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Gifting
Shopping for Christmas (Hanukkah, etc.) can be a blast when you find just the right gift for your special someone. I’m sharing some of my best finds for those of you who are still on the hunt. Happy holidays!
* Scroll to the bottom for LUXE & LUCID gifts that give back *
| FOR THE AESTHETE |
Male or female, the key to buying a gift for this type is finding a functional object that is executed beautifully.
Shagreen matchstriker (L); custom knife from Rockin’ One Knives (C); UrbanEars headphones (R)
| FOR YOUR MAN |
He is no doubt handsome, but with these accessories, he will be even more dashing. #hawt
Zebrawood Watch
Aquascutum checked weekender bag.
| FOR THE FEMALE FREQUENT FLYER |
Add something special to the carry-on of the woman who often finds herself on planes and in airports.
Tocca perfume travel trio (L); Silk earring cases (R); Handmade and customized leather luggage tag (B)
| FOR THE COOL CROWD |
If you receive one of these gifts, we all bow down to your über cool-ness.
Big Lick spoon rest (L); Barbara Kruger sunglasses (C); Breaking Bad tee (R)
| FOR THE PERSON WHO HAS EVERYTHING |
‘Not Another Bill’
A gift subscription service customized to your or your giftees preferences.
Custom Fonts
Download interesting and original fonts onto your partner’s/parent’s/colleague’s computer
| GIVE A GIFT THAT SAVES LIVES |
Donate to a local shelter or national animal rescue organization in the name of a loved one.
Washington Humane Society (L); PETA (C); ASPCA (R)
** Leave a COMMENT ONLINE and Luxe & Lucid will make a DONATION in your name to one of the organizations listed here. **
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To Die For
Do you ever see something and say, “If I died and came back as a
_________ (fill in the blank), I would want to be that one.” I do. Granted,
I have a flair for the dramatic. But still. Sometimes a designer – or artist,
photographer, architect – creates something so original, so beautiful that one
can’t help but be awed. Luxe & Lucid will be highlighting some of these
objects d’art from time to time. So extraordinary, each piece stands alone.
If I died and came back as an …
ACCESSORIES COLLECTION
R & Y Augousti
Ria and Yiouri Augousti
20 years ago, through the grace of the design gods, Ria and Yiouri Augousti met in
London. They fell in love, married, and formed the company R&Y Augousti. From the
beginning, their design sensibilities were a match made in heaven. Traveling the world, they
select exotic skins, stones and other natural materials for their furniture and accessories
collections. Sculptural, textural and drop-dead gorgeous, each piece is a work of art. And
attention men: if there is a chic, worldly woman in your life whom you want to impress, this
is the answer. Forget diamonds, forget the Mercedes. When you give a woman a gift from
R&Y, you are telling her she is an exquisite, remarkable creature like no other. Perfection.
103 Rue du Bac
Paris
33 (0)1.42.22.22.21
(photos courtesy of augousti.com)
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Tip deLuxe
LOOK TO NATURE
In an era when so much design is bold and over-the-top, it can be challenging
for the average person to step outside his/her comfort zone and make unique decorating
decisions. One way to overcome this obstacle is to look to nature. Chances are if it – color,
pattern, texture – works in the natural environment, it will work in your home. Look
at the examples below and you’ll see – even Mother Nature has a glamorous side.
As seen in last week’s Luxe & Lucid post, my shelling excursion
on Chappaquiddick yielded a wealth of design inspiration.
Cool, distressed planks and endcuts for wood floors in a beach house or country home.
This shell’s pattern would make a colorful, yet delicate faux finish for a table, cabinet or mirror.
I gathered these acorns while on a walk in Battery Kemble Park last fall.
The warm tone and subtle striae would make for a beautiful wood finish.
Think outside the box and the ubiquitous animal print and the animal world
can add a unique and unexpected layer of interest to your interior.
Who knew? Chartreuse is a natural color! I would love to develop a living room
color scheme based on the Silvereye’s feathers – chartreuse, beige and grey … done!
And just such a room exists – the cool, sophisticated 2007 Kips Bay living room by Eve Robinson.
To quote Ms. Robinson, “The living room is about the color of life. It is fresh, confident and colorful.”
James Rixner’s take on the same combination of hues.
Snakeskin was the textile this past year. Inspired by fashion and the fabulous
footwear of Manolo Blahnik and Jimmy Choo, I designed a custom console table for
a client’s downtown bachelorette pad and had it wrapped in a faux snakeskin leather.
This incredible photo taken by Shannon Plummer illustrates the complex texture of an elephant’s skin.
SJW Studios has a wallcovering that when installed on the reverse, mimics just such a texture. Or
you could enlist the talents of a decorative finisher like Colorfaux Designs who created the look below.
Tortoiseshell is both classic and modern – a finish that will never go out of style.
I mean, really … could the shell above be any more beautiful?!
Huntley & Co. is fabricating a mirror similar to this Mitchell Yanosky
version to hang above the vanity in a client’s master bath. So chic!
And finally, the haut monde of animal skins. Shagreen. The pebbled skin of rays and
sharks can be found in its natural form – for a price – in accessories and furniture.
But it’s also being replicated these days in finishes and textiles to great effect.
I will never, ever tire of this naturally glamorous material.
clockwise from top left: Clement Rousseau chair c. 1921, the Toulon Mirror in a Huntley & Co.
powder room, Jacques Adnet antique secretaire and bronze/shagreen/agate vases R&Y Augousti.
… and faux shagreen paper covering walls and hidden doors in an H&C bedroom.
You don’t need to look far. Rustic, subtle or glamorous – nature can inspire any interior.
Tricia xo
* POSTSCRIPT *
Huntley & Co. is featured this week in the Before & After section of lushclick.com – a modern
girl’s online design and lifestyle resource founded by Elizabeth Manresa. Check it out!
THE MUSINGS OF DESIGNER TRICIA HUNTLEY
