Harmony Designs: Cosmopolitan Living with a Global Flair

[Mount Vernon, NY] I had the joy of visiting Harmony Designs Furniture & Interiors, at the invitation of Robin Harmon-Myers.   She owns the striking furniture, accessories, and interior design studio, nestled in the heart of Mount Vernon’s historic South Fourth Avenue shopping district.  The retail store is located on the ground floor of a century-old, 12,500 square foot building owned by Robin and her husband Floyd. Directly above are three 2,500 square foot loft units.                                                                                                                             

Robin pursued an interior design career, and eventually opened her own business, after being a disappointed consumer in search of quality, culturally inspired designs.  “As a young African-American woman shopping for her first home, I kind of felt a void in the market. It was either completely ethnic or not at all.” 

Robin is an interior designer, whose diverse portfolio includes design services, for upscale retail spaces, and numerous residences, throughout the New York metropolitan area.   Her style is most accurately described, as timeless, giving a nod to tradition, while incorporating an amalgamation of modern, and cutting-edge, environmentally conscious décor. 


Proving that the world is truly a global village, Robin has traveled to Johannesburg, South Africa, after being chosen to visit by the South African Consulate.  She attended the country’s handmade tradeshow, and is now featuring new inventory from her latest excursion. 

The six-year-old store, has also received its share of media buzz.  It has been featured in Black Enterprise, and Westchester Home magazine.  Robin also penned an article, for Sister 2 Sister magazine, about the various aspects of loft living.  


I first met Robin four years ago, when she hosted a gracious and wonderful benefit party at her store.   Harmony Designs, has been the setting for any number of community meetings, book signings, book club meetings, art exhibitions, cottage parties, and charity events since its founding.  I once described it as a modern day salon of sorts, as her events attract a vibrant cross-section of people from throughout the New York metropolitan area.  

Anyone who enters the store should do so with keen curiosity to learn about new products, while soaking up the beauty of the environs.  In an age where design is often cookie-cutter, and mass produced, Robin has assembled unique home, and gift items that reflect her impeccable taste. 


The shelter emporium is a well-appointed, transformative, and comfortable oasis in the heart of busy downtown Mount Vernon.   Harmony Designs is truly a standout, as it combines the vibrancy of store that one might find in the Brooklyn brownstone neighborhoods, or Manhattan’s SoHo, but is convenient to those who live in Westchester County. What could be better than discovering the perfect find as a gift or for home, without having to travel!

One of Robin’s hallmarks has been to recommend environmentally sensitive products. The store is stocked with an eclectic variety of oversized vases, fine linens, candles, lamps, flatware, hurricanes, and many decorative accent pillows.   Contemporary furniture, wood-framed mirrors, and abstract artwork are among the many sumptuous accoutrements that are easily found.  Harmony Designs also carries items from the Carol’s Daughter beauty line.

Robin loves to impart her design knowledge to others through her in-store workshops, which are available to the public at least once a month. Robin takes pride in being a design educator, and offers a variety of classes ranging from archiving photographs, wine appreciation to design inspired by African American literature, textiles, and art.

(l to r) Erika Naughton, Robin Harmon-Myers (owner of Harmony Designs Furniture & Interiors), Lucinda Sloan-Fullan, and Vanessa Thorpe at the fabulous workshop.

During one summer workshop, I had the chance to learn about the merits of decorating outdoor patios, and spaces to enjoy nature to the fullest. It was quite a convivial afternoon of creating decorative displays using mint leaves, and sprigs of pretty purple annual flowers to place in small silver vases.  

Robin served a fresh salad, cookies, seasonal fruit, and had a generous crystal carafe of mint flavored iced water. We all had such a fabulous time talking, and creating that the time passed by far too quickly. I even won a rose bush from a local nursery.  In the end she said that she hosted the event because, "We are so focused on the need-based things.  We must carve out time to nurture ourselves.”  

For more information:
Harmony Designs Furniture & Interiors
115 South 4th Avenue
Mount Vernon, New York
914.668.0809

Ragtime The Musical was phenomenal

Ragtime: I really, really, really loved it!

Hours before the snowstorm blanketed the streets of New York City on Saturday night, I attended a matinee performance of the 2009 Broadway revival of Ragtime The Musical. I actually WON the tickets in a contest sponsored by Akila Worksongs, owned by April R. Silver.

Ragtime, based on the book by E.L. Doctorow, is set in early 20th century New Rochelle, New York.  It chronicles the changing times in the lives of an affluent Protestant family; a confident and daring African American musician from Harlem; and a struggling Latvian Jewish immigrant.  All are on the quest to find the sometimes-elusive American dream, and share their aspirations for the future. This story masterfully delves into the often thorny and controversial issues of race, class, immigration, as well as the role of women in society. While it is a period piece, its themes still resonate, because the same subjects continue to occupy a prominent place in modern American life.

Ragtime’s 40-member ensemble was a rich cast of diverse actors, accompanied by a glorious 28-piece orchestra.  The captivating production was full of exquisite singing, wonderful choreography, brilliant acting, and magical staging.  The costumes, lighting, and sets were equally marvelous.  Overall, I was mesmerized, and could not take my eyes off of the stage.

Officially, it is my favorite Broadway show of all time. Ragtime is exhilarating, and a must-see for anyone who loves the theater.  I still find myself humming the songs!  While the show lasted for three hours, I truly didn’t want it to end. 

Many thanks again to April R. Silver for granting us this extraordinary and memorable Broadway experience! 

Update on by Deena Parham

I raved about Ragtime, but sadly, it took its final curtain call on January 10.  While it was a victim of poor advanced ticket sales, anyone who had a chance to see it was truly fortunate!  It was an incredibly brilliant show, and I was just grateful to be in the audience.

Kiku at New York Botanical Garden

Kengai (Cascade) inside the Enid A. Haupt Conservatory
After a successful three-year run, Kiku: In the Japanese Autumn Garden, recently closed at the New York Botanical Garden. More than 5,000 meticulously cultivated chrysanthemums, a traditional Japanese art form, and garden plants, were on display, one of the largest ever outside of Japan.

Kengai (Cascade): This technique features small-flowered chrysanthemums that are more typical of the wild varieties. They are trained to conform to boat-shaped frameworks that cascade downward like waterfalls for lengths of up to six-and-a-half feet. The result is a burst of hundreds of tightly clustered blooms.

Rows of Ogiku-styled blossomsOgiku (Single Stem): These plants feature single-stems that can reach up to six feet tall, with one perfect bloom balanced on top. Each chrysanthemum pot is buried horizontally and the plant stem is bent, precisely arranged in diagonal lines that decrease in height from the back to the front of the bed. The plants are then arranged in color patterns resembling traditional reins called tazuna-ue (horse bridle).

 
 

Autumn Stone and Kiku Garden:  In Japan, gardens composed of stones set in raked sand are called karesansui. Abstract and sculptural, they symbolize the larger natural landscape. This Autumn Stone and Kiku Garden Is based on the karesansui style, but uses mases of chrysanthemums (kiku) and river pebbles in place of raked sand. Designed by Mark Peter Keane, the garden evokes the mountains of Japan in autumn. The red orange, and yellow kiku suggest fiery fall foliage flowing down mountain peaks, which are represented by the larger stones.

Ozukuri (Thousand Bloom): In this highly complex technique, a single chrysanthemum is trained to produce hundreds of simultaneous blossoms in a massive, dome-shaped array. Ozukuri are planted in specially-built wooden containers called sekidai.

Photos: Deena B. Parham for Urbanbydesignonline

Text: Deena B. Parham with notes from the New York Botanical Garden



10 Minutes in Grand Central Terminal

 12.08.09: Grand Central Terminal, New York, NY.  A brief snapshot of my commute home.

• 8:50 pm- After taking the M1 bus, which was at a slow, steady crawl down gloriously sparkly Fifth Avenue, I arrived at Grand Central Terminal.  Sadly, it was 10 minutes too late for my train (8:40 pm).
• 8:52 pm- To ease the pain of missing my train, I went to Junior's and bought a too delicious cheesecake to take home.  Nice excuse.
• 8:55 pm- As I walked by Hudson News, I noticed the following message: "WINTER'S ON THE WAY...FIERCE STORM."
• 8:56 pm- A quick glance at the magazine display revealed that inquiring minds still have an interest in unfortunate public drama, and want to know.
• 8:58 pm- Does everyone in New York wear black? Nods head.  Welcome to the season of mourning.
• 9:00 pm- After a short walk, I reached my final destination, track 15.  The first words that the conductor said over the PA: "Make sure that you're right, this is the 9:10 New Haven-Line local train to Stamford, Connecticut.  Again, make sure that you're right." 

Urban Advocates: Majora Carter Greens the City

Recently, I went to hear Majora Carter speak in Manhattan at the Museum of the City of New York. She's been heralded as a one of the nation's premier urban environmental activists, and received the coveted MacArthur Foundation's "genius award" in 2005.

Ms. Carter grew up in the Hunts Point section of the Bronx, a neighborhood that experienced sharp decline due to white flight, insurance redlining, and the construction of the Cross-Bronx Expressway, which ultimately led to its economic devastation during the 1970's. She lived in the community during its most tumultuous times, as crack hit its streets, teenaged pregnancy reached epidemic proportions, and the number of murders skyrocketed.

One of the murder victims was her brother.  Majora Carter said that if residents have meaningful choices, and feel a part of the community, then they are more likely to be able to make better decisions for their lives.

During the latter half of the last century, the South Bronx also saw a disproportionate amount of toxic infrastructure projects that were sited in the community. These include four electric power plants, sewage treatment plants, in addition to as many as 60,000 trucks rumbling throughout its streets per week. As a result, area residents have had a number of negative health impacts, which have included high rates of asthma, diabetes, and obesity.

While the United States is experiencing one of its greatest economic declines in its history, Majora Carter pointedly mentioned that this crisis has already existed in America's most impoverished neighborhoods for decades. She also referred to the famous quote by President Theodore Roosevelt, to say that as citizens, there is a shared responsibility to work together to rebuild the nation.  "The welfare of each if us is dependent fundamentally upon the welfare of us all."

In 2001, Majora Carter founded Sustainable South Bronx (SSBX), an environmental justice solutions organization. The nonprofit was created after she was able to oppose plans by the Rudolph Giuliani's administration to build a municipal waste handling facility in the neighborhood. If the project had proceeded, 40 percent of the city's trash would have been processed there.

The lecture showcased some of her ground-breaking work with SSBX. Highlights included receiving a $1.25M Federal Transportation planning grant to for the South Bronx Greenway with 11 miles of alternative transport, local economic development, low-impact storm-water management, and recreational space. To date, more than $30 million has been secured to implement greenway related projects.

The greenway site today, before construction.

One major project was the construction of the Hunts Point Riverside Park, which gave the community its first new park in 60 years, and access to the Bronx River.  It was previously used for industrial waste.

Hunts Point Riverside Park site before redevelopment.

The Hunts Point Riverside Park along the Bronx River

Ms. Carter also highlighted some of SSBX's other work, including the implementation of green roofing/walls, urban forestation, and other infrastructure projects that Ms. Carter said contributed "to the reduction of the urban heat island effect, which adds to energy consumption. Cooling our cities is important."

Eradicating poverty by creating access to employment opportunities is another one of Ms. Carter's passions. Another successful SSBX initiative was the development of a green jobs training program. The Bronx Environmental Stewardship Training program, known as BEST. She stated that the green jobs training program has been able to get 85 percent of its members employed, and 10 percent are now in college. Many were once public assistance recipients, while others had been incarcerated.

SSBX also started Smart Roofs, LLC, a social venture that plants green roofs. She mentioned that this was important, because more than 20 percent of surface areas in the urbanized areas are rooftops.

Majora Carter expressed a profound spirit of optimism about America's future, even with the dire economic and environmental issues reaching crisis levels. She now calls this the era of OBAMA, and used it as an acronym meaning, "Officially Behaving As Magnificent Americans. We all have something to bring to this country."

With a keen awareness and mission of "greening the ghetto", Majora Carter recently launched her own for-profit consultancy, The Majora Carter Group, LLC, which is based in Hunts Point, where she still resides. She ended her hour-long discourse by reminding, "The new economy in the OBAMA era, is about making sure that we value everyone."

Public Art at Mount Vernon's Metro-North Stations

Artist: Marjorie Blackwell, Faceted glass in platform windscreen

Did you know that there is a grove of trees, a lake, and sky, in shades of green, blue, and yellow at the Mount Vernon East train station?  MTA's public art projects just might make you think so. 

There are three Metro-North stations in Mount Vernon.  In the hustle and bustle of daily commuting, one may not notice that there are public art installations at the Mount Vernon East, Mount Vernon West, and Fleetwood train stations. The Metropolitan Transit Authority's Arts for Transit program, administers the commissions work of artists throughout its vast network of subway and commuter rail stations.  

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Winter Pampering Deluxe in the West Village

It is always great to report about small havens of sunshine that takes me away from the gray, less than glamorous days of dreary winter. Soapology, a six-month-old beauty apothecary provides that glimmer of hope with the promise of DELUXE pampering. It is a small West Village wonderland of soap, lotions bath beads, sea salt scrubs, and every fantabulous indulgence imaginable.

I've visited the store twice in the past two months, more mesmerized and converted by the experience each time. Soapology doesn't product test on our furry friends, and it prides itself on using all natural with organically based ingredients.

The old fashioned alabaster walls, the graceful chandelier, large soaking tub sink, and wooden shelves are reminiscent of a small country cottage. The super friendly and exceptionally accommodating staff members immediately made me feel like I was at home, as they gave an in-depth introduction of their fantastic product line.

A complimentary in-store demonstration of their products immediately sold me. My weather cold stung hands were treated to a warm water wash with gentle exfoliating salt scrubs, shea butter soap, a walnut polishing scrub followed by sumptuous lily of the valley scented body butter. It made my hands look so bright and renewed! I will return!

Here's the scoop: Soapology
67 Eighth Avenue, New York
212.255.SOAP