Meet the Judges for the 2018 New York IDAs Presented by One Kings Lane

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2018 Judges

2018 New York IDA JudgesAlex Papachristidis
Interior Designer
Alex Papachristidis Interiors

The work of interior decorator Alex Papachristidis has been described as thoughtful, personal, sophisticated and eclectic. Having mastered the skill of fusing modern and traditional elements, editors, designers and clients’ alike use the word “fresh” to define his elegant approach, color palette, and the delightful details that make even a small room sizzle with style. Born and raised in New York City, Alex Papachristidis traveled widely in his youth, helping to cultivate his eye for interior decorating. Papachristidis established his own firm in 1987, and today, is known for arresting, elegant interiors that meld classical motifs with a modern perspective and sophisticated details.

Alex Papachristidis’ work has been featured in Architectural Digest, Elle Décor, House Beautiful, House & Garden, Southern Accents, InStyle and The New York Times. He has also been featured in a number of published works, and in 2012, his own book The Age of Elegance: Interiors by Alex Papachristidis was published by Rizzoli, garnering praise from readers and critics alike. Papachristidis was named to the 2018 AD100 List, Elle Décor’s “A-List of 25 Interior Designers” and for several years in a row has been on the NY Spaces’ “Top 50 Designers List.”

2018 New York IDA Judge Harry HeissmannHarry Heissmann
Interior Designer
Harry Heissmann Inc.

Harry Heissmann Inc. was established in New York City in 2009. After obtaining a Masters of Interior Design degree from the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich, Germany, Harry arrived in the United States in 1995.

He gained extensive experience working for some of the city’s most respected firms and spent nine years in the offices of Albert Hadley, who dubbed his desk ‘the magic shop’ before opening his own eponymous firm.

For his clients, Harry moves effortlessly from traditional to contemporary and everything in between, which prompted him to describe his style as ‘client-centric’. It is all about the client, the location, the comfort and the practicality.

Harry says he would furnish a match-box, if he thought that’s what the client wanted – no project too big or too small.

After all, his sense of humor always shines through, he delivers highly personal interiors with a smile. Published in various magazines and books, Harry loves to contribute to charities and has participated in several show houses.

Textile and Product Designer Lori Weitzner is a 2018 New York IDAs judge.Lori Weitzner
Fabric Designer
Lori Weitzner Design, Inc

Lori Weitzner, principal and creative director of Lori Weitzner Design, Inc. is internationally known for her contributions to the world of textiles and wallcoverings under the brand Weitzner. She has translated her signature aesthetic and sophisticated color sense into a globally successful business for more than thirty years. Her recent book, Ode to Color: The Ten Essential Palettes of Living and Design (Harper Design), shares her unique perspective on the uses and significance of color in design. As a complement to the book, Lori has developed the Ode to Color Analysis, a practical guide on how to find one’s color world and is further developing an Ode to Color brand with related products.

Her collaborations with Samuel & Sons on passementerie and Papyrus on cards and gifts have yielded successful new lines and brands. Lori has broadened her design work to include rug lines with West Elm and is consulting with major brands such as Hunter Douglas and Perennials. Her work is in the permanent collections of the Cooper- Hewitt and Smithsonian Design Museum among others. She is the recipient of more than twenty-five prestigious design awards and lectures frequently on design. Her work is featured regularly in the media, including Elle Décor, Architectural Digest, and The New York Times. She lives in New York City.

Annalise Taft is a 2018 New York IDAs judge.Analisse Taft-Gersten
Home Furnishings Dealer
ALT for Living

Analisse Taft-Gersten believes that a fulfilled life is one best lived surrounded by beautiful designs. Her company, ALT for Living, is named after this very vision.

Traveling the world and experiencing far reaching cultures and colorful lifestyles, Analisse learned that beauty is found in the spirit and traditions in which a product is made. Thus, Analisse’s passion was born.

With a heightened appreciation for aesthetic, she returned to her native Los Angeles, CA home and immersed herself in the design industry. Feeling the need for a greater challenge, she relocated to New York City. In 2008, after a decade of gaining high-end retail and wholesale experience and a thorough understanding of the luxury brand market, Taft-Gersten took a bold leap and launched ALT for Living while businesses were closing their doors.

ALT for Living marks Taft’s successful vision and the evolution of the ALT brand. Looking onto the bustling streets of the Flower District, Taft-Gersten has translated her inspiration into fabrics, furniture, carpet and home accessories. In 2011, ALT for Living proudly launched its own debut fabric collection, “Living Vintage”.

Today, ALT for Living collaborates with the most prestigious firms in the design business, including clients Robert Couturier, David Easton, Victoria Hagan and Robert Stilin on high-end residences, hotels, yachts and corporate projects. ALT for Living is a testament of Taft’s eye for bespoke quality design and understanding of clients vision and expectations.

Designer Todd Klein is a 2018 New York IDAs judge.Todd Klein
Interior Designer
Todd Klein Inc.

After a successful formative career in Louisville, Kentucky, native Kentuckian Todd Klein moved to New York to work with Albert Hadley of the venerable American design firm Parish-Hadley. In 2000, Parish-Hadley closed its doors and Mr. Hadley encouraged Klein to open his own design firm. Seventeen years later, the business continues to grow serving clients around the world.

Todd strives to help his clients realize their decorating dreams by first determining what is appropriate for their homes and then making it work for their lifestyles. Color, proportion, scale and comfort are the important principles Todd feels are necessary to create successful interiors. His work utilizes sumptuous fabrics and unique color combinations always emphasizing comfort and practical luxury as a desired result. His philosophy is simply stated, “Design takes on an almost spiritual dimension when you create a pleasing space to share with friends or relax alone.” Todd credits Mother Nature and design giants Albert Hadley, Nancy Lancaster, David Hicks, and Billy Baldwin as his greatest mentors.

Klein’s projects include the interior architecture and design of a new home in Greenwich, Winfield House, the U.S. Ambassador to the Court of St. James’s in London, a ranch house in Jackson Hole, a farmhouse on Martha’s Vineyard, a horse farm and several other projects in Kentucky, a villa on St. Barth’s, a Soho loft in Manhattan, a house in Bakers Bay, Bahamas, a new Hinckley yacht and various other exciting residential projects.