Articles for November 30th, 2005
RE: MURANO GONE-O
Okay. I’ll answer my own question. What is already soooooo last year? Glam Hollywood accessories like this stacked sphere lamp from Williams Sonoma Home. I used to love this lamp — a former Jan Showers staple — until I saw it on every shelf from Z Gallerie to Target. Now it’s no longer special, simply ubiquitous. Still handsome though. Sigh.
RE: MURANO GONE-O
When I read in a recent Pottery Barn catalog — and, yes, a mail-order catalog counts as reading … perhaps it’s not Beowulf, but it’s a start — that one of their new chandeliers was “Murano-inspired” I realized the end was near. Like I’ve said before, I love my big-box retailers (who doesn’t love cheap knockoffs for the masses?) but leave it to those stores to run something into the ground. Lets take bets on what’s next: Coral is out. Murano is history. And don’t get me started on botanical prints. Any takers?
SPYING ON DAVID FELD
Someone suggested that he is at home trying on different outfits for tonight’s staff Christmas party.
SPYING ON DAVID FELD
Where is he today?
MURANO GONE-O
Michelle Nussbaumer, owner of Ceylon et Cie, who has more projects in Los Angeles and New York than Dallas (read: she gets out a lot) says Murano glass is out. “The authentic, older pieces will always have value, but the rest of it is over,” she says. The rest of it is everywhere. The Murano cycle has run so fast that it looks like Target will just skip it altogether. Nussbaumer predicts that 60s and 70s collectible pottery will capture the imagination in the years ahead. “You’ll see art pottery and over-sized ceramic lamps,” she says. We’ll monitor.
OUR NEIGHBOR NEXT DOOR
In case you havent noticed, there is a high rise going up next door to our offices well, its not THAT high, nine stories. Anyhow, I was visiting the Drexel Highlander (Drexel Development www.drexeldev.com) and was totally impressed with the finish-out quality. Starters, they hired a first-class architect in Cole Smith and his iron work fences on the opera balconies are exquisite, as is his hardware throughout. No central hallways a coded elevator allows direct entry to each residence and there is a service hallway to the freight elevator. Saving all those hallways gives the units expansive square footage — ranging from 2100 to 3500 square feet but with the city views and high ceilings they actually seem much larger. Marble floors, counters, all the bells and whistles and I particularly liked the view into the offices of D Home. So Rebecca, if you think you can keep tabs on David, I am considering buying one of the units facing D no more excuses for being late to meetings!— and then, while youre at lunch, I can keep an eye. On things.
GRRRRREAT GARAGES
The O/C garage is popping up everywhere — thats obsessive compulsive, as in it-has-to-be-neat-or-Ill-go-crazy. I wrote about this trend a few issues back (www.dhomeandgarden.com) and today visited GarageTek of Greater Dallas. Once again, I could empty the retirement fund and make my garage the most organized, functional room in the house why waste square footage on mess? Heres a stroke of genius: GarageTek offers a pulley system bike hoist to raise the wheels up and out of the way if you let go, it self-locks to keep from crashing down. Also loved the folding hand truck designed for those huge filtered water bottles and a wall-mounted infrared heater which sounds great right now. (Or add that A/C deal we had in the Showhouse garage.) So yes, Christine, basements are in high demand but if you cant pop for subterranean, these garage genies can give you a whole new space you never knew you had! www.garagetek.com
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