Table Talk!
Think about what gets the most use in your home. And it’s not your smartphone! You relax in an easy chair, put your feet up on the coffee table, keep your clothes in a dresser, do your work at a desk, sleep in a bed, serve your meals on your dining room table, pull up a bar stool at the kitchen island and light it all up with lamps. Furniture anchors our homes, provides functionality and structure, and is in constant use.
Many of our most iconic home furnishings have emerged from the studio (AKA handmade) furniture movement of the last half-century. We at Paradise City have been honored to have represented some of America’s finest furniture makers over the years.
clockwise: Tom Dumke; Marty Kubicki; Tony Restivo; Bayley Wharton; Peter Handler; Mark Del Guidice; Geoffrey Warner
In this week’s curated Marketplace “Table Talk”, you’ll find furniture and home furnishings made of the finest hardwoods and fabricated from metal and glass. Some makers draw their inspiration from the Arts and Crafts Movement, mid-century aesthetics, or Japanese architecture. Others simply let the natural woodgrain guide them or push their work into the realm of cutting-edge design.
If the elegant simplicity of Shaker design fits your home, then Tom Dumke (a Show Stopper in the Spring Paradise City Guide) is a great match. Bayley Wharton channels a modernist Asian aesthetic, using light hardwoods and clean lines. Dana Farmer has mastered the art of period furniture reproduction, with a personal twist. Peter Handler’s innovative seating made of anodized aluminum and cushy, colorful upholstery could be that easy chair or loveseat you’ve been searching for. And right now, nothing seems more appealing than a super comfortable, ergonomically designed rolling desk chair by “Owl Stool” maker Geoffrey Warner.
Look all around you. Is there a space that calls out for an unusual size sideboard or contoured coffee table? Maybe some outdoor seating? This would be a great time to start the process of collaborating with one of our designers on a custom piece. Designs can take months to finalize and execute, and sending sketches, photos and dimensions back and forth by email is how these artists work. You become part of the process, and how exciting is that! As you browse through this collection, you’ll see that each image links to an artist’s site where you can view past and current work, and often see commissioned pieces that will give you ideas. Just like at our shows, you are buying directly from the artist.
What else is cooking at Paradise City? Are you ready to up your culinary game? Read this week’s recipe for Red Wine Braised Duck Legs.
