Last week, the New York School of Interior Design held its second annual Spring Benefit at the Metropolitan Club. This year's event included the presentation of the inaugural Thomas N. Armstrong III Award in Landscape Design, which was presented to "rising star" Thomas Woltz.

Lou Gropp, former editor of House Beautiful and a former trustee of NYSID, presented the lifetime achievement award to his friend, textile pioneer Jack Lenor Larsen.

Lou Gropp gives the podium over to Lifetime Achievement Award winner Jack Lenor Larsen

The Benefit was chaired by Mario Buatta, Ellie Cullman, Philip Gorrivan, Amy Lau, Stephanie Odegard, Campion Platt, and Barbara Slifka. Scores of designers and industry names came out to support the school, and the honorees, including: Amy Lau, Richard Mishaan, Sandra Nunnerley, Vicente Wolf, Lee Mindel, Alessandra Branca, Steven Gambrel, Alexa Hampton, Robert Stilin and Margaret Russell.

In introducing the awards, Patricia Sovern, Chairman of the Board of Trustees at NYSID, said, “The New York School of Interior Design is proud to celebrate the achievements of these two design luminaries for their innovative and distinguished careers, and to launch the Thomas N. Armstrong III Award in Landscape Design, in memory of our late trustee’s devotion to landscape design.”

Patricia Sovern, Jack Lenor Larsen and Thomas Woltz during the cocktail reception at the Metropolitan Club

The sit-down dinner included dramatic table settings with textiles Fiori, Primavera and Nexus designed by honoree Larsen used as tablecloths and runners, donated by Cowtan & Tout, a sponsor of the evening along with luxe Magazine and Lalique.

Thomas Woltz accepts the Thomas N. Armstrong III Award for Landscape Design

Photos by Annie Watt