Skip to Content

Decor

Sleep with Rolex & Patek Philippe at Florence's Luxe L'O - Hotel L'Orologio


Under the patronage of new Italian luxury hotel group Whythebest, one of Florence's hippest and best-hidden boutique hotels is getting set to welcome the fashion crowd to the city this summer during the Pitti Uomo men's shows.

L'O - Hotel L'Orologio
is unique in being inspired by the prestigious world of international high-end watchmaking as well as by owner Sandro Fratini's personal collection of over 2,000 vintage timepieces. If you appreciate haute horlogerie – and what man of style doesn't? – it's hard to imagine wanting to stay anywhere else.

The Best of Architecture Meets Interior Design in 'America's Finest Rooms'

Finest Rooms in America

Refinement is not about expense, notes Thomas Jayne in his new book "The Finest Rooms in America," a definitive, luxuriously illustrated record of the country's best interior design from the 18th century to the present day. Jayne, a top-drawer interior designer and scholar of American decor, includes a complete cross section of rooms covering a broad range of American periods and styles, beginning with the Tea Room at Thomas Jefferson's Monticello.

Hermes Mahogany & Leather Valet Stand


The famed French luxury goods house of Hermès has come out with the ultimate accessory for the world's best-dressed gentlemen -- a valet stand in solid mahogany, fine leather and brass with ebony detailing.

The luxe piece, designed to accommodate a full suit of gentleman's clothing and accessories, is a limited edition re-issue of a classic item created for Hermès in 1930 by famed French decorator and designer Paul Dupré-Lafon. The original was sold by Sotheby's at its Art Nouveau & Art Deco Design sale in Paris in 2007 for about $65,000.

Herman Miller Sayl Ergonomic Work Chair Review

Herman Miller Sayl Ergonomic Work Chair Review
This is my third Herman Miller chair and I am beginning to notice a trend - Herman Miller makes pretty darn good chairs. I am not exactly the don of places to sit, but I have sampled an awful lot of chairs in my life. So why is it that I put chairs like those that Herman Miller offers on a pedestal? Well the reasons are pretty simple actually. They want their chairs to be well-made, comfortable, and aesthetically pleasing. Does that sound like a simple formula? It is, but at the same time chairs are one of the most complex pieces of furniture to make - especially an ergonomic desk/work chair. As I spend more time learning about good chairs and how they are designed, I am impressed by the ingenuity and details that is taken into consideration when designing something new. This is despite the fact that chair designers have so much to look to for inspiration. There are also a lot of really bad chairs out there, so that is something to think about when planning where to plant your rear.

This is the Sayl, and it is Herman Miller's newest family of work chairs. I say family because in addition to being available in various colors and trims, the chair itself is literally available in a lot of different styles with various options, etc... What each of the Sayl chairs share is the "suspension" style chair back with the "Y" frame design. This design is based loosely on the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco where chair designer Yves Behar lives. I too live in San Francisco, and wouldn't have seen the design connection unless you explained it to me - but now I see it, and smirk at the similarity between the back of the chair and the curve of the cables from the bridge's suspension towers.

Harry Slatkin on The Evolution of Home Fragrances (video)

When home fragrance expert Harry Slatkin talks about the evolution of home fragrancesHarry Slatkin began his career in home fragrances 18 years ago, he literally changed the industry. Since he founded Slatkin & Co., many others have followed suit, from Ralph Lauren to Banana Republic and Martha Stewart. Slatkin now oversees product development for all the home fragrance brands under Bath & Body Works, the country's largest bath and body retailer with over 1,650 stores.

Home fragrances used to be more of a women's world. Since then, the industry has changed dramatically, says Slatkin.

"If I do a radio show, the callers in are mostly men," he says. "They are complementing me on this scent or that scent. Men are getting into scent just as much as women."

Home fragrances have also hit the college scene. "One of the hottest products right now for college students are plug-ins," says Slatkin. "Dorms smell and you can't really light a candle in a dorm. But you can use a plug-in to create a different atmosphere, plus it is a great way to hide all the musty smells of dirty laundry."

Sensor Can From simplehuman

sensor can simple human
Hands-free trash cans are great. What's not so great is if you have to do a wild hand-waving dance to get them to open or if, even worse, they slam shut while you are putting things in. Design-centered home goods brand simplehuman says that "innovation only makes sense if it's in sync with your needs" so they promise their sensor trash can won't unexpectedly open or close on you.

A little something called multi-sense technology keeps the can from having the drop on you. The trigger zone is a focused space directly above the lid which is precise enough to avoid false triggers. Once the lid is open, the bin enters task mode and the trigger zone extends to become more sensitive to activity, so the lid won't close before you're finished. After three seconds of continued activity, the lid automatically opens wider and switches to a 30-second stay-open mode. A natural charcoal filter is in the lid to help neutralize odors. The can will run up to 12 months with 6 high-quality alkaline C batteries, not included), or plug the can in with a power adapter which is sold separately. The 40L can is $225, the 48L recycler is $275 and the 55L is $275.

1stdibs.com at the NY Design Center


When 1stdibs.com went from click to brick, it was an overnight success, far beyond what was expected. Until the opening of its new home 1stdibs.com was only online. It was the luxury marketplace site for antique and vintage design from the United States, Canada, France, and England. In other words, a treasure trove of jewelry, lighting, furniture, antiquities and especially design classics that you could buy online. Now 1stdibs has expanded to bricks and mortar. Some 53 dealers occupy a huge 1stdibs space on the 10th floor of the New York Design Center in Midtown Manhattan on Lexington Avenue between 32nd and 33rd streets. With the expansion from virtuality to reality, the new 1stdibs@NYDC is a big hit with designers as well as the general public. The Design Center, which in the past was to-the-trade, decorators only, is now open to the general public even on Saturday.

Luxury Furniture Retailer Robb & Stucky Bought By Liquidators

robb and stuckyLast month I mentioned that luxury furniture retailer Robb & Stucky had filed Chapter 11. Now it looks like the brand, which is based in Florida and also has stores in Arizona, Nevada and Texas, is facing potential liquidation.

Furniture Today reports
that a U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Tampa, Florida has approved sale of the brand to liquidators Hudson Capital and Hyperams. Hudson Capital and Hyperams were the stalking horse bidder and the only validated bidder at an auction to sell off the brand. When the brand filed Chapter 11 in February it was hoping to raise enough money from potential investors to make a bid to keep the company in business. The Naples Daily News reports that the fate of the stores remains up in the air. Liquidation would mean that employees would lose their jobs, stores would close and customers could lose deposits they have put down on furniture.

The company sells a variety of high-end collections including Ralph Lauren home, Keno Brothers and Tommy Bahama. It was founded in 1915 in Florida. At the time of the Chapter 11 filing it listed assets and debts in the range of $50 million to $100 million. It employs about 1,300 people.

How to Clean a Stainless Steel Appliance (video)


What is the best way to clean a stainless steel appliance? How can you get that showroom finish? How to clean a stainless steel applianceOur partners at the Home Staging Channel suggest this easy solution--and you probably have all the necessary materials in your kitchen cabinets. "Put a little olive oil on a cotton towel," says HSC's John Mangano. "A couple of dabs is all you need. Then rub in a circular motion." You may need to use more for high traffic areas of the appliance.

For a few more tips on how to clean a stainless steel appliance, check out this related post that contains pointers from Sub-Zero, one of the leading manufacturers of premium appliances.

1810 English Globe Writing Desk Offered By Rau Antiques

1810 English Globe Writing Desk Offered By Rau Antiques
As long as we have had organized society we have had trendy stuff. At points in the 18th and 19th century, globes were hot. Map making was a bit of a romantic thing at the time, intrinsically mixed with exploring the world and conquering new places. Having a map of a region meant you knew and understood that far off place - instantly making you pretty darn cool. Everyone wanted in on the "worldly" action, and people with wealth all wanted world map globes. These globes had to be hand-made and done with pretty extreme precision - although they weren't exactly as accurate as they are too. Ahh, the virtues of modern cartography.

In addition to globes themselves being hot - globe-like objects were equally hot. This for instance is a very rare writing desk that was meant to fold closed and look like a globe. How cool is that? I think that Ikea should carry these. This one was made around 1810 during the Regency Period in England by Morgan & Sanders. It is referred to as "metamorphic furniture." Meaning that it changed in someway. Today we would probably call it "transformer-orphic furniture!"

How to Clean Silver (video)

How to clean silver (video)
In the video above, Richard Sisson with Chevy Chase Plating & Polishing in Rockville, Md., demonstrates how to hand polish silver pieces, from tureens to flatware. Sisson describes how to clean and buff a piece of silver that is slightly tarnished, as well as how to remove old polish residue that has built up over time in the nooks and crannies of older pieces. He also shows how to best clean a piece of silver that is badly tarnished. Which high quality paste polish is the best for hand polishing smaller silver pieces, such as flatware? Watch the video and find out. To learn what is the difference between sterling silver and silver plated, watch this video.

Hermès Presents Jean-Michel Frank

hermes furniture
Simple lines and exotic veneers epitomize the furniture of French legendary designer Jean Michel-Frank. His original pieces are hard to come by so it's good news that Hermès has joined with the Frank family to reissue some of his iconic furniture. The clean-lined cubic pieces with leather and wood veneers will be in the New York Hermès store at 691 Madison Avenue and other stores nationwide in April. At first glance, some of the pieces will seem familiar as Frank's understated approach to chairs, sofas, and tables has been widely copied, but in fact, rarely equaled. Frank had a devoted following, admirers of his pale palette and near minimalist approach. He designed apartments for such luminaries as the Rockefellers in New York and Cole Porter in Paris. In spite of his success, he was a tragic figure who lost two brothers in World War I, his father and then his mother at an early age. He left Paris for Argentina when Word War II broke out and horribly depressed committed suicide in Manhattan in 1941 at the age of 46. Frank's banking family included Otto Frank and his famous diarist daughter Anne.

Esquire Home Collection Launches At ABC Carpet & Home


Esquire Home, a furniture collection that shares the same modern gentlemanly style as the men's magazine, now has a new shop at New York City's decor emporium, ABC Carpet & Home. A new ABC Coop Shop is offering a tailored masculine aesthetic created in collaboration with designer Timothy Oulton. The collection evokes a style that is streamlined and devoid of frippery with distressed leathers and neutral twills and tweeds.

Luxury Furniture Store Robb & Stucky Files Chapter 11

Luxury furniture retailer Robb & Stucky has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection here. The company sells a variety of high-end collections including Ralph Lauren home, Keno Brothers and Tommy Bahama but has struggled in recent years partly because its strongholds are in markets in Florida, Arizona and other challenging real estate markets.

The company, which was founded in 1915 in Florida, has listed assets and debts in the range of $50 million to $100 million. Furniture Today reports that the bulk of the company's unsecured creditors are home furnishings companies which are owed about $8 million. The brand issued a press release saying that it is looking for a buyer. It employs about 1,300 people and stores will remain open during the transition.

Clive Christian Rug Collection For Roubini Rugs

clive christian roubini rugs
How do you translate perfume into rugs? Roubini Rugs has created a new line of luxury rugs based on the design style of the house of Clive Christian. Some of the designs in the line were inspired by precious ingredients from perfumes in his eponymous perfume collection as well as his interior design projects. Clive Christian created unique artwork which in turn Sam Roubini translated and produced in the finest wool and silk.

The rug shown above, the Portrait No. 1 Rug, shows a cherub holding a garland leaning on an architectural ledge. The image was taken from the Toile de Jouey fabrics used within Clive Christian rooms.

Roubini Rugs has a variety of designer rugs for fashionable homes including collections by Fornasetti, Tuleh, Jamie Drake, Karim Rashid, Roberto Cavalli and Missoni.

Featured Galleries

Aperion SLIMstage30 Speaker System
Fortis Spaceleader Volkswagen Design White Watch
Gustafsson & Sjogren Stockholm watches
Sensai Summer Skin Care and Makeup Must-Haves
Four Season Provence
Casa Noble Tequila
Turks & Caicos Style
Ulysse Nardin Lady Diver Watch New Colors
Vacheron Constantin Historiques Aronde 1954 Watch