Furniture

Orbita Bergamo 40 Watch Winder Furniture

The more automatic watches you get the harder it is to store and keep track of them. Serious collectors end up buying more and more watch winders, but at a point you just want a few massive winders to house your collection (versus dozens of smaller ones). The good news is that a few select companies make high-capacity watch winders, and they are serious invenstments unto themselves. New from US-based Orbita is the Bergamo 40 range of watch winder cabinets.

The Bergamo 40 starts with a very simple concept - a watch winder for 40 watches that can disguise itself as piece of fine furniture. The rear part of this cabinet can raise or lower and contains 40 individual watch winders (that have their own motors and are individually programmable). Via a remote or switch on the unit, the winders can lower into the cabinet - which from the front then looks like just a cabinet. If you want to showcase your watches in an office or room that might have people walking in it, it is a good idea to be able and "hide" your collection. The cabinet itself is made in Italy, and can be ordered in a variety of woods, finishes, and styles. Consultation with Orbita is required to get one, and each is custom made. Prices for the Orbita Bergamo 40 watch winder cabinet starts at about $60,000, and each takes about 3-4 months to make.

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

Gallery: Orbita Bergamo 40

Tags: 40, bergamo, cabinet, furniture, orbita, Orbita Bergamo 40 Watch Winder Furniture, watch, winder

Hermès Presents Jean-Michel Frank

by Bobbie Leigh (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

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.

Tags: 1930s furniture, decor, French style 1930s, furniture, Hermès Frank Collection, hermes, modern classic furniture

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Esquire Home Collection Launches At ABC Carpet & Home

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Men's Style

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.

Tags: Esquire, Esquire Home Collection, Esquire Magazine, Furniture, Home Decor

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Dennis Hopper's Furniture On Offer at Christie's

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Auctions, Celebrity Shopping, Art, Architecture & Design

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.

Inside the World of Famed Design House Fornasetti

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Books, Architecture & Design

With an incredible 3,000 photographs and illustrations, Rizzoli's massive new monograph on iconic Italian design house Fornasetti is a work of art in itself. Fornasetti: The Complete Universe details how the firm's founder Piero Fornasetti (1913–1988) achieved fame transforming everyday objects into works of art featuring idiosyncratic designs. His work is carried on today by his son Barnaba Fornasetti, who now runs the Fornasetti atelier and authored the impressive volume. Designed to be an "artist's book" that reflects Fornasetti's iconic overall approach to design, the slipcased $250 monograph is divided into two sections: the first half is dedicated to Piero Fornasetti as an artist and highlights his pictorial and graphic work and their artistic applications; the second half focuses on the 70-plus years of the atelier's production.

This includes furniture, sculptures and etchings, graphics, textiles, glass, screens, trays, ceramics, and more. The second section covers the activity of the atelier up to the present day as well. The book also addresses Barnaba's commitment to keeping the Fornasetti legacy alive by showing how Piero's ideas and models are "transformed, reworked, and contextualized." Today the Fornasetti atelier not only reissues historical pieces, but also "offers reinterpretations of themes and objects drawing inspiration from the vast repertory of the atelier's archive of lithographic plates, designs, notes, documents, and objects." Finally, the beautiful and comprehensive book includes a list of exhibitions and a register of the atelier's complete works.

Gallery: Fornasetti: The Complete Universe

Curved chest of drawers, Palladiana (Palladian Motif)

Piero Fornasetti with the Braccio con moneta (Arm with a Coin) tray

Plate 150 from Tema e Variazioni (Theme and Variations) series

Tags: books, coffee table books, decor, design, Fornasetti, furniture, Italy, photographs, Rizzoli

Antique English Picnic & Games Chest for $34,500

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

A stunning expanding English mahogany picnic chest and games table is being offered for sale by M.S. Rau Antiques of New Orleans for $34,500. The exquisite piece, made circa 1920, resembles a simple wooden trunk at first glance; with its four legs unfolded however, the top and sides open out to reveal a complete luncheon service for eight, including Sheffield silverplate utensils, bone-handled cutlery, plates and saucers, cups and glasses, kettles and burners for hot water and soup, single and stacked enamel containers, wicker-wrapped glass bottles, ceramic butter pots, silver plated tins, a corkscrew and matchbox.

When the meal is over, the table folds and unfolds again, transforming into a felt-topped card table, perfect for a game with the deck of playing cards which are also included in the fitted compartments. No doubt designed for a wealthy British army officer or aristocrat on safari who wished to sacrifice none of the comforts of home, the impressive example of British Colonial campaign furniture would have been custom crafted to the owner's specifications and transported about by a retinue of servants – the brass fittings highly polished, of course.

Tags: 1920s, antiques, aristocrat, decor, England, furniture, games, luggage, M.S. Rau Antiques, mahogany, New Orleans, picnic, safari, silver, trunk

Pieces from David Francis Furniture's 2011 Collection

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

David Francis Furniture's 2011 Collection

David Francis has spent the past 25 years designing simple, dramatic pieces handcrafted in rattan, abaca, lampacanay, bamboo, mahogany, traditional hardwoods and arorog. He's done it so well, in fact, that for the last five of those years he's been nominated for the Pinnacle Award at the Fall High Point Market, given by his colleagues in the American Society of Furniture Designers, and he finally took it home for the first time this year.

Pieces from his 2011 collection continue the trend with items like a Bali Sideboard in mahogany with crushed bamboo drawer facings, the Bamboo Wood Charred Silver Console with a beveled glass top and charred silver paint, the brand new Allegria Lounge Chair with mitered corners and rawhide bindings, and the Diamante Dining Armchair (pictured) with a diamond webbed back in mahogany. Many of Francis' pieces can be had in up to 34 different finishes, and the collection is available now or at select retailers.

Gallery: David Francis Furniture

Source

Tags: david francis, david francis furniture, furniture

An Inside Look at Paris' Famed Flea Markets

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Art, Books

Forget the Louvre and the Champs Elysées – compulsive collectors, experienced bargain hunters, bewildered tourists, timid first-timers, specialists in the one-of-a-kind item, treasure seekers, Japanese fashionistas, incognito celebrities and couturiers from countries around the globe all travel to Paris' famed flea markets of St. Ouen for inspiration and fabulous finds. Antiquaires: Paris Flea Markets by Laure Verchere with gorgeous photographs by Laziz Hamani, new from Assouline, showcases highlights from the hundreds of diverse dealers there that make up the largest marketplace of secondhand furniture, clothing, books, housewares, curiosities, antiques and art objects in the world. The stalls outside the city's Porte de Clignancourt which once played host to farmers and ragpickers today house highly curated collections and attract up to 150,000 visitors each weekend. Check out the gallery for a preview.

Gallery: Antiquaires: Paris Flea Markets

Tags: antiques, Assouline, books, coffee table books, Decor, France, furniture, Interior design, Louvre, Paris, photography, travel

Cappellini Proust Armchair by Alessandro Mendini

by Rigel Celeste (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

Certainly not a chair for the conservatively decorated home this Cappellini Proust Armchair by Alessandro Mendini is a re-edition of the 1978 original and is an absolutely beautiful style statement. I can't take my off its endlessly flowing lines and the mesmerizing print that flows seamlessly over both frame and upholstery. Honestly it looks like something straight off the set of Alice in Wonderland.

The wooden frame is intricately carved and hand painted and is available in this light blue/grey/yellow color combination or black/green/red. Furniture might not be the most common gift idea for Christmas but this would be a great idea for a couple to give each other this holiday. $12,804

Source

Tags: armchair, chair, furniture

The Best of the British West Indies

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Luxury Travel & Hotels, Books

From Antigua, Jamaica, Nevis, Barbados, St. Lucia, Trinidad and Tobago, St. Kitts and Mustique to the less-traveled islands of Bequia and Dominica, a beautiful new book by Michael Connors captures the best of British West Indies Style. Many of the English island great houses showcased in the volume are hidden to most visitors. Close to fifty private residences are featured in over 200 full-color photographs taken especially for the book, such as the entrancing view of an estate on Nevis (above). The English country house meets the southern plantation in design details such as mahogany writing tables, tropical wood settees, linens and terraced gardens, offering inspiration for the use of local materials, painting techniques, and elements of outdoor living. Connors also includes entertaining historical vignettes putting the beautiful residences in context.

Tags: Barbados, books, British West Indies, coffee table books, decor, estates, furniture, island, islands, Jamaica, mahogany, Mustique, Nevis, UK, West Indies

The $100,000 Monte Carlo Desk from Viscount Linley

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Architecture & Design

Viscount David Linley, the bespoke cabinetmaker who's a nephew of the Queen of England, has created an incredible one-of-a-kind $100,000 writing desk in homage to one of Monaco's most notable landmarks – the Monte Carlo Casino. Featuring the famed Beaux-Arts building as its central gallery, with stylized archways on either side, it bears marquetry detailing in various veneers representing the windows, columns, galleries and balusters of the casino, which was used as a location for the James Bond films Never Say Never Again, GoldenEye, and of course Casino Royale. The main body of the desk is constructed in American walnut with inlays of Santos rosewood and sycamore, while the writing surface is covered in rich dark red leather. On the underside of the domed lid of the architectural box is a marquetry depiction of Monaco's flag in red sycamore and holly. Six hand-carved figurines surmount the rooftop, and six secret drawers are each opened by a different mechanism.

Gallery: Monte Carlo Desk by Viscount Linley

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: architecture, Beaux-Arts, casino, Casino Royale, David Linley, desk, furniture, gambling, James Bond, leather, Monaco, Monte Carlo, Queen of England, viscount+linley, viscountlinley

The Ultimate Guide to Scandinavian Style

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Celebrity Shopping, Books, Architecture & Design

The work of Lars Bolander, one of Sweden's foremost interior designers whose shops in New York and Palm Beach are oases of good taste, is given its due in a beautiful new book from the Vendome Press. Longtime admirer Martha Stewart calls Lars Bolander's Scandinavian Design "A sophisticated volume" and "an in-depth, intelligent, and informative look at the design sensibilities found in Scandinavian domestic furniture and decoration." She notes that "Bolander surveys all of this with his keen eye and finely honed historical knowledge, and the results are breathtaking." The book serves as a practical, idea-filled room-by-room guide to both classic and new looks in Scandinavian design.

Drawn from Bolander's work on estates and houses all over the world for the past few decades and working from the outside in, the book begins with a study of exterior features such as the use of wood in construction, elaborate doorways, and building in harmony with nature. Successive chapters explore entryways, living rooms, dining rooms, kitchens, bathrooms, and bedrooms. Both traditional and modern design influences are featured, and sidebars throughout highlight specific design elements such as wood stoves, Danish Modern chairs, lighting, textiles, and more.

Gallery: Lars Bolander's Scandinavian Design

Tags: books, coffee table books, Danish Modern, decor, furniture, interior design, interior designer, Lars Bolander, Martha Stewart, scandinavia, Scandinavian design, Sweden

Jean Paul Gaultier's New Collection for Roche Bobois Featured at Kips Bay Decorator Show House

by Carrie Coolidge (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor, Celebrity Design

Jean Paul Gaultier designs collection for Roche Bobois

One you enter the townhouse showcasing the 38th Annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House on the Upper East Side of New York, you can't help but notice the stunning pieces including a striking modular sofa that grace the grand entrance hall. The sofa is unmistakingly Roche Bobois but with a twist. Each of the pieces was designed by Jean Paul Gaultier and part of a collection he exclusively created to commemorate Roche Bobois' 50th anniversary of international design and development. Roche Bobois is the winner of the Luxist Awards' Readers' Choice Award for Best in Furniture.

The Jean Paul Gaultier collection for Roche Bobois includes a bedroom set, sofas, complimentary furniture pieces and accessories. Born in 1952 outside of Paris, Gaultier is an internationally renowned designer and couturier who likes to shake up conventions, redefine classics (as he did most recently for Hermes), and play with opposites.

A centerpiece of the collection is the Mah Jong Couture modular sofa (a portion of which is seen in the image above). The modular composition features hand-made padded cushions, straight and corner backrests. An optional adjustable feature on backrests is available. It is priced at $31,610 for nine elements. Gaultier's hand-trolley mirror, also seen above, features red lacquer and steel tubing. It retails for $2,690. (L. 45 X H. 160 cm.)

Gallery: Jean Paul Gaultier for Roche Bobois

Jean Paul Gaultier's Mah Jong Couture modular sofa

Tags: awards-main, furniture, furniture design, furniture store, interior decor, interior decorating, interior design, interior designer, jean paul gaultier, kips bay, Kips Bay 2010 Decorator Showhouse, kips bay showhouse, luxist-awards, roche bobois

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King Farouk's Almost $1 Million Bedroom Set Furniture For Sale

by Ariel Adams (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Decor

In 1965 King Farouk died at the dinner table in Rome where he lived for the last part of his life. The highly overweight former king of Egypt keeled over after an especially heavy meal. Thus ending a rich life of excess and having fun as a member of royalty - when such people were growing continually less common (and with lifestyles like that, who can blame a populous for not wanting to support that). King Farouk fled Egypt in the early 1950s when his highly corrupt government was overthrown. While he might not have been the best ruler, he was really good at enjoying the lifestyle. He was especially well known (even among his peers) for enjoying all things lavish. Owning many homes and 100s of cars, Farouk had a penchant for traveling to Europe and succumbing to regular shopping excursions. In his heyday he was somewhat of a trend-setter for the Egyptian elite and his grand tastes were known around the world.

Rau Antiques in New Orleans has acquired a King Farouk bedroom set. The several piece set is from the mid 19th century and right up King Farouk's alley in terms of taste and poise. The seven piece set is Parisian and done in mostly mahogany wood. Lots of gilded bronze accents and decor inspired by mythology and fantasy creatures. Probably one of his favorites. Price for the set is $985,000 - you can see more here at Rau online.

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

Gallery: King Farouk Bedroom Set

Tags: bedroom, furniture, king farouk, set

The Classicist: UK's Elite Meet & Greet at High Net Worth Event

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Cars & Autos, Wings, Events, Charity, Men's Style, The Classicist, Wealth, Architecture & Design

Some of the UK's wealthiest citizens met up recently at Cotswold Airport in the heart of bucolic Gloucestershire to rub elbows while eyeballing the latest in supercars and private jets. The ultra-exclusive Elite 2010 event was organized by Aeronautics Ltd. and the Fine English Company, dedicated to the best in bespoke British luxury. 200 high net worth VIPs were in attendance at the occasion hosted by British Royal Air Force Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpy. The event benefited Fly2Help, a charity dedicated to helping those who have suffered disaster, difficulty or tragedy by allowing them to experience the fun and love of flying. We got an inside look at the proceedings thanks to Fine English Co. founder Benedict Wormald.

Aeronautics Ltd. are the UK Sales Representative for Hawker Beechcraft and specialize in the sales, acquisition, management and charter brokerage of private jets. Other participating organizations at Elite 2010 included Aston Martin Racing, the famed British marque's motorsports division; Coutts, the legendary private bankers to the Queen of England and the British Royal Family as well as famed figures from the Duke of Wellington, Charles Dickens and Lord Nelson to The Beatles; Von Essen Hotels, the private collection of individual country house hotels in the UK and France which includes the famous Cliveden, once home to an Earl, two Dukes, a Prince of Wales and the Viscounts Astor; London's The Nth Degree Club Concierge, whose services include event management, private dining, exclusive chef's tables at top London restaurants and personal shopping; PremiAir Aviation; and Affinity Marketing Group.

Gallery: Elite 2010 UK