by Bart Boehlert

Just in time for spring comes a new inaugural shopping event blooming with a delightfully curated selection of objects, art and furniture from home decor artisans and makers, specialty retailers, antique dealers and interior designers. The brain child of two design industry veterans, Christina Juarez and Benjamin Reynaert, the event will offer the chance to discover precious treasures that can't be found anywhere else. The Ticking Tent will take place on Saturday, March 16th from 10 am to 6 pm at the Valley Rock Inn and Mountain Club in Sloatsburg, New York, in Rockland County, about one hour out of New York City by car or New Jersey Transit train, which stops at the Valley Rock Inn parking lot.

Vendor photos courtesy of The Ticking Tent 

Benjamin Reynaert, former Architectural Digest editor and founder of the branding agency Benjamin Reynaert Creative, and Christina Juarez, the PR powerhouse who runs her own eponymous firm, cooked up the idea over lunch at Pastis. "We're always answering the question where to go in New York to find something unique since everything looks the same," said Reynaert. "We want to translate that and create a place where people can find things that are truly special."

Ticking, the sturdy but stylish tightly woven striped fabric originally used to cover mattresses, sets the tone. The great decorator Sister Parish is credited with first bringing this utilitarian fabric into refined New York City interiors in the 1940s. Practical and durable with the alluring texture of a lightweight denim, ticking has a casual, charming appeal that makes it a classic American favorite. For this indoor event, a tent made of ticking specially developed by Schumacher will be installed inside the Valley Rock Inn's barn. The fitness-focused Valley Rock Inn is owned and developed by entrepreneur Michael Bruno who founded the successful 1stDibs online luxury marketplace for antiques, furniture and jewelry. The getaway destination includes stylish guest houses and restaurants, and is surrounded by 70,000 acres of wild parkland of Harriman State Park and Sterling Forest.

The admission price for The Ticking Tent grants entry plus a signature tote bag. Inside, visitors will find 30 vetted vendors including antique and vintage dealers, decorators selling special pieces they've found, artists with one-of-a-kind works plus authors signing books. Sponsors include Benjamin Moore, Schumacher and Frederick magazine. Among the enticements will be exotic rarities and gorgeous objects from Creel and Gow, handmade wood and ceramic table lamps from JS Interiors, handsome antiques from Bell and Preston, the popular Washington, D.C. dealer, and nosegay florals by Robert Rufino and Carolyn Englefield at the Benjamin Moore "Bouquet Bar." Lunch, coffee, snacks and pastries are available at the Market Cafe.

"It will be a nice opportunity for vendors and customers to network with designers and editors so it’s not only a shopping event but also a way to create interest in the design community that doesn’t come from another speaker panel or showroom event," said Reynaert.  Not to mention the pleasure of browsing in person and the anticipation of discovering something unexpectedly wonderful. "We love shopping and we love the hunt," he said with a smile.

Buy tickets to The Ticking Tent here