Strange Closets

Dear Readers, figuring out what to hang on the wall behind, above and around flat screen TV’s has always vexed me. Currently, I have three Chinese screens, which I bought several years ago at the now shuttered Bucktown store Wow and Zen. I like them well enough, but my aesthetic has continued to evolve, and [...]

I’m drawn to the mysterious glow emanating from these homes. What’s happening behind those walls, and how do I score an invitation? I can practically smell the incense, and it’s easy to envision seances, dancing and chanting. In fact, the answer is likely far less exotic, but lighting can make a very powerful statement in [...]

Last week I wrote about the perplexing array of products in the Neiman Marcus home department, and my friend, KitchenLab and design in a bag‘s Rebekah Zaveloff left a thoughtful comment about the important role context plays in shaping our perception. “I kept thinking, it’s all about how pieces are put together and the context [...]

↔ Tanker desk – The Old Cinema. Eames Executive Chair – Herman Miller . Cast iron wood school table – Get Back Inc. Desk lamp – Barker and Stonehouse. Perpetual calendar – Design Within Reach. Chalk globe – Cathie Filian’s blog. Rare Saul Bass Vertigo movie poster – Ebay. Laptop sleeve – @Work Design. Vintage [...]

While reading this post, I recommend that you dim the lights, take off your shoes, settle into a comfortable chair and sip your favorite cocktail or beverage. And don’t forget about the music, because creating a splendid environment takes more than optimal furniture layout and killer color coordination. It’s about ambiance, a lesson I first [...]

Describing a place as touristy conjures up images of senior citizens on tour buses and camera-toting oblivions holding up traffic. The Golden Gate Bridge is definitely touristy. I was the camera idiot, and there were loads of senior citizens and everybody else too. The word ‘throngs’ seems apt. But the landmark’s also spectacular and even [...]

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