Wishful thinking hopes for a day when “Old Hollywood Glamour”
has been vanquished from design and fashion repertoires. No
doubt it was a spectacular time—red carpet sirens and boudoirs
smothered in satin—however it rings a bit insincere when every
prom dress and ruby lipstick is coyly named Marilyn. Refreshingly
distinctive is the work of Dahouk Chamsi-Pasha and Nada Akkari.
Their London-based studio, dn designs collection, offers lovely
tiebacks and accessories crafted from walnut with mother-of-pearl inlay—a 300 year old tradition they passionately preserve.
Everything handmade and in limited numbers, each accoutrement
reveals elegant reverence for the past and a romance with the
present. From the mother-of-pearl collection. For information, + 44
(0) 20 8876 3903 dndesignscollection.com
Either with aluminum foil or bubble wrap, we are all guilty at some
point. Curiously irresistible is the snapping and crunching of pop-pop-pop amusement. And those slinky metal sheets, creased
lightly over dark chocolate squares, concealing Wonka’s elusive
ticket. Texture is a sumptuous kind of fetish, and we trust Doris Bank
will lead us whole-heartedly into temptation with her collection
of lustrous tabletop. The handmade porcelain plates, dishes,
spoons, carrots and mushrooms are a fairytale of a spread. From
her studio in Germany, the ceramic artist, with nature as her
muse surprises us all by graciously accenting her tableware with
gold—caressing things in sublime brush strokes and silky layers. It
is unlikely anyone can keep their hands off. To inquire, Doris Bank
Keramik, + 49 (0) 9371 1064 doris-bank.de
When the fluorescent orange tape and kooky salad tongs
play class clown, their antics are appreciated: A way to
make basic domestic items bright and cheerful—possibly by
the same practical jokesters who were happy distractions
during another thrilling exercise with parabolas. When the
well-developed palette craves a modern statement instead
of a blaring decorative exclamation, the Sweet Love chair
is the beau ideal. From bruut furniture, Dutch designer Ruud
van Oosterhout has created quite the luscious bon mot, a
compelling contemporary response to the overdone and
heavily affected entries clamoring for “as outrageous as I want
to be” bragging rights. The piece is structured and glamorous
without an ounce of pretension. No joke. For information,
bruutdesign.com
