12.01.24

EDITORS’ LIST

by

Jill and Monica share their November picks, including tiny, delicate cutlery sets, a resource for out of production Viennese lamps, cabbage-like scrunchies, and a Starck-esque sconce we’d buy in duplicate.

Jill’s List

JS_lamp1. WOKA LAMPS VIENNA
An interior designer we like posted an incredible re-editioned Josef Hoffmann lamp a few weeks ago, and it introduced us to a resource we never knew existed: Woka, the Vienna-based manufacturer who, since the 1970s, has been working with craftsmen — having acquired the copyrights and bought the original tools — to reissue long out of production lamps and furniture from the Wiener Werkstätte, Bauhaus, and French Art Deco. Lots of gems from well-known artists like Josef Hoffmann, Adolf Loos, and Dagobert Peche, but we were particularly smitten with this Deco one that doesn’t appear to be attributed. Amazing props to Woka to including this Keanu Reeves film still in their marketing materials for the lamp.		 JS_jessi2. LITTLE CUTLERY SETS
We’ll be covering Jessi Burch, the jewelry designer behind this amazing little cutlery set, on the main site soon, but I wanted to feature this set here as the harbinger of a trend. Who is buying these little cutlery sets and how do they use them? Do people actually eat with them? Or do they sit on a coffee table? I’m so intrigued! (And I’m realizing I’ve never asked Mr. Knife Fork Spoon himself, Dung Ngo, where or how he keeps or displays his collections.) Suna Bonometti recently made a set in cast brass. There’s a set with a similar ball-shaped motif available as part of the Casa Spratling collection for Old Jewelry. Cutlers makes one in pewter. Conie Vallese makes these fanciful ones that definitely aren’t meant for your mouth. Stay tuned…		 3. SOFT BAROQUE CHAIR
The combo of walnut and metal has been speaking to me lately in a way it never has before. First, I saw something similar to these sconces by Charles Grantham on a studio visit in Red Hook (more on that coming soon as well). Then, I saw this chair by Soft Baroque, which I’m obsessed with and which really puts the “baroque” back in their work. There’s this insane millefeuille table by Ian Milnes who we’re featuring later in the list, and this vintage lamp, which is probably not walnut but gives the same effect. Who else is feeling it?
_JS_kerafakt4. A FLOATING FIREPLACE
I typically think of fireplaces, floating in the middle of the room, as a California thing, but this photo by Adam Stech of Okolo, of a living room in France, stopped me in my tracks. And here’s another one! Why aren’t more people reviving this probably extremely expensive and technically complicated trend!		 _JS_RHCP5. IAN MILNES
Just came across the British designer Ian Milnes, who showed these Broken Tulip lights at PAD London with Charles Burnand gallery. They look, at first glance, like metal but in fact they’re made from translucent layers of marquetry, built up to create a subtle tonal effect. “During the 16th century, it was noticed that some tulips would “break” from one season to another, unexpectedly blooming in flames of color. These “Broken Tulips” were highly sought after in Dutch society, becoming a mainstay of Dutch flower painting.”		 JS_kiddush6. EVEN MORE PEWTER
I have a tendency, when I report a story as thoroughly as I did this shopping piece on pewter, to linger on it for a while, seeing instances of my new obsession everywhere I look. So I was pleased to come across these pewter bookends by architect Nicolas Schuybroek, available through Leibal. I had a hunch that pewter was on the rise with contemporary makers and while I could only find a few before I published the story, they’ve continued to pop up apace.

Monica’s List

1. IKEA KNYLHAVREN RUG
Loving these Ikea flatweaves that channel antique Swedish rugs. Don’t totally love the fluffy tufted elements — the designer flubbed that one — but if you don’t mind them, or can stick a side table over them, it’s a nice budget pick. Also comes in a beige version.		 2. WORLD’S LONGEST YARD SALE
My first thought when I read this article in the New Yorker recently — about a 690-mile group yard sale founded in 1987 — was how the heck have I never heard of this? My second thought was, I wish Patricia Marx had written this article. My third thought was that the political landscape along this yard sale route, and I’m guessing most of the merch too, is not really my thing? But the article itself was fascinating.		 3. LUCIEN GAU SCONCES
At first I wondered if this wavy sconce was by Philippe Starck, but it’s a 1990s gem by Bernard Dequet for Maison Lucien Gau. I think the top mesh is actually just grey, not green as it (strangely) appears in this photo, but I’d still put ’em over my bed! I think the little ball rivets
4. COUNTERPART CHARGER
The design-ification of utilitarian objects has found new uncharted territory to conquer in the retractable USB wall charger — this one’s by Joseph Guerra for a new biz called Counterpart, and it appears (at least for now) that it’s their only product. If your outlets are regrettably visible, this little rubber-wrapped guy might be for you! And it comes in 5 colors.		 5. SUNNIES FLASKS
Obviously following a train of thought here, LOL, but the Counterpart charger reminded me that this silly Aussie Internet brand, whose mailing list I forgot I signed up for, recently informed me that its mix-and-match flasks are now available in the US.  There are 3-4 components and 20-odd colors you can apply to any of them. Sounds like a manufacturing nightmare to me but it is fun to use the custom configurator to come up with good combos.		 6. GOOD SQUISH SCRUNCHIES
Someone I met in Athens this fall introduced me to this small London brand that makes floofy scrunchies, some of them standard designs and some limited editions made from reclaimed fabrics. They’re all handmade to order which is kind of nice. And some have polka dots!