Combining Form and Function

I absolutely love it when form and function come together to blend seamlessly. My latest find that does this so beautifully, is this kaleidoscope palette of lip-gloss by Metier de Beaute. With hues that cascade out in sleek, little drawers from the center of the mirrored compact, it is both practical and chic. I just throw it in my purse and go!

Greetings from Maison

Fresh off a trip to Paris and Maison, I am back in the studio and back to work. It was a great show, full of inspiration and here were a few of the highlights for me: One particularly fabulous piece at the trade show, was Erwan Boulloud’s “Crashing Concrete” dresser, made from burnt wood, concrete and steel. Bolloud, whose main objective is to create a “telluric universe favoring the emergence of shapes and texture,” accomplished exactly that, in designing and constructing his piece, pictured above. With incredible shape and form, Boulloud’s dresser is an example of a brilliant marriage between utility and art.

D’ARGENTAT is a Parisian furniture design house, whose work also caught my eye at the tradeshow. Please see the photos below of their sensational, striped settee, as well as a beautiful, black leather chair.

I also fit in a visit to the wonderful Musée Carnavalet, where they are currently showing an exhibit on vintage Louis Vuitton. Below I‘ve shared images of some of the gorgeous trunks featured in the exhibit. If you are in Paris or plan to be soon, be sure to stop by and check this out!

Of course, it wouldn’t be a successful trip to Paris without sufficient indulgence in the city’s local fare. I would be remiss not to share a couple of photos, which I snapped of meals during my visit: Lobster Bisque and crunchy, buttered bread, what I would call true “comfort food.” Have a look at the Chevre Quiche as well; bringing the combined decadence of goat cheese and quiche, to an entirely new level! Delicious!

Ink as an Art Form

I personally own a Mac laptop, an iPhone 4 and an iPod, all of which I love and adore. However being a closeted neo-Luddite, I found myself growing nostalgic for old-fashioned ink. My initial idea was to find a classic fountain pen, with which to write notes to clients, friends and family. But, when I happened upon a compact Caran d’Ache pen, I immediately fell in love. Caran d’Ache is a Swiss brand better known for their beautiful colored pencils; but since purchasing one of their wonderful pens, I’ve found that I simply cannot stop sketching with it. I love feeling the way the ink glides from the tip onto paper and though my drawing skills may have a ways to go, the practice is a lot of fun!

From New York to London: an exciting close-up!

While New York buckles down for yet another blizzard, Sotheby’s London prepares to welcome an exceptional private collection of Modern and Contemporary artwork. The collection is part of a preliminary two-day auction, currently being held at Sotheby’s New York house. In between meetings this morning, I briefly stopped in to see it myself. Amongst the impressive collection, are works by some of my favorite artists; included are pieces by Modigliani, Picasso, and Giacometti...as well as a couple of amazing mixed media pieces by Antoni Tapies. It is only showing for the next two days, so try to get there if you can.  It is thrilling to see art that you admire in an auction setting as opposed to a museum, knowing someone very fortunate will get to own these pieces!

Click here to view Sotheby's catalogue yourself.