DESIGN OF THE MONTH: April in Paris

What better time of the year than April for a quick trip to the City of Light? Temperatures remain brisk, but the springtime sun is warming up the earth, and Paris is awash with springtime blossoms. And, no matter when you go to Paris, it is, after all, Paris---filled with some of the world’s greatest design, art, and architecture, all waiting for you to jump in and enjoy.

Le Pinot Noir

Although it’s known as the City of Light, Paris could easily also claim the title City of Design.

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Architectural Digest Home Design Show 2011

The annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show opened to huge crowds of design fans and homeowners at New York’s Pier 94.  Maybe after a year of restraint and moderation, people were looking forward to some design indulgence. The four day extravaganza hosted over 300 vendors, design seminars from industry professionals as well as culinary demonstrations and book signings. 

One of the standouts is Ercole Home from Brooklyn, New York.  They combined two rich materials – stained oak wood and glass mosaics – and created a sophisticated line of cabinetry.  Founder and artist, Ornella Pisano, takes her inspiration from her mosaic sculptures.  Their furniture line includes buffets, credenzas, bar cabinets, and tables as well as mirrors and lighting.  The variety of colors of the glass mosaics provides a diverse selection and they can even customize a furniture piece with a unique mosaic design.  

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Earthly and Water Paradise

For a glimpse of an earthly and watery paradise, take a stroll through the California Academy of Sciences and capture, in a few hours, a multitude of flora and fauna in their spectacular habitats. Amazonian rainforests, butterfly parks, swamplands, coral reefs, and starry space are just some of the vistas you will encounter in your stroll. The Academy is located in the heart of San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park and was recently renovated by Italian architect, Renzo Piano.

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Deeply Rooted Love

Oh, darling, can you hear my heart beet?

Yes, the typo is intentional. In the myriad design options for brides and grooms to choose, a new, emerging motif is dovetailing beautifully with the current interest in farming, simplicity, and sweetness: beloved, humble fruits and vegetables.

While this may sound strange at first, fruits and veggies are as likely candidates to be translated into powerful graphic designs as any. Like flora, fauna, fleur de lis, and faux bois, a visual abundance of fruits or vegetables has a sturdy place in classical art – all the way back to antiquity. Beyond that, a wedding reception is traditionally a celebratory feast, and you simply cannot have a feast without food. And the conceptual appeal is hard to top: rooting, growing, blooming, etc. Throughout literature, few words have translated so seamlessly as those about the soil used to describe love.

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