Friday Favorites 10/19/2012

Lisa E. Harrison, Associate Editor We don’t have a “man cave,” a “man town” or any other iteration of such at our house. I’m lucky: my husband has good taste. Really good taste, in fact. Okay, it’s better than mine; I can admit it. He has an eye for antiques and loves thoughtful design and well-composed spaces. While I’m thankful our basement hasn’t morphed into a boys’ club, I can appreciate a masculine aesthetic, especially when it’s good humored. When a press release crossed my desk announcing that fashion designer Alexander Julian had joined forces with antique furniture manufacturer Jonathan Charles to create a twelve-piece collection inspired by his menswear designs, I was intrigued. What I discovered was super cool to say the least: a dresser inspired by a blue blazer, a coffee table in the shape of a bowtie, a console table with a subtle herringbone pattern. Indeed, it’s good, clever design that men—and women—can get behind.

Stacy Kunstel, Homes Editor I’m constantly amazed how something so simple—in this case a coffee table—can exert such an impact on an interior. The root of my obsession is the Paris table found on the cover of the current New England Home’s Connecticut edition. Interior designer Karen Quinn found the piece at J. Seitz in New Preston, Connecticut, and owner Joanna Seitz let me know she loved it so much she had one in her home as well. The iron table seems to be just the right proportions and patina. Its reflective nature shows off the bumps and curves of the iron and there’s the perfect tray table underneath for art or stacks of books. The elegance lies in its simplicity. It doesn’t scream look at me. It simply is.

Maria LaPiana, Contributing Writer Thanks to some good planning and sturdy shoes, I managed to jam as much (mostly window) shopping into a three-day visit to Nantucket this week as there are shops shoehorned into the island’s picturesque downtown. That is to say nothing got by me. Baskets, check. Nautical thingamabobs: check. Maps, mugs and magnificent bespoke jewelry: check., check, check. Home goods are plentiful, of course, and I found some especially lovely things—from pretty plates and cozy pillows to stunning serveware—at Anderson’s of Nantucket on Main Street. The welcoming shop carries an impressive array of fashion accessories, too. Prices are not for the faint of heart, but a trek over the cobblestones still worth the blisters.

For more picks from our editors, check out the Friday Favorite archives.