Bright lights ...
ONE illuminating idea to emerge from the New York International Gift Fair: a lighting line from the fledgling San Clemente company Shine. Russ Ortiz, the former marketing director who developed the Goddess stores for Nike, and his wife, decorator and gallery artist Susan Hornbeak-Ortiz, exhibited a collection of 14 voluptuous table lamps named after Hollywood screen sirens. Glass bases are blown individually in Depression-era molds, then hand-painted in pale greens, blues, blushes and chocolate brown with stripes of platinum and 22-karat gold. The Sophia, far right, is embellished with a Murano glass flower around its hourglass waist. Last year, in its first season, Shine offered 66 pieces. “I had such great ideas for lampshades that it could’ve been hundreds of styles,” says Hornbeak-Ortiz, above, “but my husband keeps reminding me the business is called Shine, not Shade.” Even so, Hornbeak-Ortiz has added five hanging pendants made from mother-of-pearl white glass, with mounting hardware in yellow, turquoise, orange and Kelly green. Grace Kelly, no doubt? Shine lamps start at $875 at Hollyhock in West Hollywood, (323) 931-3400, and Grace Home in Brentwood, (310) 476-7176; www.shineeveryday.com.
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REDISCOVERED
Classic, only better
For a touch of class, nothing touches the neoclassical. At the New York gift fair closing today, designers from across the country unveiled Old World statuary and architectural maquettes featuring updated materials and priced at a fraction of the cost of their antique counterparts. The Sausalito-based decorative accessories firm Roost exhibited Basilica, a study of the cupola of the Duomo in Florence, right, as well as Villa, a model based on a Michelangelodesigned facade in San Lorenzo. (There’s also a Venetian palazzo in the style of Andrea Palladio.) Made for wall mounting or table-top display, each piece will sell for about $200. Southern California retailers will include Aleda in Santa Barbara, (805) 969-1676. Information: www.roostco.com.
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TRENDSPOTTING
Modern, with a foot in the past
As a pacesetter in the trend toward more luxurious, ornate furniture, Brad Huntzinger can attribute his success to an ability to make “pieces that your grandmother might’ve left you look unabashedly modern,” like a jet-black Queen Anne-shaped Bobby chair covered in goat skin. Other designs he showcased at the New York show included sofas trimmed in raffia fabric, and a white leather nail-studded chair with curved legs and five-toed feet, below, an homage to the work of famed 1970s San Francisco designer John Dickinson. Not content merely to revitalize period pieces, Huntzinger also has been dabbling with plastics, conjuring up a solid Modernist pedestal table in clear cast acrylic as well as resin vases and vessels that look like glossy white porcelain or ancient Peking glass. In Los Angeles, his Oly retail collection is sold at Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Mecox Gardens and Seva Home; www.olystudio.com.
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INNOVATIONS
French connection
While European designers have been showing off at the Maison & Objet home show in Paris, two French firms debuted here in New York. Azumit Industries showed new versions of a brilliant 1969 spotlight by Christian Girard, who designed nightclubs and hip boutiques throughout Paris. Information: www.azimut-industries.fr. Ozgen Design offered the clever creations of Koray Ozgen, whose aluminum tray, Tipsy, above, has flexible nylon straps that allow the piece to sway with minimal spilling. So uncork another bottle of Beaujolais. Even with glasses full, the Tipsy keeps its balance long after you start to lose yours. Information: www.ozgen.fr.
