Decor

Diane Von Furstenberg's Home Collection Launches At Bloomingdale's

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 11th 2011 at 8:01PM

Diane Von Furstenberg's collection of bedding, tableware and more has popped up at Bloomindale's. The Bloomingdale's website is hosting a sweepstakes with a grand prize of a DVF bedding ensemble, dinnerware place setting, wrap dress, shoes, handbag and sunglasses. The prize package has a $5,000 value. Many of the designs take their inspiration from the exuberant prints used in Von Furstenberg's iconic wrap dresses. Our sister blog, ShelterPop checked out the exhibit first hand and chose their favorites.

[via Home Accents Today]

Tags: bedding, designer home, diane von furstenberg, sheets, tableware

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New Show To Highlight Steampunk In New York City

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 9th 2011 at 5:01AM

Steampunk merges with modern style at The Architectural Design Magazine Home Show coming March 17-20 , 2011 in New York City. Art Donovan of Donovan Design will launch his first NYC show with a collection of "Steampunk Modern" illuminated designs and will also be signing his newest book, "The Art of Steampunk." Steampunk combines modern technology with a style sensibility taken from the Victorian era.

There's a Facebook page for the exhibit that shows a few designs and highlights and Donovan has promised that if it gets up to 2500 "likes" for this page everyone will be entered into a raffle to win one of his Steampunk lamp designs. The final log on date is midnight, March 12. There will be five runner up prizes of the original, Signed Steampunk posters from the Oxfords' University Museum exhibition. That exhibit was the world's first Steampunk Art Exhibition taking place at the Museum of the History of Science, the University of Oxford, UK.

Tags: art donovan, donovan design, SteamPunk

The King's Speech and the History of the Tommy Glass

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 9th 2011 at 4:02AM

The movie The King's Speech is up for 12 Academy Awards and has contributed to renewed interest in the early 20th century and the life of King George VI. The glasses shown above are an example of how designs from that period still resonate today. The Tommy Glass is one of Saint-Louis Crystal's most iconic pieces. Created in 1928 in honor of the British "Tommy" soldiers, Saint Louis Crystal named its new emblematic collection, "Tommy." The collection debuted at a 1938 dinner honoring King George VI of The Kings Speech. The luncheon was held in the hall of mirrors at The Palace of Versailles and eleven glasses were set in front of each of the two hundred guests (as shown in the photo at right). The Queen Mum was in attendance with her husband. The Tommy glasses are still being made in the same careful handcrafted way and are now available in a palette of eight colors showcasing Saint Louis' various crystal cuts including diamond, pearl, olive, and star.

Saint-Louis's history started before the invention of crystal (the addition of lead to glass). It was founded in 1586 Lorraine, France and is one of Europe's oldest cristalleries. At the beginning of the 19th century, Saint-Louis became very popular with French society, and won many awards. Most recently, in 1995, the company was purchased by Hermes, in the effort to keep this French craftsmanship alive and still flourishing in France. Since the beginning almost nothing has changed in the production process. After 10 years of apprenticeship, which is usually generational, passed from father to son, to grandson, the new craftsman can begin working with the masters. Each piece is mouth blown and later cut by hand and no two pieces are exactly the same. A variety of Saint-Louis Crystal's jewel-like wares are available at Michael C. Fina. The colorful glasses shown above are $470 each.

Tags: crystal, crystal glasses, kings speech, saint-louis crystal, tommy glass

Bonhams To Sell Furniture From The Lanesborough Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 7th 2011 at 8:01PM

London's five-star hotel, The Lanesborough, is selling off a collection of hotel furniture at Bonhams, Knightsbridge, as part of its monthly Period Design sale on March 29. The furniture had been used in the hotel since its opening in 1991. The furniture is being sold because the hotel is creating a new suite by interior designer Alberto Pinto. The lavish first-floor suite will be located on the first floor, overlooking Hyde Park Corner, and will include four bedrooms, a living room, a dining room, a kitchen and four and a half bathrooms. The Lanesborough Suite will cost £14,000 plus VAT per night. The collection up for sale at Bonhams includes approximately 80 pieces, such as chandeliers, mirrors, paintings, furniture and works of art. Everything is being sold without reserve and prices range from £30 to £3,000.

The Lanesborough is located in Knightsbridge overlooking Hyde Park and has 95 guest rooms including 43 suites. Guest rooms and suites have Sony VAIO laptops in all guest rooms and fresh fruit and mineral water replenished daily. The room decor blends the latest technology with Regency-style furniture and art. Rooms start from £375.

Tags: bonhams, Bonhams auction, lanesborough, Lanesborough Hotel, LanesboroughHotel

Maine Magazine Launches 2011 Guide Books

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Feb 4th 2011 at 3:03PM

Maine magazine, the stylish bible of "more than just lobsters and lighthouses", has debuted its 2011 guides to the best the Pine Tree State has to offer. This year in addition to the Eat Maine edition launched last year they've added Art Maine and Home Maine versions with help from sister publication Maine Home + Design. Indispensable for both visitors and natives alike, the pocket-sized booklets act as a Baedeker to the best in dining, decor and the arts around the beautiful northern and easternmost bit of New England. Of course they do list the best lobster rolls in the Eat edition but that's just the tip of the icecap. The guides are priced at $5.95 and come free to subscribers; alternatively they can be found at many Portland businesses and are also available from the magazine directly.

Tags: art, decor, dining, eat+maine+2011, eatmaine2011, guide, lobster, magazines, Maine, Maine Home + Design, Maine magazine, New England, travel

Brooks Brothers Expands Home Decor Collection

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Feb 3rd 2011 at 11:01PM

Last fall Brooks Brothers launched their home collection starting with sheets and pillows. Now the line has expanded to include tabletop and lampshades. The lampshades are constructed of fabrics used to make Brooks Brothers clothing including pinstripe wool, cotton oxford cloth and silk tie fabric. The chandelier shades start at $88.

Th brand's tabletop selections run the gamut from chopsticks and other lacquerware and Japanese porcelain to china decorated with John James Audubon's bird paintings. The limited edition dessert plates, signed and numbered on the bottom, are limited to 250 and cost $328 for a set of four. The line is part of a parternship with the National Audubon Society that also includes a crystal decanter and glasses engraved with renderings of selections from Birds of America.

The brand is also dipping its toes into the art world, selling a series of four lithographs reproduced from Paul Brown's original drawings of sporting scenes. They feature copper engraving lithography, and area a limited edition of 150. Each lithograph includes a certificate of authenticity and the Brooks Brothers Golden Fleece chop mark. The pieces are framed in dark mahogany and sell for $500 each.

[via Home Accents Today]

Tags: brooks brothers, home decor, john james audubon

Ligne Roset Seating For 2011

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) — Jan 27th 2011 at 2:01PM

High-end furniture maker Ligne Roset just unveiled (among many other items) much of their new collection of chairs, sofas, and other types of seating furniture for 2011 at the latest IMM furniture fair in Cologne. The collection does not disappoint - and the brand again features items from great designers that are a mix of modern,ergonomic, and un-ordinary. These pieces are useful and I feel can add some interesting "dimensions" to a space. I am fascinated by seating so I focused on that part of their new collection. Chairs have an interesting need to be both attractive, useful, and ergonomically healthy. In total, Ligne Roset debuted 31 pieces at the show. See the video after the bump for a bit more, and visit Ligne Roset Facebook page here for more info.

Ariel Adams publishes the luxury watch reviews site aBlogtoRead.com.

Gallery: Linge Roset chairs at IMM for 2011

Tags: 2011, chairs, chouches, FurnitureStore, IMM, Ligne Roset, sofas

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KAWS Light Bulbs For The Standard Hotel

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 23rd 2011 at 11:02AM

It's not too often that I'm compelled to write about light bulbs but these are pretty cool. The Standard hotel just launched their collaboration with artist KAWS for limited edition filament light bulbs. The limited edition light bulbs are being sold as a three-bulb set by The Standard. There will 1,000 sets of the red, purple and green filament bulbs in KAWS signature XX mark (he often uses it in images of the standard cartoon trope of the x marks over the eyes symbolizing death). Each set is $65. "You're raised not to stare at light bulbs, but this is the opposite of that," KAWS told the NY Times.

Along with the light bulbs, two different types of KAWS pillows in multiple colors and KAWS companion key chains will also be exclusively available for sale at New York shop. Brooklyn-based artist and designer Brian Donnelly, a.k.a. KAWS, has created graffiti writings and street art; graphic, industrial and product design, including limited toy editions and streetwear fashion, sketches, drawings, paintings, murals, and sculptures. Check out more of his work at his website.

Tags: KAWS, light bulbs, standard hotel, Standard Hotel New York, The Standard

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Sniff, Scented Candles For Dogs

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 22nd 2011 at 4:01PM

Scented candles are de rigueur for Valentine's Day but what if your Valentine walks on four legs? Sniff is a new scented candle that uses holistic aromas to benefit man (or women's) best friend. After all, dogs can identify smells somewhere between 1,000 to 10,000 times better than their human friends.

The organic dog-friendly candles include scents like "A Day in the Hamptons" (a sunny summer day scent with rosemary, basil and spearmint); "Splendor in the Grass" (green pastures with tomato leaves and cedarwood); "Field of Dreams"(soothing lavender, vetiver and sandalwood); "Friends to the Rescue" (a mix of lemongrass, eucalyptus and grapefruit held together by geranium, cyprus and ginger with a finish of mangosteen to keep pests away) and "Fart & Away" (a mix of of floral ylang ylang, tuberose, white tea, myrtle and fennel for the smelly dog). Sales through February support Miami-Dade Animal Services Foundation, a foundation dedicated to ending the unwanted pet population with spay/neuter programs in Miami. Candles sell for $32 each.

Tags: candles, candles for dogs, scented candles

Brunschwig & Fils Files Chapter 11, May Be Sold To Competitor

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) — Jan 19th 2011 at 2:01AM

Luxury wallcovering brand Brunschwig & Fils recently announced that the family-owned company has filed for Chapter 11 restructuring and that Kravet, a fabrics and home furnishings company and former competitor has agreed to buy the company. Brunschwig & Fils is an 111-year-old distributor of wall coverings and upholstery fabrics. It listed assets of $10.9 million and debt totaling $18.4 million. The recession led to a 35% decline in sales in 2009 and a 30% decrease in 2010 as less people poured money into their homes.

Home Textiles Today reports that Kravet , a 93-year-old-brand, has offered $6.5 million in cash plus other considerations. Brunschwig & Fils wants other offers by March 3, with an auction not more than two days later to see if anyone will top Kravet's offer. There are no plans to close the 17 Brunschwig & Fils showrooms in the U.S. and three abroad. Brunschwig CEO Olivier Pearson called the restructuring a business decision and said that "our relationships with the lines we represent remain intact and the Brunschwig & Fils Design Studio is creating new patterns for future release."

Tags: brunschwig fils, chapter 11, fabric, kravet, wallcoverings

The Classicist: The Stylish World of Spirits & Luxury Hotel Guru Martin Miller

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Jan 17th 2011 at 9:00AM

As befits a Brit who has his very own brand of gin, Martin Miller is more than just an entrepreneur; he's a bon viveur and connoisseur of everything from antiques and historic houses to leggy women, fine spirits and elaborately coiffed canines. The self-described "gypsy who never settled" began building an empire as a schoolboy in England which led to an estimated $40 million fortune and the birth of Martin Miller's Gin. Having sold his antiques guide business for a tidy sum, in 1999 Miller hit on the idea of creating a super premium gin better than anything else available at the time; developing the perfect gin regardless of "practical, fiscal or even geographic limitations" became something of a fixation, hence the spirit's slogan: "born of love, obsession and some degree of madness."

Miller's is a top drawer London dry gin made from ten carefully balanced botanicals that's transported 1,500 miles to Iceland following traditional copper pot still distillation to be mixed with the purest spring water on the globe. The result is a potent spirit with a strong citrus nose and taste, notes of juniper and a clean, soft finish. A Westbourne Strength variation ups the ABV from 40% to 45.2%, bringing the juniper to the forefront along with spicier notes and the same soft finish. Both bottles are stunning. That degree of good taste and craftsmanship extends to Miller's small empire of boutique luxury hotels in renovated historic structures, the first of which he opened to house his burgeoning collection of antiques.

Miller's four UK properties echo the eccentricity and artistic sensibility of their creator; showcasing his "maximalistic" approach to decor, they're positively overflowing with antiques and finds from his lifelong adventures. Here's a rundown [cont'd]:

Gallery: The World of Martin Miller

Tags: antiques, England, entrepreneur, gin, hotel, Iceland, London, luxury hotels, Martin Miller, Martin Millers Gin, spirits, UK

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Leigh Keno's Paintings, Folk Art and Furniture Auction (Exclusive)

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) — Jan 16th 2011 at 1:31PM

On Tuesday, January 18, 2011, Keno Auctions will hold its American and European Paintings, Folk Art, Furniture, and Decorative Arts auction. The auction will feature such important items as a Winslow Homer watercolor, an extremely rare Andrew Wyeth sketchbook, early American antique furniture, and important Folk Art. (see gallery below). Winslow Homer's watercolor is seen above with Keno Auctions' president, Leigh Keno, who is one of the foremost experts in the world of art and decorative arts as well as a regular contributor, along with his twin brother, Leslie, to the popular PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

"We are very excited about the sale," Leigh Keno told Luxist. "It's a mixture of American, English and British furniture and paintings. There are some Chinese and other Asian things too. There is real variety---even a Minoan bronze bowl that dates back to 1200 to 1600 BC that was found in Crete. The great thing about the auction is that we have the Internet---including Live Auctioneers and ArtFact---as well as our own telephone bidding system, which makes it possible for anyone around the world to bid."

Keno has devoted much of his time of late amassing the large collection of important items that are featured in this auction. Important furniture items include a William and Mary veneered high chest of drawers (estimate: $60,000 to $120,000). "This is the most important example of American cabinetmaking in the baroque style in early 18th century Boston," says Keno. "There are only two others with veneered walnut moldings. But this high chest has the distinction of not only having the veneer on the sides, but also having the original surface on the legs and feet. The fact that the base is completely original is of great importance."

Gallery: Leigh Keno's Paintings, Furniture and Folk Art Auction on January 18, 2011

Leigh Keno's American and European Paintings Auction

Leigh Keno's auction to feature important American furniture

Tags: american+folk+art+auction, americanfolkartauction, Andrew Wyeth, antiques roadshow, auction, Chippendale, Jennifer L. Mass, Keno Auctions, Leigh Keno, leigh+keno+auction, leighkenoauction, Leslie Keno, WInslow Homer, Winterhur Museum, Wintertur

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The Classicist: Inside the Embassies & Historic Mansions of Paris

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Jan 10th 2011 at 9:01AM

Very rarely do any of Paris' remaining private palaces come on the market; when they do the properties invariably rank among the world's most expensive, such as the 1912 mansion built for the Duchesse de Montmorency recently listed at $140 million that we told you about back in November. The reason there is so little movement among these magnificent monuments to wealth lining the famed city's storied avenues is that most are occupied as embassies and ambassadorial residences. An equally magnificent new book, Historic Houses of Paris: Residences of the Ambassadors from Flammarion by Alain Stella with photography by Francis Hammond offers a guided tour of 22 of these amazing edifices, some seen for the first time, most originally built for members of the aristocracy and now the setting for lavish diplomatic entertainments and intrigues.

Gilded halls, formal sitting rooms, stately dining rooms, paneled libraries, perfectly landscaped gardens, chambers filled with rare antiques, luxurious wallcoverings and private living quarters are all examined in delectable detail, in mansions ranging from a 17th-century hôtel particulier to a Belle Epoque palace and even a couple more contemporary examples, now occupied by the ambassadors of the United States, the United Kingdom, Russia, Germany, China, India and more. The cover (above) depicts the Sicilian theater of the incredible Italian Ambassador 's residence, aka the Hotel de la Rochefoucauld-Doudeauville, built in 1732. Some, like the Indian Ambassador's residence, aka the Hotel de Marlborough built in 1910 by architect René Sergent, who also designed Claridge's in London and Rome's Grand Hotel, are named for famous former owners; in this case the Duchess of Marlborough, aka Consuelo Vanderbilt, one of the world's richest and most beautiful women at the time.

Gallery: Historic Houses of Paris

Hotel d'Avaray (Kingdom of the Netherlands)

Tags: antiques, architecture, aristocrats, Belle Epoque, books, coffee table books, decor, embassy, estates, France, historic houses, mansion, Paris, politics, real estate, wealth

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Dennis Hopper's Furniture On Offer at Christie's

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) — Jan 8th 2011 at 8:01AM

Last summer my colleague Deirdre Woollard covered the sale of Dennis Hopper's house and major works from his impressive collection of contemporary art. Now Christie's is offering a number of prized pieces of furniture that belonged the late actor, artist and aesthete. Tops among Hopper's design classics in Christie's Interiors sale in New York on Jan. 11 – 12 is a chrome and black leather chaise by Le Corbusier, estimated at $1,000 – $1,500; a cardboard "bubble chair" designed by architect Frank Gehry, estimated at $3,000 – $5,000; and an oak and black leather Eames chair with ottoman, estimated at $1,000 – $1,500. Also included are various photographs and works of art, including an Andy Warhol silkscreen of Marilyn Monroe estimated at $40,000 – $60,000, and even the actor's set of Tiffany & Co. teacups and desert plates, estimated at $200 – $300. A number of the items are being offered without reserve, so it's a good chance for Hopper fans to score a memento.

Tags: actor, Andy Warhol, art, auction, celebrity, Christies, contemporary art, Dennis Hopper, Eames, Frank Gehry, furniture, Le Corbusier, Tiffany Co.

Haworth Enters the Art and Design World with the Innovative Clouds Collection (with Video)

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) — Jan 7th 2011 at 9:31AM

Haworth, the world's leading manufacturer of high-end organic office furniture and work spaces, has entered the art and design world with the launch of an innovative, interlocking fabric tile that can be used as a sculptural art installation. Called "Clouds", the tiles add design and color to any space and make an ideal replacement or supplement to more traditional forms of art.

Clouds is the result of a collaboration between Kvadrat (a Danish textile manufacturer) and the French-born Bouroullec brothers---Ronan and Erwan, who are leaders in industrial design. Kvadrat's textiles are used worldwide by renowned architects, designers and furniture manufacturers for upholstery and curtains.

The soft-sided tiles are easy to assemble as they are attached to each other by special rubber bands. They are simple to mount, move, change and maintain and can be rearranged as often as you'd like to bring new ideas into a space. The tiles can be hung from a wall or ceiling, placed on the floor, or attached to railings and stairs, adding color, texture, and warmth, in addition to providing sound insulation.

Gallery: Clouds by Haworth