ELLE DECOR October 2020

WE’VE ALL HEARD STORIES about homeowners stumbling onto treasures during the renovation of their centuries-old houses,” writes Catherine Hong in her chronicle of Martin Cooper and Karen Suen-Cooper’s preservation of their historic home in upstate New York, on page 84. But she quickly reveals: “This is not one of those stories.” While theirs is a unique kind of restoration drama, throughout this global issue you will find object lessons on how to transform a home—and perhaps your life in the process. Great design can do that. At the core of any renovation is a need for change—driven by necessity, desire, or nobler pursuits like restoring a legacy. As we were putting this issue together, we learned that the archive of architect Paul R. Williams—thought to have been lost in a fire—has…

You recently unveiled your latest major project: the Colorama skate park at La Condition Publique cultural center, in Lille, France. Did you learn how to skateboard to prepare? YI: No, but I had a Bart Simpson skateboard growing up. I was always worried about hurting my elbow. It didn’t go beyond skating back and forth. The first thing that anyone will notice, as with all of your work, are the bright colors you used everywhere. How did you choose your palette? YI: The building’s facade has some amazing glazed brickwork—green, orange, and red. I wanted to bring an element of that inside the park, so it felt like there was some kind of connection. How has the response been from Lille’s skating community? YI: Incredible. I was nervous when I was invited. For me, a…

MY EARLIEST MEMORY IS OF WAL LPAPER. It was a pretty blueberry motif on a cream ground, and I very clearly remember watching the shadows chase along the little blueberries as I was put down for my afternoon nap, muted light coming through the slats of the shades, the echoey thrum of New York City traffic lulling me to sleep. I have never known my parents to paper another room since, but perhaps it is no coincidence that today, almost every room of my own apartment is covered in exuberantly patterned wallpaper. Like most other decisions we make for a baby, the way we decorate their small first world is less about offering us control than it is about allowing us the illusion of control. It is a place where we…

Donghia has a new owner. Five months after the storied home-decor brand filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy—an early casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic—Kravet acquired its inventory, designs, and archives. Waterworks, the American bath and kitchen brand, is reopening its freshly renovated and expanded New York City flagship. ED A-List design firm Gachot Studios was brought in to consult. Coming out this month are three must-have books for the coffee table: James Huniford: At Home (The Monacelli Press), Reflections of Paradise: The Gardens of Fernando Caruncho (Rizzoli), and The Iconic American House (Thames & Hudson).…

1 BALBOA SCREEN BY SERENA & LILY JUAN MONTOYA: I’d use this on the side of a sofa to enhance the room. ALEJANDRA REDO: Because of the material, this option brightens the room even if you’re using the screen to divide it. 81" w. X 1" d. X 72" h.; $2,498. serenaandlily.com 2 WEG ARMCHAIR BY ROCHE BOBOIS AR: It’s a nice chair, and it has a beautiful design and a good price point. JM: The combination of ebony and wicker makes for a really elegant piece. 28" w. X 29" d. X 32" h.; $2,505. rochebobois.com 3 WOVEN CREDENZA BY LUTECA JM: This is so tropical and easy. It would be perfect for a beach house. AR: It’s warm and light. I agree with Juan: It was made for a beach house. 43" w. X 21" d. X 30" h.;…