Holiday Knocker

From Pottery Barn this knocker says welcome home for the holidays.  Only $39 and it comes in three different finishes. 

Great deal!

Gratz Industries

The History of Gratz Industries 

Gratz Industries began as Treitel-Gratz with owners Frak Gratz and Harold Treitel in 1929 in their mid -town Manhattan studio. Their knowledge of engineering , mechanics , materials and creativity quickly earned the company a loyal following. Industrial design giant Raymond Lowey commissioned Treitel-Gratz for creation of many prototypes, models and appliance designs. Donald Deskey another influential designer of the day designed custom architectural metal elements and furniture for Radio City Music Hall and its impresario Roxy Rothafel that Treitel-Gratz fabricated in 1932.
It was also during these early years that Florence Knoll asked Treitel-Gratz to manufacture the Mies Van Der Rohe designed Barcelona Chairs, ottomans and day beds, as well as the Tugengdhat and Brno chairs for which the company became so well known. The company also developed a relationship with sculptor Isamu Noguchi and worked on the iconic rocking stools and other furniture designs. The work continued on various sculptures , models prototypes as well as bases, supports and armatures that were developed for Mr. Noguchi, Gratz Industries still provides custom metal work for the Noguchi Museum.
The second world war brought Treitel-Gratz many commissions from the defense department and related industries and Treitel-Gratz designed and provided seating for the Navy as well as developing instrument control panels for the Air Force.
Treitel-Gratz continued to serve the architectural and interior design community in New York creating work for Philip Johnson and I. M. Pei and partners as well as Skidmore, Owens, and Merrill, and others. The connection with artists and sculptors continued as Alexander Lieberman and Sol Le Witt discovered the artisan-quality craftsmanship and attention to detail that Gratz Industries still provides today.
Furniture design companies such as Donghia and La Verne also commisioned Gratz to produce their work, as well as Nicos Zographos, for whom Gratz continues production of over 100 items from chair frames, bases, and tables to upholstered benches. Gratz recently provided the Hirschhorn Museum in Washington DC with 18 of the Zographos designed upholstered benches for seating in the galleries.
Gratz Industries worked with mimimalist sculptor Donald Judd on many seminal metal wall pieces and later produced the "lightning rods" for Walter De Maria's "Lightning Field" installation in New Mexico. Mr. De Maria continues to have work fabricated by Gratz Industries as does the Alexander Lieberman estate, for whom they fabricated many metal sculptures in the 1970's. Art furniture legend Frosty Meyers has a long standing relationship with Gratz Industries and his expressive 1980s sculptural furniture was produced at Gratz's shop. Frosty continues to work with Gratz Industries in the development and fabrication of his work.
Architects Gwathmey-Siegel and Deborah Berke, Richard Meier, Philip Johnson, and I. M. Pei have also worked with our company on assorted architectural metal installations and the artist Maya Lin created her ceiling mounted clock entitled "Eclipsed Time" in the concourse and PennStation .
Gratz Industries continues its tradition of service and last year designed and fabricated improved umpire chairs for the United States Tennis Association that were previewed at the 2006 U.S. Open at Arther Ashe Stadium. Gratz Industries is proud to have developed a working relationship with engineer/architect and artist Santiago Calatrava as he establishes his New York headquarters where Gratz Industries provided custom metal work, and railings.
Gratz Industries has completed several significant projects recently including a pair of monumental bronze interlocking screens for UBS Bank headquarters on Park Avenue in New York City. The 12 foot wide by 23 foot high screens were designed by Gensler and were installed in the ground floor private banking enclave and are visible form East 49th Street and from Park Avenue.

Check out some of these great mid-century carts.  Phenominal!

And a more modern commission...

Thanksgiving Leftovers

You can mix and match the listed ingredients to create your own version of this salad. We used store-bought roasted turkey, but chicken also works well.

Prep: 20 minutes
Total: 20 minutes

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Ingredients

Serves 4

• 4 slices (4 ounces) bacon
• 3 tablespoons red-wine vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1 large head romaine lettuce, shredded
• 8 ounces (2 cups) roasted turkey breast, cut into 3/4-inch dice
• 1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced
• 3 ounces (3/4 cup) blue cheese, crumbled
• 2 hard-cooked eggs, cut into wedges
• 2 plum tomatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice

Directions

1. In a medium skillet, cook bacon over medium heat until crisp, 3 to 5 minutes. The bacon may also be cooked in a 425 degrees.oven on a rack over a rimmed baking sheet until crisp, about 15 minutes. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain. Let cool, then cut into 1/2-inch pieces, and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together vinegar, mustard, salt, and pepper. While continuing to whisk, drizzle in olive oil until thickened. Add lettuce, and toss to coat. Place on a large serving platter. Arrange remaining ingredients on lettuce as desired, and season with salt and pepper. Serve immediately.

Read more at Marthastewart.com: Turkey Cobb Salad - Martha Stewart Recipes

Self Sustained Thanksgiving

Creating a Self Sustained Thanksgiving

A green Thanksgiving is an easy goal to achieve with just a little pre-planning. Learning how to achieve the best Thanksgiving with as little impact on the environment is the key to a green Thanksgiving.  There are several ways to accomplish this feat and the following tips are only a few of hundreds of possibilities to have a perfectly green Thanksgiving with the family.

A Green Turkey?  
Providing a turkey or ham that is raised nearby for a green Thanksgiving may not be easy in some cities or states.  The best technique is to search through your local markets and ask your grocer's for locally raised turkey. If you plan ahead you may be able to find something closer then you thought to your neighborhood. 

Packaging Awareness Less Packaging the Better For Green Thanksgiving

When purchasing for Thanksgiving, look for food items and other amenities with the least packaging. Whether it is eggs that are in simple trays purchased from the actual farm or vegetables purchased from the local farmers market. Put plenty of thought into what will be purchased for Thanksgiving and have a plan. The less gas used when rounding up the meal the better.

Silver ware Over Plastic Ware & Use Greenworks Dish Washing Liquid

Many suggestions regarding a green Thanksgiving suggest using biodegradable plastic ware. It makes more sense to use environmentally friendly dish washing materials than to purchase plastic ware (biodegradable or not) which is wrapped in a plastic bag. Silverware is already in the kitchen and can be cleaned with no impact on the environment when using biodegradable products such as Green Works.

Use Brita Filtered Water Pitchers or other Filtered Water Instead of Bottled Water
Many of us do not serve bottled water for the Thanksgiving meal but there may be bottled water in the house.
Make sure to only use filtered water and eliminate any trace of bottled water to create a green Thanksgiving.  Use glasses and water pitchers before and after as well as during the meal itself. 

Encourage Family Members to Carpool

Encouraging family members to carpool will help out in two areas. The Uncle that likes to tip back a few during the Holidays will have a ride home and everyone can carpool using less fossil fuels. A win-win situation for all family members involved will contribute to a green Thanksgiving.

Plan Thanksgiving Six Months Ahead by Growing Veggies in the Backyard

Planting a home garden timed to produce the second or third week of November is a plan for the those with the greenest of thumbs. If the plan goes awry before the day of the green Thanksgiving, it is always possible to fall back on the local farmers market.

Pumpkins are hardy and can grow through November as well as radishes, onions and carrots. Use the kids to go out and pick the fresh garden vegetables. This will involve them in the process of having a green Thanksgiving and maybe they will actually eat their vegetables.

sources:urbanext.illinois.edu

Happy Thanksgiving everyone :)

Ceramic Imari Bowls

Another beautiful option for additions to your holiday table.  These Ceramic Imari Bowls from Viva Terra take their inspiration from plant based Japanese Imari motifs.

Starting at $49 for a set of four. 

Thanksgiving Glasses

Beautiful autumn glasses for your holiday table with friends and family from Z Gallery.

Dress up your plain white dishes with splashes of gold and rust, get out the fancy cloth napkins you never use, and enjoy dressing up your turkey and table for the holidays :)

Martha's Thanksgiving Project

I thought this project was pretty adorable for little ones while your busy trying to make dinner this holiday. 

Paper Pilgrim Hat and Bonnet

These printable Thanksgiving decorations make a sweet and stylish statement at the holiday table.
Remember the Mayflower, and give the little ones a fun way to play out scenes from the first Thanksgiving by including hat-making supplies at the kids' table.


Read more at Marthastewart.com: Table Decor

West Elm's Angel Dormer Interview

West Elm's Angel Dormer Interview.

As west elm’s "resident design and style guru," Angel Dormer is always scanning her New York environment for talented local artists, cool patterns and hot trends. Her findings shape west elm's signature blend of vintage modern and limited edition designs. We caught up with Angel on a shopping and brainstorming spree to ask her where her ideas come from.
As west elm’s "resident design and style guru," it seems like you might have an eclectic, creative role there that’s hard to pinpoint. How are your vision and sense of color used at west elm?
It is definitely not a cookie-cutter role! My full title is Style Manager for Color and Concept. My job is to pull together key concepts and colors that inspire each season. This includes setting the direction for print and pattern. It also involves collaborating with the design team and getting all of our ideas off the ground. This is fun from beginning to end! It is always interesting to see how one idea can grow into something much bigger. We collaborate with artists, and sometimes a little group of painting's can become a pillow, rug and dinnerware collection. For instance, one of our favorite textile artists painted the artwork for our Watercolor Flower Duvet Cover and Shams that we also used to create the Boho Flower pillow.
In your own words, how would you describe the west elm aesthetic and design mission?
Our mission is to offer people unique, affordable designs that help them create personaland inspired living spaces. We help artisans earn their livelihoods by collaborating with the global crafts community from near and far. We also strive to get a little greener everyday! What's really rewarding to me personally is finding new talent and giving them a platform to tell a fun story.
To give us a sense of how a designer-at-work operates, can you tell the story of one of the pieces you designed, from inspiration and conception to final product?
I enjoy going to the Antiques Garage Flea Market in Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood. A co-worker and I loved one of the sellers there who did these great collages. We started a conversation with him and eventually had him come to our design office to meet about collaborating with us for our Fall 2010 season. We commissioned him to do a group of artwork just for us and printed it on silk pillows, dishes and wall art. That artist is Mike Miller, and he is featured now in the store, catalog and web. It was great to see how a little Saturday visit to the flea-market inspired an entire season!
The rituals of creative people are always fascinating to us. Do you ever get blocked and, if so, what sorts of rituals do you have to re-inspire yourself?
Getting a good night's sleep for starters! When I have free time I go to galleries. I am always inspired by art. I also love interior design blogs and magazines, and there is nothing like an afternoon at a museum! Inspiration shopping – getting out there and going to stores and wandering in different neighborhoods in the city – always gets the ideas flowing.
Color is confusing for many. As a color expert, what advice do you have for people don’t naturally have a feel for color?
Color can be a big subject, but have no fear! Color is really personal, so it is best to always begin with your favorites. Start by going through a design magazine and tearing out what you like. Just listen to your heart and go with it. You will start to see a common thread. You can also use contrasting colors to your advantage. For instance, if you favor neutrals and earthy colors, it is always fun to pop it with one bright color.

Brushed Metal Luminaries

From the Carmel Bay Company a great outdoor/indoor accessory with an old world feel. 

Starting at $11.50, 11x4x4 in size.  

Wheelchair Accessible Kitchens

From Snaidero a functional and beautiful approach to modern kitchens.

Universal design doesn't need to be ugly--and, more so, shouldn't be. Done well, it's undifferentiated design for the whole population, for disabled and nondisabled people alike, as Graham Pullin, the author of Design Meets Disability, says in Universal Design 101, which he penned for Dwell's March 2010 kitchen-themed issue. Eight years ago, Italian kitchen company Snaidero adapted this belief and set out to create an attractive kitchen collection called Skyline.

Snaidero worked with Lucci Orlandini Design to create the kitchen collection, which the company later tested by installing a kitchen in the spinal unit at the Gervasutta Institute of Rehabilitative Medicine in Udine, Italy, for patients in wheelchairs participating in rehabilitative physical therapy to test out and give feedback.

 

 

Read more: http://www.dwell.com/slideshows/snaidero-universal-design-kitchens.html?slide=1&c=y&paused=true#ixzz13U9l6Ssl

Gusto: A Guide to Restaurant Design

Just as the whole is greater than the sum of its parts, "the essence of restaurant design cannot be found in any one element but in the unity of all ingredients working together to create a singular experience." So begins the recently released book Gusto: A Journey Through Culinary Design. Capitalizing on publisher Gingko Press's ability to cull together top-notch examples of graphic and interior design, Gusto is a tasty roundup of nearly 60 restaurants, bars, and cafes—event mobile eateries—from around the world (presented in 256 pages overflowing with 750 photos and illustrations).

The book offers an introduction to each featured project and highlights the logo and printed material for each eatery. The branding for Home Delicate was designed by Pieke Bermans and meant to resemble a 1950s dinner party invitation.

Read more: http://www.dwell.com/articles/gusto--a-guide-to-restaurant-design.html#ixzz13U7RmgWz

Architects Coffee Table

From the Jaime Beckwith collection this "Architects Table" is a gorgeous completion to any sitting area.

  Geometric iron base with waxed rust finish and glass top.  Gorgeous!

Everything Must Go

When Cecilia Tham and Yoel Karaso of Habitan Architects bought their first-floor apartment in an 1894 block of the Fort Pienc neighborhood of Barcelona in 2005, they knew they were taking a risk. Casa Alí Bei was a bargain because it is afectado (“affected”)—–that is, the land is zoned for redevelopment. A baby (Hanna) on the way, the possibility of being evicted, and a tight budget necessitated a canny renovation strategy, yet one that still honored the dazzling turn-of-the-century tile work and ornate moldings. A stone’s throw from Jean Nouvel’s Torre Agbar, the apartment, like the neighborhood, has been reborn as a patchwork of old and new. Tham tells us the story.
— Max Andrews

"We really love to cook and much of our home life revolves around our kitchen. When we have friends over it’s great to buzz around here; it’s almost like a cooking show. We’re a very equal couple. We wanted the kitchen island to be a single form that we could both use. We can both cook and we can both wash the dishes. The whole thing is really easy to clean as it’s just one main surface that you can wipe down. So the preparation surfaces, the hob [cooktop], and the sink are accessible from both sides. It’s a simple, fun, form-follows-function principle: Store, wash, prepare, cook, eat."

"We really fell for the building and these fabulous original features—–the elaborate decorative plasterwork ceiling and the tiled floors. Plus we have a big expansive view at the back, which is quite precious in the city—–we overlook a soccer pitch built on former railway tracks."

The couple took down a wall to create the open kitchen and lounge space where Tham and Hanna play. Wooden panels that aped a Swiss chalet also came down out of the “interior patio,” making the dining room more palatable.

"It’s typical for Barcelona buildings from this period that the bedrooms are divided with decorative plaster columns and a cornice to create a curtained-off alcove for the bed, separating it from the more public part of the rest of the room. We opened up our bedroom, but we conserved that feature in Hanna’s room, and now every morning she wants to play dress-up." 

Read more at Dwell. 

Unison Porter Linens

Organic cotton linens from Unison are a great way to complete any dining room setting.

On sale at Design Public. 

Blu Dot Lamps

Loving these lamps from Blu Dot for floor and table applications.

Jiti Pillows

"A beautiful pillow instantly—and effectively—transforms a room."
Goga Bouquet, owner and master designer of Jiti Design, sets the creative tone with her vision and passion. An Argentinean native, Goga was raised with a blend of Latin American and European culture and style. She is drawn to lively, sophisticated patterns and colors, and the energy that they exert. These exotic, elegant, sophisticated pillows are the bright product of her inspiration.

Autumn Colors

....are everywhere right now in our valley!  The beautiful hues inspire me and I wanted to share some photos my husband took awhile back for others inspiration.

The temporary transition from blues and greens to golds, oranges, and reds is something I always treasure every year.

A Little Bottle House History

Houses and other structures created predominantly with bottles. For the most part, bottles were used because they were free and easy to work with. Many of the builders speak of a spiritual atmosphere of the buildings' interiors. When the sun hits the bottles, there are said to be kaleidoscopic rays and a stained glass effect. Bottle houses seem to be almost entirely a North American phenomenon.

Tonopah, NV

William F. Peck's Bottle House is believed to be the earliest example of the Bottle House phenomenon. Built in 1902, it was torn down in the early 1980s. It was sturdy and square, and made with 10,000 beer bottles. A few odd, square-shaped bottles appeared near the doorway. These were from Jhostetters’ Stomach Bitters which was 90% alcohol and 10% opium.
Short of building materials, early mining camp settlers made their shelters out of whatever they could get their hands on, including discarded bottles. Saloons were among the first commercial structures in the camps so there were plenty of liquor bottles on hand. There was another house in Tonopah built entirely of coal oil cans and another made from barrels. For more about Nevada's old bottle houses, see this website. 

Other bottle house examples from around the country.  

Kaleva, MI

Wimberly, Texas

Alexandria, LA

Oriental, NC

"Calico" Ghost Town, Yermo, CA

Read more about these interesting Bottle Houses through Agility Nut.  

Memories Not War

From Studio FE another great way to re-purpose something into something that makes memories, not war. 

Make Memories, Not War
Talk about renewable resources:
The MemShot™ is a 50 caliber anti-aircraft shell, pulled from the landfill and re-loaded with flash memory.
Choose 512mb or 1gb. ($49 and $69 respectively, shipping included.)
The shell arrives fairly bright and shiny, but will patina with time — particularly quickly
as your friends and coworkers handle it with envy.

FL/Y Pendant

I'm loving these brightly colored pendants by Ferruccio Laviani for Design Within Reach.  They are simple and dramatic in scale and color.  Made from color-tinted transparent vinyl polymer, the dome-shaped shade reduces glare while appearing slightly iridescent when lit.  At nearly two feet in diameter, it is a versatile, statement-making a great fixture for an entryway, dining room or restaurant, and can also be hung in multiples for increased visual impact. 

Bathroom Design with Katie Lydon

Tips on how to design a bathroom by Katie Lydon at Williams Sonoma Home. 

I like a cool, contemporary vibe mixed in with antiques and striking modern art. I try to design interiors that are comfortable, chic and unique without being scarily so.

Furnish to your capacity. Though I love those wonderful old English bathrooms that look like sitting rooms, filled with rugs and maybe even a sofa or chair, in New York City, you can usually only fit the necessities. Space permitting, a small table with drawers or shelves is nice to have by the tub for storing things like candles or bath salts. I'm not a big fan of things stacked around the bathtub—I like to have a sense of calm and organization in a bathroom. If someone wants to have a chat while in the bath it's nice to have a stool—someplace other than the loo to sit, and even in tight areas there's almost always room for one.
Layer lighting. Light helps you create different areas in a room, and helps you perform different functions. You'll want super-bright light around the mirror—both on top and along the sides if possible—to do things like put in contacts, as well as an overhead light on a separate switch. Put all your lighting on a dimmer. It's nice to cut the lights down to something softer and more flattering for a relaxing bath. Skip harsh fluorescent lighting altogether, and remember that not all light has to be functional recessed lighting. An oversize chandelier can give the space a unique, whimsical feeling.
Go with a clean slate. I like a classic all-white bathroom. What's great about an all-white space is that every year you can change out the accessories, and it'll work with any style phase you happen to be in. I'm a big fan of white towels, but with some kind of texture or border to them. I like my bath towels hung narrow and long, folded into thirds and draped over the towel bar. It's nice to layer a smaller hand towel in a different weave on top, especially with a vintage-inspired lace or linen detail that adds some prettiness. Make sure your bath mat and shower curtain relate back to your other linens. Unity is important, especially in a small area.
Lose the Picasso. Art is a major part of how I decorate, and I love art in a bathroom. Since there's water and steam in the room, you'll want to be careful about the caliber and medium of art you put in. It's a great place for sculptural elements. Ceramics, whether it's a beautiful bowl or a tall, thin collection of vases, are great for a bathroom. There's definitely room for works on paper but be mindful of where you hang them, and never put anything deeply valuable that might get damaged.
Cover up. There's no way to have a pitch perfect bathroom everyday, but it's nice to put away as much as possible to make things less visually cluttered. Medicine cabinets are wonderful for keeping things tucked out of sight but close at hand. If you're not good at organization, get some pretty lidded baskets to toss things in. Toilet paper holders look so utilitarian, though the single dispenser only holds one roll. I prefer a nice-looking basket around the loo. For a touch of luxury, put cut flowers on the countertop.