VT (for all of my design-obsessed peeps)

imagecourtesyjjjjound “We read to know that we are not alone.” — C.S. Lewis

imagecourtesytheenglishmuse When I get a little money, I buy books. If any is left, I buy food and clothes.” — Erasmus

imagecourtesythecaptivereaderwordpress viabeautiful-librariescom “I have always imagined that Paradise will be a kind of library.” — Jorge Luis Borges

imagecourtesgawker/latimes “We need to make books cool again. If you go home with somebody and they don’t have books, don’t fuck them. Don’t sleep with people who don’t read!” – John Waters

imagecourtesyvignettedesignblogspotviabeautiful-librariescom “You think your pain and your heartbreak are unprecedented in the history of the world, but then you read. It was books that taught me that the things that tormented me most were the very things that connected me with all the people who were alive, or who had ever been alive.” — James Baldwin

imagecourtesyiappreciatethatviabeautiful-librariescom “Reading is everything. Reading makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something, learned something, become a better person. Reading makes me smarter. Reading gives me something to talk about later on. Reading is the unbelievably healthy way my attention deficit disorder medicates itself. Reading is escape, and the opposite of escape; it’s a way to make contact with reality after a day of making things up, and it’s a way of making contact with someone else’s imagination after a day that’s all too real. Reading is grist. Reading is bliss.” — Nora Ephron

imagecourtesygermansocietyorg viabeautiful-librariescom “I still love books. Nothing a computer can do can compare to a book. You can’t really put a book on the Internet. Three companies have offered to put books by me on the Net, and I said, ‘If you can make something that has a nice jacket, nice paper with that nice smell, then we’ll talk.’ All the computer can give you is a manuscript. People don’t want to read manuscripts. They want to read books. Books smell good. They look good. You can press it to your bosom. You can carry it in your pocket.”  – Ray Bradbury

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: VISUAL TREATS presents IT'S A BOOK(ISH) WORLD / D... : imagecourtesyjjjjoundblog “I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound or stab us. If the book we’re reading doesn’t ...

imagecourtesyjjjjoundblog “I think we ought to read only the kind of books that wound or stab us. If the book we’re reading doesn’t wake us up with a blow to the head, what are we reading for? So that it will make us happy, as you write? Good Lord, we would be happy precisely if we had no books, and the kind of books that make us happy are the kind we could write ourselves if we had to. But we need books that affect us like a disaster, that grieve us deeply, like the death of someone we loved more than ourselves, like being banished into forests far from everyone, like a suicide. A book must be the axe for the frozen sea within us. That is my belief.” – Franz Kafka

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: INTERIORS AROUND THE WORLD / Day 5 -- HECKER, PH... : photobyshannonmcgrath Peeps, It seems that what we've now come to expect as 'English country charm' or 'Parisian glamour' or even...

photobyshannonmcgrath Peeps, It seems that what we've now come to expect as 'English country charm' or 'Parisian glamour' or even the multi-patterned tile/layered floor carpets/ vivid-hued wall riad of the 'Morocco/Casbah style' could be the inventiveness of an observant writer or two, sympathetic critics, an ambitious editor, savvy business-types, dreamy creative types, gullible patrons, and presto--fast forward to a style/movement/genre/of the school of . . . .  Happens all the time in art, design, architecture, cinema, literature and fashion.  It was a bit of a surprise that a purview of homes and buildings around the world show a lot of similarity, a lack of individuality, and reveal a format that could be seen throughout many of the 'triumphs' featured in Moscow, London, or Brazil.  Image upon image have pressed themselves upon my roving eyes, and many without leaving a fragment worth remembering.  Blank walls, expansive floors, modul...

imagecourtesyjjjjoundblog Peeps, A visual treat to enjoy with breakfast, or during the lunch break.  I enjoyed all your emails this week, and just wanted to say thanks (for everything). Sincerely, Shane

imagecourtesyberlinrodeo Peeps, I've realized that any discussion about design in Germany would be wholly inadequate without acknowledging the superlative level of creativity found in Berlin.  Magazine editors and bloggers rave about the fashion sensibilities of Berliners (both street style and the clothing lines presented on the runways during Fashion Week).  Art critics, dealers, and curators unanimously acknowledge that Berlin's burgeoning art scene is the loci of imaginative, energetic, raw, and uncensored offerings in fine arts, as well as the decorative and applied arts, industrial and graphic design.  Apparently artistic types from all parts of the continent, and as far east as the western frontiers of the former USSR have discovered the attractions of this city situated on the cross-roads between East and West.  Friends of mine who deal in antiques grumble that London has been picked clean, Paris and New York's inventory is too pricey to turn a prof...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: INTERIORS AROUND THE WORLD / DAY 4 -- BERLIN RODE... : imagecourtesyberlinrodeo Peeps, I've realized that any discussion about design in Germany would be wholly inadequate without ackno...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: INTERIORS AROUND THE WORLD / Day 3 -- BRICKS AMST... : photocourtesybricksamsterdam Peeps, Looking outside this morning, there is little drama or winter splendor to behold. It's grey, gr...

photocourtesybricksamsterdam Peeps, Looking outside this morning, there is little drama or winter splendor to behold.  It's grey, grey, grey and everything seems lackluster for no more snow predicted, the ice is ever so slowly melting without having to scrape or put down rock-salt, and the grocery shopping was done yesterday, so now no need to go anywhere.  So back inside where its warm, cozy and amaryllis bulbs from last year have emerged with a vengeance.  On my desk, they reach upward 3 feet high on narrow stalks, like exotic birds on the ready for frenzied courtship.  Coffee, chicken salad sandwiches, and two Netflix movies sitting in the mailbox for this afternoon's viewing -- yes, life is complete. I am particularly drawn to today's visual treat by James van der Velden of the interior design firm Bricks Amsterdam ( www.bricksamsterdam.com ).  His approach to design, which he calls 'Timeless Eclecticism, describes his philosophy of combining c...

photocourtesypascalarquitectos Peeps, Modern design, particularly in architecture, interiors, and home furnishings, has long been a mainstay of our southern neighbors, such as the countries of Mexico, Brazil, and Uruguay.  If one expects to wander into any of the capital cities and revel in the sights or sounds made famous by the late, great travel writers of the 70's, rest assured that you're much too late. The ubiquitous tile-roofed hacienda filled with colonial furnishings and ancestor paintings, or market-stalls heaped with silver and gold crafts tended by unknowing merchants is long gone. And now replaced by design-savvy architects and designers who have mined the long history of modernity in Latin America to produce show-stopping projects which both embrace new technology as well as reflect the traditional design vernacular.  I believe that Octavio Paz would have been surprised at the bravado and passion with which design professionals in the major cities in Mexic...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: INTERIORS AROUND THE WORLD / Day 2 -- PASCAL ARQUI... : photocourtesypascalarquitectos Peeps, Modern design, particularly in architecture, interiors, and home furnishings, has long been a m...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: INTERIORS AROUND THE WORLD / Day 1 -- TORONTO INT... : photocourtesytorontointeriordesigngroup Peeps, It seemed like a great time for arm-chair travel. While the days can be deceptiv...

photocourtesytorontointeriordesigngroup Peeps, It seemed like a great time for arm-chair travel.  While the days can be deceptively warm (at least until sunset), at night there is no better place to be than at home -- snug as a bug in a rug!  A few of the holiday gifts I received were subscriptions to design magazines from Canada, France, and my most favorite of all, namely World of Interiors .  One of the activities we enjoyed as kids was searching through maps for obscure points we'd like to explore in the search for hidden treasures, or near-extinct animals.  My brother G. still relishes the excitement and drama of haggling with bazaar-merchants or scolding lazy hotel-maids for dust-balls and missing hand-towels.  Woe to the tour-guide who doesn't offer a near encyclopedic knowledge of local sights and attractions.  As of late, I am quite content to experience the adventure second-hand; imagination, perception, and empathy when combined ...

epsolonlake photocourtesysebastianalvarez/imagrafica Peeps, The allure it holds for us will probably never subside, and throughout the centuries the attraction has scarcely diminished.  Indeed, many nations have based their economies on the amassing, distribution, and scrupulous account-keeping of this valuable commodity; valuable only in that it is desired, quantified, and thus of worth.  In its raw, unprocessed state, it is unlikely that persons could nourish or nurture upon it, and as yet any alleged life-saving properties elude patent.  In the realm of nature, it is but a minor component of the earth's composition, yet in society, we thrill and quiver at the very notion of ownership.  Yet, lately, we've began to realize that something is amiss, and that the dream could well be a nightmare clothed in shiny robes. Gold mining and extraction is a not a glamorous business, and far removed from the tempting displays found at jewelry stores, featured in magazin...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: VISIONS OF BEAUTY (part 2) / DAY 5 -- NO DIRTY GOL... : epsolonlake photocourtesysebastianalvarez/imagrafica Peeps, The allure it holds for us will probably never subside, and throughout th...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: VISIONS OF BEAUTY (part 2) / Day 4 -- CLODAGH (DES... : imagecourtesyclodagh Peeps, It is a little intimidating to meet one's idols (or heroes) in everyday life. Between magazine page or ...

imagecourtesyclodagh Peeps, It is a little intimidating to meet one's idols (or heroes) in everyday life.  Between magazine page or movie screen and a personal encounter there is still that distance where illusion(s) can be entertained for as long as is desired, or deemed necessary.  Reality is a different matter altogether.  After the initial hand-shake, the cheerful introduction, the quick glance at a name-tag, everything comes rushing to the surface of awareness almost immediately, and without the courtesy of a filter.  Like stepping through an open door and into the sitting room without the buffer offered by a vestibule or entry hall.  I believe that actors and barkers have mastered the art of concealing any vulnerabilities or anxieties, as have sociopaths and various despots in recent history.  French actress Catherine Deneuve confesses to be an expert at the art of facial composition, yet admits that her eyes invariably can betray her inner em...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: VISIONS OF BEAUTY (part 2) / Day 3 -- Wolfgang Oeh... : courtesyofcambridgewhoswhocom Peeps, Sadly, in early December we lost one of our most revered friends, landscape architect Wolfgang ...

courtesyofcambridgewhoswhocom Peeps, Sadly, in early December we lost one of our most revered friends, landscape architect Wolfgang Oehme; and who is considered by many to have been the leading advocate (and perhaps also the founder) of the ' new American garden' movement. Emigrating to America in 1957, he was shocked at the landscape(s) that he observed in our cities.  He abhorred the sterile, passive yards where tightly sheered and pruned evergreens dwarfed homes, where expanses of lawn met the sidewalk without any attempt at privacy or charm, where beds of English ivy grew rampant, and where seasonal interest and color was limited to pansies and impatiens.  He was repulsed (and rightfully so) at the unimaginative gardens he witnessed, as well as concerned about the high degree of pesticides and care demanded by lawns and plant species plainly unsuitable to these parts.  First as a single practitioner, and later as part of the design firm Oehme, Van Sweden &...

photocourtesythebandfrom.com Peeps, While the number of Japanese architect Tadao Ando's completed projects (as well as international awards) has increased, his design vocabulary remains surprisingly restrained, and limited to an continuous dialogue on the themes of: light and darkness; how to achieve a sympathetic integration with context; and the use of everyday materials to expose a humble elegance.   In 2008, Wallpaper  wrote that  ' Tadao's  route into the field of architecture is not what you might expect from one of today’s dominating design forces.  He explored unlikely incarnations as a truck driver and boxer before discovering his penchant for architecture. However, after traveling through Africa, Europe and the United States, Ando settled in his native Japan where he began applying his self-taught methods to building designs that have since earned his status as one of the greatest architects of our time.  With no formal training...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: VISIONS OF BEAUTY (part 2) / DAY 1 -- Daphne Gui... : photocourtesysupermanandsupermodelstumblr Peeps, Model/designer/artist/film-maker/fashion muse Daphne Guinness is a dreamy apparitio...

photocourtesysupermanandsupermodelstumblr Peeps, Model/designer/artist/film-maker/fashion muse Daphne Guinness is a dreamy apparition (above).  She favors couture from McQueen, Gareth Pugh, Lacroix, Tom Ford, Alaia and others, which she wears in her distinctive way.  When asked about her near-obsession with couture, and her considerable support of young designers and artists, her reason is very clear; 'We need better things, not more.  We should not pollute the world with meaningless, unused things when we can make and support things of rare and precious beauty.' An exhibition of her collection of couture garments and accessories was recently displayed at the FIT museum, and a book authored by fashion critic/historian Valerie Steele has just been issued.  An extensive archive of her many looks (including the racier ones) can be seen at  http://daphneguinness.tumblr.com/ .  Daphne is a rare one who must be commended for remaining true to her self (a...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: VISUAL TREATS presents VISIONS OF WINTER / DAY 5 : photocourtesydesiretoinspire Peeps, Funny how this little bug just seemed to dig itself in (my body) and just hang-out (for more d...

photocourtesydesiretoinspire Peeps, Funny how this little bug just seemed to dig itself in (my body) and just hang-out (for more days than I would like).  I have been resting, drinking lots of liquids, and on two successive nights I dined at my favorite Thai restaurant, where I ate curry soup with lots of peppers.  Besides offering great Thai food at reasonable prices, Rincome (on Columbia Pike in Arlington) has a genuinely retro vibe, complete with 50's decor, tropical-inspired drinks with names only ex-pats could identify, and an assorted medley of characters in the adjacent bar who would fit perfectly in a David Lynch movie.  Also a delicious sticky rice with mango dessert that happens to be heavenly with strong, black coffee. Today's interior which I believe is located in Spain or Italy is quite playful, and seems designed (and furnished) to accommodate lots of social gatherings.  The golden wall adds a dramatic element to the room, and reminds me of t...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: VISUAL TREATS presents VISIONS OF WINTER / DAY 4... : photocourtesyathoughtfuleyeblog Peeps, Grey skies again, and oh how tiresome already. I realize that its only the first week of Jan...

photocourtesyathoughtfuleyeblog Peeps, Grey skies again, and oh how tiresome already.  I realize that its only the first week of Jan and still technically early winter, but it's tiresome nevertheless.  Thankfully some design blogs and home magazines have been offering wonderful pictures of color, warmth, and visual excitement. I especially like this interior by talented Spanish designer Luis Bustamante, who employs two tall columns to dramatic effect in this high-ceilinged New York residence.  I doubt that the columns are marble, but instead most likely wonderful examples of a faux-painting technique called 'marbling,' and when executed by a skilled faux-painter, the results are stunning.  Combined here with classical statuary, lots of books, and bursts of red, one could almost forget about the dreary, cold day outside. Please enjoy today's visual treat, as well as the first weekend of 2012. Sincerely, Shane

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: VISUAL TREATS presents VISIONS OF WINTER / DAY 3... : photocourtesycoloroutsidethelinesblog Peeps, It's grey and cloudy here in Washington (DC), and with the wind whipping things around ...

photocourtesycoloroutsidethelinesblog Peeps, It's grey and cloudy here in Washington (DC), and with the wind whipping things around (and the temperature at 32 degrees), no one wants to venture outside for very long.  I love living here for the change of seasons, with beautiful springs and glorious autumnal displays of falling leaves; sure the months of July and August are brutally hot, yet when compared to parts of Texas, it ain't so bad.  Still the grey and gloomy weeks of Jan and Feb are real downers, and makes me wonder why last year, so many eager-beavers jumped on the grey/griege bandwagon when it came time to pick a wall color.  It's bad enough to see it--meaning grey--outside, but to live surrounded by it.  Please!!  Honey, you'd better make it a double and forget the rocks. Today's featured interior makes me smile and feel a little more cheerful.  All my favorite things are here; books on Istanbul and African textiles; folk-art, an...

(VISUAL TREATS) For All of My Design-Obsessed Peeps: VISUAL TREATS presents VISIONS OF WINTER / DAY 2... : photocourtesyphotoproblemviacolorsoflife Peeps, I am hopelessly drawn to the worn and battered, darned and mended; objects, environ...