design Network (BID). As well as an advisory board member of the Historic Ellicott City Board. Andrea loves connecting to her clients and peers…she is said to be relatable, knowledgeable, informative, and always fun. She believes that design is truly a lifestyle!
.jpg)
Launched 2020, KD Reid Interiors has approached interior design with a completely client-focused approach. This, along with their unique, personal designs, are just some of the many reasons why they are a truly visual storytellers of their craft. Combining their passion for great design, art and architecture, they have developed a reputation for creating beautiful yet functional spaces.
Anne Rainey Rokahr is the owner, founder, and lead designer of Winston-Salem based Trouvaille Home, the South’s leading destination for bespoke interiors.
Anne’s worldly perspective and maximalist tendencies inform a colorful, collaborative working experience. With her degree in Art History and Women’s Studies from Randolph Macon Woman’s College, this pursuit of the deeper meanings led her through a dynamic career path - from barista at the corner coffee shop, to personal assistant to a Madison Avenue countess, to Fashion and Beauty PR Exec, to interior design and everything in between.
Anne believes, fundamentally, that in order to live and operate at one’s optimum level, everything your eye falls upon in your home or business must please you and create a sense of order in the mind. This philosophy is distilled in her mantra, “why be plain when you can be fancy?”
Raised by a terribly literate mother and under the auspices of a philanthropist grandmother, Anne brings a definitive feminist edge to her work, guided by a dedication to the advancement of the arts, a commitment to community involvement, and the firm belief in the saving power of beauty.
Cortina Leathers started out as a small handcrafted producer of upholstery leather for the office furniture market in 1903. While we still manufacture leather at our original factory location in Ohio, we now also work with a network of artisanal tanneries around the globe to deliver a unique collection of the finest leathers. We believe in the enduring quality and timeless beauty of real leather - and this core belief informs everything we do.
Focus Lighting is an award-winning professional architectural lighting design firm located in New York City. Since 1987, we have continually created unique and successful lighting design solutions for projects of all sizes including hotels, resorts, retail, restaurants, museums, nightclubs, offices, and private residences around the world.
The Focus Lighting team’s creative process is informed by a combined experience in theater, architecture, and design. Together the team generates projects that create an emotion with light and engages its audience. We believe that light and its perception within an environment are essential to the human experience. Light brings a sense of drama, composition, balance, and excitement to each of our projects.
Brendan Kwinter-Schwartz established her New York based design firm, Kwinter & Company in 2001, ten years after graduating from the International Academy of Design in Toronto, Canada. Brendan began by apprenticing on Madison Avenue with one of the top design firms in New York City.
Her firm is involved in all aspects on the design process interior, exterior and landscaping to insure a cohesive home that is both sophisticated and fresh. Whether designing a home in Westchester, apartment in the city or a summer house, she has a keen sense of style and comfort for a family friendly lifestyle.
Brendan pays special attention to bring together exquisite quality, modern and vintage furnishings and many custom designed elements for each of her client needs. She takes a "hands on" role when working on projects to insure that all runs smoothly and within a timely schedule. She is passionate that the outcome should be nothing short of fabulous!
Western Sensibility is a digital textile printing studio specializing in sustainable, life-friendly textiles inspired by the American west. Founded by a third-generation textile printer to operate at the cross-section of art and science, Western Sensibility honors art and process equally. The studio is rooted in the belief that digital textile printing technology fosters ambitious design and it’s their mission to champion the vision of the artist and usher that perspective into your home - without compromise.
Based in Missoula, Montana, Western Sensibility is the reimagination of what a modern textile printing studio can be. Through their focus on environmental sustainability, organic textures, bold and dynamic color and design, Western Sensibility is privileged to honor your home by creating goods that speak to your spirit.
Brent Warr is a furniture designer/maker specializing in sculptural art, collectible furniture, and lighting, using plaster as his main medium. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, he uses unconventional materials typically not found in the use of furniture and lighting design. Brent views that his designs and art should make others feel a bit uncomfortable or form an opinion. Pushing them to view something in a new light or helping them reach a more imaginative part of themselves.
Graduating from the College of Architecture, Design and Construction at Auburn University, he went to work as a Designer for Meyer Davis Studio and Yabu Pushelberg in New York City. There, his eye for design evolved as he was exposed to global collective design and high-end clientele. Since then, he has made a strong effort to submerge himself in his work, drawing influences from past and present artists and designers.
Some inspiration for his work can be drawn from that of Bråncuși, Cy Twombly Jr., and Radcliffe Bailey. Brent focuses on the total composition of a piece rather than its individual parts. The mediums create one large image, allowing his experiences to manifest in the form of line, color, and texture.
KGBL is the product of a vision it's three founding members had back in 2009 to design and produce a line of uncompromising, unapologetically modern furniture: A line of furniture dedicated to the design professional, furniture aficionado and anyone else who simply searches for what is best. They would only produce pieces that incorporated unique materials and gave voice to ideas they did not see in other furniture. The credo was and remains: unless it brings something new to the bigger design conversation, it is not worthy of the collection.
The creative outlet of Heath Wagoner, HW. Studio is a mixture of functional objects and art pieces for the table. Heath is a trained goldsmith and industrial designer. He uses traditional metalsmithing techniques paired with industrial design ergonomics. Each piece is made by hand in his Brooklyn, NY studio or cast in Rhode Island.
Inspired by the way Heath likes to host and eat, each piece is a functional yet elegant object that can easily adorn the table of a dinner party or be used for dressing up the middle of the week takeout.
Heath is a jewelry and accessories designer based in NY. Originally from the Outer Banks of NC, he has lived in NY for the past ten years designing for brands such as Pamela Love, Marchon, and Tiffany & Co. Heath has also designed restaurants and events. This combination of multi-hyphenate experiences helps him create flatware that is functional while looking like jewelry. HW. Studio is jewelry, for the table.
_edited.png)
The world of design is eager to announce the launch of Hudson One Media, the parent company to aspire design and home and the recently acquired art and lifestyle magazine, Galerie. With this merger of respected editorial names, Hudson One Media restates its commitment to a forward-thinking, all encompassing, synergistic approach to communications through promotion, digital content, and print opportunities for today’s design professionals.
With Hudson One Media, formerly ASPIRE One Communications, both aspire and Galerie will continue to serve, inspire, inform, and connect the design community. Under the leadership of Chief Executive Officer Janice Brown, Galerie continues to operate under the direction of Editor-in-Chief, Jacqueline Terrebonne. Amy Snyder will continue to serve as Editor-in-Chief for aspire design and home. Long-time aspire contributor Andrew Joseph will represent Hudson One Media as the newest name on his already-impressive list of public relations clientele. Samantha Emmerling brings two decades of editorial experience as she joins Hudson One Media as Market Editor for both aspire and Galerie.
Since opening in 2008 The Antiques Diva® & Co has become the world's largest antiques touring company operating in Europe, Asia and America. We offer customized, private one-on-one antiques buying tours, sourcing and shipping services in 16 countries working with private individuals (tourists) and to the trade (antique dealers and interior designers). Our team of local Diva Guides are well-versed in the local culture, language, and best regional sources for antiques - whether those are area flea markets, antique warehouses, antique boutiques or private, by-appointment-only stores.
Everything in Brazil is a mixture: accents, climates, ideologies, landscapes. With a laboratory of ideas as vast as Brazil's demographic boundaries, the Raiz Project's creations depict the identity of the country: diversity. Recognizing that the combination of cultures feeds the national creativity and nurtures a unique personality, the Raiz Project aims to show the world the many features that form the basis of Brazilian furniture design, influenced by all the cultural aspects that surround it.
Born from the mind of designer Kevin Kolanowski, Fuse Lighting is renowned for capturing attention in inexplicable ways. Widely regarded as "jewelry for the home," each fixture captures Kevin's flair for the atypical and clarity of design. Fuse Lighting is the epitome of modern glamour.
Before Kevin Kolanowski started Fuse Lighting in 2000, there was no middle ground between traditional and modern lighting. Driven by his desire to marry the two, he spent years studying the interaction of light and texture with unusual materials. He now creates amazing works of light that continue to surprise and delight both himself and his clients. Fuse Lighting is handcrafted entirely in California. Local craftsmanship is key to maintaining the authenticity, integrity and unparalleled quality of our designs.
