Contributors
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The New Textile Collection from Christopher Farr and Kit Kemp
Crosby Street Hotel V.I.P. Theater/Screening Room The Crosby Street Hotel celebrated International design fabulously, this past June the 21st. British Interior Designer and the creative force behind Firmdale Hotel Group interiors, Kit Kemp launched a new collection of textiles and rugs in collaboration with Christopher Farr Ltd. The hot, steamy night in New York’s early summer set the mood for the evening’s mischief.
Descending into the cellar of The Crosby Street Hotel we were refreshed by coolness, both in temperature and style. Hand-knotted rugs and handsomely displayed fabrics with embroidered and printed gorgeousness caught our eye and sparked conversation.
A bevy of design professionals were peppered throughout. Cooling down were Kit Kemp, Christopher Farr, Matthew Bourne, Ronald Bricke, Patrick Hamilton, Leah Blank and Bryan Dicker.Not only was the crowd fun, but the cute and attentive staff kept our palette excited and our glasses full. It was the perfect kick-off for Summer Design fun.As we minced through the crowd looking at the rugs and textiles…we discovered the V.I.P. Theater/Screening room with cushy seats covered in a Hermès like luxe leather. Swooning ….. Now we knew the source of the gasps of excitement. The only disappointment was that there was no mezzanine to perch from. Photos on the event can be found at Facebook/highendweekly.The Crosby Hotel is located at 79 Crosby Street, NYC | 212.226.6400Article Contributed by POPNOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that this image is alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.
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The Weekender: Shanghai: the Art Deco pearl of Asia
Please join me in welcoming our guest blogger, Richard Rabel. Richard is a New York-based interior designer and art advisor, with a keen eye for some of the most exquisite objets d’art and design. A multi-linguist with a ten-year career as a senior officer and specialist in a London-based international auction house, twenty years of art and design study and over thirty years of international travel, Richard has lived in seven countries and has had access to some of the most exquisite and exclusive spaces. From San Francisco to Mexico City, Sao Paulo to Geneva, Istanbul to Delhi and Sydney to Shanghai, the breadth of his travels has cultivated his eye and contributed to defining his exacting taste and modern aesthetic.Shanghai in the 1920s and 1930s was a bustling international city with government officials and businessmen from England, France and Germany rubbing shoulders with Russian aristocrats exiled from St. Petersburg, American gangsters from Chicago, not to mention the glamorous remnants of China’s Imperial Court. So it is no surprise that with money flowing freely into this capitalist hub, fashion and styles from the West followed too.
The star of the city was (and still is) the Bund, a riverside promenade graced by hotels and offices of the foreign banks and businesses that made Shanghai the most important city in Asia in the first half of the 20th Century. But where did this melting pot of aristocrats, starlets, international business moguls and government officials converge? They did so at The Cathay Hotel, built in 1929 and one of the best examples of Art Deco architecture and decoration in the city.
Can you imagine the feeling as you came in from the crowded, grimy streets into the elegant octagonal lobby? This was the most luxurious hotel in the city and was known for the jazz band that played in the 9th floor restaurant. The interior was decorated with Italian marble and Lalique glass, while the furnishings were imported from France. This was the jazz age on speed!
Photos courtesy Fairmont Hotel Group
Today, after a half century of communist ownership as the Peace Hotel, the Canadian Fairmont Hotel group has restored the hotel to its previous glory and has once again, made this THE hotel to stay in Shanghai. History repeating itself!Written by Richard Rabel from the Modern Sybarite™NOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.
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Furniture Design Trends for 2012
Furniture design moves at a different pace to fashion design. People want their furniture to last, and particularly in a time of economic austerity, few people want to see their furniture as just a throwaway, fashion influenced trend. That said, things always grow and change, and furniture trends tend to follow not just changing tastes, but changing needs as the ways in which we live our lives alter over time.Tangerine Tango – The 2012 Color of the YearSo, while you might not find sudden changes to furniture fashion, with Italian sofas on-trend this year and French chairs the next, trends do develop. Here are some of the furniture design trends we predict for 2012.Recycled FurnitureIn keeping with current concerns about the environment and the need to conserve precious resources, the recycled furniture movement is growing. All kinds of surprising things can be made into something new. The most obvious is furniture made from reclaimed wood, with the rough-hewn qualities it has creating interest. More adventurous souls could seek out furniture made from crushed cans and reformed into chairs and tables, or perhaps furniture made from old surf and skate boards, such as pieces by Zanini de Zanine Caldas. If you have the design and building skills, you could even make your own. Another route is to look for materials reclaimed from old buildings and house clearances and use them as the centerpiece for something new.Eco-Friendly FurnitureIn keeping with the above, designers and manufacturers are increasingly keen to show that their furniture has good eco-credentials. For example, the use of sustainable woods and fabrics which have not been treated with harsh chemicals both increase a piece’s cool factor. Untreated furniture is often the most eco-friendly, and many people are looking for furniture that does not use harmful chemicals in its manufacture. Some of this kind of furniture can be at the top-end in terms of price, as manufacturers compete for scare sustainable resources. Others, such as cushion covers made from un-dyed hemp, can be very cheap and accessible.New Retro FurnitureThere is a definite trend for low-slung, retro-style furniture that makes use of glass and metal to create a very 1960s to 70s look. Sofas and chairs increasingly have low seating heights, and so coffee tables are lowered to match. Many designers are making heavy use of glass too, so those low tables may well have glass tops, and those low beds have glass headboards. This kind of furniture has a lovely, relaxed feel: it harks back to the comforting confidence of another age, while also injecting a bit of modern edginess into a room.
Via Fabulously GreenBrightly Colored FurnitureFurniture in bright colors catches the eye and can act as a focal point in a room. In particular (and mirroring catwalk trends) acid yellows, and bright purples can be seen everywhere. This is a great trend if you don’t have a big budget to work with, as you can change some fabrics or add a big, statement picture to achieve it. And of course, if you are able to spend more, it allows you to really go all out to achieve a new, bold look.Neutrally Colored FurnitureThis might sound as if it contradicts the above, but actually, it works in harmony with it. After all, you can only have so much color in one room. It also works as part of the eco-friendly trend, with un-dyed fabrics worked in. As well as un-dyed fabrics, colors like gray, taupe, cream and stone work well and can be combined with many brighter colors for a great all-round look. Neutral colors can help keep things clean and light, and allow you to display art or photographs without worrying about color clashes.
Photo courtesy of Roche BoboisModular FurnitureModular furniture isn’t new, but it is growing in popularity. And it doesn’t just have to mean modular sofas: anything which can be combined with something else to give it a double use comes under this trend. Modular furniture allows you to re-jig a room instantly, so you could go from having scattered chairs which separate a room into areas for different activities, into having a single cozy centerpiece for family and friends to gather on and around.Contributed by Izzy Woods
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The Weekender: The Scar Project
I think back on the time I met my friend David Jay at one of those trendy restaurants downtown on September 11th, this year. The city was quiet. We started speaking about photography, and its power of communication. Then the conversation led to a photo of “Glee” star Heather Morris sporting a fake black eye, and how a message can be understood differently depending on the person.David has worked in fashion for major publications in New York and overseas. He has dedicated himself to having an impact on subjects that are quite often denied and he helped women deal with traumas that can be healed through understanding and acceptance. Ultimately our discussion went into his upcoming exhibit – The SCAR Project.My interest was piqued, so I decided to check this installation, before heading back home. I was taken by the fact that David Jay was thinking differently. After viewing one image after the next, it became clear that he had a mission, not solely a statement. He was not interested in showing in galleries per se but in museums. His message goes towards women who suffer from being labelled as ghosts because they had breast cancer operations. David’s work is about having an impact on people’s lives by creating a community and making them realize they are not alone, that they are human and dignity still exists even after surgery.The SCAR Project composes a ballet of compassion.Join them on their Facebook Fan Page where they have now reached over 20,394 “LIKE”.Connect yourself, LIKE IT & SHARE ITThe SCAR ProjectOpenhouse Gallery201 Mulberry StreetNew York CityOpens Friday October 28, 2011The exhibit runs through November 6th, 2011Tickets can be purchased for the opening night galagallery walks with SCAR Project photographer David Jay,and general admission (which is by donation)Reserve your ticket at EventbriteI encourage you to see this amazing exhibition in its intended scale and viewing experience.By Laurence Fayard -
Swarovski Crystals in Home Décor
Swarovski crystals really shine when used in lighting fixtures such as chandeliers or pendants. This pendant light from David Malik is a simple form that highlights the strands of sparkling crystals.
And in case you were thinking you can find Swavorski crystals on everything but the kitchen sink… here is a simple white bathroom sink embellished with crystals. Bathroom light bounces off of these crystals nicely! There is also a matching bidet and toilet.
E X C L U S I V EHigh End Weekly™ would like to thank Arcadian Lighting for writing this guest post, and look forward to collaborating with them in the future.We’ve seen Swarovski Crystals sparkling on everything from phones to dog collars, jewelry to shoes. When it comes to home decor, Swarovski crystals can also add the same sparkle. You might be surprised to see where we’ve found crystals in home decor, from faucets to light fixtures, wall art to pillows. Swarovski crystals are a hot trend right now in high end home decor and furnishings. Here are eight ways Swarovski crystals will shine in the home.
Designed by Francesco Lucchese for Fabian, these contemporary lights featuring Swarovski crystals look more like sculptures than lighting fixtures. These are available in a pendant light, wall sconce and floor lamp in either black or matte glass.
This Italian design firm has a line of furnishings decorated with Swarovski crystals. The floor lamp, side table and leather ottoman are all embellished with crystals. Look at how they dazzle!
Interior Concepts by WandaSmall Swarovski crystals can be used to embellish textiles, including accent pillows. This one has a nice contrast between the crystals and linen cover.
A luxury carpet from Tappeti is sprinkled with Swarovski crystals. The twinkling crystals add sparkle to the carpet.
These tiles from Alfalux Ceramiche have Swarovski crystals embedded in a random pattern that imitates water droplets. A few of these tiles mixed in with plain tiles would add a subtle sparkle to the bath or powder room especially when lit from above by a crystal chandelier.
Swavorski crystals can be found embedded in bathroom fixtures, such as this faucet by Maier. This would be a glamorous addition to a powder room.
Content provided by Arcadian Lighting, a site that specializes in top quality lighting fixtures at extremely affordable prices. Come visit us today!NOTE: Please notify us directly, if you believe that certain images on this post are alleged to infringe upon the copyrights of others, according to the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA). Thank you.
