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The Craftsmen Series by Stacey Lee Webber
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Stacey Lee Webber finds the importance of loose change in her innovative projects “The Craftsmen Series” and the “The Craftsmen Series: Silver Collection.” Webber brings new value to the pennies we overlook on a day to day basis as she molds American coins into basic instruments. The Craftsmen Series highlights how American pennies are often… Read More »
House Call: Aurélie Lécuyer in France
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Last week, Alexa and I discovered Le Dans La, the blog of French stylist Aurélie Lécuyer, and found ourselves admiring her whimsically romantic interiors. After 15 years spent living in the center of Paris, Lécuyer and her family recently relocated to an converted schoolhouse built in 1830, in the countryside near Nantes; the interiors feature a humble mix of vintage furniture "from our grandparents," Ikea finds, and classic French pieces, all accented with dashes of color provided by vibrant linen pillow covers from Merci in Paris. To see more, go to Le Dans La . N.B.: Tomorrow we'll be doing a Steal This Look post on the room of Lécuyer's toddler. Above: The old stone schoolhouse, converted into a house, where Lécuyer lives. Above: Lécuyer's vestibule features a traditional French half-painted wall. Above: Lécuyer uses dip-dyed traditional French market baskets for her grocery outings. If you like this look, consider our recent DIY post: Make Your Own Dip-Dyed Pouf . Above: Lécuyer's couch features piles of linen-covered pillows from Merci in Paris. Above: A detail of her black-painted mantel. Above: A trio of black Russian nesting dolls. Above: A rattan chair with a pink linen pillow from Merci. Above: Lécuyer's table is surrounded by mismatched vintage chairs and covered in a Fog Linen tablecloth. Above: A polka-dotted ball adds a whimsical note to the kitchen. Above: An Iris Hantverk brush hangs from a vintage rack in the kitchen. Above: A collection of Picardie tumblers. Above: A mint green Jielde lamp provides kitchen illumination. Above: Lécuyer sells her handmade shoes via her online shop Albert et Henriette .
Design Sleuth: Bill Cunningham's French Work Jacket
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Last year's documentary Bill Cunningham New York had us entranced with the New York Times' iconic street-fashion photographer. Cunningham can be spotted out and about wearing a classic French work jacket, worn for decades by the country's laborers; Cunningham buys his at the Bazaar Hotel de Ville in Paris. Mimic his look by acquiring your own version (we especially like the jacket in black) at the following sources. Above: Bill Cunningham at work; photograph by Scott Schuman of The Sartorialist . Above: Original Bleu de Travail French Work Jacket from Le Laboureur in Burgundy; $150 at Hickoree's. Above: The jacket sports a multitude of utilitarian pockets. Above: The Bleu de Travail French Work Jacket in black is $150 at Hickoree's. Above: An interpretation of the Le Laboureur jacket from Tokyo-based fashion label Beams: The 100-percent cotton Beams+ French Work Jacket in cobalt blue is $505 at Unionmade.
Inspired by Pop Art: Caitriona Ceramics in Provence
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I couldn't help but break into a smile when I visited ceramicist Caitriona Platts-Manoury's studio in St. Remy de Provence: her joie de vivre, in the form of her exuberant ceramics, is infectious. Platts-Manoury, a native of Ireland, received her ceramics degree at Central St Martin's in London and has lived around the world: in London, Paris, New York, and even the Caribbean. She finally settled in Provence twelve years ago, where she creates pottery in a studio to one side of her house. Taking her inspiration from pop and contemporary art, magazines, and advertisements, she describes her work as "quirky, whimsical, larger than life, fun—I don't take things too seriously." She prefers to work in earthenware, where the colors respond better to lower temperatures, offering her a wider range of colors. She has exhibited abroad and locally; her pieces are available by commission only. For more information, see Caitriona Platts-Manoury . N.B.: Later this week, we'll be posting a story about Platts-Manoury's home. Above: Platts-Manoury makes colorful tableware. "I love the 'making ' process—and am thrilled with the idea that my pieces are a pleasure to live with and use," she says. Above: A pair of sculptural Bubbleballs. Above: The white vase is now sitting on my kitchen table in London, full of yellow tulips. Above: Bold primary colors appear in these bowls and platters. Above: Fruits and vegetables are reinterpreted at a larger-than-life scale. Above: A set of glossy cacti. Above: Placing ceramic cutouts on plexiglass is Platts-Manoury's way of painting. Photography by Christine Hanway for Remodelista.
Our Favorite Wire Baskets
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An essential household item: the eminently useful, durable, aesthetically pleasing wire basket. Here's a roundup of our latest finds. Above: French Metal Basket with a wooden handle; €24 from Neëst. Above: Korbo Handmade Stainless Wire Basket ; $195 from Design Within Reach. Above: Wire Basket with Handles ; $24 from Pottery Barn. Above: Galvanized Clam Basket ; $48 at Terrain. Above: The Toscana Wire Basket ; $39 from Pottery Barn. Above: Wire Basket for Letters by Fog Linen Work; $35 from Father Rabbit. Above: Assorted Wire Baskets ; prices range from $50 for a set of two small baskets to $94 for a set of three large baskets from Mothology. Above: Square Wire Basket ; $24.95 from Crate & Barrel. Above: The Pool Locker Basket from Restoration Hardware has a galvanized finish, which makes it suitable for outdoor use. The small basket is $39 and the large is $59. N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on September 7, 2010.
A Week in Provence
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Good friends of mine in London recently invited me to spend a week with them at their French mas, or farmhouse, near the Alpilles , a small mountain range in Provence. My friends are Greek but live in London; they bought this house at the beginning of the millennium as a meeting place for friends and family scattered all over the world. I'd been to the house before on family holidays, but this trip was different, as it was the first time I observed the place through the lens of my camera. I found myself appreciating anew the interiors of this rambling stone farmhouse, which is filled with an eclectic array of objects, each with their own meaningful and interesting story. Above: The entrance to the mas features a stone door frame, typical of the farmhouses in this region; the exterior light fixture is a converted lantern. Above: The painted wood chair is from a local garden shop which specialized in products from India (it's since closed). Above: A paper-cutting of the Bernese Oberland region of Switzerland sits on the mantel of the traditional stone fireplace. The Bohemian glassware marks each year the couple have been in the house, and the wicker baskets are from local markets. Above L: A portrait of an imaginary person by local artist Alexandre Peutin, purchased from a local gallery called Le Grand Magasin . Above R: A Greek icon, a treasured wedding present from a relative. Above: The exposed stone construction of the farmhouse would typically be covered by plaster. Above: Around the house are small tables displaying objects from interest around the world, including a collection of late 19th- and early 20th-century Greek cigarette boxes made in Dresden and shipped to countries in the Mideast, foreshadowing today's global marketplace. Above: The kitchen is practical and functional. On the counter, bay leaves from the garden are laid out to dry on a tea towel. Above: Linen aprons from the local markets adorn the back of the kitchen door. Above: The terracotta tiles on the floor and stairs are part of the original farmhouse. Above: The Provencal quilt was purchased in a local shop; the print is of a wall in Yemen by an unknown photographer. Above: The homeowners asked local artist Emmanuel Sayagh to add decorative touches on various walls throughout the house. In the guest bathroom, the toilet-paper holder, originally designed to hold hand towels and soap, was found in the local brocante, or flea market. Above: The walls in the master bedroom were also painted by Emmanuel Sayagh. The wardrobe is an old French kitchen cupboard with French linen covering the cabinet openings, and the colorful baskets are from the local market. Above: Red accents on a Swiss cross-stitch pillowcase and Provencal quilt complement the gray walls.
Industrial Light Mashups
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Noticed (and admired) lately: Installations of mixed industrial lamps, for an unstudied look. Above: The interiors of Viajante in London feature a mix of reclaimed vintage industrial lights. Above: A trio of wall-mounted industrial lights in the Atelier Mecanic in Romania, designed by Corvin Cristian , via Yatzer . Above: A pair of mismatched industrial lamps in the Greek home of Alketas Pazis, via Yatzer . Photo by Vassilis Skopelitis. Above: Architect Paul Mrozinski uses a vintage printing table and swing-arm lights to do drafting at his house in Provence, featured in via Caroline Clifton Mogg's recent book, A Space of My Own . Above: The Cafe Kafka in Barcelona, via Yatzer. Above: The Cafe Kafka in Barcelona, via Yatzer.
Artists' Hangout in Arles
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On my recent trip to Provence, I visited the Hôtel Nord Pinus in Arles' Place du Forum, which resonates with the ghosts of Hemingway and other noteworthy artistic figures including Picasso and Cocteau. As the gateway to the wild Camargue, the city of Arles is famous for its bullfighting, cowboys, and its artistic and exotic personalities. Despite being closed for the season, I could still sense what the hotel was like in the 1950s when it was famously run by Nello, the clown, and his cabaret singer girlfriend, Germaine. Frequent guests would have included artists, writers, singers (Edith Piaf and Yves Montand), and bullfighters who had come to fight in the Roman amphitheater down the street. When current owner Anna Igou purchased the hotel in 1989, she restored the interiors with an eclectic personal style that ensures that the hotel's illustrious past meets the 21st century in style. “The Hôtel Nord-Pinus belongs to the memory of all Arlesians," writes Christian Lacroix on the hotel's website. "As a child, it was for me the temple of vacationing, of high society, and above all of bullfighters. As if it were an initiatory trip taken the other way round starting from the Place du Forum, but without leaving it, to reach Paris, Spain, the world." Above: The Place du Forum was the subject of Vincent van Gogh's famous painting Cafe Terrace at Night . A street sign has been installed on the remains of a Roman monument, which peers through the 19th-century facade of the Hôtel Nord Pinus. Photograph by Christine Hanway. Above: The Hôtel Nord Pinus is housed in a classic French townhouse. Photograph by Christine Hanway. Above: The dramatic height of the lobby adds to the allure of a an exotic room where midcentury furnishings and colorful Moroccan rugs sit on top of marble-tiled floors. Photograph by Miguel Rio Branco . Above: In the lobby hangs a black-and-white photo of an African landscape scrawled with passages from Karen Blixen's Out of Africa (it's by the iconic adventure photographer Peter Beard , who is a personal friend of the hotelier). Photograph by Peter Beard. Above: A black-and-white photo by Peter Beard contrasts with colorful textiles. Photograph by Christine Hanway. Above: The great bullfighters of the 20th century, who came to fight in the Roman amphitheater of Arles, stayed in this room. Photograph by Anne Cantat. Above: The Bullfighter's Room has a terrace that looks out onto the Place du Forum. Photograph by Anne Cantat. Above: Simple arrangements of peonies decorate the lobby. Photograph by Peter Beard.
Wright Way Japan
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The Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust is offering is leading a 12-day guided tour to Japan on March 28, 2012, which will appeal to anyone interested in experiencing firsthand the magic that the country's history and culture had as an influence on the Architect's work. The trip takes travelers through several cities (Tokyo, Kyoto, Atami, Osaka...), Wright's three surviving Japanese buildings, and a number of temples, museums and gardens. From $6,495 per person, including lodging,...
Van Bergen's Miller House Still For Sale
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Curbed Chicago wonders why the Allan Miller House, an impeccable Prairie School gem designed by John S. Van Bergen on Chicago's south side, can't find a new owner—especially since the asking price is now $399,000 (down from $450,000). Is there a PrairieMod reader looking to live in Prairie style? If so, follow the link. Image via curbed chicago
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