1. Artic Wall Light by Andrea Bastianello
The glow of this oversize sconce drew me in from across the room, and when I read the title Arctic, the look of the jagged pattern and partial orb became that much more visceral.
2. Rocker by Fredericia
This chair has a truly modern grace. Diagonally sewn seams create a subtle pattern, the curved seat flows into the open arms, and a wood veneer bottom warms the stark white leather.
3. Buzzilights
In a trade show of seriously modern furniture, these colorful felt lights looked refreshingly cheerful. They cast fabulous shadows, but the best part is that the shape is adjustable; the fixture is made with a flexible frame, so you can scrunch them up or stretch them out for different looks.
4. Diamond Bathtub by Aqua Mass
I’ve been seeing this diamond cut-trend a lot in vases and dishes, but in bathtubs? That’s ambitious.
5. Lotus Fire Pit by Tulip
Unless a fire pits is built into the ground, it usually feels a bit phony. The Lotus by Tulip has a presence that rarely comes with portability.
6. Bed by Giorgetti
This Giorgetti piece is not new, but I’m in love with it.
7. Poliform Chandelier
Cords used to be things you try to hide, but not at this show. I must have seen five to ten lighting companies flaunting bright red cords and weaving them into their designs. This Poliform light was my favorite example.
8. Pings Bench by Bocci
Pleating as a form of cushioning was a clever and fashion-forward choice by Bocci.
9. Bert and Dennis Chair
Bert and Dennis was a company showing within the Young Designers Fair, but their work looked more polished and professional than the majority of their peers. Where many of the other designers just go for a “sculptural” look, this chair also looks comfortable.
10. De Padova Coffee Table
Coffee table styling tends to be a central display of books + bowl + tchotchkes. This cut-out metal table makes each section its own decor pedestal, and the negative space highlights items on the forgotten lower level.
I tend to fall in love with run-down objects. I look right past the chipping paint and wobbly frame and see (with rose-colored glasses) a decorating project. Last week I mentioned how we went on an antique furniture spree at the Old Country Store outside Rhinebeck, NY—and this weekend was the restoration aftermath. Mike and I attempted to refinish 13 pieces of furniture in two days. Crazy, but doable. We staked out the common backyard in our shared brownstone with a 20’x15′ tarp, cans of paint, stripper, thinner, saws, drills, tons of sandpaper and set to work. I wish I had all the finished pieces to show you, trust me, but they are still drying in a scattered heap behind our house.
I adore this desk! I was told it is early Stickley but the clean lines and open sides (they’re bookshelves!) are what sold me. This piece was in pretty good condition, all we had to do to doctor it up was give it a sand down and a new coat of white.
The wood veneers were peeling from all sides of this buffet but I took one look at those legs, the original hardware, and the embossed detailing (see above) and I had to have it. If you sense a theme, I adore French flair in my furniture.
Mike is a fantastic photographer so knowing that photos will be big part of our wall decoration, we had to think of different ways to display them. We saw these 1940s windows and decided to turn them into 12-image picture frames. We bought two, painted them white, and have plans to hang one on each side of our living room-to-kitchen archway.
The lattice work makes this regal piece light and chic. It will go nicely in our living and it only needs a few paint touch-ups.
This mirror originally had a decorative wood overlay along the top but when we found it, only a chunk remained. So we pried off what was left, sanded the mirror frame down and painted it a rich red to match the flowers in our guest bedroom wallpaper.
This was the state of my backyard last night as we waited for the paint to dry. Hopefully in a few blogs all the drawers will be back in place and the furniture will be adorning my apartment with as few scuffs as possible.
When New York furniture designer Richard Wrightman told me he outsourced all of his chair production to the Amish of Lancaster County, I couldn’t believe it. But Richard, I asked, they don’t use electricity. This didn’t seem to bother him. It actually enticed him to use the Amish. He says their history of woodworking, strong work ethic, and integrity swayed him away from some of the more economical factories abroad and they do use some electricity.