Artist Spotlight: Jane Mount

A coworker turned me onto these delightful illustrations of bookshelves by artist Jane Mount. Each 'Ideal Bookshelf" has a theme, whether it be cooking, fashion or children's books. A lot can be learned of someone just by the books they keep! See more here.

Field Report: The Tom Cary Collection

It all started in the Summer of 2011 in one of my favorite shops in the world, The Seven Seas, on the very special island of Nantucket. I was visiting for a full two weeks, a luxury that I was only able to take full advantage of last year for the first time.

Since I now live in California, far from old friends and family, I had waves of guests coming out to visit and stay with me, and as each of them passed through the island, I took them to my favorite spot. After more than a few weekly visits, I got to know Mike Thom, Vanessa Noel's Executive Assistant, who was taking care of her shop for the summer. We kept in touch and met for a drink in Connecticut over the holidays when I was home for Christmas. It was there that the story of Tom Cary and his famous collection of rare books and collectibles came to life. After hearing about his collection, I realized it was his appreciation for rare and vintage finds that I loved so much about The Seven Seas. I just had to meet him.

I was in New York for work earlier this month, and Mike was gracious enough to set up a meeting. But not just any meeting - a private tour of his Upper East Side apartment-turned-gallery! I embarked on what became a peek into the fabulous, rare and vintage world of Thomas Cary. 

The first thing one notices upon walking into his shop is the breadth of collectibles he has. Once you explore a little more, you notice that it's not just a collection of 'stuff', and the quality and detail of each object cannot be overlooked. 

Tom has a background in fashion at Brooks Brothers and Paul Stuart, which helps to explain the preppy aesthetic that runs through the space. During the tour, Tom offered his colorful commentary about the history of how he personally found each piece. It's not hard to see why the likes of Kate Spade, Tory Burch and Ralph Lauren all shop here to decorate their retail stores.

Surprisingly, Tom doesn't have a emotional attachment to too many of his pieces (I found this hard to understand considering I was only a passerby and felt a sense of separation anxiety when it was time to leave). But before we ended our day, we went to a lovely lunch a Swifty's, an Upper East Side restaurant at its best, and checked out some of his pieces for sale at William-Wayne & Co around the corner. It was a truly special afternoon that I'll not soon forget. Looking forward to another visit on my next trip to New York- it's simply a stop that cannot be missed. 

Be sure to check Tom's shop here, and his new Tumblr site here.

A full set of Bond books! 

 Books

 Embroidered loafers and matching socks, of course!

More books...

And some more...

Tom giving us the tour 

 Loved that jacket!

Adorable to have on your bar cart..

An original painting of the now famous Scalamadre print! 

Original paintings of vintage Lanvin advertisements. Amazing! 

Hermes box collection 

 Another original painting of a vintage Lanvin advertisement

Cheese souffle at Swifty's

*images via myself and anne oburgh

An Argument for Looking at Books Instead of Reading Them

In 2006, Andy Spade curated this installation that celebrated beautiful book covers, posters and post cards for the Kate Spade handbag line. After traveling to Japan, the exhibition, named 'An Argument for Looking at Books instead of Reading Them,' ended at Colette in Paris.

Of the exhibit, Colette noted, “...Andy is as impressed with striking, unusual book jackets as he is with quality literature. From art exhibition catalogs found in second-hand bins to rare first edition titles, the book collection has been built to surround Kate Spade product and give dimension to the company’s aesthetic.” I'd love to do a wall similar to this in my apartment.

*images via colette

American Fashion Travel

Taking into account that the best vacation tips are usually offered by the most stylish of friends, the Council of Fashion Designers of America asked its members to share their favorite travel secrets- from hotels and flea markets to secret island beaches and tucked-away restaurants- for their latest coffee table book collaboration with Assouline. With a scrapbook-style look and hand-written recommendations, this new book offers an intimate peek into the globetrotting lives of some of America's most prominent designers.

Nanette Lepore

The restaurant I would go farthest for: Da Adolfo in Positano, Italy. It can only be reached by boat, and I love it for the sexy sailors, the sandy floor and the delicious pasta con sarde.

Diane von Furstenberg

Favorite beach: Pink Sands in Harbour Island, Bahamas.

Phillip Lim

Jet-lag remedy: Sleep, water and Shiseido eye patches one hour before landing.

Tory Burch

Always in my carry-on luggage: A picture of my children, my D. Porthault baby pillow and a red ribbon for good luck.

Peter Som

Always in my carry-on luggage: Bose noise-reduction headphones, Clark's Botanicals lip balm, Moleskine sketch pad, Leica D-Lux 3, Kashi TLC Chewy Granola Bars.

Billy Reid

Jet-lag remedy: Bath and beer.

Vera Wang

My favorite beaches: Cala di Volpe in Sardinia; Venice Beach in California; Sandy Lane in Barbados; Las Ventanas in Mexico.

Sue Stemp

My favorite market: The handicraft market in Plaza de San Jacinto, in San Ángel, Mexico City. Embroidery heaven.

Catherine Malandrino

The restaurant I would go farthest for: Le Chalet de la Plage on the beach at Essaouira, Morocco, for the best whole fish in salt, olive oil and lemon.

Donna Karan

Best place to stay: Como Shambhala in Bali, Indonesia.

Christian Francis Roth

My favorite beach: Tetiaroa atoll in French Polynesia (Tahiti). It used to be Marlon Brando's island. Early morning, I love to take the speedboat from Papeete, after one hour on the high and rough sea, the amazing site of Tetiaroa. The shade of the blues, the delicate sand barriers, the calm of this destination, it is just magic and heaven!

Cynthia Rowley

My favorite travel writing: Truman Capote's "Local Color."

John Patrick

I am always searching for the perfect: Straw hat. I could just travel and buy them, no house needed—just warm places to hang out and wear them.

Sophie Buhai

The perfect souvenir: Any kind of special hot sauce from where you have been. Lip balm from foreign countries and hotel stationery.

A New Children's Book

This New York Times bestseller is now available as an audio download read by none other than Samuel L. Jackson. Listen to it here!

Ursus Books and Prints - A Manhattan Landmark

After twenty-three years in the Carlyle Hotel on the Upper East Side, Ursus Books has moved to a new location on Madison Avenue.

Established in 1972, the comprehensive selection of fine antique decorative prints, art reference books and superb copies of rare books in all fields attracts readers, writers and shoppers around the world. Located nine blocks from MOMA, Ursus’ new location occupies the third floor of the a landmark building, originally built to house Fortnum and Mason in New York.

Just walking into this store is inspiring. I'll always remember my first visit when I lived just around the corner. I picked up my signed copy of Irving Penn's 'Passage'- it's still my favorite coffee table book on view in my apartment!

Just for Peek of Perfection readers, Ursus Books is offering a 10% discount on all items. Just call the shop and mention you read it here!

Ursus Books and Prints

699 Madison Avenue, 3rd Floor
212.772.8787

Coffee Table Chic

In my apartment, the coffee table is the focal point of my living room. It was love at first sight when I moved to L.A. and came across the perfect square piece at Grace Home Furnishings right off of Sunset Boulevard. Below are the basics to get this look.

Books. These are what hold everything together to become the centerpiece of the room. Collect them throughout the years, interchanging them as often as your color schemes fluctuate. I like stacking them in piles so the bottom edges line up, with the bindings facing different directions. This way, no matter which way you look at the table, you can see what books are on view. No pile should have the same amount of books, but kept at a relative height. The bargain section at high-end photography book shops usually has some vintage gems.

Objects of Desire. Find a fantastic antique shop nearby. Wertz Brothers here in Santa Monica is a gold mine. A great way to bring in your favorite color that may be too much for anything larger in the room (hot pink anyone?) is by placing candies, buttons, marbles or anything small enough to fit in little dishes to top off the stacks. Plantation in Venice, CA is also good for inspiration and accessories.

Candles. For me, there is no scent more addicting than Diptyque's Tubereuse.

Trays. Placing items on trays lends them importance. Here is where you can place a candle, a vintage hotel ashtray, or any other antique finds. Depending on the type of table you have, a bright lacquer color is always fun. Try Jonathan Adler's or John Derian's classic decoupage trays.

*images via lonny, the wsj, the neo-traditionalist

The King and Queen of Spades

The Selby recently posted images of Kate and Andy Spade's home in Manhattan- and it's perfection. Not surprisingly, they have every detail down. Here's what to love:

* the herringbone wood floors

* the black gloss rotary phone

* black + white abstract art contrasted with..

* punches of primary colors in the walls and chairs

* the white subway tiles in the kitchen

* coffee table books galore

It's a great mix of preppy/chic. If I wasn't in a rental I'd paint my doors black lacquer like that! Bonus: watch this video on Spade and Sperduti here- creators of the J.Crew Liquor Store concept. I'm so luckily to have met and worked with them while I was working on the Rolex brand in New York!

*images via the selby

Bookshelves as Decor

I think I'd almost prefer a wall covered in books rather than a wall of windows. I've committed to buying one coffee table book per month (not that it's difficult to do) because there are just so many beautiful ones out there- and I love the way the make my apartment feel- cozy and lived in. The bookshop Hennessey + Ingalls here in Santa Monica has an incredible selection of art, fashion and architecture books that makes this too easy. Do I dare to color coordinate them once I have enough to do so? Time will tell.

*images via elle decor, goop, the cool hunter and flickr

Film: Never Let Me Go

Mark Romanek adapts and directs Kazuo Ishiguro's sixth novel, Never Let Me Go. Still need to see this.

Clic Bookstore & Gallery

One of the many, many places I will miss in Manhattan is Clic Bookstore & Gallery on Broome Street. Springing from a love of design, art and books, Clic features monthly shows by emerging photographers and stocks a curated selection of photography books.

Since first opening in St. Barth in 2008 (if this and Calypso St. Barth don't give you a reason to visit, I don't know what will!), Clic has expanded to three more locations in East Hampton and New York City. In addition to classics from icons Helmut Newton and Richard Avedon, Clic carries a number of hard-to-find volumes, limited editions from small presses, original signed copies, and they hold regular book signings.

After stopping in the shop on Broome Street a couple weeks ago (the East Hampton location is just as fab), I had the pleasure of viewing "Smash His Camera: The Notorious Photographs of Ron Galella"- a black and white photography exhibit from the original stalkerazzi. It will only be on display until June 30th, so be sure to stop by to see these rare images in person soon!

Clic Gallery & Bookstore

424 Broome Street

New York, New York 10013

Books as Decor

One of my favorite design elements is bookcases covering an entire wall. I love how they break up a space and create cozy vignettes that showcase not only books, but accessories, framed pictures, albums, and anything else! I'm looking forward to creating something similar in my next apartment!

*images via habitually chic