JOURNAL – Page 5

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

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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.

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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.

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Palette: Prisms

March 5, 2024 Madeleine Parsons

Aries Sconce III.I

Standard Materials: Aluminum, Glass Prism
Dimensions: 15"W x 11"D x 11"H
Lead Time: 14-16 weeks

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Apollo GJ

Standard Materials: Metallic Thread, Linen and Cotton
Dimensions: 130"L x 39"W
Lead Time: 20-24 weeks

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Lexan Series End Table

Standard Materials: Clear Lexan and Blue Oil-Painted Edge
Dimensions: 24"H x 18"D x 18"W
Lead Time: 14-16 weeks

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Boe Bebop Lounge

Standard Materials: White Ash, Hiroko Takeda textile
Dimensions: 32”L x 26" W x 24" H
Lead Time: 14 - 16 weeks

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Aries Sconce III.I_Bec Brittain_Colony_2

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These three pieces illuminate a spectrum of possibilities…

Prism Pendant 59"

Blown glass sheets mimic the effects of prismatic light.

Neptune

Takeda expertly weaves monofilament, metallics, linen, cotton, wool and kid mohair.

Phaedra Sconce 23", 34"

When lit, strands of prisms cast captivating shadows about the space.

Spec Sheet: Arc/Shift Coffee Table By KWH

February 26, 2024 Thomas Yang

The Arc/Shift Coffee Table is a piece with magnetism. Its layered top rises out of an underbelly of expertly crafted contours to betray an otherwise monolithic presence. A staple of the Arc series, the table features solid, Bleached Ash of the hardwearing KWH caliber we can be sure of. Custom dimensions and finishes are available (we’d love to see this beauty in Black Walnut!).

Notes

Standard Materials: Bleached Ash
Tearsheet download
Table: 48"W x 72"L x 17"H

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More Of

More coffee tables to hold your copy of What We Keep come May…

Mr. C Table

Stunning white oak Noguchi-inspired legs.

Ledge Coffee Table

It's the double bullnose top for us.

Radial Coffee Table

The more KWH the better.

What We Keep: Behind The Book 1

February 20, 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 1: Wood.

Order what we keep

Amazon

Bookshop

Photographing Nakashima Woodworkers

It's hard to put into words the magic that is the Nakashima Woodworkers campus. Brooke, Dan (our trusty production coordinator) and I were blown away by the beauty of the landscape, the history of the architecture and the Nakashima team's hospitality. I'm so proud of the images we captured here and so excited for you to read the words that Mira Nakashima shared with me.

From Section 1: Wood

Before I ever saw their apartment, I asked Adam and Martin if they collected anything, and they looked at each other sheepishly, explaining they had a lot of stuff but weren’t collectors. Then Adam nodded at Martin and said, “Boxes.” Both looked at their toes, as if they were embarrassed to call it a collection, or that the collecting had been unintentional, that one morning they had simply awakened to a pile of boxes. But in fact, the collection of boxes that Martin and Adam share—mainly wood, varying in shape, displayed and stacked with care— is thoughtful and considered.

“The boxes are Martin’s thing,” Adam declares boldly; then he pauses and redacts. “Well, conceptually they connect to both of us.” He continues to reflect on the collection in a stream-of-consciousness way:

“There is never anything in them.

“The boxes are all empty.

“They represent utility.

“Or the beauty in a lack of utility.

“Or the option for utility.

“We could put something in them. The option is there.

“They represent potential.”

Proem Studio

We had the honor of shooting the home of Proem Studio founder Marie Trohman in Los Angeles for What We Keep. Some of my favorite shots in the book came from this project not just because the home was beautifully designed, but also because it was this Spanish style colonial architecture that is special to Southern California. Marie's design sense was matched only by her amazing art collection. As is the nature of editing, not all of the pictures made it into the final book, but I loved them all and wanted to share them here.

Scouting the cover shot

Brooke caught this shot of me snapping what was eventually going to become our cover image. It's in a bathroom! Architect Brent Buck's bathroom to be specific. Brent is an avid collector of many things, but most notably, he owns every Dansk pepper mill that was ever put into production.

BFFs

Not only was I able to shoot this book with one of my favorite people, Brooke Holm, I also was able to profile and include so many of my best friends within its pages. I interviewed them and asked them questions I thought I knew the answers to, but quickly discovered that they had so much to share beyond what I already knew. It's one of the many unexpected joys of writing this book: rediscovering my friends and falling in love all over again.

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Notes from the Curator: Making Moves, Goodbye 324 Canal Street

February 13, 2024 jeanlin

Colony is moving! After 10 years in 324 Canal Street, we are moving to a new street-level gallery at 196 West Broadway. Keep an eye out for your invite to our opening bash. But until then, we're getting sentimental over here. 😭

The first time I walked up the creaky steps of 324 Canal Street to the second floor, I had already viewed dozens of commercial spaces in downtown Manhattan. It was 2013 and Colony was just a fledgling idea without a home.

The open loft space with 15 foot ceilings had graffiti on the walls, no lights, and the rotting plywood floor was pitched 14". Anything you put on the floor would roll to the front corner of the space. A thick layer of dust covered everything and the tin ceiling had all but rusted out in spots.

"It's perfect" I said, submitting an offer letter the same day. As a start up with no financials (and a girl with no financials) it was a long shot. But I went for it with my whole heart, because despite its rough edges, when I closed my eyes I could see the beginning of my dream taking shape.

I slowly started filling the space. First with the essentials like a floor and light. And over the past ten years, I've been fortunate to fill 324 Canal with friends and their work, with strangers seeking beauty, with anything, really, in the name of inspiration. Here at 324 Canal Street we've broke bread, downward dogged, bathed in sound, we've drank and we've drawn. We've made posters for protests, we've cried over election results, we've mourned losses and celebrated births. For the past ten years 324 Canal has been home.

Thank you all for wading through a sea of counterfeit bags on Canal Street to stand in front of a rickety door that did not have a number, but did have air conditioning water dripping on your head. Thank you for knowing which buzzer to hit, even when our little "Colony" sticker had peeled off. Thank you for not leaving when the cage door was impossible to open, and when the fluorescent lighting in the stairs flickered. Thank you for your smile when we popped our heads out at the top of the stairs to tell you to come on up, and thank you for your gasps when you came in (they never got old and always made me feel so proud). Thank you for coming back, again and again and thank you for making us a stop on your trips to NYC. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

The work we made here, the experiences we created, are without contest my proudest professional moments. It is hard for me to imagine loving a space as much as I've loved this one.

196 West Broadway has big shoes to fill, and I hope you all will (again) help me fill them.

With excitement for the future,

Jean Lin

Colony Classics: Dish Side Table by Grain

February 5, 2024 Thomas Yang

Grain has always been forward-thinking, be it in their commitment to environmentalism or in their progressive design. In 2012, they launched the Dish series, a collection distinguished by striking sloped underbellies, like that of the Dish Side Table. These sculptural tables are not only milled to avoid warping and cracking over time, but also double as stools. Co-founder Chelsea Minola recalls, ““Our first Dish tables were inspired by a collection of hand-carved stools that I inherited from my grandparents. The original tables have a great sculptural presence but warped and cracked over time. Our idea was to take inspiration from the basic dished-out top but to make them in a way that allows for more stability as well as providing a more useful flat surface.”

For her partner James, the tables are more about the fabrication process itself, “Traditionally, if you are going to make a wood dish or bowl you would use a lathe, but that process is quite limiting in terms of scale.” They utilize a robotic milling arm in its stead, allowing them to refine massive cuts of lumber to smooth distinction.

Notes

Standard Materials: FSC Certified Ash, Blackened Ash, Douglas Fir, Walnut
Dimensions: 18 ø x 16"H
Lead Time: 12-14 weeks

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Colony_Dish Table_Grain WalnutIn Progress

Life/Design

See below for more eye-catching Grain selections:

Clover Side Table

Standard Materials: Solid Cork
Dimensions: 14.5"W x 14.5"D x 16"H
Lead Time: 12-14 weeks

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Circlet Single Sconce

Standard Materials: Solid Cork
Dimensions: 8"L x 6"W x 7"H
Lead Time: 10-12 weeks

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Drift Side Table

Standard Materials: FSC Ash, Cast Glass,Brass
Dimensions: 18"L x 18"W x 17"H
Lead Time: 12-14 weeks

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Introducing: What We Keep by Jean Lin

January 29, 2024 Madeleine Parsons

Summers were once slow at Colony. With clients out of town between the hazy months of June and August, Jean and I would pass each day in the gallery dreaming up grand plans for the future. We’d sprawl out on floor cushions with a notebook and pen close by. Fast forward half a decade, and it’s a different scene. We don’t have much time for lounging, not even in the dog days of summer.

Out of the many dreams scrawled across these pages, I distinctly remember circling one of Jean’s in black pen:

Write a book.

Today, I have the honor and unique pleasure of announcing that What We Keep, written and styled by Jean Lin with photography by Brooke Holm, is now available for preorder.

Published by Abrams and officially in stores on May 14, the book celebrates the revealing nature of the objects we choose to surround ourselves with. The interviews, features and studio visits within these pages convey Jean’s belief that the industry we work in is built on a holistic ecosystem of respect that exists between the artist/maker, designer and collector. What We Keep encourages readers to consider objects in their own lives through a new lens, unraveling each collector’s unique narrative and the beautiful objects that embody it.

Over the months (and months) it took Jean to bring this book together, I listened to her interview various subjects— from close friends like Colony designers to idols like Mira Nakashima. She was determined that each and every one felt seen through her writing about their collection or practice. Yes, What We Keep is visually stunning, but I urge you to read its pages because hearing others’ truths only helps us find our own.

As someone who has moved apartments ten times across twelve years, the titular phrase “What We Keep” feels particularly significant. My first Christmas at Colony, Jean gifted me a pink half-moon chair by Vonnegut/Kraft because she apparently grew tired of me fawning over it. I’ve since moved that chair across Brooklyn over and over, deeming it my nightstand, bookshelf, or desk chair in turns. Through our friendship, she has helped me identify my own reasons for finding substantive beauty in the objects I surround myself with. I’m so proud that through the words and images in What We Keep Jean will inspire you to identify yours as well.

In gratitude,
Madeleine Parsons

Order what we keep

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In Detail: Roebuck

January 16, 2024 Thomas Yang

The elegant swoop of joinery which defines Scheibe Design’s Roebuck collection exemplifies what we’ve come to love about this studio: their penchant for detail. Says co-founder Nate Scheibe, “The collection began around a unique connection between the legs and top which is carried on throughout.” The father/son team out of Nashville seamlessly blends materials to harmony as seen in the winning combo of laminated leather and bleached Walnut in the Roebuck Nightstand or the restrained pairing of Oak and light bouclé in the Roebuck Bench. The Roebuck dresser, with its distinctly curved facade, debuts this month with the segmented, obround pulls of our dreams.

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These unmistakable pulls will have you opening drawers just for fun…