Design in 2011

I have to say that the Interior Design industry has felt a bit worn as of late. Or perhaps I've just felt that way because everything has felt that way to me lately; especially in the last year. But things have been changing up. There are huge shifts going on in more areas of life than we could possibly imagine and some people are handling it better than others.

Change is good and, like I said, some are handling it well. Two of those people seem to be the new editors of Architectural Digest (AD) and Elle Decor (ED). Margaret Russell (I've never been a big fan since a previous boss told me she's not very nice in person, but perhaps I shouldn't take someone's elses narrow-minded - and insecure, I might add - opinion  into account when I've never met the lady myself) was the editor-in-chief of ED and helped found the magazine 21 years ago and is now the editor-in-chief of AD, the biggest Interior Design magazine in the world (quite the responsibility). Michael Boodro, who was formally the executive editor of ED (and was editor-in-chief of Martha Stewart Living before that) has taken over ED as the editor-in-chief. I'm enjoying both of the changes. Some, or most of you, may not have even noticed the changes, but for those of us who are devoted to this world of design it was a noticeable shift. And a good one.

I just received the February issue of AD and I'm loving it. Last year I was feeling a funk about ID, which may or may not have had something to do with being fired from my job, but things were falling into a state of sameness. I never like it when that happens. You know what it's like: every magazine you pick up looks the same. You've seen it all before, but it does seem like an inevitable thing in the ID world, a world much like the fashion world where things go through trends and phases and for some time everyone wants the same thing. Opening the new AD this month feels like a new phase. Things are being mixed up and revitalized as more and more people are being awakened to the idea of what ID really means; what it means to them and their world. So I know I can't give all the credit to Ms. Russell and Mr. Boodro, but I know each of them has had a hand in it. And I thank them both.

I'm rambling now, I know, but I know I haven't blogged about ID very much lately and I suppose I've felt an explanation was necessary. Not just for anyone who might read this blog, but for me as well. Interior Design was such a big part of my life for such a long time and then, in the last two years, it became a source of pain and stress for me. I had to let it go for a while and come back on my own terms. I think this is the beginning of that. And, quite frankly, it's exciting because all the things I love to do: art, writing, and design are slowly coming together in my life and I"m finding ways to incorporate them all.

So here's to a new year; one of change and revitalization. And here are some recent goodies from the magazines mentioned above starting with AD:

Sting & Trudie Styler's gorgeous view in Tuscany  (I've always thought those huge chess sets are so cool!)

(And the rest I had to scan because, I've said it before AD is stingy with the photos, and I hope that Margaret Russell is doing something to change that.)

Friederick Kemp Biggs

Ralph Lauren's new store in NY (I totally want an office that looks like that!)

Todd Ramano's one-bedroom studio in Manhattan

And from ED:

Family retreat in Ketchum, Idaho

A Brazilian designer in Manhattan

Historic London townhouse