For years, Restoration Hardware was lost somewhere in the middle of Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel, they were always “the other one”. Over the past few years, however, the brand has really set themselves apart from the competition by taking inspiration from popular tastemakers and making those items available to the masses (a la J.Crew). Today, they’re less Pottery Barn and more Modern 50…and I’m down with that.
It seems the company is taking their rebrand one step further by shortening their name to simply RH…not sure if I’m down with that.
Using street signs for wall decor is usually a bad idea, but vintage subway signs are more than acceptable…it’s a fine line. These replicas, made by Flying Junction, pay homage to the subway signs of the 1900s (a time when everything seemed to well designed). They’re very similar to those available at Restoration Hardware, but for a fraction of the price.
Booze is a beautiful thing, and now you can hang your favorite drink on the wall for all of your guests to enjoy. Sounds tacky, but thanks to the folks at BevShots, which produces modern art prints of beers, wines and cocktails photographed under a microscope, this can be tastefully achieved with minimal damage to your marriage.
I came across this poster while searching for something completely unrelated, which is odd because 90% of what I search for online falls under the category of beer, liquor or food. To my surprise, this poster is available on art.com. A tasteful alternative to the Belushi poster, which needs to be retired upon college graduation.
For the past eight years, Esquire Magazine has been creating signature spaces for the ultimate bachelor. Alternating annually between New York and LA, The Esquire House is the type of place every single man (make that every man) is currently working to obtain. As always, the 2010 pad in L.A. is stacked with an opulent master suite, media room, study, infinity pool and virtual reality lounge. All of the essentials…on my next apartment hunt I’m refusing to look at anything that doesn’t have a virtual reality lounge.
The emergence of digital media has forced magazines to get a little creative in order to expand their brand and remain relevant. This means entering into the digital media market, offering more online, and apparently, in Esquire’s case…making sofas. Esquire recently teamed up with Halo, GO Home and Asia Minor to create the Esquire Home Collection, a selection a home furnishings for the man who understands that a home is an extension of himself. Time to lose that poster of John Belushi taking a swig of Jack.
I’m not against the likes of Pottery Barn and Restoration Hardware, they provide some nice furnishings and the convenience is just too damn, well…convenient. However, decorating your entire home with pieces from a store located next to a Cheesecake Factory doesn’t convey much personality. It’s a half-assed effort.
Next time you’re looking to outfit your home or office with some rustic gear, check out Modern 50. Founded by buddies, Dino Paxenos and Eric Ginter, the Virginia based design collective refurbishes old pieces that have been kicked to the curb for a bevy of residential and retail clients.
Where do you think J.Crew and Ralph get all that old shit?
Strawser & Smith is a new shop located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, that specializes in home furnishings, lighting and other wares that are hand crafted from repurposed relics of America’s industrial past.
Valspar Paint has joined forces with Apartment Therapy and GQ Design Group to create a sort-of advertorial home style guide dubbed: The Inside Man. The blog/guide is a great resource for masculine interior design. So fold up your futons and hide your beer posters, The Inside Man is here.
Street signs, a favorite decorative piece of frat guys across America, might have a place in your home after all. These pieces, designed by Borris Bally, are made from street signs that have been recycled…not stolen by pledges.
