When Merrie Shinder was a young girl, deciding what color paint to buy next kept her up at night; now, it’s new design ideas and materials that make her restless. “I always loved to paint and make things,” she says. “Going to the art store was the most wonderful thing imaginable.”

Owner/president of Canopy Designs, Ltd. in New York, Shinder applies her innate sense of color and materials to create exquisite lighting, jewelry, tabletop creations, candleholders and wall plaques. Beaded and bejeweled, her light fixtures do more than illuminate — they sparkle, shine and shimmer — adding just the right amount of glimmer to any space.

Delicate in design and feminine in feel, each piece is created entirely by hand at her 10,000-square-foot loft studio in Long Island City, N.Y. Working in such big digs wasn’t always the case for Shinder, whose business started in her dining room, literally. “I was working for a magazine at the time and became obsessed with making beaded lampshades. Once they began selling, I started my company and worked full time from my apartment,” she recalls. “Six months after quitting my day job I was able to move to a small factory space.”

A graduate of Emory University in Art History, Shinder also attended the New York School of Interior Design. Today, she lives and works in New York, employing 35 people who are dedicated to producing her designs with meticulous attention to detail and incredible craftsmanship.

“I am proudest of the quality of work and color options I’m able to offer by manufacturing my products right in New York,” Shinder says. “Most of my staff has grown with the company, so there’s a strong sense of pride here.”
Taken with turn-of-the-century French design, Shinder loves “period pieces” and captures this aesthetic with the application of cameos, glistening stones, artificial pearls, crystals, beads and more. “When I love something, it usually turns out to be from this era,” she says.

Describing her designs as “traditional with an edge,” Shinder finds inspiration on every corner. “I often hop on the subway and visit fabric stores or bead shops. I also go to Barney’s. I love fashion,” she says.

But when looking for a more global perspective, she travels far and wide. “I recently took a trip to India where I bought beads covered in embroidery thread. When those are delivered, I’ll see if I can turn out some new designs.” Sounds like another sleepless night for Shinder.

To purchase Shinder’s lighting and accessories in Florida, visit Grange in the Design Center of the Amer-icas in Dania Beach; Over the Moon in Hollywood; and her in-store boutique at ABC Carpet & Home in Delray Beach. To view her work, go to www.canopydesigns.com. .

	This “Beaded Flower” fixture was inspired by an antique chandelier designer Merrie Shinder once saw.

	“It wasn’t until I was older that I felt a burning desire to actually make design my profession,” Shinder says.

	“When first introduced, the ‘Canopy Birdcage’ “stopped people in their tracks,” Shinder recalls.

	Modern with a retro feel, the “Hemisphere” chandelier captures the look of fixtures from the 1950s and ’60s.

When Merrie Shinder was a young girl, deciding what color paint to buy next kept her up at night; now, it’s new design ideas and materials that make her restless. “I always loved to paint and make things,” she says. “Going to the art store was the most wonderful thing imaginable.” Owner/president of Canopy Designs, Ltd. in New York, Shinder applies her innate sense of color and materials to create exquisite lighting, jewelry, tabletop creations, candleholders and wall plaques. Beaded and bejeweled, her light fixtures do more than illuminate — they sparkle, shine and shimmer — adding just the right amount of glimmer to any space. Delicate in design and feminine in feel, each piece is created entirely by hand at her 10,000-square-foot loft studio in Long Island City, N.Y. Working in such big digs wasn’t always the case for Shinder, whose business started in her dining room, literally. “I was working for a magazine at the time and became obsessed with making beaded lampshades. Once they began selling, I started my company and worked full time from my apartment,” she recalls. “Six months after quitting my day job I was able to move to a small factory space.” A graduate of Emory University in Art History, Shinder also attended the New York School of Interior Design. Today, she lives and works in New York, employing 35 people who are dedicated to producing her designs with meticulous attention to detail and incredible craftsmanship. “I am proudest of the quality of work and color options I’m able to offer by manufacturing my products right in New York,” Shinder says. “Most of my staff has grown with the company, so there’s a strong sense of pride here.” Taken with turn-of-the-century French design, Shinder loves “period pieces” and captures this aesthetic with the application of cameos, glistening stones, artificial pearls, crystals, beads and more. “When I love something, it usually turns out to be from this era,” she says. Describing her designs as “traditional with an edge,” Shinder finds inspiration on every corner. “I often hop on the subway and visit fabric stores or bead shops. I also go to Barney’s. I love fashion,” she says. But when looking for a more global perspective, she travels far and wide. “I recently took a trip to India where I bought beads covered in embroidery thread. When those are delivered, I’ll see if I can turn out some new designs.” Sounds like another sleepless night for Shinder. To purchase Shinder’s lighting and accessories in Florida, visit Grange in the Design Center of the Amer-icas in Dania Beach; Over the Moon in Hollywood; and her in-store boutique at ABC Carpet & Home in Delray Beach. To view her work, go to www.canopydesigns.com. .