Painted prominently on building exteriors, decorating the spine of books, or etched into a stealth location in the kitchen, here is a look at Chinese hanzi and Japanese kanji lettering as decor.
Above: A quote from Chinese philosopher Laozi, via Behance.
Above: Tea towels in a Scandinavian kitchen on Sköna Hem.
Above: Boxes painted with Japanese calligraphy; via D. Watson on Flickr.
Above: A dining room in the Brooklyn apartment of designer and craftsman Kai-wei Hsu, principal of KWH Furniture. Photo via Design Sponge.
Above: The LA home of David Cruz of Blackman Cruz, via Elle Decor, features an early 20th century Japanese screen.
I love it when artists open housewares shops—the products they choose always seem as original as their own work. Case in point: Ferse Verse.
Ferse Verse is a delightful selection of handmade and vintage goods by Hong Kong artist and graphic designer Furze Chan. Much like Furze’s own work, the items at Ferse Verse are balanced and graceful, but they also always have at least a dash of whimsy, a brush of color. Diminutive and personal, the objects at Ferse Verse are like haikus, capturing moments rather than creating big impressions. Though small in scale, they are large in personality. Though simple, they are storied.
Above: The Tofu Flat Spoon is a traditional Chinese brass spoon meant for serving tofu pudding; $14.
Above: A vintage Porcelain Trinket Box is shaped like an egg and hand-painted with a blue pattern; $44.
Above: Two small Bamboo Spoons designed by Furze, one of them dipped in red; $25 for the pair.
Above: Originally used by Chinese doctors, midwives, barbers, and hairdressers, these Cotton Towels say "Good Morning!" in two languages; $10 for two.
Above: A Milky Teacup by Hong Kong ceramic artist Joanna Tang who uses wax resist and glaze; $38.
For more shops that we love, have a look at our Shopper's Diaries, and check out our favorite finds from Kiosk, a collection with a sensibility similar to Ferse Verse's.
N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on June 18, 2012 as part of our Bath & Spa Style issue.
Henrik Thygesen and Sebastian Jørgensen are the masterminds behind Danish furniture label We Do Wood. Both have carpentry and design backgrounds and are committed to building sustainable, everyday furniture using bamboo and traditional woodworking techniques. "When we make furniture, it is essential that design, quality, and values go hand in hand," their manifesto states. And why bamboo? Because bamboo is a sustainable, environmentally friendly material, and the world's fastest growing grass—making it both an aesthetic and ethical material of choice ready to be put to sophisticated new uses.
Above: The Scoreboard Wardrobe is a hanging rack consisting of a board with holes and 12 colored pegs that can be moved around—"you can use the colors to tag hangers for every family member or to tag single clothing pieces," suggest Thygesen and Jørgensen. It's €156 from Connox. The Komplett Lounge Chair is made from lightweight FSC-certified oak and designed for comfort; €515 from Darwin's Home.
Above: An alternative to the traditional bookshelf, the bamboo SJ Bookcase features four differently sized, colored boxes attached to a rack. Also available in black and white, the boxes are adjustable and work well for storing books, objects, or plants; €960 from Connox.
Above: The Dining Table No. 1 is made of bamboo and characterized by a Scandinavian simplicity. It's available in two sizes (medium and large); pricing starts at €1,340 at Darwin's Home.
Above: The bamboo Correlations Bench has a fitted removable lid to provide both seating and storage. It also can work as a side table, and several benches can be connected, as shown here, by fastening hardware; €462 from Connox.
Above: The lighweight Dining Chair No. 1 is composed of fitted pieces of FSC-certified oak. It comes in black, blue, and white and is €293 from Darwin's Home.
Can Chinese herbs cure what ails you? Western medicine, which has been slow to embrace the 5,000-year-old practice of traditional Chinese medicine, is no longer dismissive. The Federal Drug Administration supports clinical trials of Chinese herbs, and more than 37 percent of US hospitals offer complementary and alternative medicine treatments, according to the American Hospital Association.
We asked Judy Ho-Lam, manager of the Great China Herb Co. in the heart of San Francisco's Chinatown, for a list of the ten most useful herbs in traditional Chinese medicine and suggestions for how to brew something soothing. Here are her picks:
Above: Judy Ho-Lam's top ten includes: Wild Yam; American Ginseng; Panax Ginseng; Goji Berries, Black Jujubes; Apricot Seeds; Dried Chrysanthemum; Fox Nuts; Honeysuckle, and Red Jujubes.
Ho-Lam said no one should use Chinese herbs for medicinal purposes before consulting a doctor; many people are allergic to herbs, for one thing. For another, some herbs contain concentrated ingredients that may be harmful to pregnant women, or patients with autoimmune diseases or suppressed immune systems. For more information about traditional Chinese medicinal herbs, see NIH and Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center; both institutions offer comprehensive sites summarizing the most up-to-date research on a particular herb.
Above: Dried chrysanthemum flowers.
Chrysanthemum in Chinese medicine is used to treat chest pain, colds, fever, and hypertension (clinical studies have not been conducted on its efficacy). Chrysanthemum Tea Recipe: Boil 4 cups water. Meanwhile, put 1/4 cup of dried chrysanthemum flowers into a teapot. Pour enough boiling water on the flowers to cover, let sit for three minutes, stir and drain off the water. Add the rest of the boiling water to the flowers, cover, and steep for five minutes before serving.
Goji Berries. Traditional Chinese medicinal uses: to improve eyesight, anti-aging benefits, and to lower blood sugar levels. An observational study of 79 patients in China with advanced cancers who combined the berries with other treatments showed positive results; the study was published in 1994 and it is unknown if the results could be replicated in patients undergoing current courses of treatment. Goji Berries can be eaten raw.
Above: Shavings of wild yam root.
Wild Yam, not to be confused with tubers that grow underground, is a vine and used in Chinese medicine to alleviate gastrointestinal disorders as well as menstrual discomfort and symptoms of menopause. Studies have shown wild yam to have a mild estrogenic effect on mice but there's no evidence of the same effect on humans. Wild Yam Salve Recipe: Simmer 3 cups of chopped wild yam root in 1 gallon of water until the root softens. While simmering, mash the softened root; a foam will form on the surface of the water. Skim the foam in a bowl. Reserve 1/2 cup of cooking liquid. While the foam is still hot, stir into it 1/2 cup of beeswax beads and 3 tablespoons of stearic acid. Add reserved yam water to achieve a smooth consistency.
Above: Apricot seeds.
Apricot Seeds are used in Chinese medicine to control coughs and wheezing (as well as to treat gastrointestinal symptoms). No clinical studies support these uses. The most common preparation is to boil seeds in conjunction with other herbs to create a concentrated brew. Seeds have a bitter taste.
Above: Red Panax Ginseng.
Panax Ginseng, used in Chinese medicine to relieve anxiety and stimulate the immune system, may also be beneficial as a supplementary therapy for breast cancer. In a study of 1,455 breast cancer patients in Shanghai, published in 2006 in the Journal of American Epidemiology, researchers concluded that regular ginseng users had a significantly reduced rate of death and a higher quality of life. However, as study participants also were more likely to be taking tamoxifen, it is unclear whether the benefits can be ascribed to the herb or the prescription cancer drug. Avoid panax ginseng if you are pregnant, hypertensive, or taking anti-coagulants. Do not take it in conjunction with other herbs or supplements; for more information, see NIH Medline Plus.
American Ginseng, grown in the northwestern regions of the US and in Canada, is used by Chinese herbalists to reinvigorate yin, one of the two halves of the universe believed to create everything. Results of a study of 364 cancer patients reported last year in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that taking American Ginseng improves cancer-related fatigue.
Ginseng Tea Recipe: Bring 4 cups of water to boil. Meanwhile, place 4-6 teaspoons of shaved ginseng root in a teapot. Pour the boiling water into the teapot and allow the tea to steep, covered, for ten minutes. Strain and serve.
Above: Black jujube dates.
Black Jujube Dates are used by practitioners of Chinese medicine to treat digestive problems, skin conditions, and as a sedative. Fruits of a small shrub-like tree, the dates may be candied and eaten as a snack. Black Jujube and Chicken Soup Recipe: Pour 4 cups chicken broth into a saucepan on the stove. Add two peeled garlic cloves, 2 teaspoons chopped ginger, and 1/2 cup black jujube dates; bring mixture to a simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in 1/2 cup cooked shredded chicken; season with salt and pepper to taste and serve soup while hot.
Above: Fox nuts (Bottom L) and Honeysuckle (Bottom R).
Fox Nuts, which can be roasted until they pop like popcorn and then seasoned with salt or spices, are used in traditional Chinese medicine to relieve gastrointestinal ailments and to promote the health of the kidneys and spleen.
Honeysuckle, used in traditional Chinese medicine to treat sore throats and fever, can be brewed into a tea (see Chrysanthemum Tea recipe Above).
Red Jujubes, cultivated for more than 4,000 years in China, can be eaten fresh or candied (for dessert). They are used in traditional Chinese medicine to improve appetite, relieve fatigue, and calm anxieties.
Using reclaimed ship wood, Chinese/German architecture firm Cheungvogl created a one-of-a-kind installation for the Aesop shop on Canton Road in Hong Kong. The design celebrates the natural processes of weathering and aging—and is a salute to the legendary slow boat to China.
Above: The planks of wood were left in their original state and used to form two floating cabinet installations for display and storage of Aesop's skin and hair care products. Founded in Melbourne in 1987, Aesop has stores around the world, no two alike: "It is always our intention to add to the neighborhoods in which we operate, and to respect their history and culture. Architecturally, our first principle is to work with what already exists and to weave ourselves into the fabric of the street."
Above: The size and orientation of the wood planks inform the design and detailing of the cabinets.
Above: The cabinets accommodate different functions, including seating for makeup application.
Above: The drawers are fronted with planks that are consistent in size but varied in their appearance, creating a tapestry of textures.
Above: The reclaimed wood provides an arresting display for Aesop products.
Above: Industrial stools with wooden seats slide under the makeup counter.
Above: The architects took advantage of the naturally occurring holes and turned them into drawer handles.
Above: A drawer contains Aesop samples filed neatly.
For TwoTwoSix Hollywood Road, a five-story apartment building in the Sheung Wan district of Hong Kong, London designer Ilse Crawford has created a sanctuary from the urban bustle. We've sourced brass, glass, and lacquer elements for recreating the look at home:
Above: In the living room, which overlooks a leafy courtyard, a gold lacquered aluminum Atollo Lamp by Vico Magistretti ($3,000 from All Modern) illuminates a corner.
Above: The 443 Bench under the kitchen window is from Studioilse's Seating for Eating collection manufactured by De La Espada; $1,145 from Hive Modern.
Above: For a similar teapot, consider Tom Dixon's spun-polished brass Form Teapot; £140 from Heal's (in the US, the Form Teapot is $180 at ABC Home in NYC).
Above: Fabricated in Minnesota, these Crosscut Boards are made from a single cut that's cured to prevent splitting and finished with food safe mineral oil. Each is about one inch thick; $20 to $30 at Canoe. Another option is the thick slab White Oak Chopping Board from Garde in LA.
Above: The Pallarès Solsona Clever is made in Spain from high-quality stainless steel and boxwood; $180 at Quitokeeto.
The Dining Room
Above: In the dining room, Ilse Crawford paired a lacquered table with leather chairs.
Above: Open shelving is set into the wall of the dining room and painted a calming shade of gray.
Above: Astier de Villatte's Rectangular Hollandaise Table in a rich brown lacquer is available through Astier de Villatte in France; inquire directly for pricing and availablity.
Above: The Italian Bottega Side Chair, designed in 2003 by Renzo Fauciglietti and Graziella Bianchi, is built with luxury and low-maintenance in mind. It's made from split-grain leather that's been treated for stain resistance and stretched over a steel frame and tapered tube legs; $865 each at Design Within Reach (shown here in Russian red).
Above: Design Within Reach's Satellite collection includes the Satellite Chandelier with 24 antennae arms; it's made from steel with a brass (shown) or bronze finish; $1,325 at DWR.
Above: The Medium Ilse Bowl is made of high-polished black glass and measures 7.5 inches in diameter; $185 at The Future Perfect.
Above: Hand-blown Champagne Glasses designed by Ilse Crawford and Michael Anastassiades; £129 a pair at Sigmar in London.
Above: Studioilse used a brass serving tray as wall decor in the living room. This Brass Tray is made by Oji Masanori in Japan and available at Mjölk in Toronto for $385 CAD. Alternatively, source one of the many Vintage Round Brass Trays found on Etsy.
Above: Designed by Gio Ponti for architectural hardware company Izé, the Lever Handle is made of brass in a variety of finishes; inquire about pricing.
Above: Designer Michael Anastassiades's Onyx Light is a table lamp and sculpture made from a single slab of white onyx with a black silk flex cord; $3,910 at The Future Perfect.
When serving an Asian dish for dinner, do you set the table with your own chopsticks or do you rely on the throwaway sets provided by restaurants? Not until my husband mentioned that he's always dreamed of owning his own collapsible stainless steel chopsticks from Snow Peak (to use while camping), did it ever cross my mind to invest in a few pairs. We scouted high and low for attractive, well-made wooden chopsticks for everyday use and here are our favorite finds:
Above: Oki Sato of Nendo was asked by one of the oldest Japanese chopstick makers, Hashikura Matsukan to redesign the traditional chopstick. The resulting Rassen forms a tidy single unit that gets separated during mealtime.
Above: A box of Young Cedar Chopsticks, made from FSC-certified Japanese cedar, is $55 at Heidi Swanson's Quitokeeto shop.
Above: A good pair for practicing your chopsticks skills, Pick Up Chopsticks by Design House Stockholm are made of jamjuree wood with a stainless steel joint; $29 from Abode New York.
Above: The Akebi Bamboo Chopstick from Japanese outdoor company Snow Peak is made of bamboo that's been smoked for visual appeal and to prevent mold; $15.95. Snow Peaks' Tanner Goods Carry-on Chopsticks are the $70 pair my husband has been eyeing.
Above: A set of four Sandy Beach Collection Chopsticks are $16.80 from Etsy store Storiebrooke. Made of bamboo, they're paint-dipped using a food-safe, non-toxic paint and finish.
At a recent editorial meeting, Julie asked what we all thought of bamboo floors. As it turns out, none us knew much about the material as a flooring option, including me—despite having a bamboo floor in my own kitchen. Ten years ago, my architect husband and I decided to go with bamboo based on cost and convenience: back then bamboo flooring was relatively new to the US and UK markets and the easiest way to purchase it was through the vanguard of the Internet, making it more competitive than any other wood flooring we were considering.
Recently, we renovated our kitchen and changed everything but the floor. Because of its softness, the floor certainly has its shares of nicks and dents and I desperated wanted to change its color. Impossible to refinish, we compromised and kept it. For those considering installing bamboo flooring, I've boned up on the material and can offer the following advice—in hindsight.
Above: Our new kitchen and 10 year old bamboo floor of engineered horizontal-cut bamboo, patterned with bamboo's distinctive horizontal rings. See Rehab Diay: Sleuthing for Space in My Kitchen to read more about our recent remodel. Photograph by Kristin Perers.
What is bamboo flooring?
The first thing to know about bamboo is that while it behaves like wood, it’s actually a fast-growing, tree-like grass that renews itself every four years. Widely used in East Asia and the South Pacific for a range of building elements, including flooring, the material has gained popularity in North America and Europe in the last 20 years. In traditional floor construction, bamboo stems are cut as flat as possible and then nailed to wooden beams. The result is a highly textured floor with visible spaces between each stem. Conversely, the bamboo flooring commonly in use today is highly processed: to manufacture it, mature bamboo poles are sliced into strips of desired widths and boiled in a solution of boric acid or lime (to remove the starch and sugars); the strips are then dried, planed, and laminated into usable planks.
Above: Traditional bamboo flooring can be seen in this modular flood-proof house by Vietnamese studio H&P Architects. Photograph by Doan Thanh Ha via Dezeen.
Why is everyone talking about bamboo?
Given that trees take at least ten times longer to mature than bamboo—50 years compared to 5—bamboo is an environmentally sustainable material; it even manages to regenerate itself after cutting! Bamboo has other environmental benefits, too: as it grows, this naturally antimicrobial, anti-fungal, and antibacterial grass eschews pesticides and other harmful chemicals while drawing water up to soil level and improving the soil—it's the self sufficient and independent child of the plant world (and a thug according to many gardeners; see Bamboo: The Re-Think).
So what's the catch when it comes to bamboo as a building material? The energy expenditure required to turn bamboo into flooring—and to ship it from Southeast Asia where most bamboo is grown—doesn't always stack up against locally grown hardwoods. Also, the glue used in the lamination process can contain high levels of the toxic chemical urea formahdehyde. The best manufacturers conscientiously use adhesives that are water based, solvent free, and do not off-gas toxic chemicals. To get what you're after, ask the right questions when speaking to bamboo flooring suppliers (see the Total Formaldehyde Chart from Green Builder's Suppler for an idea of good-practice sources).
There are three basic styles, each with its own distinctive look:
Engineered bamboo flooring—Also known as horizontal cut, engineered bamboo flooring, like engineered hardwood floors, consists of a solid layer of bamboo glued over a substrate. This is the most recognizable bamboo flooring on the market: it's the one in which the bamboo stem looks like it's been flattened out and it's patterned by bamboo's distinctive horizontal ring markings.
Solid bamboo flooring—Made up of solid pieces of bamboo that have been glued together, solid bamboo flooring, also known as vertical cut, is typically stronger than the engineered version. This type of flooring has a thinner overall stripy look created by all the bamboo strips compressed together.
Strand-woven bamboo flooring—By most accounts, strand woven bamboo flooring, in which the bamboo is shredded and then compressed with adhesives, is the most durable of the three. It looks the least like traditional bamboo because the manufacturers can blend colors and lengths to create many different styles. Note that the presence of adhesives isn't a bad thing as long as the right ones are used.
Above L: An example of vertical-cut bamboo flooring comprised of solid bamboo pieces that have been glued together. Above R: An example of horizontal-cut engineered bamboo flooring in which a solid layer of bamboo is glued over a substrate. Images via Home Style Choices.
Above: Strand woven bamboo is the strongest, looks the least like its original material, and comes in many finishes and colors. Image via Home Style Choices.
What colors and finishes does bamboo flooring come in?
When we were purchasing our bamboo flooring 10 years ago, our choice of finish was limited to two colors: a natural blond finish or a caramel colored carbonized finish. (The carbonization process used to color the wood by heating it intensively weakens the bamboo structurally and results in softer than usual planks.) But these days bamboo floors come in a wide range of colors and natural stains.
Above: Planks of engineered horizontal-cut bamboo flooring in a natural finish take on an abstract version of bamboo stalks. Image via All Decor.
Above: A strand-woven bamboo floor, similar in look and strength to some exotic hardwoods, can have a dramatic effect. Image via Teragren.
Above: In this house on Kiawah Island in Hawaii, Christopher Rose Architects used bamboo flooring stained black to create a monolithic floor in a modern setting.
Above: Strand-woven bamboo is available in an array of colors. Image via Duro Design.
Like hardwood floors, bamboo floors come in many finishes, from polyurethane to oils, as well as different sheens, including satin, semi gloss, and high gloss. The better quality finishes have a longer warranty period. While bamboo may be comparable to hardwood floors in terms of durability, the inexpensive versions can be difficult to refinish: they have a finish that's difficult to remove—and if successful, you run the risk of releasing formaldehyde; what's more, sanding the floor will likely shred the grassy strands of the bamboo.
Above: If this white compressed-strand woven bamboo finish had been available 10 years ago, we would have installed it, fulfilling my longstanding dream of having a Scandi pale floor. When Izabella remodeled her house, she had hardwood floors and was able to change their color to white—an option that was not available to us. See how she did it in Scandi Whitewashed Floors: Before and After. Image via Wood Stock Flooring.
How durable is bamboo flooring compared to hardwood flooring?
The resilience of a bamboo floor depends on how it's been manufactured. According to the Janka Hardness Test, which measures the resistance of wood to dents and wear, strand-woven bamboo flooring is the most durable—it can be over 3000 psi (comparable to Ipê). Solid bamboo floors and engineered floors range from 1180 psi (comparable to pine) to 1700 psi (comparable to beech), depending on the quality of the product.
How much does bamboo flooring cost?
On average, bamboo flooring is less expensive than hardwood. Prices for bamboo flooring range from $4.80 to $7.50 per square foot installed, while prices for hardwood range from $8 to $9 per square foot installed.
Above: A midcentury house in Los Angeles has been updated with horizontal-cut engineered bamboo flooring that has a carbonized finish. Image via Take Sunset.
Bamboo Flooring Recap
Pros:
Competitive alternative to hardwood floors
Eco-friendly and renewable resource if forested responsibly
Its monolithic aesthetic works well with modern designs
Cons:
Can be difficult to refinish
Great energy expenditure involved in manufacturing and shipping
The adhesives required to laminate can contain toxic urea formaldehyde
Would we use it again?
Bamboo floors offer an attractive, eco-friendly alternative to solid hardwood floorsif you do your research. Despite two boys and a dog, our bamboo flooring has held up remarkably well for ten years and I see another ten years or more of life in it. My only regret is that we're unable to refinish the floor or change its color. That said, the amount we saved on our floor allowed us to spread our budget a little further on other parts of our kitchen and for that reason, yes, we would do it again, especially now that there are many more choices in type, color, and finish.
Bejing/Hangzhou-based Fnji Furniture is the brainchild of industrial designer Gu Qi Gao, who seeks to "discover meaningful things invented by Chinese people and to use them to serve modern Chinese people," according to Shanghai Daily. His solid wood pieces, which make use of Chinese mortise and tenon joint structure, are influenced by the shapes and forms of ancient Chinese furniture, but with minimalist lines.
Gu Qi began designing furniture when he opened a cafe in Shanghai and couldn't find pieces that he liked. "Design is connected to everything; it is the core to everything," he told Design China. "The situation right now is that most people live their lives according to a very Western lifestyle. They have abandoned the Chinese way of life." To see more, go to Fnji Furniture.
Above: Gu Qi's double-height showroom, which doubles as the living space that he shares with his artist girlfriend, Mobai, features metal factory windows and is filled with pieces from the Fnji line.
Above: "My father's generation used to make their own furniture from wood, but these processes have slowly been replaced by machine-made, mass-produced items that are usually very low in quality and very cheap," Gu Qi says. The Buddhist Bench (foreground) is ¥7200.
In their design for Super Sense Spa in Shangai, KUU architects looked to Shanghai's past, preserving the integrity of the 1930s space while adding hints of modernity. Located in a three-and-a-half-story townhouse in the shopping district of Shanghai, the spa features rough and refined elements: "The interior experience of the spa is at once intimate and rich, made with colors and textures that are not typically found in a spa," say the architects, "but reminds one of both the old Shanghai world and a possible future one."
Above: According to the architects, "We kept the facade of the building simple, rough, and dull-colored to contrast with the over-abundant visual effects of its neighbors along the street."
Above: Products are arrayed in a white chamber with a dramatic arched entrance. The walls are painted with emulsion paint applied over rough plaster.
Above: The room has whitewashed brick walls and exposed rafters.
Above: Ancient meets modern: a treatment room with minimalist fixtures.
Above: A dimly lit, Zen-like space with treatment tables for two.
Above: The architects left the old timber ceiling rafters partially exposed.
Above: Arched doorways and rough plaster are repeating motifs.
Remember the wok fad of the late 1970s, when hip households were stir-frying up a storm? (I may be dating myself.) The good news is that the virtues of the wok have made it a kitchen mainstay. A wok is an incredibly versatile piece of cookware that is not only ideal for stir-frying, but for steaming, braising, simmering, deep frying, and smoking.
What makes a wok so effective? The secret is in the shape which concentrates heat at the bottom of the pan, allowing very high heat cooking that seals in juices and prevents food from becoming a soggy mess. The tall sides make it easy to toss in ingredients and keep them contained in the pan.
When wok shopping, consider the pan's material. Chinese cooks will tell you that carbon steel and cast iron—the most affordable options—are the best choices as they are amazing heat conductors: they get hot fast and stay hot. These metals require seasoning, but many favor how they age, giving flavor and naturally developing a non-stick surface. Others, especially those with electric stoves, swear by anodized aluminum. And for those who don't want to bother with seasoning, stainless steel is another option. San Francisco's Wok Shop offers a very detailed explanation: see Wokology 101.
Last important detail: woks are available with round or flat bottoms. Flat-bottom models are recommended for Western stoves to get the best heat from the flat burners. Some gas stoves come with a special wok burner that cradles a round-bottom wok offering ideal heating. For a great primer, see the New York Times interview with Chinese cookbook author Grace Young, A Cook Talks about Woks and Stir-Fry.
Here are our selects:
Above: The Hammered Flat Bottom Wok is crafted of carbon steel hammered by hand (note: because of its unevenness, hammered steel is not recommended for induction stoves). The 14-inch wok has two handles for easy maneuverability; $29.95 at Williams-Sonoma.
Above: Lucky enough to have a wok burner? Consider the Hammered Round Bottom Wok with a single wooden stick handle that stays cool to the touch. Hand hammered of carbon steel, it includes a wok ring; $34.95 from Williams-Sonoma.
Above: Some prefer cast iron over carbon steel because of its durability (though steel heats up faster). The Thunder Group Cast Iron Wok is $18.19 at Food Service Warehouse.
Above: The Joyce Chen 14-inch Cast Iron Wok is a pre-seasoned, flat-bottom wok with a maple stick handle on one side and a small grab handle on the other; $43.12 at ATG Stores.
Above: From Lodge, the Pro-Logic 14-inch Cast Iron Wok, with two handles (that get very hot), comes pre-seasoned and can be used on any stovetop and in the oven; $63.35 at Amazon.
Above: Anodized aluminum is highly recommended for electric stovetops. The Calphalon Elite Non-Stick Wok is $129.95 at Williams-Sonoma.
Above: Another aluminum option at a lower price is the US-made Nordic Ware Wok with stay-cool removable grips and a non-stick surface; $39.55 at Amazon.
Above: For those who don't want the maintenance of seasoning, stainless steel is an option. The All-Clad Tri-Ply Stainless Steel Stir Fry Pan has an aluminum core that heats up quickly for rapid and even cooking. It features a stay-cool handle; $200 at Williams-Sonoma.
Above: Grace Young's Stir-Frying to the Sky's Edge won the 2011 James Beard International Cooking award and is a perfect companion for your wok; $24.50 at Amazon.
The Commune Social is a recently opened tapas bar in the center of Shanghai. Design team Neri & Hu Design and Research Office set out to create a communal space consisting of four distinct rooms and atmospheres—a cocktail bar, tapas bar, dining room, and dessert bar—that allow guests to "journey" from one room to another, socializing, sipping, and nibbling along the way. Each space serves up different dishes for diners to share, creating an ever-moving social ambiance.
Above: The Commune Social experience starts with drinks on an outdoor terrace, with a view of chefs at work in the tapas bar.
Above: Neri & Hu used reclaimed wood as flooring, furniture, and wainscotting. It's paired with iron elements, including custom lighting, that lend the spaces an industrial feel.
Above: The rustic dining area features unfinished concrete and white brick. The rawness of the design and what the restaurant describes as "freshness of the visual encounter" was intended to mirror the freshness of the food.
Above: Drinks are served at the Secret Bar, lit by industrial lighting with exposed bulbs.
Above: Grab your drink and move onto the next room for more tapas or dessert.
Above: Last stop, the dessert bar. The all white space has a clinical feel, allowing crispy lemon meringue with cucumber sorbet and other sweets to be presented against a clean canvas. For more information, visit The Commune Social.
The Chinese New Year (which starts January 31) has us thinking about green, a color representing health and renewal in China. We looked to jade green, a shade inspired by the stone with a many-thousand year history in China, and to celadon, a color synonymous with pale green Chinese ceramics.
Above: SF designer Kriste Michelini likes Benjamin Moore's Silken Pine. Says Michelini, "It's a pale celadon that's easy on the eyes and can act as a neutral. It's beautiful in a bedroom, living room, or bathroom for a serene and fresh look."
Above: Portland, OR, designer Carole Magness singles out Farrow & Ball's Green Ground, which she calls "fresh and vaguely artsy, reminding me of certain verdant aspects in Flemish art." Green Ground is among the palest shades in this group.
Above: Architect James Dixon recommends Farrow & Ball's Green Blue, a color he's used on the walls of an apartment in Paris.
Above: We admire Clover from Pratt & Lambert, a rich jade green. Designer Kelley Wearstler (via House Beautiful) says the shade reminds her of patinated copper.
Above: Another Remodelista favorite, Benjamin Moore's Aganthus Green is a grayed green just turning toward blue.
Above: Designer Rozalynn Woods suggests Benjamin Moore's Overcast as a great alternative to white with just a hint of color. Next to Silken Pine, this is the palest green of the bunch.
Above: We like Benjamin Moore's Lafayette Green at the darkest end of jade.
Above: Carole Magness also uses Farrow & Ball's Vert de Terre, which she says "brings to mind a clear running brook in the forest." Vert de Terre is more olive than Aganthus Green but similar in tone.
Above: Farrow & Ball's Arsenic is a bright jade. San Francisco interior designer Nicole Hollis calls it "just the right quirky mod color," which sounds about right to us.
Yesterday, we toured furniture designer Gu Qi Gao's showroom on the outskirts of Bejing; today, we take a look at his artful living space (is this the ultimate live/work situation?). Gu Qi launched his furniture line, Fnji Furniture, in 2010 and recently relocated to this residence-cum-showroom near the Beijing Capital Airport, which he shares with his graphic designer girlfriend.
Above: Before moving to Beijing, Gu Qi owned a cafe in Shanghai that combined furniture design and interior design (when he couldn't find pieces that inspired him, he began designing his own tables and chairs).
Above: East meets West: brass lighting pendants in Gu Qi's kitchen.
Admired lately: walls decorated with trays. Here are some ideas for recreating the look:
Above: A gilded settee with oversized brass tray, via Nickey Kehoe.
Above: Ten massed toile trays, large, medium, and small, in the home of Joan Osofsky of Hammertown Barn; photo by John Gruen from the book Love Where You Live, via The Visual Vamp.
As editor of Travel + Leisure magazine, Nancy Novogrod seems to be eternally leaving for or returning from Asia (I know this because I had the pleasure of working for her at T + L for 14 years). So, of course, when we were scouting for projects in China, I gave her a call. Formerly the editor of House & Garden, she's always on the lookout for arresting design and immediately pointed us to the work of Shanghai architecture firm Neri & Hu Design and Research Office. This is what we found:
Photographs via Neri & Hu, unless noted.
Above: The Waterhouse at South Bund hotel is housed in a former Japanese army headquarters located in the Cool Docks, the city's revitalized and very happening old port. Photograph by Pedro Pegenaute.
Above: Neri & Hu preserved the three-story 1930s concrete structure while inserting a new floor and roof deck of Cor-Ten steel.
Above: The lobby presents a striking combination of the crumbling and the contemporary.
Above: A ghostly chandelier floats in the space introducing a hint of grandeur.
Above: There are 19 guests rooms, each with minimalist furniture that lets the views dominate. Neri & Hu explain that their design introduces "a blurring and inversion of the interior and exterior, as well as between public and private realms, creating a disorienting yet refreshing spatial experience."
Above: Frameless windows are one of the structure's signature design elements. This one offers bathers the full sweep of the city, from ancient rooftops to towering skyline. Photograph by Tuomas Uusheimo via Arch Daily.
Above: An ode to an old Italian courtyard? Neri & Hu inserted shuttered windows in the center of the building which overlooks the port. Photograph by Derryck Menere via Dezeen.
Above: A new version of the ensuite bathroom: a glass bathing chamber that divides bedroom from bath.
Above: The hotel's restaurant, Table No. 1—singled out by Travel + Leisure as the best restaurant in Shanghai in 2011—has communal tables of unfinished wood. The space is made intimate by a wood ceiling and gray-washed brick floor, while a wall of windows floods the room with light.
Above: No design detail was overlooked, down to the pencil selection.
Above: Views of the Huangpo River from the rooftop cocktail bar. The architects' choice of brown steel is a salute to the dock setting's industrial past. For additional information and reservations, go to The Waterhouse at South Bund.
For more of Neri & Hu's work, see today's post Strange but True: Tapas in Shanghai.
I first met David Ling, a new member of the Remodelista Architect and Designer Directory, in the cavernous, all-white New York offices of Richard Meier, the world-renowned architect whose cult-inducing abstract art and architecture inspired many aspiring architects from all over to come and train. No matter how early I got to work (part of the cult ethos), David was always there before me, hunched over a set of drawings, completely absorbed, poring over every detail. The drawings spoke to him like words on a page and he couldn't seem to get enough of them.
Describing himself as “nurtured in the United States, formed in Europe, with an everlasting umbilical cord attached to China,” the multicultural Ling moved on in 1992 and opened his own practice David Ling Architects in New York. Citing influences from his unusual background along with art and nature, the New York-based, German-trained architect (his clients include Tina Brown and Alberta Ferretti) views everything in life as an opportunity for creative thought. A recent tour of his 2,500-square-foot live/work loft in a 19th century building near Gramercy Park is a testament to his particular Zen-like view of perfection—not an end goal in itself, but rather a mere and often fleeting byproduct of the poetry he worships in the process of design itself. "When I bought the building in 2000, it was just raw; someone had started to put in two bathrooms to sell it,” he says. “I arrested construction and opened up the space; I still tinker with it constantly.”
Above: The dining area serves as the dividing line between Ling's office at the front of the loft and his living area and bedroom at the back. The ceiling openings were inspired by James Turrell's light pieces. "I had the contractor cut the apertures in the form of a knife edge, minimizing the thickness of the sheetrock and creating the impression of a paper thin plane," he says. The sheetrock ceiling is hung from the building's existing heavy timber structure with standard light gauge metal framing. The dining table by Mira Nakashima is made from live-edge American black walnut and the white chair is a prototype that Ling developed.
Above: The kitchen area is defined by an 18 foot long counter of hand troweled, custom colored black cement, which has an inset stainless sink and Dornbracht faucet with a platinum finish. "I like the idea that low-brow cement and high-brow platinum can co-exist," he says. A shelf runs along the wall for the length of the space supplying convenient and accessible open storage. On the floor Ling installed 4-foot by 8-foot mirrored acrylic sheets purchased from an industrial supply store on Canal Street. As the material cracks, he patches it in with more acrylic in shapes sized to fit—"automatic art in my silver pad," he says.
Above: Ling explains his spectacles collections this way: "My world is very visual, and I enjoy collecting instruments that help me see near (vintage glasses on the table) and far (binoculars). Some of the finest optics were made in Germany—hand-ground glass lenses."
Above: Much of Ling's work is inspired by natural forms that are found in organic materials. A collection of his favorite objects includes shells and coral that he collected while teaching in the Dominican Republic, horn shoehorns made in Haiti, and a tea whisk from a trip to Kyoto.
Above: Ling's living area faces a moat and a waterfall that cascades from the loft above in a sheet of water (when it's turned on). The moat is sealed with a pool liner and filled with river rocks. To get to the metal stairs that lead to his bedroom loft, Ling walks across the water on "stepping stones" made from leftover shoring posts that were in the building when he purchased it. The living area is a repository of Ling's European modernist furniture collection and includes a Poul Kjaerholm pk31:3-seater sofa, a pair of Mies van der Rohe Brno Flat Bar Chairs, an Otto Kolb Table Lamp, and the Bauhaus Table Lamp by Carl J. Jucker and Wilhelm Wagenfeld.
Above: A row of potted greens add an organic touch to the black leather Mies van der Rohe sofa.
Above: The Reclining Nude chaise is a Ling design that won the Future Furnitue Award from Interior Design Magazine in 2003.
Above: Louis Ghost Chairs by Philippe Starck form a seating area around a "negative table" (a pit that was part of the existing buildling) in the moat. The industrial steel stair, to which Ling added the custom steel railing, leads to the bedroom. Water from rain and snow is occasionally trapped in the gap between the party walls (behind the blue wall), which causes the paint to peel. "I kind of like the patina it creates," Ling says.
Above: In a loft filled with surprises, the tiny second floor is perhaps the most astonishing: Ling opened up what had been an enclosed sculpture studio, and built out a platform for his mattress, so that he literally sleeps on the edge of a precipice. "I like the feeling of being in a nest," he says. The bedroom level is just big enough for his futon and an open bathroom area. Linen curtains hang from an Ikea Dignitet Stainless Steel Curtain Wire, masking a window ledge that serve as Ling's ad-hoc storage shelf. For another look at the curtain wire, see Vanessa Bruno's Loft in Paris.
Above: A Josef Hoffman Haus Koller 3 Seat Sofa and pair of 17th century copies of earlier Zen ink wash paintings illustrate the mingling of Ling's European and Chinese influences. Instead of attaching the stair railing to the floor, he had the steel tube welded to the ceiling. "I thought, wait, why attach the railings to the floor all the time—why not the ceiling for a change?," he says. "It makes for a more dynamic composition."
Above: A calla lily-shaped wall of galvanized metal forms Ling's bedside shower. Inspired by Giacometti's surrealist sculpture "Palace at 4 am" and Richard Serra's work, the construction extends down to the living area where it forms a platform that has become Mae Mae the cat's throne. A stainless steel prison toilet completes the bathroom suite. Ling isn't the only designer intrigued by prison accessories; have a look at Design Sleuth: Toilet Roll Holders Inspired by Prison Design.
Above: The monogrammed leather suitcases that Ling's mother carried when she emigrated from Hong Kong to New Jersey in the 1950's sit by Ling's bed.
Above: Just beyond his office on the first floor, Ling displays architectural models, building material samples, and outsized Chinese calligraphy brushes on a table that he fashioned from tatami mats set on shoring posts. "This was my first furniture here," he says. "I used to be a minimalist."
Above: Well before bare bulb lights became all the rage, Ling installed junction boxes in the ceiling and hung Satco Incandescent Tubular Bulbs on socketed wires. His homemade fixtures—"about 30 cents each"—hang in the stairwell that leads down to a library. The large ballpoint pen drawing is by Dan Miller, an artist represented by Creative Growth, an art center in Oakland, CA, representing people with disabilities.
Above: Ling fashioned the desks in his office from salvaged materials. The 5/8-inch acid-etched tempered glass tabletops—remnants from a museum installation he designed—are slotted into wall shelves made from fir beams and supported at the end by shoring posts, scrap materials he found in the building.
Above: Ling pairs a collage by our former employer Richard Meier with an abacus. "I worked with Richard for six years as an associate and during that time I assisted him with assembling the collages, which was great fun and a privilege," he says. "The abacus belonged to my dad, a theoretical physicist who taught me how to use it when I was a child. He always had it within arm's reach and it reminds me of him and his devotion to math."
Above: The architect stands with his rescue dog, George, in the back of his 1880s building, originally a dental factory.
Above: Watch David Ling move through his space and describe how it came to be; via Dwell.
Above: A plan of the first floor of Ling's live/work space shows the office area in the front and the living area in the rear. The two spaces are separated by what Ling refers to as the "drawbridge," a walkway that overlooks the library.
Above: A longitudinal section cuts through the length of the space.
When Napa Valley-based chef and event planner Amy Edelen moved into a former water tower, she had to think carefully about configuring her new home, as the bucolic three-story structure has sloping walls that get steadily narrower at the upper levels.
Amy, who loves to entertain, says she decided on a custom table to fit the space because "I wanted the maximum number of people around a table, and this sits a dozen comfortably." The total cost? Under $500 for the materials plus the handyman's time. Better still, Amy says, "The table has changed my life. I have had more dinner parties in the last two months since I made the table than I did in my old home where I was for five years."
Above: "I bought cabinet-grade plywood from Home Depot," Amy says. "It's the most expensive kind of plywood because it has no grain and no knots. It comes in a 4-by-8-foot sheet, and I had it cut down to 6 by 4 feet to fit the space." The wrap-around white banquette was also custom-built to fit the space.
Above: The 1-inch-thick plywood has a 2-inch trim around the edge; the deeper trim makes the table look thicker and more substantial. Amy's handyman used 92 screws to put it together, each puttied over to give it a clean look.
Above: On the topic of color, Amy says, "I was thinking of painting the table gray, anything that wouldn't make it look like plywood. Then I happened upon a sample of Ruby Red Paint from Benjamin Moore, a poppy shade that just jumped off the wall when I was looking at colors." The sheen is courtesy of a coat of resin: "I had used resin before and liked the way it made color pop. When you apply it, you pour two compounds together and the mixture bubbles up on the surface. You have to blow on it to get the bubbles to disappear. I tried using a hair dryer, but blowing is better. You need to do this in the first 30 minutes. The resin levels off, but as it drops down the side you need to use one of those paint stirring sticks to clean the edges as the resin drips off. This stage takes around four hours." Amy sourced the resin from TAP Plastics.
Above: Amy covered the table in three coats of Ruby Red Paint from Benjamin Moore and then finished it with resin. The strip of black on the base of the legs is electrical tape that Amy added to see if a touch of black enamel would look good. "I like the way it separates the table from the floor," she says. "The tape might just stay if I never actually get around to painting the legs."
A while back a reader sent in a tip about Lost & Found, a store in the Chaoyang district of Beijing owned by ex-pat American Paul Gelinas and local Xiao Mao. Since then, the pair has expanded their offerings (including a new line of clothing for men and women and housewares to come) and relaunched their website. While many Chinese embrace the modern furnishings at Ikea, Gelinas and Mao look for value in everyday pieces from the past, taking inspiration from classic midcentury Chinese designs and reproducing them locally as limited editions.
N.B. Summer House in Mill Valley, California carries select pieces from the line.
Above: Lost & Found is housed in a former dumpling shop on one of Beijing's oldest streets.
Above: The building was renovated and redesigned by New Architecture Office, the collaborative office of Gelinas and colleague Phil Dunn.
Above: The Danish Chair and Footstool are both, as the designers say, "a Chinese knock-off of a Japanese knock-off of a Danish original. But like the photograph of a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy, the original details have long since dissolved, while the essential character has become more and more clear." Priced at ¥4680 (about $773 USD).
Above: The shop's layout is a series of living rooms on top of living rooms.
Above: Ceramic vessels by artist Mars Hsu of Sweet Object.
Above: Lost & Found Shop's warehouse is home to limited edition collections and individual designs.
Above: The Angle-Iron Shelving is Lost & Found's refined version of the industrial units seen in 1920s Chinese factories. Instead of the shoddy wood, this shelving is built with fine Chinese walnut on an iron frame.
Above: The Iron Pipe Chair was "all the rage in Shanghainese office design, circa 1970. Nowadays, you’re more likely to see one permanently parked on a sidewalk in Nanjing. We’ve brought the Iron Pipe Chair back. Lost & Found makes these one-by-one. Slowly. Interior frame constructed of elm; armrests carved from salvaged teak. Upholstered in our custom-woven corduroy or thrice-washed wool. These are our best-selling chairs." Priced at ¥3200 (about $528 USD).
Above: Built by hand using raw steel and Chinese walnut, the Work Desk has a sleek midcentury vibe; ¥4800 (about $793 USD).
Above: Contractors working with Gelinas' firm, New Architecture Office, to renovate the ancient building.
