great legs

love this table by furniture designer paul loebach.  he calls it “watson table” for the scientist who discovered the structure of DNA.  it also refers to the “barley twist” in traditional english and… Read More →

a slippery slope

the wool cover on our bertoia diamond chair was 22 years old and getting really ratty.   we composted it and bought a couple of beautiful pewter-colored sheep skins from s. h. frank &… Read More →

an object of desire

an ottoman by christopher kurtz, made of reclaimed first-growth redwood. i love the mass. the weight and bulk made elegant by the hover off the ground. the historical reference to tufted upholstry. the… Read More →

living with art

i think one of the best experiences you can have when you’re traveling is to get to visit the homes of people who live there.   for me, it’s particularly fun to see… Read More →

design days dubai

there’s a new design fair in dubai, coinciding with the art fair.   my picks… chandeliers in brass and blown glass by jeff zimmerman… and a cut crystal pendant by david wiseman. “fragile future… Read More →

milan’s design fair

i had dinner night before last with a friend who’d just come back from covering the design fairs in milan.   sounded like fun to me (and probably you), but for her, it was… Read More →

an object of desire…

i want this table. the legs are bronze, the top is wood with gold leaf.   the first time i saw one was at a party at an art collector’s home in köln.    i… Read More →

the museum insel hombroich

outside düsseldorf, germany may be the most successful venue for exhibiting art that i’ve experienced.  in 1982, the collector karl-heinrich müller bought an 18th-century house on a large property in order display the… Read More →

design miami

i’d like to go on record as saying that by comparison, contemporary design makes contemporary art seem completely reasonable.    coinciding with the art fairs in miami is design miami – “the global forum… Read More →

mexico city / casa luis barragan

the home/studio of pritzker prize winning architect luis barragan 1902-1998 shouldn’t be missed.    unfortunately, visitors aren’t allowed to take photos inside.   too bad –  i could have taken much better ones that these… Read More →

more art where people live…

paintings on paper by julie chang. the painting over the fireplace is stefan kurten.    the piece to the left is a light box by alfredo jaar.   too bad no one thought about plugging… Read More →

thanksgiving dinner

jane asked how i cook my thanksgiving turkey…   my recipe is a hybrid of the high-heat recipe that was in the new york times a few years ago and more standard recipes… Read More →

living with art

in the art world, there’s a lot of poo-pooing “decorative” art.    the damning statement “she bought a painting to match her sofa” is delivered with a roll of eyes and/or up-curled lip.  and… Read More →

a chandelier you’ll love

everyone flips over the chandelier in my new york apartment…    the structure was designed by two swedish architects – Gunnar Cedervall and Björn Stillefors – and is marketed by a design company in… Read More →

a great table

designed by san francisco-based architect, louis schump, in american walnut.