Today we start rolling out our judges for you to meet. A varied mix, they cover the country and come from various parts of the design world. They also have their own opinions on what makes color great in a home.
Name: Grace Bonney
Location: Brooklyn, New York
Website: Design*Sponge
What's your favorite color?
"It goes back and forth between butter yellow and grey."
What's the best use of interior color you've ever seen?
"In a home? I'd have to say Lena Corwin's house in Brooklyn. She uses great neutrals to pop all sorts of colors around the house, whether it's her green sofa or brightly colored paintings..."
In products I'd say Madeline Weinrib's textiles. I love the way she works with pink and lavender."
Bio:
We met Grace just a few years ago at the beginning of all this blog craziness after admiring her blog and her unerring eye for bright, happy color along with new and upcoming designers. Just a few years later, she's got a hit on her hands and she's a busy woman. Here's what she says about herself. Of particular note is her expanded push into "Biz Lady" meetups, connecting independent female designers with other women in the fields of manufacturing, public relations, law and wholesaling:
Based in Brooklyn, New York, Grace Bonney is designer writer and trendspotter who spends her days buried deep within the design world. After graduating with a degree in Art and Art History from the College of William and Mary in 2003, she founded Design*Sponge, a design blog now read by over 27,000 design fans every day.
In addition to Design*Sponge, Bonney works as a freelancer and consultant with some of the top publications in the country including House & Garden Magazine, CITY, Slate, New York Home, Better Homes and Gardens, The New York Post, Time Out New York, Food and Wine and Budget Travel. In addition to acting as HGTV’s style editor for “Ideas” Magazine, Grace also wrote a weekly design column for the Philadelphia Inquirer for the past year and a half.
In October of 2006, Bonney created the Design*Sponge shop- an online store for limited edition handmade design in which the designers take home 100% of their profits. A staunch advocate of independent and student design, Bonney created the Design*Sponge Scholarship in January of 2007 to support student designers in the United States.
Bonney also created and runs a series of meet-ups for NYC area women working in the design field. Through these “Biz Lady” meet ups, Bonney connects area professionals working in the fields of manufacturing, public relations, law and wholesaling with independent designers running their own businesses.
In the fall of 2007 Bonney will be expanding her meet-ups across the county in hopes of helping more young designers get their businesses off the ground.
We are pleased to welcome this Brooklyn native onto our august panel!
Two of my favorite blogs, joining forces for good, not evil!
Graces has a very open minded opinion of colour, a great choice for this contest.
view Angie in Montreal's profile
Oops, Grace, not Graces.
view Angie in Montreal's profile
Thanks guys, it's an honor to be part of contest :)
Grace
view designsponge's profile
I read both blogs EVERY day, too.
view homebody's profile
Yep. One of my favorite blogs, too.
Graduated W&M in 2003? (Wow, I'm old.)
view Doug's profile
You graduated college the same year I did! I think I'm inspired!!! :-)
view Julia at Living Luxely's profile
I love your blog as well! Very impressive, inspiring background.
view universal mod's profile
grace is the reason i started reading this blog - GREAT choice!
view michpinkston's profile
I love Design*Sponge! Hi Grace!
view jems's profile
perfect choice of judge!
i'm grace maxwell's huge fan it was fabulous to meet you both recently participate in your meetups in san francisco :)
view mod*mom's profile
oops my plus sign didn't display between grace "and" maxwell.
yay grace!
view mod*mom's profile
I also read Design*Sponge & AT every day.
:)
view Vanessa in New York's profile
Yay for Grace! I also read d*s every day! Brooklyn Represent :)
view suziegoombs's profile
yay grace! perfect choice for a judge.
view jodi's profile
Been one those 27,000 for a couple of years and enjoyed the growth and changes. Loved the photos of your apt, but only comment on this site. Saw you once on the F train and thought it must be you, exuding such happy radiance. Go Grace!!
view Kate (NC)'s profile