A fashion-savvy home decorating magazine for the new generation of design professionals and consumers who know exactly what they want, ELLE DECOR covers fashionable and inspirational products that bring couture chic to every room of your home.
That was the title of an exhibition of contemporary painting at New York’s Museum of Modern Art this past winter. The show, with works by 17 artists, was controversial, as any survey tends to be. And though I may have been in the minority, I enjoyed it greatly. The thesis of the exhibition was that an artist working today is obliged to deal with all of history; that with new technologies— Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, hundreds of television channels—and the Internet, the past has become not only accessible but inescapable. The curator describes our world as “atemporal.” There are 24-hour-a-day news networks that replay events from the past 24 hours and cable networks that broadcast sitcoms from 60 years ago, and 40 years ago, and 10 years ago, so that canned…
VINTAGE VENUES Designer and antiquarian Lorenzo Castillo—who designed the Madrid home that begins on page 166— shares his favorite places to shop for antiques in the Spanish capital: • Isabel Martínez: “She has the best selection of French furniture and objects, mixing garden decoration with painted furnishings.” Ribera de Curtidores 29; 011-34-628-369-713; isabelmartinezantiguedades.com.• El Transformista: “The owner is incredible at picking out great 20th-century pieces.” Mira el Rio Baja 16–18; 011-34-915-398-833; eltransformista.com. • Berenis: “They mix Spanish 17thcentury furniture with contemporary and 1960s and ’70s pieces, in a simple and exclusive way.” Ribera de Curtidores 29; 011-34-915-399-982; berenis.net. • Benito Torrijos: “I go there when I need pure Spanish antiques. He has the best silver and pottery.” Calle Carnero 6; 011-34-679-911-044. • Andres Serrano: “He has secondhand treasures—nothing glamorous. He…
“I love beautiful things—gardens, Mozart, fashion, greyhounds,” says Carol Prisant, above. The writer, whose feature about a Stephen Sills–designed apartment begins on page 172, has been the American editor of The World of Interiors since 2000, and has also worked as an antiques dealer and appraiser. She has written companion volumes for Antiques Roadshow and, most recently, Dog House, right, a memoir of her canine pals. Now Prisant is trying her hand at fiction, with a forthcoming novel, The Sweetheart Deal, which she describes as “a retelling of the Faust legend—except that Faust is a woman and Satan is her hairdresser. The best thing about writing fiction is that you can make things up. After a lifetime of hewing to facts, fiction feels like finger painting.” MAILBOX Reading about Jamie…
FLEXFORM CELEBRATES AN ANNIVERSARY On March 10, ELLE DECOR Editor in Chief Michael Boodro hosted a party celebrating the third anniversary of Flexform’s New York City showroom. Guests enjoyed live music, cocktails, and canapés while viewing Flexform’s luxurious line of Italian furniture. WASHINGTON DESIGN CENTER OPENS IN GRAND STYLE On March 17, the Hearst Design Group—ELLE DECOR, HOUSE BEAUTIFUL, VERANDA—partnered with the Washington Design Center to celebrate its grand opening. Guests were treated to a full day of keynotes, book signings and receptions with some of the industry’s top editors and designers. POTTERY BARN HOSTS HOUSING WORKS Pottery Barn graciously hosted the launch party for Housing Works’ annual Design on a Dime fundraiser. Held at the retailer’s New York flagship store in Lincoln Center, the evening celebrated both the sponsors…
PEDAL POWERED BICYCLES ARE CLEARLY THE FETISH OBJECT OF THE DECADE—TAKE, FOR EXAMPLE, THE NEW LE FLÂNEUR SPORTIF BY HERMÈS, WITH ITS SADDLE, HANDLEBARS, AND CARRYING HANDLE ENCASED IN LUXE MATTE-BLACK CROCODILE (HERMES.COM). THE HIP ACE HOTEL CHAIN HAS JOINED FORCES WITH JAPANESE BRAND TOKYOBIKE TO LAUNCH GUIDED TWO-WHEELED TOURS IN LONDON AND LOS ANGELES LED BY WRITERS, DESIGNERS, AND OTHER CREATIVE TYPES. PARTICIPANTS CAN BORROW—OR PURCHASE—ONE OF THE HOTEL’S NEW ONE-SPEED TOKYOBIKE CRUISERS (ACEHOTEL.COM). EVEN THE PROSAIC BICYCLE CHAIN HAS BEEN RECAST BY ME&RO INTO A SLINKY BRACELET AND RING OF 18-KARAT GOLD (MEANDROJEWELRY.COM). EYE CANDY Years before he painted his first soup can, Andy Warhol was a commercial illustrator, drawing shoes, hats, flowers, cosmetics, and cats, often in his signature “blotted line” technique. Now Italian eye wear company…
ALL BOTTLED UP Pennsylvania glassmakers Vetro Vero were inspired by vintage apothecary bottles for the new Elegante collection, but they increased the scale dramatically and created a veritable rainbow of 18 bright and smoky shades. Each vessel is handblown, with stoppers and neck rings embellished with gold leaf. The bottles come in three small sizes, $350 each, and three large sizes, $750 each, and range in height from 10″ to 22″. 610-283-7333; vetrovero.com 1 / RAISING CANE Traditional canework gets a modern twist with 22 22 Edition Design’s C1715 line of outdoor furniture. Made from a single piece of laser-cut metal that is woven and welded, the chair, shown, measures 17.5″ w. x 18″ d. x 35″ h. and costs $575. From left, Blue, Grey, and White are among a…
