The Bienenstock Furniture Library will officially unveil The Pat Plaxico Gardens during the April 2014 High Point Market. Show visitors are encouraged to check out the Library, enjoy the gardens, its interior spaces and resources.
Named in honor of designer Pat Plaxico, whose distinguished service to the furnishings community has earned her a reputation for excellence, the gardens are a place where anyone with an interest in furniture and design, can find inspiration. “The sculptures, landscaping and additional parking, made possible by donations from friends of the Library,” explains current Library Board President, Russell Bienenstock, “unify its interior and exterior spaces, making the new campus ideally suited for hosting furniture industry groups and events.
The garden project is just the latest facilities update undertaken by the Library. It’s book collection was recently re-cataloged and the entire Interior re-designed. A new conference room available for meetings, seminars, lectures, and events was added, and the building expanded to improve access, and accessability.
For those who have not visited before, BBFL is one of the most interesting specialty libraries in America. It is located on North Main Street in High Point, just a mile North of the Market’s center. Open all year, it is used by furniture designers, interior designers, students, manufacturers, industry suppliers and retailers.
The collection of more than 5,000 books and periodicals include significant volumes on design, furniture, interiors, architecture, textiles, finishes, and construction published since 1640. Rare books such as original works by the 18th century furniture masters Chippendale, Sheraton and Hepplewhite, plus hundreds of others can be viewed in a temperature and humidity controlled rare book room.
“The garden includes several outdoor spaces which lend themselves to meeting areas, notes Pat Plaxico. “Paired with the spaces available inside the library, there are opportunities to have lectures, retreats and seminar space for groups up to 25. It is very heartwarming that so many folks have contributed to the gardens. It has literally been a 'grass roots' effort. I really love all the pieces of sculpture which add to the fun and playful nature of the gardens. The gardens are a little gem of solitude on a busy city street.”
Charles Sutton, past Board President adds, "The labels of icon, legend, Renaissance woman and creative genius all do apply to Pat for her contributions to our industry, the Furniture Library, her profession, the community and state. But what I have always admired about Pat is that she is a 'get it done worker'. If she is on board with a project, she is always a 100% contributor; giving her thoughts and time pro bono to the effort".
In the near future the Library intends to add a scholarship for Landscape Architecture and Garden Design to complement the existing design competition scholarships for Interior and Furniture Design. Also on the drawing board are the addition of a high tech space for collaboration, and the launch of the “Speaking Volumes” design seminar series.
About Pat Plaxico: Plaxico is a nationally recognized interior designer renowned for the reuse of historic buildings — adapting old structures for new purposes. Her portfolio includes Historic Market Square, the EJ Victor building, the Phillips Building (now High Point Convention and Visitors Bureau) and the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library. She’s been a member of the Furniture Library board for 38 years.
About the Library: The Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library is a worldwide center for research, design and collaboration, which holds the world’s largest collection of rare and significant books on the history, and design of furniture. Founded in 1970 by Furniture World and the Bienenstock family, the Library is devoted to the advancement of knowledge about design, furniture, interiors, architecture, textiles, finishes, and construction.
For more information visit
http:// www.furniturelibrary.com.
Furniture World is the oldest, continuously published trade publication in the United States. It is published for the benefit of furniture retail executives. Print circulation of 20,000 is directed primarily to furniture retailers in the US and Canada. In 1970, the magazine established and endowed the Bernice Bienenstock Furniture Library (www.furniturelibrary.com) in High Point, NC, now a public foundation containing more than 5,000 books on furniture and design dating from 1620. For more information contact editor@furninfo.com.