Snapshots: My Whirlwind Daytrip to New York

Yesterday, designer buddy DeChelle Harris and I took a rather impromptu trip up to NYC. Our visit came on the heels of several design-related festivities—ICFF, Design Week, Blogfest, etc.—and while not on our itinerary, their energy was definitely in the air! New York City: the design mecca of the eastern hemisphere was all a’ buzz, and we only had 6 hours to soak it in. Here’s how:

200 Lex

Our first stop was the New York Design Center at 200 Lexington Ave. Specifically, we headed to the famed (at least in my mind) 1stsdibs showroom, a Shangri-La for all that’s antique and lovely. In less than an hour, we scurried about snapping pics and ogling wares. I couldn’t pick a favorite piece if I tried. Everything was phenomenal.

1960's Italian leather armchair. Loved the pair.

Knoll Platner Chairs. Can't get enough.

More pics forthcoming.

Hooray, Kips Bay!

DeChelle jaywalking her way to the Kips Bay show house

From NYDC, we headed uptown to the Kips Bay Decorator Show House. Eighteen designers, five floors, 5600+ square feet. If the house were completely empty, I could easily fall in love. Add the most luxurious furniture and finishes imaginable, and well…

Of course, we couldn’t take pictures [sad face], but for those interested, check out Curbed's photo gallery.

The Adorable Alex Hitz

While at the show house, we participated in a kitchen demo with Alex Hitz, contributing food editor of House Beautiful. Bless his little heart! Though hot as blazes in that tiny (but well-appointed) kitchen, he kept the smiles and southern wit coming. Between whipping up foodstuffs and periodic respites in the refrigerator’s cooling air, he signed complimentary copies of his book, My Beverly Hills Kitchen.
Merci, Alex!

The Met, Chaos, and Couture

As fashion-lovers, we simply could not leave the city without a quick trip to the Met and its Costume Institute exhibit PUNK: Chaos to Couture. No words really. From the floor-to-ceiling video installations to archival garments from the likes of Chanel, McQueen, and Westwood, it was mind-numbingly good… though, yet another no-photo zone.

The museum itself is an architectural masterpiece; its grand entry hall and stairs stop most visitors in their tracks, ourselves included!

A Mad Dash
With little over an hour to go, we hurried back to our point of departure - Park Ave to Lex, the 6 to the Q, a few more blocks from Herald Square, check-in, grab seats, mission accomplished.
‘Til next we meet, NYC!

Images: Sukio unless otherwise noted

The Darkroom: My Favorite Store That I’ve Never Visited

I’m sure that I’m not alone in my love for the Darkroom, an itty-bitty design shop in London’s Bloomsbury neighborhood. I’ve never been, but that doesn’t stop me from being an adoring fan. I even sent a scout back in December 2010. "I stopped at Darkroom in London," he wrote. "Very cool spot. We should chat about it." The chat revealed that he too was smitten, making a $300 impulse buy in the process.

The overall concept is tricky to describe - modern, graphic, artisanal—all tied together by a strong undercurrent of worldly, tribal flair. While it may be hard to find the words, the visual cohesion is unmistakable. It’s like that indefinable mojo. Darkroom has got an It factor, and I, for one, can’t get enough!

I subscribed to the Darkroom newsletter shortly after my friend’s report, and review it with great detail whenever it enters my inbox. This morning was no different – a perfectly curated grid of eye candy that begs to be bought. In fact, it was the Tweedmill Picnic Blanket that inspired today’s post. Summer in DC means lots of outdoor activities (i.e., sitting on the grass), so it seems like a perfectly justifiable purchase. This may be the moment I finally shop the Darkroom (even if it’s only a virtual visit)!

Images: The Darkroom

ADE: An Essay on Modern Glamour

A recap of my POV

Residence by Kelly Wearstler

When asked to label my aesthetic of choice, I’m quick to reference the modern glamour movement. I knew my taste in design was unusual, a hodgepodge of many styles, but it took research, reflection, and a book before I could properly name it. Barring the occasional departure (like yesterday's post), it's what you see here on Sukio. Modern glamour, a way to define the indefinable.

So, what is modern glamour?

Many would simply describe it as a new take on an old idea, i.e., "modern" as in new, current, or fresh - "to modernize". But my MIT-trained brain always views things differently. To me, modern glamour is merely the intersection of two contrasting styles: the sleek, clean, and edgy vs. the fanciful, decadent and exquisite. It is the delicate balance between the two that makes a space interesting and relevant.

Residence by Shaun Jackson

In short, modern glamour is controlled eclecticism. It's a style that allows designers to unexpectedly integrate, marry, and juxtapose the best elements of the design world, creating something wonderful in the process. But like all attempts at eclecticism, the task is tricky and can be downright daunting for many. Marian McEvoy may have put it best in her forward for "Modern Glamour: The Art of Unexpected Style":

It’s easier for a decorator to assemble a room in which everything matches than to concoct a space in which nothing matches but everything makes beautiful sense all together.

While experts like Kelly Wearstler can mix and match using natural intuition, others may opt for a more structured approach. Metropolitan Home’s "Glamour: Making it Modern" boils things down into a list of essential concepts (scale, palette, luster, antiques, Asiana, and multiples) and objects (staircases, fireplaces, drapery, chandeliers, mirrors, and daybeds). Helpful guidelines, but like rules, meant to be ignored from time to time.

Residence by Lee Ledbetter

The gist…

Modern doesn't mean austere or sterile and glamour doesn't mean frilly or overworked. It's a style that marries multiple ideas, viewing traditional notions of glamour, its shapes and textures, through a sophisticated lens. Mixing old with new, feminine with masculine, it conveys artful expression by way of interior design, creating not just a room, but a statement. It respects luxury and craftsmanship but sneers at the ostentatious. Modern glamour is powerful, not delicate or precious, and the chosen aesthetic of movers and shakers everywhere.

Ready to join the movement?

Images: kellywearstler.com, Elle Decor, Architectural Digest

ADE: Think Spring!

With the season fully underway, I wanted to officially wish you a Happy Spring! I found Easter Monday particularly rejuvenating. Not only did it mark the end of the Easter season, a symbolic time of renewal, but it also marked the beginning of Q2, Earth Month, and, hopefully, warmer temps. So, let’s get this party started. It's time to tackle those projects and personal goals. Reflect, refresh, and make moves! Remember, "Time is the coin of your life." Spend it wisely! - Desiré

Image: Virginia MacDonald for Style at Home

ADE: Dear Green, I’ve Moved On

Well, not entirely. The last name Greene makes it difficult to altogether abandon the color. Besides, I still really love it – especially the emerald-y, color-of-the-year-like tones. But while researching a recent blog post for the Interior Collective, I became enamored with bright shades of blue!

Perhaps I'm simply being contrarian. Pantone announces 2013's Color of the Year (i.e., emerald green) and two months later I completely switch gears. Coincidence? Hardly. I like being ahead of the trend rather than riding its wake.

While I love the old, I'm always looking forward to the new! And there’s something very new about this color’s brilliance. It's fun yet rebellious, a showstopper yet tame enough for the less daring among us. Confident, bold, and bordering shades of royal... It's cobalt blue, Sukio's Color of the Year!

Interiors, fashion, art - it works everywhere! Am I the only one? Or is cobalt blue just the kick in the fanny 2013 needs?

Images: Marie Claire US, Kelly Wearstler, Vogue UK, Bence Bakonyi