Are you one of those people who just can’t help grabbing a postcard from wherever you travel? Instead of tucking the evidence of your journeys away in a drawer, we thought using a postcard rack — seen here in the Parisian home of chef Inaki Aizpitarte — was a clever way to display such things.
Click here to see postcard racks available for purchase.
(Photo courtesy of Todd Selby for T Magazine. Text by Jenny Bahn)
Purchased in 1968 for $68,000 by Donald Judd, this building (yes, the entire thing) was the lauded American abstract artist’s home and studio for over two decades, until passing away in 1994. To fund a $23 million overhaul of the space, preserving both the cast-iron exterior and an interior filled with countless personal effects, the Donald Judd Foundation sold off art from the collection to pay for restoration efforts. The result can be seen in person for those of you in New York City, with public tours starting in June. The building is a tribute to the artistic hotbed that SoHo once was, and the massive amount of space it had provided to foster it.
(Photo courtesy of Curbed. Text by Jenny Bahn)
With summer on the approach, we’re dreaming of white sandy beaches, the shortest of shorts, and anything associated with sunshine. Maybe that’s why we’re seriously crushing on this bit of flamingo wall art. Inspired, we trolled through eBay for all things “pink bird.” You’ve got your flamingo lawn ornaments, shower curtains, and more flamingo printed fabric than you’d know what to do with.
(Photo courtesy of Petit Passport. Text by Jenny Bahn)
The original inspiration for this edition of “I Spy” were the playful paintings featured in this dining room. But we quickly discovered that “abstract owl” was a query that brought up a ton of incredibly unique items (way more narrow in focus than simply searching for “abstract painting”). Check out this rare Joseph Damarais signed and framed artist proof or this Eames-era midcentury baby snow owl carved out of stone. Also from the midcentury is this “brutalist” metal owl sculpture. You can check out the entire selection of “abstract owl” items here. And remember, when it comes to using eBay efficiently, try to be as specific as possible to find the most delightful of hidden gems.
(Photo courtesy of Abaton. Text by Jenny Bahn)
Artist Pablo Piatti first got his start in the fashion industry, gradually expanding his horizons to encapsulate more fields, including, in this case, wallpaper design. His painterly work has an amazing depth of feel to it, pushing the limits of two-dimensional space with his intelligent use of color against black, white, and gray. Seen here with a wooden table and chair set by Spacecutter along with a few hanging trees, this is as stunningly subtropical as a dining room can get.
(Photo courtesy of Evan Joseph. Text by Jenny Bahn)
Dusty Deco, a speciality interiors store located in Stockholm, is the brainchild of one of the city’s most fashionable couples, Edin Memic Kjellvertz (formally of Acne Studios) and Lina Thofelt (currently at H&M Home). Drawn to the rugged and worn, the store is an eclectic mix of vintage industrial pieces, well-loved leather couches, and the occasional midcentury piece. No matter what the item, thoughtfulness rues the day, with each knickknack chosen with an eye for texture, color, and uniqueness. The Inside Source chats with one half of the Dusty Deco team, Mr. Kjellvertz.
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Jenny Bahn: Tell me a bit about the ethos of Dusty Deco, how the style differs from what you might normally find in Stockholm.
Edin Kjellvertz: It’s quite basic. We only go for stuff that we really love and would like to have in our own house. We don’t really follow any trends and focus more on beautiful objects and try to build an environment in the store that our customers can bring to their own home. They’re vintage pieces, but instead of using the term “secondhand,” we call it “firsthand” since everything is handpicked. When you enter Dusty Deco we want the customer to get an “aha!” experience and that the feeling is new every time you come. All your senses should be tickled when you enter the store; we have our own candles, playlists, and, of course, the lighting.
JB: When you were at Acne did you know you wanted to eventually move to interiors?
EK: Not really. I have always loved nice furniture and redecorated the house as often I could, but never thought of it as a profession. It was a hobby that grew and became a business.
JB: You’ve got such a great eye for pieces. Were your parents into decorating their own house when you were a kid?
EK: My mom has always been fixing in the house — painting, redecorating. It was quite classic in terms of furniture but she played around quite a lot with colors. I remember that I was very specific with what I wanted in my own room. She’s also been buying old country houses where she’s done basically everything herself. I think I got a little bit of her “learn by doing” spirit. My dad is very classic and has always liked English antiques. He is quite old school and likes heavier stuff like mahogny and dark leathers. He has always been very into architecture and did his own house and restaurants. I do think I might have been affected by this as well.
JB: How would you describe your own apartment now in terms of how it’s decorated? Is it hard to not keep amazing pieces that you find for DD for yourself?
JB: What do you look for in an item when you’re shopping for new pieces?
JB: Favorite era for design?
JB: What cities have the best vintage, in your opinion?
Morbid but beautiful, we are absolutely loving this massive wall of steer and cow skulls spotted on photographer Tyler William Parker’s Instagram feed. The varied shapes and sizes, along with their close placement, lend the wall installation a very herd-like feeling. It might take you awhile, but if you want to start collecting skulls for your own abode, check out the selection of bones on eBay, including these huge steers.
(Photo courtesy of @tylerwilliamparker via Instagram. Text by Jenny Bahn)
Okay, so it doesn’t look like that much actual work happens at this adorable little desk setup, but it does serve as a fine display for some great odds and ends. You’ve got your butterfly collection, a taxidermied bird, a minty vintage lamp, and that large map of New York. We did some digging on eBay and found this map from 1945 in pristine condition, ready for framing and hanging above your own workspace.
(Photo courtesy of Lina Iske. Text by Jenny Bahn)
It’s remarkable when a person can make a home that looks a bit like the inside of a parking garage feel like a place you’d want to live in. Berlin-based architect Arno Brandlhuber has managed to work out an aesthetic within his home/office that involves haphazardly thrown rugs, deep leather sofas, and a whole lot of books. We think Brandlhuber would approve of this midcentury sofa we found on eBay, as well as these books on modern architecture.
(Photos courtesy of Freunde von Freunden. Text by Jenny Bahn)
Best known for his “hand chair” (seen above right), Mexican designer and artist Pedro Friedeberg is a master at incorporating surrealist principles with functional design. In fact, along with Frida Kahlo, the two were the only Mexican artists recognized by Andre Breton as members of the Surrealist movement. It’s amazing to us that you can actually find these chairs on eBay, believe it or not. For just $4,400, you can scoop up a pair. If that’s too rich for your blood, there’s some amazing lithographs for you to sift through. And remember, if you plan on buying, make sure to ask the seller if it’s signed. You can read Friedeberg’s own efforts against fakes here.
(Photo: Courtesy of Song of Style. Text by Jenny Bahn)
(image: oraclefox)
