A Special Offer for Entra Readers

Being a successful architect means more than just being able to create beautiful, functional buildings. It also means navigating the business side of things, too. Easier said than done when your talents rest more firmly in the creative realm. How to do it? Jennifer Kenndey explores this very question in her new book, Success by Design: Revealing Profiles of California Architects. 

In it, she talks with some of the top architects in the Golden State, including Art Gensler, Ray Kappe, Steven Ehrlich, and Stephen Kanner and discovers their strategies for being successful at both design and business.


As an added bonus, she's offering Entra readers a 10% discount on the digital or print versions. Just enter the code web10 when you check out!


Happy reading! 

One night only!



Tamarind


This Thursday, November 17th, from 6-8pm, Bennett Bean and Elizabeth Rand, the designers behind the Bennett Bean Studio, will debut their new line of rugs, as well as examples of their custom-designed pieces, at the Museum of Arts and Design in New York. The installation explores the studio's work in three displays: New Material Options, Color Options, and Made-to-Order.

New Material Options presents the artists' new line, called the BB&E collection, which uses a new hand-tufting technique and adds New Zealand wool and viscose to the studio's existing offerings of Tibetan wool and silk.



Salvia


Bennett Bean, who is perhaps most widely known for his ceramics, ventured into rug design after buying an antique Tibetan carpet in 1997. Studying the rug provided the inspiration to create his own, and he's been producing them ever since. In 2004, Elizabeth Rand, a multi-media artist who studied fiber at the Kansas City Art Institute, joined his studio, and together their unique artistic visions and personal experiences meld beautifully into subtle designs that are rendered by hand in Kathmandu, Nepal, and in two small villages outside New Delhi and Varanasi in India. (They've got GoodWeave stamp of approval, to boot.)

Berries

Grapevines

The museum's hosting of the collection's debut marks another milestone in their partnership with Bean. In 2009, the studio, along with Franci Sagar, Vice President of Retail and Brand Development at MAD, created a special collection of rugs, 9 for '09, for The Store at MAD.


 

We've got the blues...

But it's a good thing! Thought we'd share a few sneek peeks from our beautiful upcoming holiday issue:

The dining room of a glittering Manhattan apartment designed by Penny Drue Baird

Mid-century cool in Austin, Texas

A new luxury suite in the heart of Amsterdam

Can you guess?

Keep an eye on your inbox, it's launching soon!

Big Sale!

OK. I'm sure that this won't come as a big surprise: I'm a big One Kings Lane fan. With a new house to put together, I'm often on the site, looking for pieces and even ideas. I'm also a big Rose Tarlow fan. So, it's a lucky day for me when the two team up for a Tastemaker Tag Sale. It will go live at 5:30 PDT. Here's a little preview to get you in the shopping mood!

A chic take on a the classic gondola form.

Mirror, mirror. 

Love this guy's early-18th-century Frenchiness!

There're even throws to keep you toasty!

Beachfront bliss in Miami

Soho Beach House, newly opened on legendary Collins Avenue

We’ve got Miami on the brain (that's a hint about our November/December issue), so we thought we’d bring you a special look at the city's Soho Beach House. It's the new tropical outpost from London-based private club and hotel firm, Soho House, and their third US property (the others are in West Hollywood and New York).

For this latest project, Soho House took on the monumental task of reestablishing a 15-story beachfront hotel built in 1941 (some of you might remember it as The Sovereign). They turned to the local architectural firm of Shulman + Associates for its renovation, and to their in-house designer, Vicky Charles, for its interiors. The project was completed in about a year, and just last month was a finalist at the Urban Land Institute’s 2011 Visionary Awards ceremony.

“All our clubs try to create a home-away-from-home for like-minded creative people,” says Charles, who describes the hotel’s look as “flip-flop glamour, with a South American feel.” There’s a definite historic-vibe throughout the public and private areas (leather club chairs and retro-style fans, for example) but it all melds harmoniously with the cool modernism of the architecture. When asked how one goes about fitting a brand’s distinct look (traditional with a twist of eco) into an iconic setting (the ultimate in Art Deco), the designer replies, “Without thinking too much about it!" And she's clearly hit the mark.

With its wood paneling, the Drawing Room, at the heart of the hotel, offers a cool respite from the bright Florida sunlight. Guests can order food and drinks, visit the Cuban coffee bar, or indulge in a selection of rare cigars.

Cecconi's, the hotel's casual but glittering restaurant and bar defines what interior designer Vicky Charles calls "flip-flop glamor."

"The ultimate goal is to make a space comfortable," she continues, "and somewhere you want to spend time in.” Charles, who is British but based in New York, started working for Soho House as a waitress in their London location 12 years ago. “I have grown with the company and understand the aesthetics and design philosophy of the brand,” she says, proving that there's no single route to becoming a leading designer, short of hard work and a keen eye.

About a third of the furnishings throughout the 50-room hotel are antiques, purchased by Charles in the last few months of the installation. (From eBay!) “It was a very organic process,” she explains, “with furniture layouts changing, and swap-outs as we installed—just as one might do in their own home.” Many of the new pieces were designed in-house and custom-made for the Miami property, and all were created with an emphasis on reclaimed materials.

A Beachside room in the main tower offers stunning ocean views.

Throughout the tower guest rooms, and particularly in their baths, designer Vicky Charles played on the geometric pattern of the buildings original brise soleil.

Dreaming of a sandy, not snowy, Christmas or New Years? Click here for more information on the hotel's holiday offerings and events. (Or just check out the special menu for inspiration! Panettone with warm zabaione totally trumps plain old pumpkin pie.)



In the spirit of Halloween



Cocktails, anyone? From Lorfords Antiques in Gloucestershire, England, a late-19th century baby crocodile, stuffed and mounted with a serving tray. €1,116.81 / $1,577.80
H: 68cm (26.8in) W: 48cm (18.9in)  

 
To honor this strangest of holidays, we bring you a spooktacular (sorry) selection of seriously creepy objects courtesy of Decorative Collective, one of the most fabulous and fun furnishings resources online.


A set of five late-19th century pharmacy jars, also from Lorfords. €336.18 / $474.95

H: 26cm (10.2in)   

From London’s Ebury Trading, an Italian silver-plated tin frame, mid-18th century. €569.80 / $805.00

H: 33cm (13.0in) W: 24cm (9.4in)  



An... unusual... painted-wood head, possibly North American, circa 1770-1800, from Britain’s Brownrigg.  
€626.78 / $885.50

Height:12.25inch (31.12cm) W:6 inch(15.24cm) D:8.5inch(21.59cm)




At first glance, I thought it was a Steiff... but no, it's a beloved English pooch, stuffed by his owners at some point during the last century. He's now called Bertie by the tender-hearted fellas at Brownrigg. €854.70 / $1,207.50

Height: 17inch (43.18cm) Depth: 8.5inch (21.59cm) Length: 18.75inch (47.63cm)



From Heremijntijd in Amsterdam, a mounted brass sconce, 18th-19th century. €375.00 / $529.79

H: 40cm (15.7in) W: 40cm (15.7in)

  

Late-19th century stuffed parrot, lovingly named Eric by the folks at Blighty, in his original glass case. €341.88 / $483.00

H: 43cm (16.9in) W: 28cm (11.0in) D: 21cm (8.3in)

And, we've saved the best (I suppose that depends on your outlook) for last:

Also from Heremijntijd is a 16th-century mummified cat that was found in the wall of a Dutch farmhouse, where it was placed to ward off evil spirits, witches, bad luck, or anything else that might have threatened the home.  The cat is still in remarkable condition, with intact claws and teeth. €875.00 / $1,236.18
W: 45cm (17.7in)  


Happy Halloween, everyone. Have a safe and fun night!

And love and protect your pets: http://www.aspca.org/pet-care/pet-care-tips/halloween-safety-tips.aspx

Monumentally Creepy in Manhattan

Halloween seems to be a much bigger deal than it used to be. Or, it could be that since I have two kids who take it very seriously, I'm just paying more attention. As the month has rolled on, we've spent a lot of time exploring our new neighborhood and checking out the latest decoration developments. (Personal favorite: the caterpillar made of pumpkins and carrots).

Serious Halloween decorations are not solely the province of suburban Los Angeles neighborhoods, however. If you happen to be in Manhattan, the OC Concept Store has a frightfully appropriate window up today.

Behold:

Michael Benisty and Swarovski collaborated on this fellow, entitled Die to Live. He's eight feet tall, made of 1,100 pounds of stainless steel and features some 300,000 crystals. Check him out at the company's location at 655 Madison Avenue.

Now off to figure out my costume. Any suggestions?