JEWEL BOX
September was a big month for interior designer Michelle Gerson—her work was featured in CTC&G, and she unveiled her latest collaboration with Jennifer Fisher at the jewelry designer’s flagship NYC store opening. It’s no surprise that Fisher called on Gerson to design the Madison Avenue space. “We speak the same language, both stylistically and professionally, and that connection has been the foundation of a 30-year friendship,” says Gerson. “Over the years, we’ve collaborated on every one of Jen’s apartments, showrooms, and stores, so working together feels natural and seamless.” The showroom’s aesthetic is luxurious and moody, displaying warm woods, expressive marble and dramatic lighting, designed to highlight Fisher’s edgy, cool jewelry. Bringing a little bit of SoHo chic uptown, Gerson added a small coffee bar, banquette seating and intimate tables to invite people to sit, relax and linger.
ART + DESIGN
Suzanne Bellehumeur, a celebrated muralist and decorative painter whose work has been featured in CTC&G, has opened an art space in the heart of the Greenwich design district. Greenwich Art + Design, located on Putnam Avenue, is a gallery and boutique showcasing items selected or created by Bellehumeur, including fine art and murals, home décor, luxury textiles, fashion, accessories and lifestyle and furniture pieces. “Greenwich Art + Design is a living canvas where fine art, distinctive home décor, fashion and design come together,” says Bellehumeur. Featured artists will be exhibited in the gallery on the lower level, which she describes as “an intimate space of discovery and delight,” She adds, “Here, exhibitions will feature both local and global artists, offering ever-changing dialogues in art and design.
A NEW CANVAS
Translating a painting into a rug design has been an idea in the works for almost a decade, according to Westport abstract painter David Stephen Johnson and his wife, Holly Jaffe of design atelier Wowhaus. When they met rug specialist Daniel Sanchez of DS Rugs Studio, that dream became a reality. “They envisioned a custom rug that would bring David’s artwork to life in textile form—a piece that would merge visual art with traditional craftsmanship,” says Sanchez. The collaboration involved many steps, from photographing the original artwork to creating a digital rendering and a strike-off sample to the creation of the actual hand-knotted Himalayan rug in Nepal. “Red Over Black III” is “a piece created with intention, respect and a deep love for the weaving arts,” notes Sanchez. Johnson agrees, “It’s exhilarating to see one of my canvases transformed into a handwoven textile work of art.”
SILVER POLISH
Architect Steven W. Spandle recently completed a project at the Wadsworth Atheneum Museum in Hartford, converting a dormant 1910 vault—located in the museum’s Morgan Memorial Building—into a permanent gallery for the museum’s collection of American and English silver. Drawing inspiration from the Wadsworth’s Beaux-Arts architecture for his design, he notes, “The physical space allotted for the new silver gallery was a small footprint, but with a very high ceiling. Adding a plaster cross vault to the space was a perfect way to take advantage of the ceiling height, while also allowing for appropriately scaled display cabinets.” A practitioner of classical design, Spandle’s notable commissions include the Tennis Pavilion on the White House grounds, as well as restoration projects at the White House and the Presidential Retreat at Camp David. Regarding this assignment, he says, “I love collecting, so helping to create a fantastic display for beautiful objects is always a welcome opportunity.”