Ecomanta

Luxury style in Paris - French Chic: Pierre Chareau and his master piece Maison de Verre

2012-05-22T14:45:00.000-04:00

Pierre Chareau was one of the most innovative designers for his time. Part of this stemmed from his acute sense of proportion in furniture and also in his ability to work with materials and color - something many modernists of his time were reluctant to do. His visionary book cases and wide open double volume spaces really allowed the spatial dynamics of the stair to be fully executed in all of its modernist glory. Chareau is one of the leading designers who bridged the gap between deco sensuousness and modern industrialism - finding the median point between the two with a clean modernism that still allowed curves and upholstered fabrics - mediated with steel beams and welded steel plates. This special piece of architecture is open to the public but permission to view it must be scheduled up to 3 months in advance. - Inson Wood www.insonwood.com

Top Interior Designer in New York City Inson Wood on Ron Arad

2012-05-17T22:58:00.001-04:00

The other day I was asked why I am such a fan of Rod Arad's work. My simple answer was that unlike most designer architects - Ron truly lives and breathes design in every aspect of his life. Ron was a bit of a beatnik when he first arrived in London. He loved design and architecture and thought he might like to go to architecture school. Some friends of his were applying to the Architects Association and so he thought he would do the same. Ron didn't have a portfolio like the other applicants so he went to the department chair and asked if he could have a word with him. He explained how he very much wanted to be an architecture student and really wanted to apply. When the professor heard he didnt have a proper portfolio - he stopped and said why don't you draw something for me right now. Ron took up the offer and proceeded to draw a perfect circle. He was accepted the next day. Shortly after graduation Ron Arad was offered a chairmanship of the architecture and materials chair. Since then he has never looked back. Ron's first claim to fame was when went to a junk yard and found an old fiat chair and placed in on tube frame base. He then went to a welder friend and borrowed a torn and mounted to the chair. Ron has designed for Dolce and Gabbana. His retrospective at the MoMA was absolutely stunning and overwhelming in its prolific and high quality of design exhibited. Ron was truly inspired in setting up the show - as the show curation was as of equal importance to the work being displayed. The opening night was packed beyond belief and Ron was his normal charming self. He is a man who plays ping pong 3 times at the office before interviewing anyone. Ron is the kind of guy who makes you a cappucino whether or not you are an intern or a client. So you have to believe in him, or he wont play table tennis on his warped polished nickel table any more. As chair of the AA in London Ron has now full super star status. He teaches, creates and has somehow managed to design some absolutely gorgeous archtiectural projects as well. His endless energy in truly inspiring. www.ronarad.com or email inson@insonwood.com for more info on retaining his work. - Inson Dubois Wood

Fashion Week New York City - Auction records Jeff Koons latest Paintings

2012-05-12T00:25:00.003-04:00

One of the most collectible artist alive today is Jeff Koons. Gagosian Gallery ensures that all purchases are made by responsible collectors who are vetted as much as the art itself. Mr. Koons is equally diligent in his subject matter. What may seem light at first is highly thought through and meticulously altered. Jeff Koons takes us to a place that makes us comfortable ( and slightly uncomfortable ) whether its alcohol, childhood toys, or erotica. Although usually known as a master sculptor, Jeff is equally comfortable on canvas, making us ask questions of who we are and why we like what we like. . - James Couture.

Inson Dubois Wood top interior designer architect in New York City- utilizes hi-end renderers to sell ideas

2012-04-17T19:22:00.002-04:00

Inson Dubois Wood LLC, one of the top interior designers in New York City, works with several ultra-high end computer renderers who utilize Rhino, 3d Studio Max and Sketch up. With the sophisticate level of todays technology, it is easy to show an exact depiction of the world as you envision it. If you are interested in contacting us for 3d renderings, interior design, or architecture services for all styles of renovations or new construction, please email inson@insonwood.com To see more examples of our work please go to www.insonwood.com

Jeff Koons Genius - Top Childrens toys for Grown Ups.

2012-04-15T01:40:00.002-04:00

Jeff Koons has no equal. No one has reached the furthest reaches of the planet and the furthest reaches of our psyche. He has no master - he has no mentor. He has recreated the definition of art not as pop art but through the innocence of a child. There is nothing ironic or sarcastic about his art. It is even very similar to how children see the world - a balloon is a giant object with the solidity of stainless steel. An inflatable elephant is ginormous when we are little. Even his dark pornographic period is done in a playful way with ice sculptures and overly made up stars ( Himself and Ciccolina.) Very few artists push the boundaries the way he has - but what this art critic sees is that he is pushing more than what is art or what is acceptable. More importantly he is pushing the physical barriers - how big cane a porject. How big is too big. The flower puppy in front of the Guggenheim is wonderful - yet my favorite piece is the heart. A simple valentines gift indeed. He steals our hearts and brings us back to our childhood memories. He is a magician at the highest level.

Paris fashion and Murakami is #1 at Versailles.

2012-04-14T02:04:00.000-04:00

Murakami is the latest Hedgefund craze. Despite having over a billion dollars, many clients shopping for a Murakami can do exactly what Ferrari shoppers must do wait in line and get on a waiting list. There is no better way to make an artist into a super star than to have a show and then limit the amount of available works of art. This is the current trend in living pop artists - from Koons to Damien Hirst. They are so hot right now that when shopping for art with a client recently I was struck with the wall of silence, that there truthfully is just not that much art available. Collectors hoard it and gallery owners coveted it only for their absolute most exclusive and active "whale status" clients. In todays market a Murakami will fetch more than a high end upper East side townhouse. The best part is that it will appreciate faster than any stock or piece of property. The pop art market in general, and Murakami in specific is so hot that it is almost guaranteed that if you get a Murakami - it will be worth double in a decade. My art dealer friends and gallery owners joke about that phrase "double its worth in a decade." But it is a true fact that if you pick the right artist - you will be sitting on a pile of gold. The art world mechanisms are churning upwards and upwards - don't miss the upward going elevator - its rising as fast as the bar graph of years to profit! Inson Wood deals specifically with attaining rare art of the works of pop artists such as: Jeff Koons, Takashi Murakami, Damien Hirst, Jim Dine, and Rauschenberg. If you are interested you may contact him at:

inson@insonwood.com

Most Expensive Ferrari Ever Sold 250 GTO - 1962

2012-04-11T01:11:00.000-04:00

this sexy car is worth 25 million british POUNDS... if you have something old check twice before putting it in the landfill.

very very von Remus.

Ron Arad is the top furniture designer on the planet - Inson Wood.

2012-04-06T19:01:00.000-04:00

The top furniture designer on the planet is currently Ron Arad - this is according to one of the top Architect/Interior designers in New York. " Ron Arad is a force of nature. He designs his pieces with computer generated software worthy of Nasa and military air craft. Ron is a free spirit walking around the studio with his floppy hats trying to beat an intern on a curved polished ping pong table. The next moment he is offering me a cappuccino and one of his favorite biscotti's. Unlike any of his contemporaries Ron Arad has no problem designing furniture that you cannot sit in. He wants it to look a certain way and thats how it will be. His latest architecture work is so ambitious that his furniture has been put on hold, making current collections even more collectible. Ron Arad, ever since Dolce and Gabbana took him under their wing had reached such star status that his pieces are extremely hard to find. Inson Wood has access to a few special pieces. He can be reached at inson@insonwood.com

Inson Wood designs a very liveable loft space in Tribeca's hottest address

2012-04-03T00:12:00.000-04:00

A simple curvalinear macassar backed wooden chair greets the guests upon entry to the living room. 12' high windows allow ample light - with hidden 20' wide Crestron controlled silent shades to block out glare if necessary. The floors were hand scraped and Inson Wood's custom proprietary ebonized ecofriendly stain was applied.

A double horseshoe shaped 18 foot peninsula defines the kitchen "island" - an 8 burner Wolf with ultra powerful hood provides ample heat for the cooking of the most savory dishes. In the rear a wall mounted desk acts as command central for planning playdates and helping with homework.

The Master Study is entirely clad in American Black Walnut with polished nickel metal inserts. A named piece of art will soon adorn the wall above the work station. It doubles as a kid friendly play room/ guest room when Daddy is away.

In the background, 2 custom bronze lamps wrapped in Hermes leather hand stitched on Lake Como with a zippered cashmere encasment. The dining table with black lacquer piano finish by Inson Wood, extends to 12 feet. The console in the rear is wenge wood covered in shagreen ( stingray.)

The family dog enjoys a moist chew toy on the silk rug. The wall unit provide ample storage for books and files while has another smaller LED flat screen is on the childrens breakfast nook side to keep them happy watching Dr. Suess videos.

Inson Wood discussing the final finishing touches with his client. Next up the possible purchase of a Warhol, Murakami or Koons painting.

A pair of exquisitely tailored Christian Liaigre chairs in triple treated scratch proof 5 mm leather with bronze bases set the stage for the living room.

Custom "Divine Buddha" bed by Inson Wood is made of the highest quality and softest ultra leather - ultra washable and baby and dog friendly.

A simple Crestron solar shade provides privacy to an otherwise very open masterbathroom. Overhead rainshower - is an Inson Wood must have.

All appliances were replaced with larger Subzero and Wolf units. The cabinets are finished in a tung oil for a natural non-toxic feeling. Counters are a solid white glass that is stain proof and scratch resistant.

The powder room is a simple slab of wood - very zen. Glass subway tile - less is more.

Punchlist - removing the plastic coat hangers and replacing them with custom bronze leather wrapped and top stitched ones by Von Remus.

For the preliminary photoshoot, award winning designer/architect Inson Wood, asked that the apartment be photographed in its "natural state" to see how people actually live in their homes. Unlike most designers Inson Wood made sure he got to know his clients by dining with them prior to taking them on as clients and continuing to meet socially with meals, coffee or a drink as frequently as possible throughout the entire project. He even went as far as to have a puppy playdate! Now thats getting to know your clients. Inson has already been asked to publish it in major shelter magazines once the art has been placed. - H. Von Remus

Hottest design to come out of Korea

2012-04-02T00:37:00.000-04:00

1) Cho Hee Sun

2) Bae Dae Yong

3) Jeon Si Hyoung

4) Choi Si Young

Design and technology are moving at a rapid pace in Korean. Things like Samsung touch screens have surpassed even that of Japan. The best LED in the world come from Korea - the architecture is of equal severance. Culturally Koreans have shown that their strong appetite for learning and studying had provided them with a perfect education to learn new things.

Murakami the New Warhol

2012-04-01T00:16:00.001-04:00

The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts - Andy Warhol Biography

Top America Artists: Donald Sultan: Morning Glories

2012-04-01T00:11:00.001-04:00

Donald Sultan

Morning Glories I, II and III,

1991

Set of three etchings with aquatint, on Somerset paper, with full margins, Image 59 3/4 x 47 1/2 in (151.8 x 120.7 cm); Sheet 61 1/4 x 48 3/4 in (155.6 x 123.8 cm) signed with initials, titled, variously dated and numbered in pencil in an edition of 60 (there were also 13 artist's proofs), published by Waddington Graphics, London.

Most Desired Wines - Von Remus' Wine pick of the month

2012-03-31T05:35:00.000-04:00

Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos; Chablis, France

Carruades de Lafite; Pauillac, France

Batard-Montrachet, Grand Cru; Cote d'Or, France

Arcadia, Pinot Noir; Santa Barbara, California

Chateau Teysser, Grand Cru; Bordeaux, France

Gevrey-Chambertin Craipillot; Burgundy, France

Veuve-Clicquot Brut; Reims, France

These are not at all the most expensive French wines - but they are some of the most drinkable and deemed most yummy to our readers. In our survey across 3000 Wall Street exexutives - these were the some of the top picks of the month.

Secret Private Island - one of the best kept secrets

2012-03-29T22:41:00.000-04:00

This pristine unspoiled island is only a few hours from Manhattan - and no one knows about it.

Ultra affordable and ecofriendly - this is the last treasure island. Bring your swim suit because their is nothing to do but kayak, snorkel and relax. An abundance of zen and not much else - just what the doctor ordered. Ideal for romantic couples and also kid friendly and very safe.

Respect nature and respect yourself.

To learn more contact: inson@insonwood.com

1966 427 Shelby Cobra and the Most Desired Vintage Cars of 50's-60's

2012-03-28T18:57:00.000-04:00

1955 Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider

1956 Austin Healey Roadster

1961 Ferrari 250-GT California Spyder

1966 427 Shelby Cobra

1969 Lamborghini Miura

1960 Alfa Romeo Giulia

1960 Cadillac El Dorado Biarritz

1967 Pontiac GTO

On a survey of Forbes highest net worth financiers and entrepreneurs - the 1966 Shelby Cobra 427 came out on top. Everything else is a far second.

Ron Arad: An Exquisite, Rare and highly unusual Ron Arad for Available for Immediate purchase.

2012-03-27T22:00:00.001-04:00

This highly collectible distinctive piece by Ron Arad is exquisite and extremely rare. It is fully vetted with Provenance and signed.

For more information on how to acquire this exquisite piece.

Kindly contact inson@insonwood.com

Design your life - Amazing things are happening here

2012-03-27T10:50:00.001-04:00

How to design with Color- Ford GT40

2012-03-26T20:54:00.001-04:00

Ford GT 40

Back to back winner of the prestigious 24 hours of Le Mans race, winning from 1966 through 1969. This high performance sports car war specifically designed and built to beat Ferrari at the Le Mans race after Enzo Ferrari unilaterally ended a negotiation to sell Ferrari to Ford Motor Company in the spring of 1963, after Ford had invested millions of dollars in an audit of Ferrari's factory and assets. After this, Henry Ford II put together the perfect team, that eventually realized this super car which went unrivaled for four years with minimal changes. Proving that when America wants to be the best...they simply can.

Andrea Cochran: Modern Lanscape Architect of architectural landscapes

2012-03-21T22:37:00.000-04:00

Andrea Cochran executes modernist landscape architecture that is more architecture than landscape. Cochran uses light in equally architectonic ways - allowing plinths of stone slabs to float and water features to have dramatic lighting. Even when plants and trees are used they are highly shaped and sculpted in to rectangular forms and other geometric shapes. These compositions often take years to develop, but in doing so become truly part of the landscape. Specimen trees and various mosses intermingle with almost Japanese Garden accents and formations. Few landscape architects execute with such precision and discipline - with masonry work that is laid by master level masons

- Inson Wood

Takashi Murakami: Kaleidoscopic

2012-03-21T01:02:00.000-04:00

Murakami emphasizes the beauty and horror of a society that has become addicted to consumerism. Art now has reached the level of pure consumption. It is no longer whether or not something is beautiful, instead it is about status and financial resale value.

Swiss Alps - Luxury Spa by Peter Zumthor

2012-03-19T16:01:00.001-04:00

Built over the only thermal springs in the Graubunden Canton in Switzerland, The Therme Vals is a hotel and spa in one which combines a complete sensory experience designed by Peter Zumthor.Peter Zumthor designed the spa/baths which opened in 1996 to pre date the existing hotel complex. The idea was to create a form of cave or quarry like structure. Working with the natural surroundings the bath rooms lay below a grass roof structure half buried into the hillside. The Therme Vals is built from layer upon layer of locally quarried Valser Quarzite slabs. This stone became the driving inspiration for the design, and is used with great dignity and respect.

“Mountain, stone, water – building in the stone, building with the stone, into the mountain, building out of the mountain, being inside the mountain – how can the implications and the sensuality of the association of these words be interpreted, architecturally?” Peter Zumthor

This space was designed for visitors to luxuriate and rediscover the ancient benefits of bathing. The combinations of light and shade, open and enclosed spaces and linear elements make for a highly sensuous and restorative experience. The underlying informal layout of the internal space is a carefully modelled path of circulation which leads bathers to certain predetermined points but lets them explore other areas for themselves. The perspective is always controlled. It either ensures or denies a view.

“The meander, as we call it, is a designed negative space between the blocks, a space that connects everything as it flows throughout the entire building, creating a peacefully pulsating rhythm. Moving around this space means making discoveries. You are walking as if in the woods. Everyone there is looking for a path of their own.” Peter Zumthor. The fascination for the mystic qualities of a world of stone within the mountain, for darkness and light, for light reflections on the water or in the steam saturated air, pleasure in the unique acoustics of the bubbling water in a world of stone, a feeling of warm stones and naked skin, the ritual of bathing – these notions guided the architect. Their intention to work with these elements, to implement them consciously and to lend them to a special form was there from the outset. The stone rooms were designed not to compete with the body, but to flatter the human form (young or old) and give it space…room in which to be.
http://www.archdaily.com/13358/the-therme-vals/

Peter Zumthor knows how to break all of the rules. If you wish to have him work on your project, regardless of your net worth, you must apply to his office for an invitation. He then interviews you in order to see if you are deemed worthy of his time and energy. He takes a limited number of projects and only considers the most challenging and prestigious ones. Once he has accepted you as a client - he will lay out an approximate timeline - often non-negotiable. His Swiss Spa has stood the test of time and will be a striking piece of architecture for years to come. Its timelessness is its strength - part Roman ruin, part fascist minimalist structure - it stands there like it will one thousand years from now. Like a custom Bugatti - people will put up with a lot and wait patiently for the absolute best. - Inson Wood

Zaha Hadid: London Aquatics Center

2012-03-12T22:50:00.001-04:00

Description by Zaha Hadid:

"A concept inspired by the fluid geometry of water in motion, creating spaces and a surrounding environment in sympathy with the river landscape of the Olympic Park. An undulating roof sweeps up from the ground as a wave, enclosing the pools of the Centre with its unifying gesture."

Photo Credits: HUFTON + CROW

Zaha Hadid is a leader. She is a leader because she shows us what we know we want but cannot define. She takes modernism and lets us see its organic beauty - the flow of concrete. She organizes space, form, and structure and exhibits human's mastery over steel and glass. She inspires because she emphasizes the wonderment of life and captures the beauty of contradiction. Modernism was created to be efficient and cost effective - her structures are far from it. What she does do is create solid water and flowing space - through architecture she allows us to see time frozen in motion. She is a poet and a silent orator. Her buildings speak for themselves. Zaha starts with a simple drop of water and watches it transform into an array of steel and glass. It springs to life like the first organism to move. She is an innovator of spatial definition - fearless and with abandon. Zaha Hadid inspires us and sparks the bit of creative thought that lays dormant in all of us. - Inson Wood

Modern Architecture in China - Ningbo Museum of Chinese History

2012-03-01T06:56:00.000-05:00

We had the exclusive opportunity to interview Pritzker Prize Jury Alejandro Aravena about Wang Shu’s work and the reasons of his selection as the 2012 Pritzker Prize laureate, where he cites extracts of conversations with the Chinese architect.
Wang Shu’s outstanding architecture may be the consequence of being able to combine talent and intelligence. This combination allows him to produce masterpieces when a monument is needed, but also very careful and contained architecture when a monument is not the case. The intensity of his work may be a consequence of his relative youth, but the precision and appropriateness of his operations talk of great maturity.
Consider Ningbo Museum of History: it is so powerful, so overwhelming that it deserves to be called a masterpiece. You don’t visit the building; you are hit by the building. I remember having felt the same only a few times in my life, like when visiting Kahn’s Parliament in Bangladesh or his Indian Institute of Management in Ahmedabad. Being “hit” by a building happens very rarely in architecture, because that kind of impact tends to belong more to music or film, where the experience of a piece can be extremely moving and touching to the point of altering the mood in a deep positive way. Unfortunately this cannot be transmitted by photographs.

Then there is his distinctive use of discarded materials coming from other constructions. That technique not only makes sense in terms of sustainability; it also introduces a history in the construction, giving a wall an “overdose of time” without having to wait for aging. It also transforms every part of the building into a unique unrepeatable piece: every centimeter is different from the next one. That variation within a unity, has not only aesthetic value, but it allows for the absorption of mistakes that an unskilled labor in a rather big volume might produce; it is idealism and pragmatism synthesized in a single element.

About this building technique, he said he was recovering a tradition that got almost lost, which consisted in using the materials that were left after disasters like earthquakes or typhoons, layering bricks, tiles and stones to repair a hole here, a crack over there. He just brought it to a different scale, to the scale of the whole building. The importance of recovering such a technique is pragmatic, historic and cultural. He said he believed that architecture is a collaborative work. By employing people that have a skill that he has not, there is a creative dialogue in the construction, a mutual teaching and learning process that allows everybody to contribute with their own knowledge. He, as the architect of the project, told the workers about certain things that they do not know, but when he went to the construction site, he was taught and told about things that he does not know.

http://www.archdaily.com/211958/wang-shu-by-alejandro-aravena/#more-211958

The sheer scale, minimalism and discipline of the architecture of Ningbo - begins to address an approach towards understanding the historical significance of one of the worlds richest cultures and the power of China as a transformative nation. - Inson Wood

Yotel Hotel - Economy and Luxury Deals in New York City

2012-02-23T15:53:00.000-05:00

Visitors to New York usually have to be prepared to fork out at least $200 a night for even the most basic of rooms. The European hotel company will offer budget travellers the chance to stay in luxury - as long as they don't mind squeezing into a 170 square foot room resembling a futuristic shoebox.
Known for its tiny rooms at airports in London and Amsterdam, Yotel is opening its first city-centre hotel in New York, giving visitors 'everything you might find in a luxury hotel in under 200 square feet.'

Its bathroom, with a tiny monsoon shower, is built behind a light sliding door rather than stuck in a small corridor to make it seem more spacious.

New home: Yotel will open in MiMA, a new 63-storey glass tower just west of Times Square

Designers even managed to find space for a 'techno wall' with a flat-screen television and music station.
And for an extra $30, you can squeeze in an extra person with a bunk bed suspended over the queen.
They're cheaper - and bigger - than the rooms at London Heathrow's Yotel, where a 75 square foot cabin with a single bunk costs $145 for 24 hours.
Yotel CEO Gerard Greene told USA Today: 'It appeals to an older and younger clientele, as well as affluent and non-affluent not only because it's affordable but because it's a luxury product at the same time.'
He said the rooms have been designed with a 'first-class yacht cabin' in mind, with lots of mirror, glass and windows to make them seem more spacious.
If guests don't mind splashing out a little more they can even treat themselves to a 340 square foot 'first cabin' with its own terrace and hot tub.
The rooms will cover 27 floors of Middle of Manhattan - MiMA - a new 63-storey glass tower including 500 apartments, a cinema and several theatres.

Fashion Week Tory Burch Flagship - Its all about the Shoes

2012-02-14T17:48:00.000-05:00

The interiors of Tory Burch's boutiques are just as fabulous as her clothing line! The Tory Burch shop at SouthPark opened last weekend. We bet you'll be swooning just like we are over all the mirrors, orange, lucite, and brass!

In each of her boutiques, Tory collaborates with architects Steve O'Neil of O'Neil Langan Architects and Daniel Romualdez, of Daniel Romualdez Architects. They have all three worked together since Tory opened her first store- what a successful relationship!

Isn't this David Hicks-inspired turquoise East Hampton shop jawdropping? She was smart to leave some of the bamboo end tables a natural color instead of automatically painting them white. The clean lines of furniture are the perfect pairing for dramatic color and pattern of the rugs and fabric.

Who says you can't mix metals? These stainless steel walls are amazing when paired with shiny brass trim. Once again, she wisely uses simple parsons tables and x-benches so that nothing seems fussy. Anything too patterned or with frenchy legs would detract from the overall look. We like the "fancy not fussy" take on this shop.

Like the Manhasset boutique, her shop in the Meatpacking District also uses stainless steel walls with brass trim. White sofas, mirrors, brass-and-glass tables, and purple velvet abound. There is a lot going on, but the use of matching pairs of sofas, benches, chandeliers, and tables makes the room balanced and symmetrical.

Your eyes are not deceiving you- the sofa in the back of the picture is upholstered in the same fabulous geometric fabric as the walls. The result is amazing. What a clever addition of brass trim to the simple white parsons table! And the classic seagrass rug is a nod to the beachy environment.

Lastly, Tory's Scottsdale shop incorporates natural wood, taxidermy, and antler chandeliers, but the result is not the least bit hunting-lodgy. Is that a patchwork cowhide rug we spot?

http://www.mattersofstyleblog.com/2010/07/open-for-business-tory-burch-boutique.html