Dwell Mar-14

A theme we return to again and again is the home as laboratory—a place to experiment, to solve problems, and to explore possibilities. We all negotiate between space and possessions, no matter our circumstances. This issue is devoted to the idea of a residential testing ground, expressed by those who have chosen the pursuit of good design as a professional focus. Constraint is welcome in design, because clearly defined parameters yield innovative results. Take the case of an existing structure where, for one reason or another, knocking down walls or expanding the site’s footprint is not an option. The designer must find creative solutions that address the issue at hand. Consider Matali Crasset’s idiosyncratic approach to a centuries-old farmhouse in the French countryside on page 76. There, she executed a…

The Small Spaces, Big Ideas issue was full of engaging, interesting stories. I was especially charmed by Irene Sævik’s summer cabin in Norway (“Compact Cabin,” November 2013). She opens up the space by separating the different quarters of the house into individual sections, connected by decks. I imagine that to walk barefoot across Sævik’s “outdoor galleries” is a refreshing experience on early mornings or breezy afternoons. I do wonder, however, about the quality of residence at the cabin under less ideal and extreme weather conditions. How do heavy rains and snowstorms affect the functionality and comfort level of the floor plan? Inviting nature into the house is a significant move away from today’s technology-based, indoor lifestyle—something we should all think about in the face of many global environmental problems. But…

March 2014 Ball & Albanese Photographers Wendy Ball and Dara Albanese shoot for Lonny, Food & Wine, and Condé Nast Traveller (UK). Based in Brooklyn, New York, they drove upstate to the town of Geneva to shoot the Miles & May home and furniture factory (Modern World, p. 29). “It was inspiring to meet owners Amy and Brandon,” the photographers say. “They are talented, with impeccable taste.” Claudine Le Tourneur d’Ison While visiting jewelry designer Michèle Monory’s Nice, France, residence (“Fine Campagne,” p. 76), journalist, book author, and documentary television producer Claudine Le Tourneur d’Ison was treated to a meal made from local ingredients: “I will never forget the lunch Michèle prepared—delicious vegetables and strawberries, harvested from the area,” she says. Kirin J. Makker Trained in literature and architecture, Kirin…

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Italian designer and founder of the Memphis movement, Ettore Sottsass is widely known for his expressive furniture and futuristic, sometimes goofy visions of everyday objects. On paper, Sottsass’s aesthetic is equally vanguard, as seen in his 1971 gouache-and-ink drawing Preliminary Project for Microenvironment, Element for Landscape Home (above). Recently acquired by the Museum of Modern Art, the sketch is emblematic of a design movement still holding sway over the furniture and interiors of today. For the last several years, designers have been toying with a distinctly un-minimalist vision of product design. Referencing the postmodern movement of the 1980s, they incorporate mixed geometries, primary colors, and pastiche material treatments. The work of Italian designer Ettore Sottsass is experiencing something of a renaissance, so an auction of his personal archive is well-timed.…

By eschewing high gloss for a matte finish, these pieces tout a quiet subtlety. Lest you think them too Plain Jane, consider matte’s powdery velvet texture—a tactile bonus for a low-prof le look. A Matte Black Oslo cutlery set by Canvas, $80 A sooty finish for stainless-steel flatware made in Portugal elevates everyday utensils. canvashomestore.com B Cobra wall lamp by Greta Grossman for Gubi, $440 Sweden-by-way-of-California designer Greta Magnusson Grossman’s iconic lighting is now available in a compact sconce version. shophorne.com C Lenny portable speaker by Pierre Favresse for Habitat and Jean-Yves Le Porcher for Elipson, $400 Make beautiful music with this Bluetoothenabled collaboration between the British home goods retailer and the French hi-fimanufacturer. elipson.com D Graft sideboard by Derek Welsh Studio, $3,720 Welsh’s understated, livable Graft collection includes this…