Gift Guide Part 3 : Her

Here it is, the 2013 gift guide for Her.

1. Stacking Ring. Like copper and brass in interiors, rose gold has become a HUGE trend in fashion over the past year.  I love the sparkle and detail of this ring from Leif Shop.

2. Shearling lined slippers. There is nothing nicer than slipping on a pair of cozy slippers to keep ones feet warm over the holidays and these moccasins from J Crew are just the perfect pair.

3. Stella McCartney bag.  I have adored the Falabella bags forever - one of my design must-haves, therefore it just had to make it's way onto the list.

4. Little Ceramic Pot.  I always have things that are just stowed on my bedside table and this little White and Gold pot from Etsy shop UpInTheAirSomewhere is just the perfect little thing to have holding for all my bits and pieces.

5. Clear Frame Glasses.  While I know that this item isn't for everything it is something on my list this year and so I just had to include.  I know that the trend has been for thick, dark plastic frames, and while I do have a pair like that, I now really want some clear plastic ones like these from Derek Cardigan.  Only question is can I pull them off??

6. Leather and Canvas zip pouch. I love things being monogrammed and these little zippered pouches are a great accessory for whatever one might need.

Gift Guide Part 2 : Him

Welcome to the second instalment of our 2013 gift guide with suggestions for Him.

1. Leather Flask. The winter cold weather makes us just want to be warm.  Well, with this stylish Paul Smith leather flask you can get that extra little bit of warmth.

2. Tie Clip.  J Crew men have a great modern tie clip for the distinguished man. I love the simplicity and change in texture - not to mention that it is the shape of a tie!

3. Monogram Pijamas.  What better way to spend the holidays than lounging around in a set of PJs. 

4. Analog Braun watch. With a simple, clean face and leather strap, this watch is suitable for the modern gentleman.

5. Hermes Tie.  This is the quintessential gift for the man in your life. What else is there to say - it's an Hermes silk tie, it speaks for itself!

6. iPad and iPhone leather skin. There are so many different cases and protective skins for technology. I think that there is something so simple and stylish about these leather sinks for your i gadgets without being too bulky.

Gift Guide Part 1 : Home

Well, it's that time of the year again! Hard to believe we are already in full holiday mode and so here comes my Gift Guide! What better a way to start the 2013 series than with yummy treats for the Home! Hope you enjoy, find some inspiration and don't forget to check back for guides to gifts for Him, Her and new this year Pets. 

1. Colourful Honeycomb Coasters from Leif Shop. I love a little bit of colour in a home accessory, especially when it's in a pixilated pattern, and these hand-painted coasters offer just that bit of punch to your coffee table.

2. Teacup and Small Tray.  This simple yet extremely elegant set would be perfect for a spot of afternoon tea!

3. Almoco Copper Flatware. This year has been one of brass and copper in the world of interiors and I just love the little edge this cutlery gives.  

4. Grey Felt Storage Bin from DWR. I just love the simplicity of the design, durability of material and really can picture this in any interior.

5. Brushtroke Glasses. In a colour palette designed by Le Corbusier, these glasses are produced by Lobmeyr and are to me, perfection.

6. Restorations Hardware Italian Tipped Sheets. I love these - the simple edge detail adds a little contemporary twist without losing the crisp clean look of white linens.

Massimo Listri - Master of Interior Photography

Every once in a while we are lucky enough to delve into the art world for our clients.  While most of them have incredible art collection and curators who they work with very closely, sometimes we get to put that hat on for them.  I have been fascinated for some time with the work of Italian artist Massimo Listri. Known for masterful eye in capturing interior spaces, he has traveled around the globe photographing some of the most stunning interior architecture. I love how I can get lost in each and every photo. 

Arnet, Yatzer and Massimo Listri

Equestrian Elegance - Revisited

What happens when you combine the Equine world and one of Frances top designers - a clean, timeless and impeccably detailed space.  Enter François Champsaur and his Yearling Auction House in Dauville, France.  I have a love and fascination with horses and rode for most of my childhood and adolescence (see Equine Elegance post one here) and so for me this is the perfect marriage of the French design philosophy at the moment and one of my lifelong loves. What I find truly amazing about this space is that he has personified the refinement of the equine world in a contemporary way, something that we aren't accustom to - usually it is all about pomp and pageantry.  While I wonder how the space actually functions, for me the aesthetic is so successful that really does it matter? Sometimes not...

Photos courtesy of Francois Champsaur

Quintessentially New York

Life gets busy!  Every once in a while you need to stop, take a moment and relax with those who are important to you.  It has been forever since my husband and I went for a Friday night drink after work, and so we decided that it was time to bring that tradition back.  With both our office in mid-town Manhattan we decided that it would be good to stay close and so decided on the recently opened Viceroy Hotel restaurant and bar Kingside.  Designed by Roman + Williams the oober cool NYC company, the interior is everything on would expect - rich woods, interesting lighting and cool details.  While the cocktails were true to NY prices and strength, the atmosphere was buzzing and really was a great choice for our step back into the NY scene - and seeing as it is down the street from my work I am sure to visit again.

Grubstreet

Kingside

Items of Interest - Part 4

It's no secret that emerald green was one of the colors of the year.  With fashion, fabrics and design making it a feature, it seems that it really was everywhere (even posted about it here).  So when I came across this table by François Champsaur on one of my searches I thought that it would make a nice end to this week of Items of Interest.  Manufactured by the French master metalworkers Pouenat, the shape, color and changes in plane make this piece fun and functional.  

Pouenat

PS - I am happy to say that I have finally joined the world of Instagram and I am addicted.  For all of you that want to share I can be found at handle @abaraness.

Hope you all have a lovely weekend!

Items of Interest - Part 3

British artist Sam Orlando Miller's work has been in the design world for a few years now,  and while perusing Gallery FUMI in search of inspiration for my meeting I came across his mirrors once again and just had to include them in this weeks feature.  His play with different mirror finishes and colors, shapes as well as the positive and negative makes his work truly unique.  These are gallery quality pieces (and come with a price tag to match) each is hand-crafted and after seeing them in person, more stunning than you can imagine. As with most coveted design items these days, there are knockoffs a plenty (Restoration Hardware and West Elm to name a couple). So if you just have to have one, there are budget versions available, however don't expect the same detail, depth or craftsmanship - that is reserved for Sam's pieces.

 Sam Orlando Miller

Items of Interest - Part 2

There has been a surge in the design world with brass and copper.  What has been thought to be 'traditional' (and sometimes tacky in it's likeness to gold) is now regarded of as 'cool' and 'refined'. The Cloche lamp by Lars Beller Fjetland fits perfectly into this scenario. By creating an anchored cast iron base, the ash wood stem of the lamp rises elegantly to the bell-shaped shade which were made in either brass or copper - I think that the copper adds that extra little bit to it. The piece comes in four essay to assemble parts and really plays to the Norwegian designer's fascination with how materials and form work together.  Unfortunately this piece is just a prototype, but hopefully in the support of up-and-coming designers we will be able to have pieces like this on our projects soon.

Trendland

Items of Interest - Part 1

I have been doing research for a project into new and interesting Galleries, suppliers and artist.  As designers I feel that we are always searching for what is new, exciting and interesting and this project is no exception - especially since the client has several other properties and seems to know everything about the industry and the furnishings we show her.

Over the next couple of days I thought it would be good to share the things that have really stood out to me, and while we aren't using them, perhaps they can help inspire other designers or those reading for what they need. Hope you all enjoy!

The Virtu Series by DE INTUÏTIEFABRIEK (a Dutch design studio) features this wonderful vanity/dressing table.  I am not a girly girl, however there is something about this table that makes me want to sit, take time, and be a girl!  With it's simple palette, lines and change in finishes for me this vanity really is everything one should be.

Priveekollektie

Ed Burtynsky : Water

One of my favourite photographers is Canadian artist Ed Burtynsky.  His work is primarily focussed on the many ways in which humans impact the earth and is always on a monumental scale.  His latest series which is now on exhibition at the Howard Greenberg Gallery here in New York (until November 2nd) is entitled Water and the subject matter is just that.  Our world as we know it would not be possible without water and he has captured some really amazing and artful ways in which we manipulate exploit it.  I love the scale of his subject and how every photo is truly beautiful and ones eyes search for a reference point or some sense of scale to understand the reality of the subject.  It is a truly spectacular talent he has and I recommend andy opportunity you have to see his work.

Photos courtesy of the Howard Greenberg Gallery and Ed Burtynsky

Film Review : Oyler House

Last week was the Architecture and Design Film Festival her in New York. It was the second year that we attended (see post here) and so decided that we would take advantage of more tittles this year.  Seeing as we just have the weekend we packed 3 feature movies with 4 short films into two days. As with all film festivals some were good...and some were really bad! While couple stand out as really remarkable movies that inspired and motivated us (My Brooklyn - a documentary on the changes to downtown Brooklyn focussing on Fulton Mall, and The Grow Dat Youth Farm - a short documentary on the amazing work being done in New Orleans) one movie stood above the rest.  The Oyler House: Richard Neutra’s Desert Retreat by director Mike Dorsey is an outstanding piece of film making.

Curbed

Built in 1959 in Lone Pine, California, this bungalow style mid-century modern house is literally all about the view.  With one entire side made of steel-framed glass windows, the house is open to the desert and mountains beyond.  The movie tells the story of Richard Neutra and Richard Oyler and how this piece of architecture played such a crucial part in both of their lives.  With most of the story being told by the incredibly charasmatic Oyler, one really gets a sense of how this house is a truly spectacular piece of architecture.  The current owner, actress Kelly Lynch, and Neutra's son's are interviewed as well helping to round out the perspective of how this house and it's surroundings are truly one of a kind (note the image of the pool below, made from a hollowed out boulder in the on the site).  Dorsey does a wonderful job of bringing the viewer in to the story and helping to make one understand that this is more than just a house.

You can watch the trailer here.  Keep an eye out for the film on Netflix or iTunes, it really is worth a watch and I would love to hear if you have seen it/when you see it, and how it has inspired you.

An Eclectic Eccentric

OEN

All in the Detail

Happy Friday all. It has been a great week of travel - another trip to Florida - and client meetings. I was doing some research into modern staircases and found this amazing images that I wanted to share.  I think that so often we as designers get caught up in trying to re-invent the wheel when coming up with an idea for our clients, however nothing is really 'new'.  Well that is exactly what I love about this staircase - it is a simple stair, however with the use of two different finishes of wood, and a clever design detail, you get something contemporary while still being timeless.  Very clever and very sharp!

Staircase by Clemens Bruns Schaub Architects

The End of an Era

What an end to September and start to October!! Between a trip to London for a wedding and to get our apartment organised to sell, and work trips to Florida and California I am starting to feel a little more burned out than usual! And, alas my posts seem to suffer! I am quite excited however that after almost a decade of being a die hard Blackberry supporter I have made the leap to Apple and am waiting for my shiny new *gold* iPhone! Very excited at the prospect of Instagram and being able to tweet without my messages being lost in the cyber yonder...not really sure how that keep happening.  So prepare for me to (hopefully) be more in touch over the coming weeks and months.  An early New Years resolution as well.

Since the apartment is up for sale I thought that I would share the estate agent photos with you. I know I have done a couple of posts on it before (here and here), however thought that this was a good overview of the entire apartment - oh and you get to see the amazing new fold-away doors we installed in the spring. Sad to see it go, but excited for what NYC opportunities open up as a result! Keep an eye out as we are actively apartment hunting and I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another project.  Can't wait for the next one!

Photos courtesy of Chesterton Humberts