The interior design expert celebrates new book at Georgetown’s Baker Showroom.
Story and Photos by Erica Tropp
Arthur Kahn, Deme Vergos Kahn, Scott Cooke and Lynni Megginson
Eddie Ross’s spirited charm brought life to the Baker Showroom in Georgetown, where the respected design editor presented his first book, “Modern Mix,” on November 11. Much of Washington’s esteemed design community joined Ross for an evening of mingling, cocktails, delicious bites and charity.
At the event, Ross sold signed copies his book with 10 percent of sales being donated to Manna Food Center in Gaithersburg, Maryland. Manna’s mission is to eliminate hunger in Montgomery County.
“They just do extraordinary work for people who don’t know where their next meal is coming from,” said Lynni Megginson, owner and principal designer at Lynni Megginson Designs, friend of Ross and the woman behind the event. LM Designs and MokiMedia have also personally donated to the cause.
Eddie Ross and Kelley Proxmire
Her decision to arrange this event was multifold. She knew about Ross’ book coming out and thought it would be a wonderful idea to get the design community together and do some good right before Thanksgiving.
A delectable selection of mini pies, evocative of the season, from Sweetly Anchored Patisserie satisfied guests’ palates, along with a table of veggies, crab salad, filet mignon skewers and much more catered by Relish.
As a personal favor for Megginson, a vocal coach with the School of Rock, Hayley Gayne, stunned the crowd with her fantastic range. She performed throughout the evening on the grand staircase of the building accompanied by a pianist.
Sherry Moeller, Arlene Hillerson and Tommy McFly
After graduating from the Culinary Institute of America in Hyde Park, New York, Ross worked for Martha Stewart, The Food Network, House Beautiful, and various other websites and publications in the design and style fields. Now, in addition to publishing “Modern Mix,” he is the East Coast design editor for Better Homes & Gardens.
Ross has spent his life in a world around the dining room, styling, table setting, flower arranging and much more. He prides himself on finding the shortcuts to “entertain beautifully without having to slave away in the kitchen.”
“Modern Mix” is three years in the making, from book proposal to the day it was in readers’ hands. “It feels like what I’ve heard from my friends who’ve had babies,” Ross said. “You put so much into something and it finally happens.”
Jennifer Sergent, Meg Fairfax Fielding, Michael Hampton and Stefan Hurray
Ross did not do it alone; His partner Jaithan Kochar was a part of his team, as well as his dear friend Bryan McCay who photographed every page. Together, they produced the book from Ross and Kochar’s apartment and house in the country.
“There was no pickup art from other magazines or photographers or using of other people’s work,” he said. “It was just everything that we had worked on.”
According to Ross, the book is all about mixing together different time periods. “It’s about living with inherited pieces, old things, new things, but it’s just about the way you can mix it all together,” he said. “You can go and shop your parents’ attic, shop your grandparents’, and it’s about living with these things and mixing them in with new box retail finds. Because at one point every antique was brand new.”
Courtney Hooks, Channing Title-Fiske, Emily Wallace and Adele McDonald
“It’s really about chic and accessible finds and creating personal style… It’s about living with beautiful things and the way something can really enhance your life. And that just because it’s expensive doesn’t always mean it’s beautiful.”
