It's been a sleepy summer in the New York design scene – out-of-office hours were more often on than off. But finally the energy is back. Fall has arrived with clever product launches and big openings just in time for the holidays, and I've made it my mission to see most of them.
Several brands have emerged and launched collaborations with eye-catching names (like Framebridge's collection with Farrow & Ball – four years in the making), while long-awaited openings (like Maharam's new Gramercy showroom, a temple of textiles) have refreshed the streets with new design goals. All in all, the mood is good.
And it's just starting to get hot. Here's just a snapshot of what I've seen over the last month or so, now that we're all back to our day jobs – and a few things that are currently fueling my daydreams.
COLOR THEORY
Benjamin Moore always has one of the biggest color of the year announcements of the year.
(Image credit: Benjamin Moore)
The espresso martini in my hand was no coincidence at a recent party celebrating the debut of Silhouette AF-655, Benjamin Moore's color of the year. The hue – an espresso note with a touch of charcoal – is reminiscent of the kind of tailored suits that hit the runways season after season.
All week I had been asking friends to predict the color, and most were predicting something louder; Instead, the selection has a little more depth, leaning toward the warmer, bolder neutrals and chocolatey browns that interior designers have been loving lately. For me, it is a balanced color with staying power: just like the stylish suit it refers to, it is at the same time structured yet soft, masculine yet feminine, trendy yet timeless. Dare I say it's fashionable? I dare.
COLLABU CLOCK
The Haulm counter stool is part of a collaboration between CB2 and the rock star's interior design studio, Kravitz Design.
(Image credit: CB2)
I've never met a corduroy stool I didn't like—but I didn't expect to love one by Lenny Kravitz. The new Haulm counter stool is part of the rock star's third collaboration with CB2, a 62-piece model that channels European modernism through Malibu's relaxed, enviable lifestyle.
It has a hand-woven cord seat with a geometric pattern, just like the well-known Danish variants, but it's encased in stainless steel (continuing the cool metallic trend) to give it a modern touch.
The other highlight for me is the Nagara lighting series: rice paper shades contrast with polished wire frames and provide soft lighting with visual structure. It feels old fashioned and brand new at the same time, to put it in words timeless.
Material matters
Mixing matte and iridescent in the same collection opens up new design possibilities.
(Image credit: TileBar)
Patina can be romantic. It's a quality that many designers I've spoken to lately are looking for, but it's difficult to recreate from scratch – without at least looking artificial. TileBar's new fall collection fits well into this line and leans on a tried-and-tested aesthetic that still feels modern.
The highlight is Open Terracotta, designed by ceramics expert Paula Purroy and handcrafted in Italy: a clever mix of matte and iridescent squares grouped in earthy color palettes. This creates a lived-in feel that's particularly rare in new builds (which is why an exposed brick wall can always be a sought-after commodity) or clean interiors that scream character. It's rustic charm for your modern interior…without having to wait a century for it to emerge on its own.
Technical discussion
Maharam's showroom was designed by architect Neil Logan, who shares the same name behind Maharam's headquarters and is located on the same block.
(Image credit: Mikael Olsson, courtesy of Neil Logan)
I've watched from afar as Maharam opened new showrooms in Chicago, then London, then Los Angeles—and that's why it feels significant that the New York-founded textile house has finally opened a street-level space in the city where it all began.
It's the brand's first multi-label showroom (including Edelman Leather and Knoll Textiles) in NYC and you'll find it in a redesigned and restored Beaux-Arts store in Gramercy.
Inside, long, custom-made plywood tables display square textiles in fan-like grids, like a patchwork quilt waiting to be sewn together. For design nerds like me, it's a new pilgrimage to see the latest debuts as well as iconic designs from Alexander Girard, Anni Albers and Charles and Ray Eames.
DESIGN DROPS
These frame triptychs come with life-size hanging instructions to ensure perfect spacing.
(Image credit: Framebridge)
This doesn't sound like a broken record, but repetition in interior design is one of the most reliable tools in a designer's playbook. It was also the unsung star of Zoë Feldman's new gallery wall collection for Framebridge. While their mini triptych features the smallest frames in the series, the series offers a clever and compact way to create a simple rhythm virtually anywhere, and in the bold Madrid & Blush colorway, the trio also doubles as a foolproof way to decorate with red, a notoriously tricky hue that still packs an impact.
And while we're doubling down, Framebridge has also launched the Farrow & Ball collection, which brings the legacy paint brand's most popular colors (like India Yellow, which is particularly popular with celebrities) to antique frames that have a touch more modern feel thanks to the matte hues.
I thought their launch campaign was brilliant, with tone-on-tone interior design (like an Etruscan red frame on an Etruscan red wall), encapsulating the color overload trend. This collaboration was worth the wait.
What's on the horizon? I expect to see more brands capitalizing on experiential moments with immersive showrooms, not to mention a flood of new products launching in time for holiday deliveries. Stay tuned.