Table of contents for Jan/Feb 2018 in ELLE DECOR

Norman Foster, speaking to the BBC, was asked about his favorite building of the 20th century. “What is the essence of a building?” he asked rhetorically. “It must be about protecting you from the elements: keep you warm when it’s cold, cool when it’s hot. It must tell you something about its age. The materials, the structures, give a certain symbolic quality to the building, its point in time.” The building he chose exuded “confidence, technology, style, and friendliness in a way that very few other things have managed to do.” And what of its specs? Steel and glass and six stories tall, with 3,000 square feet of floor space for 376 guests, three kitchens, and 15 bathrooms featuring recessed handles on all the doors. Foster was, of course, not…

I love pops of saturated color and lightning bolts of graphic lines. Consider the contour of Debbie Harry’s razor-sharp cheekbones or the effect of a punchy black-andwhite coffee table or even the dynamism of François Catroux’s interiors. What they all share is a clean jolt of visual energy. A graf fiti wall can radicalize the grandest of entrances, just as a graphic animal print glamorizes an everyday ensemble. A flash of diamonds on an enamel-and-gold ring adds a spark of intrigue. No matter what the canvas, when it comes to your style identity, my feeling is: Say it loud and say it proud.…

At 10 o’clock in the morning on an early-fall day, I found myself trying to navigate a Blue Passione–colored Maserati SUV across, around, and over pale terra-cotta hills. It wasn’t some bucolic scene out of a Bertolucci film, but rather the middle of the desert, in the district of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates. The temperature outside hovered near an unrelenting 124 degrees, though the buttery Nero leather interior was half that, thanks to minuscule perforations in the front seat that aid ventilation. The ample touch screen on the dashboard, set to the GPS display, was absolutely blank except for the orange dot representing me. If you’re wondering exactly what I was doing dune-surfing in a Maserati on the tip of the Arabian Peninsula, well, you wouldn’t be the…

KEITH HARING (TONY SHAFRAZI GALLERY, 1982, $2,000) “Designed by the great Dan Friedman, who knew Keith Haring from the East Village art scene of the early 1980s, it brings out the wacky and naughty fun of Haring’s vision.” —Harper Levine, owner, Harper’s Books, East Hampton, New York; 631-324-1131; harpersbooks.com THE HOUSE THAT PINTEREST BUILT BY DIANE KEATON (RIZZOLI, 2017, $65) “This defines what home and house mean to the celebrated movie star, who is known for her love affair with houses and design.” —Brett Hennessey, owner, Hennessey + Ingalls, Los Angeles; 213-437-2130; hennesseyingalls.com INSIDE UTOPIA: VISIONARY INTERIORS AND FUTURISTIC HOMES GESTALTEN, 2017, $69) “This large publication showcases beautiful interiors and exteriors that embody past designs in the perfect way.” —Taylor Engel, art buyer, McNally Jackson, New York; 212-274-1160; mcnallyjackson.com…

When it debuted in the mid-1970s, Phillip Jeffries’s signature grass-cloth wallcovering was better known as the tactile backdrop to everything from louche disco dens to suburban rec rooms. Four decades later, the company is a favorite of such ED A-List decorators as Steven Gambrel and Jean-Louis Deniot for its alluring and innovative artisan wallcoverings. From the hot pink–hued hemp that sheathes Amber Valletta’s Santa Monica, California, bedroom to the faux-wood-grain Wild Woods pattern in Badlands Black employed by Ken Fulk (an ED contributing editor) in a Montana guest room, Phillip Jeffries’s wallcoverings aren’t just mere backgrounds. They’re often the stars of a room. But when it comes to grass cloth, here’s the nub: There never was a Phillip Jeffries. Rather, founder Eric Bershad—who started his firm in 1976 with $500…

KOHN PEDERSEN FOX ASSOCIATES KEY PROJECTS: 10 & 30 Hudson Yards and 2 Waterline Square DILLER SCOFIDIO + RENFRO KEY PROJECTS: the Shed at Hudson Yards and the Museum of Modern Art expansion NORMAN FOSTER (Foster + Partners) KEY PROJECTS: 100 East 53rd Street and 50 United Nations Plaza HERZOG & DE MEURON KEY PROJECTS: 56 Leonard Street and 160 Leroy Street RENZO PIANO BUILDING WORKSHOP KEY PROJECTS: 565 Broome Street and the Whitney Museum of American Art ANNABELLE SELLDORF (Selldorf Architects) KEY PROJECTS: 21 East 12th Street and the Frick Collection expansion RICHARD ROGERS (Rogers Stirk Harbour + Partners) KEY PROJECT: 3 World Trade Center TADAO ANDO ARCHITECT & ASSOCIATES KEY PROJECT: 152 Elizabeth Street RICHARD MEIER & PARTNERS KEY PROJECTS: 1 Waterline Square and 165 Charles Street SKIDMORE,…

Growing up, I used to ski a bit. My family’s home was an hour from Grenoble, and I could see Mont Blanc on a clear day. But as an adult, it’s always been more about getting together with friends than the sport itself. I am more interested in eating at the après-ski—or the after-party, as I call it—where you have a late lunch or an early dinner. After a long morning of peril staying on piste, you’re tired and cold and want to indulge yourself with heavy food and wine. Something like this côte de boeuf with potatoes and cheese will certainly warm you up. It’s a dish I cook with my close friend Michel Bernardaud, of Bernardaud porcelain, and his wife, Betsy, when we get together in Val d’Isère.…

JOSEPH PAGANO STUDIOS Joseph Pagano has been an artist and designer for over 30 years, creating his disctinctive line of modern lighting. With a mastery of skills in glassblowing and fabrication, he combines the finest materials into timeless heirloom designs. josephpagano.com | info@josephpagano.com BISAZZA EXTENDS ITS BISAZZA CEMENTILES COLLECTION WITH NEW DESIGN SERIES BY DAVID ROCKWELL In 2018, Bisazza launches a new series of patterns designed by American architect David Rockwell for Bisazza Cementiles—a collection that offers a contemporary interpretation of traditional cement tiles blending design value with the appeal of artisanal craftsmanship. Texture, transition, and movement are hallmarks of Rockwell’s series. bisazza.com 800.247.2992 SPECTACULAR LIGHTING DYNAMICS WITH MODERN FORMS KINETIC LED CHANDELIER Modern Forms introduces the Kinetic LED Interior Chandelier—a gyroscope-inspired openwork globe, crafted in a stunning titanium finish,…

ANGELA BASSETT When we asked the Academy Award–nominated actress which classical opera heroine she’d most want to play, she immediately said Carmen. “It’s the only opera I’ve seen multiple times,” says Bassett, who interviewed Metropolitan Opera star Angel Blue for our story on page 82. “She’s a great seductress! I’ll just have to find my Carmen on another stage.” RUVEN AFANADOR The Colombian-born photographer—and opera aficionado— captured Angel Blue for ED on page 82. “The first time I saw the opera Samson and Delilah,” Afanador recalls, “I was surprised to see Denyce Graves perform the entirety of ‘Mon coeur s’ouvre à ta voix’ while lying on the floor. I later found out that it’s always been sung like that.” ROBERT RUFINO “I can’t get enough red!” says ED’s interiors editor,…

1 The Capistrano dining side chair from Badgley Mischka Home is made of hand-painted wood and inlaid brass. Shown in Wheat Linen, it measures 20″ w. × 24″ d. × 37″ h. badgleymischka.com. 2 The Shah Abbas–inspired, one-of-a-kind (OAK) rug from Feizy is made entirely of silk. Shown in red and ivory, it measures 9.5′ w. × 12′ l. feizy.com. 3 Ralph Lauren is an avid car collector (see ED December 2017), and the Barrett Knurled Boom Arm Desk Light from Ralph Lauren Home reflects just that. Shown in polished nickel, it measures 36″ l. × 9″ d. × 22.5″ h. ralphlaurenhome.com. 4 Turkish tile patterns inspired Cornelia, a new linen from Thibaut, shown in gray and gold. thibautdesign.com. 5 With hand-carved floral motifs, Bernhardt’s Fleur credenza is made of…

“I’ve talked to people who live in New York, Paris, and London, and everyone wants an apartment in Tel Aviv,” says architect Richard Meier. To that end, Richard Meier & Partners has recently completed its Rothschild Tower, a building at the intersection of Rothschild Boulevard—one of the city’s most expensive and oldest thoroughfares, dotted with embassies and historic homes—and Allenby Street in the White City neighborhood, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for thousands of postwar Bauhaus buildings. The 42-story tower, Meier’s first Israeli project, boasts 147 units, most with balconies, and Meier-designed lounges, a pool deck, and a spa. The lean white silhouette is hardly a surprise for those familiar with Meier’s work, though it’s worth noting that the louver screens, which protect residents from harsh sunlight and heat,…

Asignificant number of the progressive thinkers behind the cultural development and social politics of early-20th-century America had country homes within the celebrated “golden triangle” of real estate between Dutchess County, New York; the Litchfield Hills in Connecticut; and the Berkshires of Massachusetts. In the early 1900s, my great-grandmother Constance Baillie Ripley, an early supporter of the Girl Scouts and the Museum of Modern Art, built a sprawling, Tudorstyle mansion in Litchfield that she dubbed Kilravock. It was designed by Henry Janeway Hardenbergh, the architect of Manhattan’s Plaza Hotel. I was born in that house, but soon afterward my father and his sister leased it to someone to be run as an elegant country inn. When I was 10, it burned almost completely to the ground. All that remains today are…

How much time does the desk have left? Technology has made it so that all manner of work—writing, trading Bitcoin, signing prenups—can be done on an iPhone. Decorator Jamie Drake (right) has a desk in his home, but he doesn’t use it for work. “I take my laptop into the kitchen and use it standing at the counter,” he says. His business partner, Caleb Anderson (top right), sees the desk as a statement piece and a place for memories: “I like to keep sentimental things on mine.” Susan Ferrier of McAlpine, on the other hand, says there’s an office in every home she decorates. “I always believe in a desk,” she says. “It’s like an appliance— it has purpose.” Regardless of their use now or in the future, keep one…

KERRY JOYCE TEXTILES Kerry Joyce hosted an intimate dinner in celebration of ELLE DECOR’s new Editor in chief, Whitney Robinson, at The River Café in Brooklyn. An esteemed list of top designers including Robert Stilin, Steven Gambrel, and Shawn Henderson joined Kerry and Whitney for a truly memorable evening. kerryjoycetextiles.com BENJAMIN MOORE COLOR OF THE YEAR 2018 Strong, radiant, full of energy, Caliente AF-290 is total confidence. The eye can’t help but follow its bold strokes. Harness the vitality. benjaminmoore.com ELLE DECOR AND CHRISTOFLE ELLE DECOR partnered with renowned French “Art de la Table” brand Christofle to host an exclusive event at Highland Park Village in Dallas, Texas, in celebration of Christofle’s chic collections. christofle.com DURAVIT Duravit’s Vero Air collection breathes fresh life into the bath with clean lines, classic…

Each month, ELLE DECOR asks an artisan to provide us with a unique item that has no price tag. At the end of the year, we’ll auction off these pieces to benefit the charity of each maker’s choice. This month, it’s an antique. Scott Kravet is no stranger to textiles. After all, his last name is synonymous with fabric the world over, thanks to the company his great-grandfather Samuel founded 100 years ago. The Kravets began archiving their extensive fabrics at the suggestion of scion Scott, a fiber expert who travels the globe in search of the rare and wonderful to add to the collection—like this hand-painted document for a Flemish carpet-design motif from the Vanoutryve mill in northern France, which started commissioning original designs in 1884. kravet.com…

Enter a new era of faux florals and French pottery, thanks to the Green Vase’s exquisitely delicate paper stems and ceramics from La Tuile à Loup in Paris. Paper flowers, from $38 each. shop.thegreenvase.com.La Tuile à Loup platters, from $260. krbnyc.com 1 The circles in L.A.-based designer Azadeh Shladovsky’s colorful Void chairs are meant to mimic the two dots of the braille letter K. The high-low mix of materials (plywood, satin brass, Dedar’s Adamo & Eva velvet) enhances their playful quality. 17" sq. x 28" h., $12,500 each. azadehshladovsky.com 2 After a career in fashion, Beth Bugdaycay started Foundrae in 2015 to create “modern heirlooms.” Her thoughtful, exquisitely wrought pieces borrow from ancient symbols like the ouroboros, a signifier of renewal that graces this diamond-studded pendant crafted using champlevé enamel…

The Hearth In our December/January 1991 cover story, we jumped directly into the fire. Well, more specifically, the fireplace, highlighting crackling red flames and a vast array of mantels and accoutrements. Kenneth Jay Lane From our September 2005 issue, the late costume-jewelry designer’s maximalist bedroom—accented with striped emerald satin and a cute pair of papal slippers— in his Park Avenue duplex. James Huniford & Stephen Sills A split pea–green lacquer—was “Linda Blair chic” a thing?—coats the bedroom walls of the celebrated decorators’ upstate New York home, featured in our December/January 1996 issue. Caitlin & Samuel Dowe-Sandes The scarlet dining nook in the American expats’ Marrakech home, from our April 2008 issue, is the perfect place to binge-eat hummus and dates. Mikael Andersen In our April 2005 issue, a pair of…

ELLE DECOR AND SUNBRELLA® ELLE DECOR celebrated its French-themed September issue with a cocktail reception at the Consulate General of France in New York. Featured at the event were costumes designed by Tony Award winning costumer William Ivey Long, based upon iconic French paintings, and created exclusively from Sunbrella® fabrics. Designers, social influencers, and other VIP guests enjoyed champagne and hors d’oeuvres created by ELLE DECOR Consulting Editor and 4-star chef Daniel Boulud.…

In November, Christie’s sold Salvator Mundi, the last Leonardo da Vinci painting left in private hands, as part of its auction of postwar and contemporary art for a record-breaking $450.3 million. Made, as it was, around 1500, the work predates World War II and the era defined as contemporary by 440 years or so. But the inclusion of Salvator Mundi, a haunting portrait of Jesus Christ gripping a crystal ball, in the contemporary sale points to a larger trend in the art world. Take Philip Guston’s mini retrospective at the Venice Biennale this year, which juxtaposed his Young Mother (1944) with Giovanni Bellini’s Madonna and Child (1510). Or Nan Goldin’s recent traveling exhibition “Scopophilia,” which paired her photographs with spiritually similar works by Antonio Canova and Jan van der Straet.…

Hollywood should make a movie about Tadao Ando’s life: The poor boy from Osaka, Japan, who was separated from his twin brother as a child, who spent his youth as a carpenter’s apprentice, who became a professional boxer only to hang up his gloves and teach himself how to be an architect using books and careful observation. Despite his total lack of formal training, in 1995, Ando won his discipline’s highest honor, the Pritzker Prize (and donated his $100,000 in prize money to the victims of the Kobe earthquake that same year). Since then, his international fame has sharply risen. He has designed everything from Tom Ford’s horse ranch near Santa Fe, New Mexico, to a children’s hospital in Nepal to a winery in Provence. The billionaire François Pinault—after hiring…