If you just can't get enough of Curbed in the burgeoning universe of social media, a reminder that Curbed is now on Pinterest and Google+. On both these accounts, expect to find a carefully curated selection of gorgeous images and top stories. Don't be shy. This will be fun. [The Management]
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The Event: Dining by Design Gala dinner in support of DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS)
In the House: Decorators, designers, publicists, DIFFA reps, shelter magazine editors, design-world bloggers, socialites, celebrity industry folk such as Jonathan Adler.
The Dress Code: Effortless cocktail-party chic: predominantly dark frocks with very few sequins.
The Menu: A strong rotation of light nibbles (marinated shrimp, tiny bites of brie adorned with rosemary and apple), an avocado summer salad, roast stuffed baby chicken. Rumor had it that the pouring of delicious La Crema wines was kept to a minimum because Ralph Lauren, who presented an honor, didn't want everyone schickered before his speech.
Spotted: House Beautiful editor in chief Newell Turner proudly displaying on his iPhone the magazine's poll to find the next great paint color; Elle Decor editor in chief Michael Boodro yukking it up with interior designer Brad Ford; Ralph Lauren looking sharp in a double-breasted pinstripe suit; Cottages & Gardens publisher Marianne Howatson beaming about the recent New York Cottages & Gardens launch; The Chew's Carla Hall (formerly of Top Chef) cutting a rug on the dancefloor post-dinner; Marchesa co-founder Georgina Chapman idly toying with her cellphone by the entrance.
The Music: Gaga, Rihanna, any and all dance-happy remixes.
The Gift Bag Contents: The April issue of Architectural Digest (one of the media sponsors), some marketing pamphlets, and a set of Crabtree & Evelyn hand creams. Sadly, exactly zero bottles of La Crema.
The Scoop: Last night, the design glitterati descended upon Pier 94 on Manhattan's West Side for the annual Dining by Design gala dinner in support of DIFFA (Design Industries Foundation Fighting AIDS). Brands ranging from Marimekko to the Tilton Fenwick duo to Jonathan Adler (who debuted a new fabrics collection for Kravet) decorated a seemingly endless array of tables, which guests proceeded to dine at as the night unfolded. The event coincided with the tail end of the Architectural Digest Home Design Show; editor in chief Margaret Russell gave a speech, as did Ralph Lauren, who honored his executive vice president and chief retail creative officer Alfredo Paredes for his contributions to DIFFA.
Curbed attended as a guest of the New York Design Center, which tapped a handful of design firms from its Access to Design program to mastermind two place settings each for their dinner guests of choice. The result? A "Guess Who's Coming to Dinner" table styled by former shelter editor and decorator/Curbed contributor Alexa Stevenson to achieve a "glamorous haunted mansion" feel—all the dinner guests, including Alexander McQueen, Emilio Pucci, Elizabeth Taylor, Michael Jackson, Cleopatra, and Elvis, are no longer alive. As for the actual guets, they included NYDC CEO and president Jim Druckman, Elle Decor editor in chief Michael Boodro, Traditional Home publisher Beth Brenner, and more. Click through the gallery above to glimpse the place settings crafted by Drew McGukin, Laura Bohn, Robert Passal, Thomas Burak, the girls of id 810 Design Group, West Chin, Coffinier Ku Design, Kati Curtis, and Vanessa Deleon, all incorporating furnishings and decor from the NYDC.
Posted by Jonathan J. Miller -Tuesday, March 20, 2012, 2:06 PM
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It’s time to share my Three Cents Worth on Curbed NY, at the intersection of neighborhood and real estate in the capitol of the world. And I’m simply here to take measurements.
Read today’s 3CW post on Curbed New York:
This is the final chart of the Manhattan scatter graph trifecta. I thought this format was a great way to look at the entirety of the market with better context. This week I am literally long on graphics and short on text. I used the same approach as two weeks ago but divided the market into easier-to-view scaled segments and then placed them on top of each other aligned by years. A few things stood out:…
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First-time buyers, fear not the first-time bidding war! Whether you’ve just started your search or you’ve been at it for months, you’re familiar with the common plight of multiple offers. It’s hard enough to find your perfect home, but competing against others with a similar goal—and perhaps a little more cash—can squash your homeowner dreams in an instant. What do you do in this situation? Be prepared. Having a good agent is better than any schoolyard sabotage tactic and will get you what you’re looking for in the long run. The agents at Domicile Properties know the ins and outs of property values (which are way more than just a price tag). A dedicated team of three agents will help you determine whether a property is truly within your budget and coach you to make a successful bid if it is.
Domicile is tapped into the market and they’ll help you address your needs at any budget. Get more exclusive insider tips with a free first-time homebuyers guide from Domicile and find your dream home today. >>
Have a nomination for a jaw-dropping listing that would make a mighty fine House of the Day? Get thee to the tipline and send us your suggestions. We'd love to see what you've got.
Location: Tuxedo Park, N.Y.
Price: $595,000
The Skinny: The Hudson Valley community of Tuxedo Park, with its storied provenance (it gave name to the tuxedo) and imposing stone gates, seems like an unlikely place to search for a first home. Lakefront mansions go for over $4M and the childhood castle of legendary decorator Dorothy Draper is currently listed for $3M. Still, although it's within commuting distance of NYC, has its own private school, a golf club, and a host of blue-blood racquet sports, there are still affordable options for young Manhattanites fleeing the city for the first time. This $595K white-shingled cottage lists four bedrooms and three baths spread over 2,400 square feet. Within walking distance of the Tuxedo Club, the 1924 house has been tastefully renovated, with hardwood floors and a modernized kitchen.
· 222 Continental Road [Zillow]
· A Lakefront Mansion in the Storied Old-World Outpost of Tuxedo [Curbed National]
· Dorothy Draper's Parents' French Norman-style Stone Manor [Curbed National]
Name: Ricki Miller (vintage jewelry collector and graphic designer) & Chad Miller (Creative Director for motion picture advertising firm AV Squad)
Location: Brentwood, California
Size: 4 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms
Years lived in: 2 years
Ricki and Chad found their perfect home two years ago (right next to Chad's mother). When the house became available, they jumped at the chance to live in such a spacious home and be close to family. They moved from a condo and have been slowly pulling together their home with collected furniture and decor. It is still a work in progress, but they are in no rush because they plan to stay in the house for many, many years.
One of my favorite rooms in their house is Ricki's closet/office. It is her special place where she feels most inspired. Although Ricki confesses she needs a little help organizing and laying out the space. The clothes racks take over the room and don't leave much open space to create a functional room. If you have any space planning suggestions for Ricki, she is all ears to get a few outside ideas.
Apartment Therapy Survey:
Our Style: Mid-Century modern with Spanish and Italian elements thrown throughout. We wanted the house to be clean and upscale while still bringing in elements of color and fun, as we like to entertain a lot and felt the house needed to have some pop to it, so our friends and family could feel loose in it.
Inspiration: We both grew up vacationing in Palm Springs a lot and were really influenced by that style, artists like Bjorn Wiinblad, etc. When we finally moved into a Mid-Century home, we jumped at the opportunity to decorate it in that bright Palm Springs vibe.
Favorite Element: The architect Cliff May did a really cool thing by putting three different fireplaces in the house. The big one is amazing and we use it all the time. There's also a high set one in the dining room that's unique.
Biggest Challenge: It was hard keeping in line with the traditional Mid-Century architecture while slightly updating it to be more warm and fun.
What Friends Say: Its, cozy, comfortable, and the perfect party house. Someone always mentions the deer head.
Biggest Embarrassment: The unfinished rooms.
Biggest Indulgence: Hardwood floors, television.
Best Advice: It will never be perfect, but that's what makes it a real home. Just mix it up until you feel comfortable and don't follow any rules.
Dream Sources: We love buying stuff when we travel. We usually will hit a flea market whereever we end up.
Resources of Note:
APPLIANCES
GE stainless steel appliances
Wolf stove
Basin sink
FURNITURE
ACCESSORIES
Chotchkies from flea markets
Sentimental stuff we've collected from over the years
Deer head from Inheritance
Pure Modern
Ceramic dogs and Bar area by Grace Home
LIGHTING
FLOORING
RUGS & CARPETS
TILES & STONE
CaesarStone in kitchen
Vintage tiles
Butcher block wood
WINDOW TREATMENTS
Came with house and looking to replace them soon.
BED
ARTWORK
Painting from friend - Andrew Foster
Photography from an Iraq War exhibit curated by our friend Dane Jensen
Shepard Fairy
Dalek
Ricki's grandfather, Bill Helfman
OTHER
Thanks, Ricki & Chad!
(Images: Marcia Prentice)
• HOUSE TOUR ARCHIVE Check out past house tours here
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Posted by Jonathan J. Miller -Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 9:43 AM
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When I was contacted to do yesterday’s Bloomberg interview, a by-product of the producer’s call was to show the affordability of housing to Wall Street. We never covered it in the interview and I was (self) taught never to waste a good charting opportunity.
While there is no reliable causation measure of bonus size to Manhattan housing prices there has long been a connection (i.e. common sense). I took the Manhattan annual average sales price for the past 20 years and compared it to the average annual Wall Street bonus per person. The resulting multiplier shows some element of affordability: the higher the multiplier, the less affordable Manhattan housing is.
I realize there are disclaimers needed in doing this including:
With the regulatory overlay from DC rising, bonuses are becoming smaller relative to overall compensation.Not everyone on Wall Street getting a bonus lives in Manhattan (but a disproportional amount probably do).Bonus income is just less than half of total Wall Street compensation.Post-Lehman saw higher share of deferred bonus over cash.Wall Street total comp only accounts for about 25% of total NYC wages.Foreign buyers and Fortune 500 type executives have picked up some of the Wall Street slack.With those disclaimers aside or perhaps because of them, the chart shows:
The 20 year trend shows greater affordability over time but significant volatility along the way.Post-Lehman the multiplier shows slightly weakening affordability (despite falling interest rates).The early 1990’s recession, 2001 recession and 2008 credit crunch/recession all showed sharp reductions in affordability (higher multiplier).The 20 year average annual multiplier is 9.9Given the fact that sales contract activity seems to be ahead of last year, prices remain stable, foreign buyers continue to participate in large numbers and the economy is grinding towards improvement in the region, the decline in bonuses doesn’t appear to be a huge deal for the housing market at this point. Certainly not helpful but perhaps can be characterized as having a nominal impact on the market – if you believe this methodology.
Manhattan Bonus to Price Multiplier [Miller Samuel]
