Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/184554
DECORATION We're Over the Moon About MILES REDD & The Big Book of Chic We adore this book and have been waiting for it … well, forever. Exuberant, clever design sensation Miles Redd whizzes us away with The Big Book of Chic (Assouline, $75) to '20s Paris, witty salons, inky-blue libraries and curious follies. Oversized, lush and filled with his very quirky, cozy glamour, this book shoots shards of cherry red, French blue, cerulean and Venetian pink into NY high-rises and country Georgians, rich with important details such as nickel-plated nail studs, coral door pulls and exuberant trims. Shades of Cecil Beaton, Diana Vreeland and Grès! Plug in Cole Porter, pour a Scotch and fly away. Signed copies are available through curatebooks@papercitymag.com. BUST INTO Flame When his son was born, Napoleon bestowed upon the infant only one gift: a Cire Trudon candle. Granted, it was encrusted with three bands of gold, but that tells you plenty about the company's reputation as the oldest and most prestigious wax manufacturer in the world. (Latter-day fans include Sofia Coppola, who lit plenty of Cire Trudon candles while filming Marie Antoinette in Versailles.) Stage your own revolution with busts of the aforementioned cake-eating advocate, Monsieur Bonaparte and Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux's slave, amongst others. Meant to be collected rather than burned, each looks hot on a Saarinen side table or a Steinway baby grand. $125 to $175, at Grange Hall. Amy Adams THEN and NOW Again While traveling through Albuquerque, Antèks proprietor and designer Jason Lenox happened upon a stunning collection of turn-of-the-century Navajo objects. The craftsmanship was superb, yet he felt a modern interpretation might be in order. Thus, Lenox opted to work with German silver, an alloy containing nickel and copper for a not-so-shiny finish, and one-of-a-kind turquoise cabochons from the mines of the Sonoran Desert, while staying true to the original hand-stamped detailing. The result is a vintage-inspired assemblage of jewelry boxes, candlesticks, cigar ashtrays, letter openers, small trays, matchbox covers and picture frames created by skilled artisans. And, like its predecessors, each remains slightly unique. $69 to $495, at Antèks, The Arrangement, The Gypsy Wagon, The Modern, Pinto Ranch. Savannah Christian Cire Trudon THE EDUCATED EYE: My Drink By DUTCH SMALL Is COOL ~ HAPPILY Under Foot I n 2003, I saw a story about the Bodum Pavina thermal drinking glasses, and I fell to my knees and cried with joy. Finally, someone had solved two of what I consider the biggest problems with drinking glasses: condensation and heat. The Bodum glasses encompass everything that should be considered in a well-designed item. The beautiful curvilinear form is further accentuated by a clever double wall, which creates the illusion that the liquid is suspended in the glass and also protects one's delicate little hands and fingers from heat and moisture. Each is mouth-blown, so the level of craft involved in the production is very high. There is something lovely about someone who has spent years learning and honing their craft; it takes a great deal of skill to mouth-blow glass with this high degree of intricacy. This process means that rather than perfect, consistent pieces, each will exhibit the slightest bit of evidence of handcraft, such as a wee bit of waviness in the rim. Even the material of the glass has been duly considered: Borosilicate, a lighter, scratch-resistant, durable type of glass that handles changes in temperature better than other types. What I find beautiful is that the design isn't garish and doesn't demand attention. The soft, elegant interior form is repeated on the outside. It's always more difficult to make something pretty and simple — but they did it. Even though it's just a little drinking glass, it's gorgeous. And, starting at $15 each, it's affordable. It's easy to spend hundreds of dollars on artistic mouthblown glassware, but Bodum has pulled these attributes together in an affordable product with the same artisanal merit. This one object exhibits everything that is important in design: It has beautiful form, integrity in craft and function — and it solves a problem elegantly. If you can combine all of those things, you have something good. J. Alexander box, $99 Harlequin Multi Sybil Diamond Blue Charlie Black Given that his empire now consists of furniture, lighting, candles, bedding and more, it's easy to forget that Jonathan Adler got his start behind the potter's wheel. The designer continues his quest for interior domination with a collection of handmade rugs loomed from the highly durable wool of Tibetan sheep. The handknotted craftsmanship may be old world but his irreverent colors and patterns are decidedly 21st century: Inspiration includes Islamic tiles, sedimentary rock formations, a backgammon board and an Art Deco puzzle. Consider us floored. The Rug Company, 1626 Hi Line Dr., 214.760.4888; therugcompany.com. Amy Adams