Looming large
AFTER two decades as an art director and illustrator, Alicia Keshishian has picked up the family trade. The granddaughter of Mark Keshishian, an early 20th century supplier of rugs to the White House, is drawn to the “intricacy and quality of Tibetan weaving,” and has developed a library of custom carpet designs for architects, decorators and the public. “I have even done car mats,” says Petaluma-based Keshishian, whose modern take on traditional patterns enlivens the fish-scale print Swim, above. Pricing for her loomed-in-Nepal wool rugs begins at $88 per square foot for rugs with 50 to 70 knots per square inch, which she describes as “squishy,” and $106 per square foot for rugs with 80 to 100 knots per square inch. Each design incorporates lustrous silk yarns, adding light-reflecting visual texture. Commissions come with a certificate of provenance that includes a photo of the rug being woven. (707) 775-3494, www.acarpets.com.
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HAPPENING
Wheeling and dealing
Aldo Tura knew his way around a recreation room. The Italian modernist designed game tables, liquor cabinets and other entertainment centers, such as the brass bar cart shown here. Part of a six-piece suite, the dyed green parchment upholstered cocktail trolley (Lot 82, estimated to sell for $800 to $1,200) will be auctioned this weekend at Sollo:Rago Modern Auction in Lambertville, N.J. More than 1,000 auction pieces include such rare collectibles as a Frank Lloyd Wright rendering of the 1923 Millard residence in Pasadena (part of Lot 324, $4,000 to $6,000) and a 30-foot marquee from the historic Apollo Theater in Harlem (Lot 105, $4,000 to $6,000). The auction is Saturday and Sunday and can be accessed at www.ragoarts.com; (609) 397-9374.
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OPENINGS
Walkway to green living
Glass pavers over a stream greet visitors to Design House 2005: The Green Home, which opens Friday. The striking walkway and koi pond designed by Peter Logan of Tujunga demonstrate that green is good -- as in good looking. Even better? The water garden requires no toxic chemicals. Environmental activists James and Nancy Chuda, who spearheaded the event, view it as a modern Case Study house: a showcase for the latest environmentally friendly furnishings and materials. Proving style can be healthful: hemp drapes in the meditation room, natural cork and bamboo flooring, lavastone countertops in the kitchen and a state-of-the-art solar-energy system. Already spotted at the house: Leonardo DiCaprio, who visited the same day the Scout stopped by. Open Tuesdays through Sundays, through Nov. 13; $25, includes shuttle from Hollywood and Highland shopping center; (323) 769-5114.
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SEEN
Sofa standouts at High Point
At the just-wrapped spring ’06 furniture market in High Point, N.C., Jonathan Adler debuted two upholstered seating collections, the rustic modern Bergmann and the low-slung, Italian-styled Marcello. “They’re a slightly more demure antidote to the furniture-onsteroids look of most American brands,” the designer quipped. New York-based fashion designer Nicole Miller proved that big could still be beautiful. In her first collection for Excelsior Designs, Miller offered the Contemporary sofa, from $3,499 as shown here. It’s a whopping 102 inches long and available in more than 300 fabrics, including this pop version of a giraffe print. Stores selling Adler’s furniture are listed at www.JonathanAdlerFurniture.com; for Miller’s Excelsior retailers, call (800) 533-9235.
