Ghost Nest Customizable Cabinet Knobs

Irwin Weiner ASID - We like home goods that are simple, beautiful, well made, and utilitarian. I guess you could say that Ghost Nest makes products that fit those rigid criteria as their customizable cabinet knobs - or "pulls" - are definitely useful, they're durable (as shown in the torture test video below), and simple in their no-nonsense acrylic way. The beauty element comes into the custom image, round or square, that you can have inserted into your own knob or pull. Here are some custom photo knobs, for instance, that look great for a closet or mud room space, perfect for hanging up all the family caps, dog leashes, and coats. 

Decorating for the holidays is done in a subtle way, too. Try changing some of your drawer or cabinet pulls or give festive new life to an old chest of drawers by switching out everyday knobs for holiday themed pulls (see top photo).

Check out the Ghost Nest website for pre-made artist knobs - including some cool Halloween and Zombie themed knobs ... but the real fun is having GN customize your image onto the knobs. Try turning your kids and teens loose designing their own knobs!

I can see taking wallpaper fabric or color swatches from wall paint and carrying out patterns and colors into your furniture hardware. Wallpaper fabric knobs against the wallpaper - pattern on pattern - would be ideal for

Click to read more ...

STEVENSON Unveils New Art from Conrad Botes

Irwin Weiner ASID - On a recent visit to my native Cape Town, South Africa, we visited the ever-changing Woodstock neighborhood. Once a bit on the seedy side, its small factory, warehouse, and shop spaces are being taken over by designers, artists, and galleries. One gallery we visited was STEVENSON, and the fantastic Conrad Botes exhibition "The Temptation to Exist." Botes twists traditional religious beliefs and posits a world where God creates the human race as a vile byproduct ... well, I won't get too specific, but it's not quite appetizing. What IS delicious, however, are his self portraits and other works showing tattoo-like markings that reminded us of Basquiat and Keith Haring. In the South African artist's visual parlance, however, they represent "the ideology and hatred that inevitably contaminate the human condition." We spent quite awhile admiring Botes' sculpture, painting on canvas, and reverse-glass paintings.

 

 Click here to subscribe to our daily design videos and features.  

Celebrating Morocco's Majorelle Gardens

Blue Workshop, Majorelle GardensJanet Ramin - The deep cobalt blues and contrasting bright lemon yellows that compose the color palette of the Majorelle Gardens appear to have stepped out of a Matisse painting. Every scene, every vista, everywhere you look could be the setting of an unforgettable painting. The Majorelle Gardens were the brainchild of French artist Jacques Majorelle, a contemporary of Henri Matisse. Majorelle envisioned a green, cool oasis amidst the hot red Marrakesh desert and proceeded to turn a mirage into reality. 

Despite a fruitful association with Morocco, Jacques Majorelle was not a native of the country, nor did he start his artistic career there. He was born and raised in Nancy, France, of a very artistic family. His father was the famous ebeniste or cabinetmaker, Louis Majorelle. His father helped found the School of Nancy – a group of designers, artists, and cabinetmakers famous for their Art Nouveau style sculptures, glasswork and cabinetry. With this background, Jacques easily moved through French artistic circles, coming into contact with many of the artists of the early twentieth century. 

(Art Nouveau style building)But when he developed tuberculosis, Majorelle was forced to move to sunnier climes, first stopping in Spain, then eventually further south, into Egypt and Morocco. This move became a turning point in his artwork – the tribal and desert scenes he encountered became the source for his Orientalist period of work. He painted Bedouin natives and life behind the walled medina. 

(Casbah by Jacques Majorelle) Majorelle eventually immersed himself with the French community in Marrakesh and by 1919 decided to settle down there. He also began to plan his oasis in the desert, the Majorelle Gardens. 

Click to read more ...

Scenes from the Fall Armory Show Preview Night

Irwin Weiner ASID - We wanted to share our photos from the invitation-only opening night preview of the latest Antiques, Art & Design at the Armory show this past September 21 at the Park Avenue Armory in NYC, co-hosted by Ellie Cullman, Jamie Drake, and Dr. Eva Andersson-Dubin.

General observations: We loved how Donghia supplied all the seating in the center of the show, contrasting an elegant, luxurious, modern look with all the antiques and traditional works. The show focuses on items that are

Click to read more ...