JOURNAL – Page 4

In Detail: Hardware

April 23, 2024 Thomas Yang

The devil isn’t in the details here at Colony, it’s in the hardware. When our designers conceptualize a new piece, they are always finding new ways to ingrain unexpected flourishes. These subtle aesthetic inclusions can accent meticulously handcrafted hardwood or simply bolster the unique personality of the work. Be it an ellipse of bronze anchoring the feet of Grain’s 19th century inspired hanging cabinet, the brass detailing of an SSS Atelier dining chair, or the custom brass pulls of Vonnegut/Kraft’s travertine-topped credenza, there are no shortage of glimmers on our showroom floor.

Off-Grid Cabinet

Standard Materials: American walnut, Bronze hardware, Aluminum French Cleath
Dimensions: 30”W x 10.375”D x 44”H
Lead Time: 14-16 weeks

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Aperture Table Lamp

Standard Materials: Brass, Glass and Wood
Dimensions: 17.75”L x 11.5”W x 27.25”H
Lead Time: 16-18 weeks

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Phaedra Horizontal

Standard Materials: Finished Brass, Clear Glass Prisms
Dimensions: 33” x 9.4” x 5.1”H
Lead Time: 14 – 16 weeks

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Kamp Dining Chair

Standard Materials: White Oak, Brass, and COM Seat Height: 16”
Dimensions: 20” L x 20” W x 31” H
Lead Time: 8-10 weeks

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Bombora Credenza

Standard Materials: Oak, Travertine and Brass
Dimensions: 84”W x 21”D x 30”H
Lead Time: 20 - 22 weeks

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Colony_Phaedra_Horizontal_33_B5_Bec Brittain

More Of

Don't miss the enviable hardware on some Colony favs below:

Bend/Arc Desk

Brass details on the desk of our dreams.

Brass X4

Machined brass and freely rotating arms—what more could we ask for in a pendant?

Black and White Lounge Chair

She's all angles and accents.

What We Keep: Behind The Book 4

April 18, 2024 jeanlin

My first book, What We Keep will be published on May 14 (available now for preorder). I can hardly wait for you all to see it. In the meantime, I'm so thrilled to share some behind the scenes content with you here. Excerpts, b-roll images, video clips from my interviews with contributors, will hopefully give you a sense of what went into writing, styling and photographing this book, as well as a little peek into its pages.

My professional path has always been informed closely by my personal passions, so I called upon my Taiwanese heritage to structure the book in five sections, each named after one of the Traditional Chinese elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Much like the elements, the sections of the book are distinct in style and sentiment, yet deepened by their kinship to one another. Here is a preview and behind the scenes look at Section 4: Metal.

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Getting The Shot

Brooke and I shot 52+ projects at an unheard of clip for this book. It felt like a super power to be able to walk into a new space and find the beautiful shots, angles and frames. It wasn't always easy and we alternated being tired and having energy so the other could lead when necessary.

From Section 4: Metal

“The small collections we do keep when moving has forced us to edit out possessions, and are the treasured exceptions. A mid-century Danish wall unit from my childhood home came from my grandmother’s bedroom, so it holds sentimental value for me. I think it was even in my family’s house when they first emigrated from Germany in the 1950s. When we moved here, my friend Fabi used it in her LA apartment for a few years, and when she moved to San Francisco, she asked to buy it from me. I did sell it to her, but we have an agreement that if I want it back, she’ll sell it back to me.

“When you buy or inherit pieces of quality, they last,” continues Allyson. And the beauty of Allyson’s arrangement with her friend Fabi is good advice for all collectors: “Do we expect any of that stuff back? No, but we know it isn’t gone forever.”

Julius adds, “This was the rhythm we were in, editing down our pieces to only what we needed with each move. But that was all amplified when we bought this house.”

And what of this house? You see, Allyson, a consumer- trend forecaster, and Julius, a director and cinematographer, own a house designed by preeminent modernist architect Richard Neutra—an architect’s architect whose works are on historic-preservation lists, celebrated as Southern Californian icons. When a Neutra home comes on the market, architecture aficionados of the Southern California ilk—read, Hollywood—come knocking.

“We are so, so lucky,” says Julius of how they came to own a piece of architectural history. A friend and colleague, and the previous owner of the house, had toured Julius through just as he and Allyson were starting on their search to buy a place. “The feeling of walking onto the property and down to the house, it was incredible. There was a feeling of peace, and I knew that this was our dream house.”

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At Large: Introducing BZIPPY

April 9, 2024 Madeleine Parsons

We are thrilled to welcome BZIPPY to the Colony family! We have long admired artist and founder Bari Ziperstein, who opened her studio in 2008 and her collection pushes the boundaries of what ceramics can achieve in both scale and form. The colorful, and seemingly endless glaze and finish options add a lovely pop to our new gallery floor.

Working tirelessly to develop engineering methods that challenge conventional notions of slab construction, BZIPPY devises creative solutions to both formal designs and technical concerns. The studio's architecturally scaled ceramic vases, vessels, lamps and furniture bring a sense of innovative playfulness to the Colony collection.

RSVP here to see the BZIPPY pieces in person at the opening reception of our new space on April 25 from 6-9 PM.

Double Tier Cloud Side Table
Single Tier Ruffle Side Table
Tall Scallop Vase
Tall Twisted Castle Side Table
Circle Top Small 6 Vase

Notes

Variations occur throughout the handmade process; final products may vary slightly from images of listed dimensions. The tension between uniformity and character is inherent to the BZIPPY fabrication process.

All products can be made to order in any color from the glaze palette.

Glazes are indoor/outdoor safe.

10-12 week lead time for made to order.

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Colony_BZippy_Ruffle_Side_Table_Mottled_Blue

Colony_BZippy_Scallop_Tall_Rusty_Blue_Shino

Spec Sheet: EAE Daybed by Erickson Aesthetics

April 1, 2024 Thomas Yang

If you ask us, a daybed is always a sleek inclusion. The inviting ribbed cushion and leather bolster of the EAE Daybed proves this principle, enticing you to laze in unadulterated style. In this flagship piece of Erickson Aesthetic’s Tube and Dowel Frame series, patina’d hardware compliments hardwood, circular to oval legs and tapered corners set in a slender metal frame. Now that’s what we call Becky with the good hair-on-hide.

Founder and designer Ben Erickson looked to some iconic design forebears, “The piece was initially inspired by ancient Egyptian beds, with the intent to create something even more minimal than the ubiquitous Mies van der Rohe Barcelona Couch. The gray and white brindle hair-on-hide versions with black bolster pillow in particular, are my play on the Corbusier cow print Chaise lounge.”

Notes

Standard Materials: Wood, Brass, Leather COL Available
Dimensions: 84"L x 31"W x 16"H
Lead Time: 16-20 weeks

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Colony_-EAE-DAYBED-Leather_Erickson-Aesthetic

Colony_ EAE DAYBED_Erickson Aesthetic Detail

Colony_ EAE Daybed Detail _Erickson Aesthetic

More Of

The options for lounging are limitless…

Crescent Lounge

A study in balance.

Chaise Lounger

Wood frame meets circular arm in a divine intersection.

Cloud Sofa

Peep the hand-hammered metal legs.

What We Keep: Behind The Book 3

March 28, 2024 jeanlin

My first book, What We Keep will be published on May 14 (available now for preorder). I can hardly wait for you all to see it. In the meantime, I'm so thrilled to share some behind the scenes content with you here. Excerpts, b-roll images, video clips from my interviews with contributors, will hopefully give you a sense of what went into writing, styling and photographing this book, as well as a little peek into its pages.

My professional path has always been informed closely by my personal passions, so I called upon my Taiwanese heritage to structure the book in five sections, each named after one of the Traditional Chinese elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Much like the elements, the sections of the book are distinct in style and sentiment, yet deepened by their kinship to one another. Here is a preview and behind the scenes look at Section 3: Earth.

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Photographing Hiroko Takeda

I've known Hiroko Takeda for more than ten years and I've always loved visiting her studio. Chock full of inspiration, her looms themselves are works of art. I loved the chance, after all these years, to capture her at work.

From Section 3: Earth

For a designer with a knack for collecting, Maya has a house that is refreshingly clear of clutter. Nicknamed the 6ft Up House, it manages to delight without overwhelming. No art hangs on the walls, she points out, because that feels so permanent, and her family likes to change and move and shuffle their favorite objects often. The cutting boards could one day be stacked tall and aslant as a centerpiece on the dining table, the next day leaned against a wall of the kitchen to dry. The quilt collection is stacked tall, a living barometer of how fast her kids are growing.

Each collection started with one item and eventually grew to “critical mass,” she says of her cutting boards and quilts and blankets. Each piece has a meaning, a story behind it, and a use. Creating a new tradition of heirlooms for her family may seem like a tall order, but the kids get it. “They understand that someday these things will be theirs.”

Those Author Portraits!

As I was crafting the sections of the book, I had a somewhat unorthodox idea: author portraits themed to each chapter. My editor, Shawna hated it immediately.

Still I persisted, hanging onto the fact that I was doing a terrible job explaining the concept. I really believed that artful, fashion forward images would anchor readers to my personal voice, as well as provide a visual starting point for the pages to follow.

I knew that to pull this off, and convince Shawna, I would have to call in the dream team. I asked a long time favorite, Winnie Au to shoot the portraits and a true fashion star, Diana Tsui to style me. Flora Kamimoto did my make up and Mayumi Maeda did my hair. Each element of the shoot: the set, the props, the makeup and the hair, all pulled aesthetic inspiration from the chapter that follows.

Shawna came around.

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You’re Invited: 196 West Broadway

March 25, 2024 Madeleine Parsons

Please join us for an evening of celebration in our new home: 196 West Broadway. On Thursday, April 25, 6-9 PM you're invited to come take in fresh work by our designers and raise a glass to our exciting next chapter.

We hope to see you there!

The deadline to RSVP for this event has passed.

Passages: The Earth is a Living Thing

March 19, 2024 Madeleine Parsons

THE EARTH IS A LIVING THING
Lucille Clifton

is a black shampling bear

ruffling its wild back and tossing

mountains into the sea

is a black hawk

the burying ground circling the bones

picked clean and discarded

is a fish black blind in the belly of water

is a diamond blind in the black belly of coal

is a black and living thing

is a favorite child

of the universe

feel her rolling her hand

in its kinky hair

feel her brushing it clean

____________________

AME Lamy by Studio Paolo Ferrari

Aries XI.II by Bec Brittain

Beacon 36" Half-Round by Allied Maker
Off-Grid Credenza by Grain

The Source Console Table No.3 by A Space
Mesa Dining Table by Vonnegut/Kraft

More Of

EAE Black Lounge Chair

Standard Materials: Black Leather, Blackened Brass
Dimensions: 28″L x 31″W x 28″H
Lead Time: 16-20 weeks

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Cantilever Armchair

Standard Materials: Cherry, Ash, Walnut, Maple and Oak
Dimensions: 20.5"L x 18.5"W x 35"H
Lead Time: 14-16 weeks

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Cove/Arc Credenza

Standard Materials: Ash (shown ebonized)
Dimensions: 84"L x 18"W x 36"H
Lead Time: 16-20 weeks

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Spec Sheet: Fort Credenza by SSS Atelier

March 12, 2024 Thomas Yang

For many of us, first forays into design might be traced back to the construction of our beloved childhood forts and the particular pride and delight of building with one's own hands. For SSS Atelier founder and designer, Sarah Sherman Samuel, those days of youthful dynamism have manifested in the Fort Credenza, inspired by the structural design of her own early creations. This hyper linear piece provides a generous 8 full feet of storage, and can be customized to accommodate the specifics of your space.

Notes

Standard Materials: Oak, Ebonized Oak, Walnut
Dimensions: 4101"L x 18"W x 22.5"H
Lead Time: 16-18 weeks

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Life/Design

Top off your new credenza with our coffee table book recs below…

What We Keep

We would be remiss not to include the forthcoming pride of our Colony joy.

Faith Ringgold: American People

Her retrospective at the New Museum blew us away.

______is a breakfast food

Compelling as an art object and pragmatic for breakfast connoisseurs.

What We Keep: Behind The Book 2

March 6, 2024 jeanlin

My first book, What We Keep will be published on May 14 (available now for preorder). I can hardly wait for you all to see it. In the meantime, I'm so thrilled to share some behind the scenes content with you here. Excerpts, b-roll images, video clips from my interviews with contributors, will hopefully give you a sense of what went into writing, styling and photographing this book, as well as a little peek into its pages.

My professional path has always been informed closely by my personal passions, so I called upon my Taiwanese heritage to structure the book in five sections, each named after one of the Traditional Chinese elements: Wood, Fire, Earth, Metal and Water. Much like the elements, the sections of the book are distinct in style and sentiment, yet deepened by their kinship to one another. Here is a preview and behind the scenes look at Section 2: Fire.

Order what we keep

Amazon

Bookshop

Photographing The Hot Shop

The glassblowing shop that Deb Czeresko works out of is SO HOT. Brooke and I may look ok but we were not ok. We almost passed out. The takeaway is that Deb is a bad ass.

From Section 2: Fire

They treat the four-room home as their creative playground. Artworks, vintage finds, furniture, lighting, and books are puzzle pieces that sometimes interlock, sometimes repel, but are ultimately never staid. The walls behind their bed and sofa -- on opposite ends of the apartment -- each offer a master class on how to perfect a gallery wall. Not a measurement made, but every inch exudes emotion unspoken.

"We love found objects and we love found art. So much of our collection as it exists now is from our travels. We believe in the power of the stories behind the pieces. So much of art and design is now about who is on the label or how much something is worth. It takes the joy out of seeing things as they are. We try to be as innocent and curious as possible as we grow our collection."

LES Collection

“I find that candelabras change the house's atmosphere the same way jewelry can transform a simple outfit, making it feel fresh and seasonal,” says Lauren Sands, founder of design gallery LES Collection. “I use candelabras to change up any room in my house when it feels stale. They are placed on coffee tables, credenza, kitchen shelves, and anywhere else I think needs an accent. At any time, you will find maybe ten pairs of candlestick holders scattered throughout the home on various surfaces.”

“I utilize my collection the most on the dining room table. Entertaining is a major way I express my creativity. Throwing a dinner party, for me, is an act of curation. The tabletop decor, the food, the guests, the right mix can be magical. When setting the table, I always start with the candelabras and build the rest around that.”

Lauren's collection is awe-inspiring, and I'm excited to share a glimpse of it in the book, but wanted to share some thoughts and images that didn't make the final pages.

Dinner with Kwame and Wylie Dufresne

I was adamant about including a chef in the book, specifically for the Fire section, so I reached out to Keith Durst for help. Keith is the founder of Friend of Chef, a strategic advisory firm that works with restaurants, owners, chefs and designers on starting and operating restaurants.

Keith asked me to name the one chef I would want in my book, and after much thought, I answered Kwame Onwuachi. Kwame is young, stylish and a fire starter in his own right -- absolutely perfect for What We Keep.

"Instead of an introduction over email, why don't you and Drew join me for dinner at Tatiana," said Keith, inviting me to Kwame's new restaurant. It was an unceremonious invite to a restaurant that has since been named the top restaurant in NYC by Pete Wells of the NY Times and subsequently become the most elusive reservation in town.

When I arrived at Tatiana, I saw Keith, Drew, and across from my empty seat, none other than legendary chef Wylie Dufresne. Wylie is one of Kwame's heroes and he sent the entire menu that evening. I also don't think Kwame could say "no" to my book with Wylie smiling at him across the way. Thank you Keith, thank you Kwame and thank you Wylie for making my Fire chapter complete.