Designwire Daily: from the editors of Interior Design magazine

Keilhauer Goes Retro to Celebrate its 30th

by Staff | Friday, November 11, 2011

Steve Keilhauer, vice president of product development, in full 80s regalia with Circle Design's Michelle Bradley who designed Keilhauer's New York, Toronto and Chicago showrooms.

In celebrating the 30th anniversary at its mid-town New York showroom, Keilhauer went back in time to the 1980s. 1981, to be exact, when the Toronto, Ontario-based company was founded.

Decked out in colorful rayon dresses, Madonna-inspired lace and leather outfits, mullet wigs and teased-to-the-max hair, guests took the 80s theme and ran with it. Many sang, danced and got tattooed to the decade’s most popular songs by Depeche Mode, David Bowie and Journey, to name a few of the retro hits played by the DJ.

The two presidents strike a pose: Interior Design's Mark Strauss and Mike Keilhauer.

The party’s aura of carefree fun prompted many guests to crowd into a small photo booth (with or without standby props of  big blond hair, yellow sunglasses and feather boas) to pose in groups of twos and threes. The 21st century was on hand, however, to instantaneously transfer the photos into a slide show displayed on a huge screen to one side of the 8500-square-foot showroom. One group, after seeing their photos on screen, celebrated by putting on an impromptu dance show. They proceeded to bump and grind to “What a Feeling” from the quintessential 80s movie “Flashdance.” Not surprisingly, more from the crowd joined in. There was definitely an 80s feeling of letting it all hang out. In fact many did… and they had a blast.

Jackie Maze, vice president of sales and marketing for Keilhauer, in an 80s-inspired print.

Rick Keilhauer, vice president of manufacturing, with his wife Michelle.

Interior Design's associate publisher Carol Cisco and glass designer Gregor Herman, in front of his installation for Keilhauer's New York showroom.

Keilhauer's Sandy Stolzman and Marilyn Maxim.

Guests squeeze into one of the party's various attractions: a tiny photo booth.

To the delight of many, a slideshow of photo booth results flashed on screen for all to see.