Designer dust busters
Little Bo Peep has lost her ... sweep? Well, not really. But a pink-and-blue vacuum cleaner that looks as if it would fit in Miss Peep’s nursery is one of three dressed-up vacuums being auctioned off for charity.
The stylized machines, created by fashion designers picked by Vanity Fair, are on EBay through Saturday. Vacuum maker Electrolux donated an upright ($340) and two canister models ($400 to $600) and will also give the highest bidders an unaltered vacuum that’s not too pretty to pick up spilled Cheerios. (Bids on two of three have already exceeded retail prices.)
Girly-girl fashion diva Nanette Lepore, who has an L.A. boutique, painted her canister body in boudoir blue. She then brushed on baby bouquets and tied pink bows around the hose. Money raised from auctioning her vacuum will go to the Southern Poverty Law Center, which offers free legal support and racial-tolerance educational programs.
Fun-loving twins Kathryn and Lindy Jones of New York-based Palmer Jones, whose relaxed cotton skirts look as if they’ve been washed in the ocean, transport the drudgery of cleaning to a tropical setting. They painted their backpack-shaped canister with purple palm fronds that shade a turquoise background. Colored gems spell out the label name. They selected God’s Love We Deliver, which brings meals to people with HIV/AIDS, to benefit.
San Francisco’s Peter Som, who puts satin cocktail sheaths and plenty of fur on the runway, adorned a black upright with Swarovski crystals. His charity is the Hetrick-Martin Institute, which aids students of New York’s Harvey Milk High School. More information: www.ebay.com/vanityfairmagazine.
-- Janet Eastman
Grill and chill
Surveys show that most people use barbecuing as a way to slow down. So who would object to a grill that cooks well and quickly, and is easy to clean?
Last week, the Weber Co. -- the folks who made the kettle barbecue famous -- came out with the Summit Built-In, a grill that aims to keep the pace easy. Because it slides into its frame, it’s simple to install and maintain in good working order. It can even be pulled out again for service without tearing up the island that surrounds it.
The Summit ($1,900) has six burners, enough space and juice (either gas or propane) to cook two 20-pound turkeys or two dozen burgers. Burners distribute the flames evenly, allowing you to cook with indirect heat, and drippings sizzle off V-shaped bars, creating that “charcoal” smell, before dropping into a catch tray.
More information: (800) 446-1071.
-- Janet Eastman
Old standards, new twists
Madeline Stuart, the daughter of Hollywood interior decorator Harriet Stuart, was to the manner born, so it’s hardly surprising that her furniture collection is for the manor-born. Equally influenced by traditional shapes and modern styling, Stuart’s upscale updates of classics -- reminiscent of the interpretive work of T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings and Edward Wormley -- include a version of the ancient Thebes stool in candy-red lacquer and a deceptively simple 21st century drum table in rift oak with nickel legs and four concealed drawers.
“There’s so much furniture that’s gussied-up and self-conscious about being stylish,” says Stuart, an admirer of time-honored materials such as mahogany, walnut and cane. “The best part of the world we live in now is our ability to reach back to so many aesthetic movements that can work together and make interiors seem fresh and classic.”
The line makes its Los Angeles debut this week at the Thomas Lavin Showroom (8935 Beverly Blvd., West Hollywood, [310] 278-2456).
“The thread that runs through Madeline’s designs is Regency Redux, a pared-down glamour,” Lavin says. “Like a white lacquer writing table with brass trim and gray moire fabric-lined drawers.” Such quiet luxuries and couture details do not come inexpensively. The Oliver table shown here retails for $6,230; the Thebes stool, $1,600.
-- David A. Keeps
Upwardly mobile
One of the latest pieces of imported child decor just might grow on you.
Blending ergonomics and style, the wooden Svan Chair adjusts as a child ages by converting from high chair to toddler seat to an adult chair. Designed to pull up to the table, the Swedish-made chair features an adjustable seat height, footrest and safety guard.
“The chair’s primary use is from 6 months to 8 years, but it’s designed so that a toddler’s foot can be supported by the footrest until the child’s legs are long enough to reach the floor,” says Brenda Berg, president of Scandinavian Child, an importer of Scandinavian children’s products in Raleigh, N.C.
Introduced in the United States late last year, it comes in three wood stains -- cherry, natural and whitewash -- and retails for $219. Removable cushions, sold separately, come in five colors for $30 each. The toddler version of the chair can be purchased without a tray and safety guard for $169.
For more information and store locations, check out www.svanchair.com.
-- Dinah Eng
