Mannarino Earns Top Design Award, Unveils Latest Product Offerings

October 13, 2021  by Laurie Northington in Business Strategy, Designer Weekly, Industry   

Mannarino was one of 19 interior designers honored this year. She won in the “Design for People with Special or Specific Needs” category for her work designing the living room/dining room of a pair of doctors participating in her Your Home Collaboration project launched during the height of the pandemic to provide front-line medical professionals with free two-hour design consultations.

Mannarino will also debut a line of five chandeliers with American Brass and Crystal. The first chandelier, “Dripping Jewelry” already earned a Gold award last year from the ASID competition. ”Anna Maria transformed a classic design into a modern creation – an American-manufactured piece with Italian cast brass, glass arms, 30% leaded Egyptian crystal and brass chains,” said Martin Grodman, national sales manager hospitality and design for the Union, N.J.-based lighting leader. “We’re very excited to be working with her.”

In the textile arena, Mannarino’s rug designs for Creative Touch, a to-the-trade resource specializing in the highest quality traditional and contemporary handcrafted rugs and based in Secaucus, N.J., made a splash at the High Point Market in June and are set to make similar impact this coming market.

Luxury, glamour, and effervescence are all important facets to each rug design, which are crafted of wool and silk. Shapes are reminiscent of Art Deco style, with color choices specifically chosen with today's modern interior in mind.

The “Corcovado” rug, where geometric elements merge and overtake one another in a skillfully crafted ensemble in a muted palette of pinks, lavenders, and deep reds, with grounding taupes and grays, made the market’s Trendwatch. Other Mannarino designs that resonated with market attendees included “Skyfall,” which shows depth and motion with a strong influence of deco architectural elements, and “Moondance,” which evokes feelings of playfulness and whimsy with a delicate pastel palette.

The rugs are complemented by Mannarino’s 16-piece collection of 22” by 22” printed velvet pillows and pillowcases, also for Creative Touch. These evolved from different design approaches, some began as pencil drawings, others as watercolors and geometric forms. All showcase Mannarino’s appreciation of rich color and pattern and her spirited approach to layering those colors and patterns.