Wednesday, August 15, 2007

Monday, August 6, 2007

David Netto




First heard of David Netto through a client talking about his furniture. I didn't realize he was an interior designer until I saw his name in a few design magazines - so I looked him up. Just so happens I really looove the work I have seen of his AND I checked out his web site (which has a photo of him on it) and he looks really cute (he did have a wedding ring on though, I checked).
Anyway, oddly enough there aren't many firms that I have heard of that I would really like to work for, but after going through his web site I think I would really like to work with him.

His line of children's furniture is really beautiful. It's how I originally heard of him.

Prada

The Prada store in Soho is known for it's over the top design - so I stop there time to time to revisit it. Rem Koolhaas of OMA is the epic designer that is to credit for the design. I've heard that the interior has been controversial because of the rare wood they used ALL over. It's beautiful of course, but in the environmentally conscious climate - these guys made a big faux paux. They used a species of wood that is very rare and very non sustainable. It's too bad that is the big spot light, because my favorite part of the store is down stairs away from the massive sweeping wood structure. Funny enough I couldn't even find a photo of the Soho store besides the ones of the sweeping wood area.


Down stairs there is a series of shelved narrow rooms, one after another. Probably 6 or so in a row. There are mirrors and corridors that make it feel like it continues on much farther too. The shelved walls are all on tracks too, so the spaces can be narrowed or widened. One of my favorite parts is the almost eerie white, gray, subtle green hue of the lacquered fixtures. When you're inside without any white walls to reference it almost seems like the fixtures are white, and the color is coming from the lighting or something.

I found these little gems in the way way back of the downstairs. Ticket price $5,450 each.


Paul Smith

For a long time I thought Paul Frank was Paul Smith or vise versa, but I finally got it. Paul Smith has been interesting to me for the last couple of years - without really knowing what or who he was.
Anyway, once in the city I saw a few of his shops - his Soho shop in particular really stood out to me from the moment that I walked it. Rustic, classic, quirky, traditional, a mix. Plus, I have always liked the sensibilities of mens clothing and Paul Smith has a sophisticated way of adding that into most things he does.
This is inside his Soho shop. they're at odd angles because I didn't want to weird out any of the staff.
This room looks really messy, and it was, but it was almost purposely so. It was a sale area. Countered with the gridded photo wall it was some how just fine.



Another thing that comes to my mind is the Eames's. Smith's color pallet along with his quirkiness kept me coming back to that refrence.