June, 2009 Archive
Pop Up Hamptons
If it is summer in the Hamptons then it’s Pop Up time. The Pop up store can be an interesting way for a designer or retailer to try out a new direction or just promote themselves temporarily in a hot location such as the Sundance film festival, or in the this case, Memorial through Labor day in the Hamptons.
One of the more interesting newcomers to the summer scene is T.B.D. on Jobs lane in South Hampton. Instead of being dedicated to a single designer it feels like an urban collective of hip young brands side by side with vintage finds. Without a sign and without a name (to be determined) an example of the ‘no brand’ trend in retail. Definitely worth checking out if your in the ‘hood.
T.B.D. summer 2009 address: 67a jobs lane southampton, ny
631-377-3702
Modern and Elegant
When I meet a client I try to decipher where they will buy an apartment by asking them questions about their likes, dislikes and personal style. I absolutely love this Fall’s collection from Lanvin. So where would a girl who wears this little black dress live? On the Gold Coast of course!
My favorite lower Fifth avenue buildings are 39 and 40 Fifth.
Madonna gets a ‘deal’
When it was reported in the New York Post that Madonna had gone to contract on a house East of Lexington Avenue, the snort of derision from the elite uptown brokerage community could be heard all the way back to her hometown of Bay City Michigan. The location was described as the ‘outer fringes’ of the Upper East Side by Josh Barbanel in the New York Times
It all makes more sense when according to The Mirror, we read that Madonna is pretty torn up that she had to turn over her beloved Ashcombe Manor to Guy Ritchie in her recent divorce. Apparently she is looking to reproduce that lifestlye right here in New York City. Will Madge be spotted feeding chickens in the garden?
Her new Georgian style house is one of the widest in Manhattan at 57 feet. It has 26 rooms , nine fireplaces ,a 38 foot wide drawing room and 3000 square foot garden. All a Material girl needs for a Country Life in the city.
It also turns out that she was a savvy negotiator, paying 32.5mil, not the 40mil as rumored. A whopping 28% off the original 45mil asking price.
Photo: Madonna at Ashcombe house (Vogue Magazine)
Accessory of the Day
Line Vautrin has become one of the most collectible artists of the 20th century. This diminutive resin and glass mirror just 9” across is out of the price range of most of us. Even if we can’t afford it, we can still be inspired.
Another example of her work:
If you want to know more about this unique artist and you happen to be out in on the South Fork of Long Island this summer, you should visit Wayne Schwartz at his very chic Amagansett shop. Wayne has a wonderful eye and I always try to stop by at least once in the season. He has a wealth of knowledge that he is more than happy to share and you could literally spend hours pouring over his extensive collection of her jewelry and boxes. I get butterflies in my stomach every time I go there.
Wayne Schwartz
330 Main Street, Amagansett
631.267.2400
Our Favorite Blocks
20th Street between 9th and 10th Avenue is truly one one of the best kept secrets in New York. On one side, a pristine row of Greek revival townhouses and on the other, the Gothic architecture of the Episcopalian Seminary. Walking down this block you almost forget the hustle and bustle of the city and imagine yourself back in 1840 when most of these houses were built by the real estate speculator, Don Alonzo Cushman.
Once housing a private garden, now the new condominium owners of the Chelsea Enclave will share the grounds with the General Theological Seminary.
Going Green-A more costly way of life?
- Alter our methods of energy consumption
- Reuse and recycle where and when possible
- Employ only furniture and finishes that are sustainably produced or sourced.
Moreover, to reupholster and reinforce that shabby vintage armchair in a gorgeous new fabric could save an additional $1000. (LOVE THIS IDEA)
Another vital consideration is a healthier environment for you and your family. The majority of furniture on the market involves a host of different chemicals in its production. The effects may be imperceptible but to anyone with chemical sensitivity or young children, the jury is out on how harmful these toxins can be.
Claire McGovern is an interior designer and art consultant who advocates sustainable design for private and commercial interiors. Her firm McGovern Design House is based in New York City.
Daily Gossip
Sad news today another price reduction for my favorite West Village Building. The triplex penthouse at Palazzo Chupi is now priced at $14,950,000 and the duplex below is $12,950,000. All in all a combined reduction of $31,000,000 from the original asking price of $59,000,000 when they came on the market.
Recently Julian Schnabel had to sell a 1971 Picasso to maintain payments on the building. I adore this building and it looks like some lucky person will get a great deal on a very special apartment.
Feeling romantic
I am obsessed with fashion especially vintage and antique clothing. It is fascinating to see the continuity in style and design over the last two hundred years never mind the last fifty. A great place to see examples of this is at auctions of vintage and antique textiles. One of my favorite sources is Kerry Taylor Auction House in London.
The above Worth gown was featured in a recent Kerry Taylor sale. An incredible dress and such a modern shape, like something we would see from Lanvin or Marni.
For the recent spring Chanel show Karl Lagerfeld decorated the runway with an incredible array of paper flowers and at the Kips Bay design house this Spring flowers were again seen adorning the grand staircase.
Above the Gloria Vanderbilt room at the Kips Bay House
So if romance is your style where do you live?
39 Fifth Avenue
Recommended reading: Jeremiah, A Romantic Vision, by Jeremiah Goodman.
Shigeru Ban
During the recent property boom we saw the emergence of the Starchitect in New York real estate . We all became familiar with the work of Jean Nouvel and Richard Meier. A less well known name but perhaps more intriguing one is Shigeru Ban, the creative mind behind the Metal Shutter House on west 19th Street. Great buildings stand the test of time and it will be interesting to see which of the new residential condominiums from this era survive and hold value. My bet is the Metal Shutter Building will be among the ones that do.
Shigeru took inspiration for the concept from the metal garage doors that are prolific though out the gallery district of West Chelsea, giving a whole new meaning to the idea of the curtain wall.
Daily Gossip
Rumors that Tom Cruise and wife Katie Holmes, the new residents of this $15 million townhouse are all over the internet. We have to say that a llittle birdie did spot Cruise perusing the garden terrace of this 12th Street townhouse in Greenwich Village. All parties signed confidentiality agreements. so obviously no comments were forthcoming. Some sources say Holmes’s Broadway debut in “All My Sons” lured her interest to move from L.A. to the Big Apple. Whatever the reason behind the purchase, it is a good sign for the New York city real estate market.
Photo Credit: Curbed
Other Sources: The Village Voice
