Interior Design
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How did Frank Lloyd Wright connect art and nature together?
When you think about the amount of Frank Lloyd Wright’s original masterpieces that have been destroyed over the years, design lovers who are looking for a “new beginning” to an old Wright design will rejoice when November comes around. How’s so? Well, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is getting ready to open the newly reconstructed Frank Lloyd Wright’s Bachman-Wilson House on the museum grounds. Adjacent to the museum’s south entrance, the house will open to the public on November 11, 2015.
Designed in 1954 for Gloria and Abraham Wilson, the house was originally built along the Millstone River in New Jersey. However, in 1988, it was subsequently purchased by architect/designer team Lawrence and Sharon Tarantino. Threatened by repeated flooding from the river, the Tarantinos determined that relocating the house was the best option for its preservation. After a multi-year search for a suitable place, Crystal Bridges acquired the house in 2013.
“I’d like to have a free architecture. I’d like to have architecture that belonged where you see it standing, and was a grace to the landscape instead of a disgrace.” – Frank Lloyd Wright
The Frank Lloyd Wright house was disassembled piece by piece and transported 1,200 miles, arriving to the museum in the spring of 2014 where site work was already underway. Reconstruction began in the fall of 2014, led by Scott Eccleston, Crystal Bridges’ Director of Operations, Ron Shelby, architect with Hight Jackson Associates, and Bill Faber with Bill Faber Construction.
Front exterior Bachman-Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Photos by Nancy Nolan Photography 
Back exterior Bachman-Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Photos by Nancy Nolan Photography 
Living space Bachman-Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Photos by Nancy Nolan Photography 
Living space to foyer Bachman-Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Photos by Nancy Nolan Photography 
Dining Bachman-Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Photos by Nancy Nolan Photography 
Master Bedroom Bachman-Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Photos by Nancy Nolan Photography 
Upstairs Bedroom Bachman-Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Photos by Nancy Nolan Photography 
Guest Bedroom/Study Bachman-Wilson House designed by Frank Lloyd Wright Courtesy Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas; Photos by Nancy Nolan Photography “The goal for reconstruction was to create an authentic experience by integrating the house into the natural landscape so it feels like it has always been here. For visitors, whether they are Frank Lloyd Wright experts or architectural novices, we want them to be transported by the architecture,” said Crystal Bridges Chief Engagement Officer Niki Stewart. “We put great effort into upholding Frank Lloyd Wright’s design principles — he believed in connecting physically and spiritually to the natural world through the use of horizontal lines that ground the structure into the landscape and dissolve the barrier between the interior and exterior.”
Frank Lloyd Wright House Hours:
Monday: 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Wednesday, Thursday, & Friday: 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.Saturday & Sunday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Tuesday: ClosedReservations are required and tickets will be available on November 2, at no cost. Preview tickets are now available to Crystal Bridges’ members.
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The Art of British Design
Today I share my enthusiasm and admiration for British artist Lee Broom, and his latest collection of modern, and highly unique designs that are being represented by leading UK gallery, Twentieth. Since 2007, the talented designer has “released over 75 furniture and lighting products, which he designs and manufactures under his own label. A supporter of British manufacturing techniques, Lee Broom designs and manufactures his own collections and collaborates with leading fashion brands like Christian Louboutin”.
According to Twentieth’s website, Lee Broom has worked with the legendary designer Vivienne Westwood, after which he studied for a degree in fashion design at Central St Martins. Fashion is still a great source of inspiration and The Guardian newspaper commented, “Lee Broom is to furniture what Marc Jacobs or Tom Ford are to fashion.” He has won more than 20 awards including the prestigious British Designer of the Year Award in 2012 and won the British Design Award for his renowned lighting product, the ‘Crystal Bulb’ in 2013.
In April 2015 Lee Broom received a Queen’s Award for Enterprise – the UK’s highest accolade for business success. Lee Broom has been described by The Financial Times as “among the most respected British Talents.
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House tour: Art-filled homes and gorgeous views from The Hamptons
Art-Filled Home in Amagansett
This art-filled home was actually the last stop of our day long tour of the beautiful homes designed and furnitured by Hampton-based architect Kevin O’Sullivan. One of his associates, Luke Ferran, led the tour of this custom one story home hidden within the trees in Amagansett. We discovered this exquisite warm woods throughout the property that allowed the house to be integrated seamlessly with the surrounding land, and of course, the noteworthy art collection from the homeowners. At the end of our tour, we all agreed that this property impressed us all, and was an excellent way to end our delightful day.
“We appreciate Kevin O’Sullivan’s collaborative nature every step of the design build process.” KOS Private Client
Sagaponack
We actually started our tour in Sagaponack where Kevin O’Sullivan met us at this gorgeous oceanfront home which he of course designed and furnished. This picturesque beach home had a modern twist, complete with custom rugs and high-end upholstery. The fine abode included a master bathroom with heated floors and a bathtub with an ocean view and a beautiful outdoor space with pool, hot tub and outdoor kitchen. One interesting aspect of the design was the reversal of the layout, with the living room and kitchen space on the top floor, and the bedrooms on the bottom floor.
“Kevin O’Sullivan is the rare talent that is able to seamlessly incorporate the outdoors inside, in tandem with beautiful design materials and art.” KOS Private Client
“We have learned in building two projects with Kevin O’Sullivan to trust his initial input implicitly. He’s never wrong about design and architecture.” Kevin O’Sullivan’s Private Client
Christian Liaigre furniture, high-end custom upholstery adorned the surroundings of a Sagaponack home designed by KOS 
Kevin O’Sullivan of Kevin O’Sullivan + Associates 
Sharing a laugh: Courtney Lukitsch, Valerie Goodman, Kevin O’Sullivan The Boathouse in Sag Harbor
The Boathouse master bedroom was all about easy elegance with its French linen theme with rough hues and woods. Kevin O’Sullivan’s Estate and Garden Party
Kevin O’Sullivan Estate in East Hampton 
World beats from Hampton-based band Europa – www.radioeuropa.net 
Vyna St. Phard, Courtney Lukitsch of Gotham Pr, and Valerie Goodman 
Valerie Goodman of Valerie Goodman Gallery
The inventive, and carefree catering was provided by The BAR Truck – www.barbevtruck.com Picture credit High End Weekly™
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Q&A with famed designer Jacques Grange
December 2014Right after Jacques Grange was awarded the Trophé Des Arts award by FIAF, I sat down with the world-renowned talent, who designed such splendid interiors for the likes of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé, decorated the Château Gabriel, in Benerville-sur-Mer, in the style of In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust. Those projects are supremely impressive, but Jacques Grange’s list of stellar clients doesn’t end there. French actress Isabelle Adjani, Princess Caroline of Monaco, Alain Ducasse, François Pinault, Robert Agostinelli, Valentino, and Karl Lagerfeld are also among his long list of clients. In the US, the designer provided the decoration of Paloma Picasso’s jewelry shop, and The legendary Mark Hotel on Madison Avenue, to name a few.
Renowned interior designer, Jacques Grange. Photo by The Selby. My first encounter with Jacques Grange began while I was working for famed photographer, and antique dealer, Roger Prigent. And so it was only natural that we began our conversation at his hotel suite in The Mark Hotel, reminiscing about our late friend, and the people surrounding him during the last years of his life. Mr. Grange noted how Mr. Prigent had a premonition that his career will blossom in the US, and deemed Mr. Prigent as “Top Hat”.High End Weekly™: Looking back at your long and illustrious career as an interior designer, what does it mean to you to be awarded the Trophé Des Art?Jacques Grange: Receiving an award can feel somehow abstract. However, being on the stage, and seeing my friends and colleagues brought a lot of warmth to the moment. As you know, during the evening, there was a video in which the actress Catherine Deneuve spoke about our friendship, and my career … That instant really touched me. Feeling the love of so many people who I hold dear made the difference, that love ultimately made the moment unforgettable. It was not so much about the trophy and its significance, but it was more about the people’s acknowledgement.High End Weekly™: In an international scale, you have inspired a whole school of interior designers, taste makers, and creatives. What do you say to new designers who are entering the industry. In your opinion, how should they present their ideas to clients?
The Mark Hotel Jacques Grange: The interior designer should learn how to seduce the client by presenting fresh and creative ideas to the table. He or she must discover their own style. First of all, you have to Learn, Learn, Learn. Start your own vocabulary, and make it grow overtime. After that, you must become very honest with yourself, and above all, know who you are. The interior designer need to see design as a business, reinforce their design skils by building into them. It’s not easy, but it must be done that way. Also, the designer needs to ask himself some deep and personal questions, such as: Do I like design? How do I perceive it?Building a design career is not just about having talents. Many people have talents, but the designer need to go further than that. The role of the designer is to imput psychology into their work, as well as showing respect to the clients. You need to convince them of your ideas, as well as to carefully listen to theirs. If you know who you are, you will have a successful career.High End Weekly™: Your interiors are often described as eclectic, with an effortless elegance feel to them. Yet they are all carefully edited, constructed for fine living – in the most comfortable, and beautiful fashion. And so when you approach a project, what do you look for first?Jacques Grange: Space and light. As well as analyzing carefully the way my clients live. The stories of their life are translated into the projects. As I mentioned previously, a designer need to consider and respect their clients’ lives. It is that simple.
A bathroom at The Mark Hotel, designed by Jacques Grange 
Guest bathroom at The Mark Hotel High End Weekly™: I know that you like working with artisans in your projects. Here at The Mark Hotel, which you were commissioned to designed back in 2008, you tapped a number of artists, including Ron Arad, Eric Schmitt, Paul Mathieu, and others. Since you are constantly in demand and traveling the world, do you often look for new talents?Jacques Grange: Yes, absolutely. I’m always curious about new talents. And I love visiting all the great museums around the world, namely the ones in Chicago, and New York. I’m often looking at who the museums are introducing to the public, because normally, their taste level is high-end. When it comes to art, I like to see the quality of the art in these institutions, because when I visit the antique dealers in their galleries, I get to compare the quality. This is a fine reference for designing well, it is important for an interior designer to consider it.
Lobby of The Mark Hotel, designed by Jacques Grange High End Weekly™: During your travels, what do you look for in hotels when it comes to luxury?Jacques Grange: The sound of silence in the bedroom. [Pause, and smiles]. Light and harmony. Comfort in every details. For example, the bathrooms at The Mark Hotel are simply marvelous. The details are what I look for because they are very important. A hotel should feel like a home away from home.
Ron Arad lighting at The Mark Hotel “Renovating The Mark Hotel was so exciting, but it had its challenges. The lobby is small for a hotel, and so when I designed the floors, I wanted to keep the public’s attention right there. The whole idea of the black and white striped floors was to keep people’s attention away from the ceiling, which is in fact, quite low.” Jacques Grange
Sightseeing in New York: “Un Velo” at The Mark Hotel This concludes Part I of II of our tête-à-tête with Jacques Grange at The Mark Hotel -
Sotheby’s Kicks Off The Showhouse Seas
Dining Room by Russell Piccione Design with Russell Piccione This weekend is your last chance to visit the second annual Designer Showhouse at Sotheby’s. The much-anticipated showhouse opened to the public this past Saturday, and is scheduled to close on Sunday, April 20. Transforming the fifth floor exhibition space of Sotheby’s Manhattan headquarters into a home, thirteen interior designers and design firms curated a room, culminating in a dedicated auction on Monday, April 20, 2015. Each space, ranging from a bedroom and living room, to a dining room and library evoke the designer’s unique aesthetic, from classical to contemporary. Designers have selected nearly 300 items from an array of categories offered by Sotheby’s with estimates ranging from a few thousand to $250,000 – English & Continental Furniture, 20th Century Design, Contemporary and Impressionist Prints, African and European Sculpture, Carpets, Old Master Paintings, Latin American Paintings, Ceramics and Silver – all of which will be available for purchase by design and art enthusiasts alike during the 20 April auction.
Congratulations to all the participating designers!
Library by Capital C. Interiors with Juan Carretero 
Library by Capital C. Interiors with Juan Carretero 
Dining Room by Russell Piccione Design with Russell Piccione 
Dining Room by Russell Piccione Design with Russell Piccione 
Kitchen by St. Charles of New York and Gaggenau, Curated by Lindsey Schwartz 
Garden by Hanna Packer and Susan Cohen 
Sun Room by Meredith Ellis Design 
Master Bedroom by Trey LaFave Architecture and Interiors with Trey LaFave -
Instant Serenity at Play
Blush bedding collection How do you like your home décor? Elegant, quietly understated, serene, seamless? If that is the case, then the Calvin Klein Home spring collection is perfectly suited for your home. While previewing their latest arrivals, (the minimalistic designed flagship store is on Madison Avenue), I experienced the venerable brand true meaning of what it takes to indulged in home decor that is visually stimulating, relaxing, comfortable and sublime. Here are some of the items that caught my eye.
(Left: A modern take on a traditional floral; layers of slipper pink, blossom, and thistle are printed underneath a striated pigment texture. Reminiscent of a vintage botanical print of dahlia flowers and paired with delicate Gossomer Sheeting in 100% pure combed cotton percale with softly etched waves in a rose tint on an ecru ground. )
Reverse twill matelassé 
Vintage indigo body pillow, one size, hand sewn, limited edition 
The maya overdye collection – labradorite hematite rug 
Silver vine bedding collection 
Cambium Lines Oak Bowls,Ebonized Oak painted white -
From Pompei to Your Home
Red and Grey Cup, 2014, Ceramic A few weeks ago, I had an interesting conversation with a client, after the end of an art consultation. He wanted to know if I knew about Russian-born British artist Yuri Kuper. This was a rather surprising question, especially since we were on the topic of contemporary Asian Art, just a few minutes ago. Yuri’s name was rather vague, but I did remember receiving a catalogue about his exhibit that took place at Friedman Vallois back in November. And so by the time I told him to wait on some of my research, and writing this post, it was with some satisfaction that I learned that his latest works, a series of thirteen teacups, appeared “ageless, as if discovered from excavations, broken and burnt by the flames and destruction of a devastating earthquake”. Yet, they have this natural appeal, this genuine artistry, that strengthen our imagination.
Green and Pink cupm 2014, Ceramic 
Grey and Pink cup, 2014, Ceramic 
Grey Cup, 2014, Ceramic 
White Cup, 2014, Ceramic 
Yellow Cup, 2014, Ceramic Yuri Kuper’s work is included in the permanent collections of many prestigious museums such as the Metropolitan Museum of New York, The Museum of Modern Art of New York, The Boston Fine Art Museum, the Puskin Museum in Mosow, the Trityakov Gallery in Moscow and the Fonds National d’Art Contemporain in France to name a few.
To learn more about Yuri Kuper’s work, or to buy his latest Pompeian pieces, please contact our office.
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The Allure of Modern Design
Picture credit: Park Laurel Penthouse Looking at Houses Magazine this morning, I found a picture of a living room designed by a designer named Owens. The house in question is a bungalow from the 1940s that he thoroughly enhanced by providing a modern open plan. You can just imagine what a task it must have been to transform this type of architecture to a complete original space! Pages of images disclosed the distinctions between the old and the new, public versus private – seamlessly. The inclosed spaces are infinitely elegant, with just the right amount of furniture, and style.
The designer’s usage of color went from “the least amount of dose” in order to create a more spectacular effect. The natural materials within this palette were masterfully incorporated. As a designer, I have this fundamental appreciation for simplicity, and believes that simplicity does create a great amount of elegance. Nature provides us with such rich palettes, and coming home to a “zen-like” space certainly relaxes the body, and soul.
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A Grange Evening at The Plaza
Jacques GrangeLast Friday evening, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) presented acclaimed French interior designer Jacques Grange with the 2014 Trophée des Arts and Internet entrepreneur Fabrice Grinda with the 2014 Pilier d’Or at The Plaza hotel in New York City.Last Friday evening, the French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF) presented acclaimed French interior designer Jacques Grange with the 2014 Trophée des Arts and Internet entrepreneur Fabrice Grinda with the 2014 Pilier d’Or at The Plaza hotel in New York City.
“By honoring Jacques Grange and Fabrice Grinda, FIAF celebrates style and vision,” explained FIAF President Marie-Monique Steckel. “Style because they both have developed an acute sense of turning life into art; vision because they both help define what our world of tomorrow will look like.”
Marie-Monique Steckel, Jacques GrangeUpon receiving his 2014 Trophée des Arts, a very emotional Jacques Grange thanked his friends who have helped him throughout his New York journey.
Pilier d’Or 2014 Internet entrepreneur and angel investor Fabrice Grinda explained that failure is the road to success. “Once you lose that fear (of failure), you open yourself up to these amazing adventures,” Grinda told a packed ballroom at the Plaza hotel. The 2014 FIAF Trophée des Arts gala evening raised 1.2 Million dollars, which will support FIAF‘s educational and cultural programs and was co-chaired by Lauren Santo Domingo, Jeremy Levine, and Robert G. Wilmers.
Marie-Monique Steckel, Jacques Grange
Marie-Monique Steckel, Jacques Grange
Fabrice Grinda, Jacques Grange
Marie Noelle Pierce, John Pierce
Eric Mourlot, Dovile Drizyte
Pascal Blondeau, Eric Mourlot, Dovile Drizyte
Robert Couturier
Charles Cohen
Distinguished Guest
Pascal Blondeau, Celine Mazieres
Distinguished Guests
Distinguished Guests
Vyna St. PhardPhoto credit High End Weekly™
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Great Designs from Ayala Serfaty
Ayala Serfaty Israeli artist Ayala Serfaty is internationally recognized for her ethereal glass filament and polymer sculptural lighting. We met with Ms. Serfaty, who was visiting Maison Gerard back in 2013 (her work is exclusively represented through that gallery), and found her to be passionate and quite articulate about her work, as she seeks to create new dialogues using ancient materials like silk and glass and pushing them in new directions. The artist has made inroads with collectors and museums around the world including the Victoria & Albert Museum, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, Centre de Pompidou and the Cooper Hewitt.
Ayala Serfaty‘sdelicateone-offworksare created by hand in her studio in Israel from thin lamp-work glass with subtle color variations.Whentheworkisfinisheditis sprayed with a special polymer that creates a skin. She has also gained recognition for her anthropomorphic furniture made from wool, linen, silk and other fibers.
Soma Light Sculpture
Soma Light Installation, Beelden aan Zee Museum, The Hague, The Netherlands, 2009
Benoist F. Drut, Ayala Servaty
