Scenes from the Interior Design Show gala

I had a blast last night at the Interior Design Show opening night gala - gorgeous spaces, design fans and champagne and martinis, really, what more could a girl hope for?

Deciding to go with style over function, I pulled on my highest heels and hit the media lounge first, where I had the pleasure of meeting the incredible fashion and interior designer Barbara Hulanicki (who, incidentally, also happens to be behind that amazing skull wallpaper I was tweeting about the other night).

Armed with champagne, we headed into the House & Home VIP party in the gorgeous Monk Lounge by Templar, designed by rhed and inspired by jazz pianist Thelonious Monk. It's also, incidentally, a preview of the lounge experience planned for the Templar hotel (launching in the spring.) Sadly, my photos of the space didn't turn out - a few too many people (and martinis) - but hopefully this rendering (a handout photo) will give you an idea!

The upholstered banquettes provided the perfect spot for resting feet and people watching!

Then, it was out on the floor. With 300 exhibitors, I'm afraid I didn't hit up all the booths last night (that's what this afternoon is for!), but here are a few highlights:

The Drake General Store's pop-up shop featured a bunch of fun Canadian goodies, and was certainly eye catching!

The Ikea space - I love the combination of the clean lined white tables and the grey chairs with the armchair on the end! (And it doesn't hurt that I could afford to pull off this space in my own home, either!)

I would never have thought to use onions as a centrepiece - but the grouping does look great!

After some time spent discussing how having a Viking range would dramatically improve my life (even if I never cooked on it) it was time for a little detour towards the booth offering up the pink drinks! 

The lineup for the spaces - always an IDS highlight - was insanely long for much of the night (just check out this pic from HGTV!), but I did get a chance to do a quick, and rather crowded, pass through, starting with Arren William's gorgeous bathroom!

I didn't succeed in getting a shot of the "hers" side of the space - but you can read more about it here. The textured wallpaper from Graham and Brown (which Williams promises is scrubbable) just added to the glam factor!

Munge Leung and Ink entertainment created the ultimate party room to cap off the Spaces - a luxe lounge area with a gorgeous (and very full) bar!

 

I had only a few moments (and a few more steps left in my shoes), to scope out some of the stylish lighting options on offer, like these pieces from Diesel. 

By the end of the evening, I was thoroughly worn out - and appreciated finding a place to perch! I'll be heading back this afternoon in more practical shoes to get a better look at the many incredible displays!