This week in the world of architecture and design, Santiago Calatrava's World Trade Center transit hub draws more ire, the market for highest-end furniture is robust, and the theory behind disk-shaped office buildings.

Calatrava's World Trade Transit Center Is Leaking

Above: The World Trade Center Transportation Hub under construction. Photograph via the New York Times. 

Spanish/Swiss architect Santiago Calatrava’s World Trade Center Transportation Hub is under fire once again—this time for a persistent water leak that has delayed the opening from this year to next. Past criticisms of the new railway station and shopping mall centered on the structure being over budget (by nearly double) and behind schedule, even before the water leak was identified. Read the story at the New York Times. 

Rising Prices for Art Furniture 

Above: A chandelier by Jeff Zimmerman. Photograph via Bloomberg. 

Bloomberg reports that in the past decade, prices for high-end furniture have approached values typically reserved for the art market. Says Loic Le Gaillard, cofounder of Carpenter’s Workshop Gallery in New York, “People want exceptional high-end furniture that’s going to match the quality of what they have on the walls.” Read more at Bloomberg. 

Dutch Transit Center by UNStudio Opens After 20 Years

Above: Photograph by Frank Hanswijk via Slate.

On November 19, the Arnhem transportation terminal by Dutch firm UNStudio opened in the Netherlands, after 20 years of planning and $40 million. The hub was first designed in 1996 to replace an aging station, in anticipation of accommodating 110,000 daily commuters by 2020. The curvaceous structure is meant to intuitively guide travelers through the building. Read the story at Slate. 

Architect Chosen for World Trade Arts Center

Above: Joshua Prince-Ramus. Photograph by Matthias Vriens-McGrath via the Wall Street Journal. 

The performing arts center at the World Trade Center site will be REX, a Brooklyn firm led by Joshua Prince-Ramus, whose past work includes the Seattle Central Library and the Wyly Theater in Dallas. The architect worked under Rem Koolhaas earlier in his career as the founding principal of OMA New York, the NY branch of Koolhaas’s studio. The 80,000-square-foot building will serve as a cultural center for lower Manhattan, slated for completion by 2019. Read more at the Wall Street Journal. 

The Theory Behind Disk-Shaped Architecture

Above: The newest Apple campus planned for Cupertino, California. Image by Handout via the Guardian. 

Prompted by a show at London's Serpentine Gallery, the Guardian reports on a theory behind the disk shapes of three new office buildings: Zappos headquarters in Las Vegas, the UK’s Government Communications Headquarters in Cheltenham, and Apple’s newest campus in Cupertino, California. The circular buildings, the theory goes, reflect the newly flat management structures of the organizations housed in the structures. Read more at the Guardian. 

More from this week: 

• Trending on Gardenista: How to Plant a Painterly Landscape
• Trending on Remodelista: The Artist's House

More Stories from Remodelista

• Coming to California: Remodelista Holiday Markets Preview
• Current Obsessions: Holiday Light
• Artful Ceramics by Way of Lisbon

Hard to believe: the holiday season is here; we're gearing up for a few weeks of low-key festivities.

Monday

Above: In our Architect Visit column, Margot meets an industrious couple in Australia who built their own weekend cabin.

Tuesday

Above: We're taking inspiration from the winner of our Considered Design Awards in this week's Steal This Look department. 

Wednesday

Above: In our Design Travel department: The hotel we're most longing to visit is, improbably, in San Antonio, Texas. 

Thursday

Above: Alexa rounds up five ideas for corralling the napkin in our DIY department. 

Friday

Above: Combat the post-Thanksgiving hangover and join us for a tour of a serenely simple house in London in our House Tours department.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Remodelista Market Spotlight: The Potters at Remodelista's LA and SF Holiday Markets
• Top 5 in Design News: More Delays for World Trade Transit Center and Furniture Prices Rival Art
• Coming to California: Remodelista Holiday Markets Preview

"Our weeks are busy and noisy with phone calls, client meetings, computer screens. Add to that the daily mayhem of our one year old, and by Friday evening we’re both cross-eyed and exhausted, so physical and emotional space is critical. Having the opportunity to completely unplug and leave it all behind for 48 hours is incredibly important to us."

Phoebe Dann, a Melbourne-based graphic designer, is talking about the Humpy, the derelict shed that she and her architect/product designer husband, Anthony Dann, transformed into a compact, off-the-grid retreat, just big enough for the two of them and their baby daughter, Fleur. Inspiration? Le Corbusier's private refuge Cabanon, the only building he built for himself. "Like our cabin, it was also a plywood cocoon," says Anthony.

Formerly a surfer's occasional crash pad, the Humpy is located two and a half hours southwest of Melbourne in the lush coastal Otway Ranges—home, the couple notes, to "big mobs of kangaroos" who live in the surrounding hills. "We tore everything out, but we kept the bones of the structure, which gave us the starting point for our design," Anthony told Freunde von Freunden. "These bones were the timber posts that hold up the floor and roof, the floor beams, and the pitched roof shape, which we felt was domestic and cozy. We built outwards, making the overall interior size 7 by 5.5 meters (23 by 18 feet). It’s still little, but there's just enough space for us to have a small kitchen with its own sense of place, a separate bathroom, and a raised sleeping platform."

Photography by Astrid Salomon via Freunde von Freunden. Go to FvF for the full story.

Above: The cabin and its platform-like deck are cantilevered out over the hillside on an openwork foundation. For nearly two years, Anthony and Phoebe spent weekends commuting to the site with hammers in hand.

Above: A trained architect and industrial designer but a self-taught builder, Anthony did much of the hard labor himself with help from Phoebe's father. Whenever possible, they used recycled materials: Anthony says his best find was the set of old wood-framed windows that he found online at a salvage site and used to create this sliding window wall that opens to a deck.

Above: Now solar-powered, the shed also has a rainwater collection system.

Above: The plywood that lines the interior was excess from a building site. A local one-man lumber mill supplied the new wood.

Above: The shed's original woodstove heats the interior.

Above: A built-in bench with a shoe niche divides the living area from the bedroom. Anthony got storage and proportioning ideas from a two-tiered houseboat.

Above: In Melbourne, Anthony has his own furniture company, Paper Tiger, specializing in flatpack cardboard designs made from recycled materials. Shown here, one of his Paper Tiger Stools.

Above: The bed is raised on a platform. Read about the exacting process of hand-cutting the plywood panels on FvF.

Above: A midcentury abstract work hangs next to the bed.

Above L: A pair of white porcelain Buffer Lamps by Wieki Somers ($450 from Lekker Home) illuminates the space. Above R: Kids' things mingle with a collection of framed art. 

Above: The white-tiled bathroom has a compost toilet.

Above: The couple painted the window frames black on the exterior. The shed is clad in rough-saw ash. Note the rain chain.

Above: The deck in progress.

Above The roof and two walls are made of corrugated iron. A bedroom pavilion is currently in the planning stage.

Above: The nearly 15-acre property has grassland, forest, and a stream running through it—and the ocean is just a winding road away.

For more off-the-grid inspiration, take a look at:

• Top of the Lake: Tiny Cabins in Dark and Light
• An Off-the-Grid Cabin in Canada, Candlelight Included
• The Off-the-Grid Riverside Cabin, Rental Edition

More Stories from Remodelista

• The Art of the Evolving Interior: At Home with an SF Curator
• Kitchen of the Week: A Culinary Space Inspired by a Painting
• A Stable for Artists: The Cold Press Gallery in Norfolk

A best seller at every Remodelista market? Soulful, handmade tableware that's equally right for everyday and festive occasions. Today we're spotlighting work by the nine ceramic artists who will be participating in our forthcoming California holiday markets. 

• Los Angeles—Saturday and Sunday, December 5-6: The Remodelista Market will be in residence at Big Daddy's Antiques at 3334 La Cienega Place near Culver City from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.

• San Francisco—Saturday and Sunday, December 12-13: The Remodelista Market will be in the factory space at Heath Ceramics at 2900 18th St. in the Mission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Above: UK-trained Japanese ceramic artist Saiko Fukuoka makes powerfully quiet, minimalist forms that are a favorite at our kitchenware haunt March SF.

Above: From where else but Topanga Canyon? LA's hippie revival is on thanks to the wabi-sabi work of Beth Katz of Mt. Washington Pottery.

Above: In demand by Bay Area restaurateurs, Sarah Kersten of Berkeley specializes in fermentation jars—see our post Fermentation Fever—and has just added enormously useful covered bowls to her repertoire.

Above: At Pope Valley Pottery in the Napa Valley, ceramic artist Kelly P. Farley makes serving trays, footed bowls, and other white wares that are a Remodelista staple. 

Above: San Francisco artist Len Carella is known for his lidded jars and other sculptural designs detailed with leather pulls.

Above: Makers of porcelain inlaid stoneware, hanging air plant pots, and other exotica, Knotwork LA is a collaboration between industrial designer Linda Hsiao and architect Kagan Taylor. It all began as a weekend outlet for exploring "ideas that came to us in the middle of the night."

Above: At her Petaluma pottery, Jessica Wertz divides her time between creating modern-rustic kitchen designs and porcelain jewelry. Shown here, her matte-white Cut-Out Utensil Jar with a clear glossy interior glaze.

Above: Sculptor and artist Richard Carter is another Remodelista Market regular. We're big fans of his contemporary farmhouse designs. Take a tour of his house and studio in the hills above Napa Valley here.

Above: An ode to the rough coastline of the Northern California, Linda Fahey's wave-patterned blue-and-white porcelain wares focus on what she calls "dynamic simplicity."

To see more highlights from our December Remodelista Holiday Markets in LA and SF, go to Coming to California.

And for more of our favorite pottery studio tableware, see 10 Easy Pieces: Handmade Dinnerware from Ceramics Studios. 

More Stories from Remodelista

• Table of Contents: Homemade Holiday
• Top 5 in Design News: More Delays for World Trade Transit Center and Furniture Prices Rival Art
• Coming to California: Remodelista Holiday Markets Preview

Photographer Julia Spiess of the blog Dinners with Friends is German and, like me—a Northern California Brit—is not fully vested in the whole tradition of Thanksgiving. We make good guests and bring great side dishes, but the idea of cooking a turkey in November just seems wrong (to me, that's strictly a Christmas day affair). Looking for inspiration for a more laid-back approach to the day, we turned to Brit expat Maxine Gilbert, owner with her surfer/chef husband, John Gilbert, of the Parkside Cafe at Stinson Beach, half an hour north of SF (and accessed via a somewhat death-defying, winding panoramic road). The Parkside Cafe sits a stone's throw from the beach and includes a bakery, cafe, and snack bar, which John and Maxine have been running for the past 18 years. The restaurant is open on Thanksgiving, but the couple also manage to stage their own celebration. It's all about family, friends, and good food—just a little more casual than most.

So if you're looking for a change of pace, here are tips for a nontraditional celebration, courtesy of Maxine and John.

Photography by Julia Spiess for Dinners with Friends.

Above: An Italian wood-burning stove anchors the dining room at the Parkside Cafe. It was installed by a couple of builders from nearby Bolinas. In lieu of traditional tiles, Maxine opted for a clean cement finish.

1. Entice the senses. John notes that the cafe, with its wood-burning stove, becomes all about “hearing, seeing, and smelling what’s going on in the hearth.” Even without a woodstove, some sort of fire adds atmosphere to a room.

2. Keep the backdrop simple. Maxine explains, “Everything is either black or white, even the pots are all black. I wanted no artwork or color, just the food and bread to be the art.” The table is made from a slab of sycamore and positioned at the center of the room. The couple sourced the wood from Arborica, in West Marin; Maxine likes the dark streaks that run through it.

Above: Maxine carries appetlizers—Dungeness crab on flatbread with fresh persimmon, celery, and shallot vinaigrette, and a tray of Point Reyes oysters.

3. Work with whatever is available. The couple are lucky to have great pickings in their area: "We get fish from a couple of guys in Bolinas before they head into the city to sell their catch. The greens are from Star Route or Gospel Flat, and we serve wine from Bolinas-based Sean Thackery. 

4. Consider two napkins. Layered napkins provide good contrast on the table, and if you're eating multiple courses, it's a nice luxury to have more than one. The Gilberts' napkins are shown here with Provençal Flatware by David Mellor. 

Above: Maxine and John set their table with black ceramics from Heath's Coupe line and inexpensive Duralex tumblers, a longstanding bistro favorite.

5. Use black dinnerware. Food shows really well on dark plates.

6. Pour wine and water into glass tumblers. The Gilberts stick with classic Duralex bistroware from France. In addition to being nearly unbreakable and well-priced, these glasses are not as obtrusive on the table as traditional stemware (and their size keeps quantities sensible). For sources, see Object Lessons: Iconic Cafeware from Duralex.

Above: Levain fresh from the Parkside bakery.

7. Serve bread on a tea towel. John explains. "Linen is good for wrapping bread and keeping it warm and absorbing the heat moisture. Plus, it holds all the crumbs and looks so nice."

Above: Food is set out on the counter beside the oven.

8. Serve food buffet style. It's communal, celebratory, and familial.

9. Clink a glass between courses. Taking a pause to toast and chat about the food creates a sense of occasion.

Above: Chestnuts and one of Louesa Roebuck's signature foraged arrangements.

10. Roast chestnuts. The crackle in the fire adds to the atmosphere. John uses an old recipe that calls for the chestnuts to be scored with an X at the top. He then boils them in salted water for six to 10 minutes until there's foam on top. He lets the chestnuts cool down, adds oil, salt, and pepper, and then puts them on the fire using a roaster with side air vents. 

Above: In the oven, a pot of red curry squash puree sits ready to be served. The squash is from Gospel Flat Farm, in Bolinas.

Above L: The accompaniment to the soup: seeded levain Gruèyere toast. Above R: Another staple of the Gilberts' dinners: olives warmed in the oven, served with unsalted butter sprinkled with a pinch of Maldon salt. Maxine concedes, "I know it's not local, but it really is the best salt."

Above: Maxine enlisted Stinson local Louesa Roebuck to create the floral elements. Everything was foraged up the coast in West Marin; as Louesa explains, "The persimmon were the most glorious thing happening now and they provided the bone structure. I mixed autumnal hydrangea with pale, delicate lavender hydrangea, then added some clematis gone to seed that introduced a theatrical, fluffy, sensual note."

For more tips on holiday entertaining, see these posts: 

• A Rustic Holiday Table from Australia
• A Spring Vodka and Salmon Soiree, Chez Cecile
• A Seasonal Celebration, Creatives Included
• Entertaining Tips from Karen Mordecai, Hostess Extraordinaire. (N.B. Karen has just published her first cookbook.) 

More Stories from Remodelista

• Shopper's Diary: Picture Room in Nolita
• Required Reading: A Cookbook from London's Most Artful Restaurant
• A Hotel with a Sense of Place: Rivertown Lodge in Hudson, NY

A simple dining room in a Hudson, New York, 1800s Italianate Victorian house won this year's Considered Design Awards in the living/dining category. Owner Brigitte Gfeller washed the walls in palest gray, creating a neutral backdrop for an unfussy tableau of farmhouse furniture and industrial light fixtures from Workstead. Here's a look at the details.

Above: An industrial chandelier is an unexpected element in contrast to a farmhouse dining table and chairs.

Above: Three planks of reclaimed wood are stitched together as art above the mantel.

Key Elements

Above: Workstead's Industrial Chandelier is $1,800 directly through the studio.

Above: Farrow & Ball's Pavilion Gray is $97 for a gallon of Estate Emulsion paint.

Above: The Braxton Fixed Dining Table is built of spruce for $799 from Pottery Barn.

Above: Pottery Barn's Wilson Side Chairs are $109.99 each.

Above: A 24-by-24-foot Reclaimed Wood Wall Art piece is $108 by Eleventy One Studio on Etsy. Whitewashed Reclaimed Wooden Boards of various sizes are $16.20 each from LE Vinyl on Etsy.

Above: A painting called Flock of Dreaming Birds by Gabrielle Hinchey for Father Rabbit in New Zealand; $99 NZD ($64.50 USD).

Accessories & Tableware

Above: The Classic Dining Chair Cushion is $39 for the medium size from Pottery Barn.

Above: A set of three Vintage Danish Modern Turned Teak Candlesticks; $95 from House of Seance on Etsy.

Above: A set of 12 White Taper Candles is $23.40 at CB2.

Above: Nostalgic Warehouse's White Porcelain Knob is designed for indoor/outdoor use and available in six different metal finishes; $36.54 from Knobs & Hardware. For more ideas, see our post 10 Easy Pieces: White Porcelain Doorknobs.

Above: A Vintage Extra Large Vintage Stoneware Pot is $20.64 from A Creative Lifestyle on Etsy.

Above: The Dauville Platinum Cup & Saucer is $22 from Canvas.

Above: Canvas's Lines Dinner Plate has tiny etching marks along the rim; $22.50 each.

Above: Astier de Villatte Glasses are made in an antique Bastille workshop; $65 for the wine glass, $85 for the goblet, $98 for the champagne flute at ABC Carpet & Home. For more options, see our post 10 Easy Pieces: Quirky Glassware, Stemmed Edition.

Rather remodel the kitchen? See our posts:

• Steal This Look: A Star Chef's Scandi Kitchen
• Steal This Look: Industrial Kitchen & Dining Room by B-Arch Studio in Italy
• Steal This Look: Hotel Covell's Glamorous Kitchenette

More Stories from Remodelista

• 8 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Decor Ideas
• The Thanksgiving Table Reimagined, via an LA Artisan
• Remodelista New England Market Spotlight: dbO Home

Maybe it's because we've been spending time with Louesa Roebuck, SF's renegade florist (she draped the Heath factory in bay laurel at Saturday's Remodelista Holiday Market), but lately we're obsessing about greenery draped chandeliers. Here are a few we like.

Above: The John and Peter Canteen in Australia, with a verdant overhead centerpiece; for a similar look, consider bay laurel.

Above: An iron chandelier draped with delicate fronds at Amsterdam restaurant Proef.

Above: A chandelier by Oakland-based blacksmith John Sarriugarte of Form & Reform at Camino in Oakland, California, festooned with sprigs of bay laurel.

Above: Another chandelier at Camino by Form & Reform's <span">Sarriugarte, this one draped in fennel fronds. Photograph via Ottolenghi.

Above: An iron chandelier draped in grapevines; via Style Me Pretty.

Above: Staghorn ferns create a tropical feel when suspended from the ceiling at Terrain at Styer's. Photograph by Michael Ash via Intimate Weddings.

Above: For a recent Remodelista dinner, Louesa Roebuck hung giant bunches of bay laurel from the rafters in my Mill Valley home.

Above: A eucalyptus chandelier via 100 Layer Cake.

Above: A single bulb fixture softened with a sprig of fringy greenery; for a similar look, use fennel fronds (they're invasive here in Northern California, growing wild along the roadways). Photograph via Daniella Witt.

Above: A eucalyptus chandelier discovered via The Paper Dialogues.

Above: A two-tier silver dollar eucalyptus chandelier from a wedding in Paris via Enamored With.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on December 11, 2012, as part of our Saint Lucia issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Remodelista Market Spotlight: The Potters at Remodelista's LA and SF Holiday Markets
• Table of Contents: Homemade Holiday
• Top 5 in Design News: More Delays for World Trade Transit Center and Furniture Prices Rival Art

Easy, economical holiday table decor ideas from the produce aisle (and your yard).

Above: Vegetables as decor; see DIY: A Thanksgiving Centerpiece (for Under $10).

Above: Karen Mordechai of Sunday Suppers suspended fall leaves from clear fishing line for a dinner celebrating the launch of The Kinfolk Table cookbook.

Above: A holiday-neutral bough from DIY: A Winter White Holiday Bough on Gardenista.

Above: A tray of artichokes can function as a centerpiece. Photograph via Fang Kuang.

Above: Gardenista invited Local Milk to come up with a low-cost decor strategy for the holidays: See Thanksgiving on a Budget: 7 Tips for Tabletop Decor from Stylist Beth Kirby.

Above: Remodelista contributor Justine Hand is a master when it comes to simple DIY arrangements; follow her lead with Foraged Foliage Decor.

Above: Leaves as a plate embellishment at a Portland, Oregon, Kinfolk dinner.

Above: Jars of herbs can fill in for flowers. Photograph by Linh Nguyen.

For more fast inspiration, take a look at Gardenista's Bouquets of the Week and our greenery post Single-Ingredient Holiday Decor, 10 Ideas.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on November 27, 2014, as part of our issue called The Holiday Table.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Steal This Look: A Low-Key Dining Room in Hudson, NY
• The Thanksgiving Table Reimagined, via an LA Artisan
• Remodelista New England Market Spotlight: dbO Home

At my grandmother's Thanksgiving table, gravy issued forth from the mouth of a Dansk fish. It was perfect for her, but I'm in the market for something a little more traditional (and less "animalian"). And so I've been trolling all over in search of the ideal gravy boat. Here are my best finds.

Above: Graceful and balanced, Martha Stewart's Whiteware Gravy Boat is the closest I've found to the classic antique version. Available at Macy's for $10.99.

Above: A slightly more contemporary take, this French-made porcelain Gravy Boat with Warming Base by Pillivuyt comes with a warming base that holds a tea light candle. Available at Williams-Sonoma for $63.96.

Above: The Pouring Bowl from Heath Ceramics in available in a matte white or a glossy Matisse blue glaze; $145.

Above: The Revol Porcelain Sauce Boat from France is $65 from Provisions at Food52.

Above: LSA Dine Sauce Boat with Oak Stand is £32 ($48) from John Lewis.

Above: Leave it to Jasper Conran to adapt the classic porcelain gravy boat for the modern world. The Wedgwood Jasper Conran Gravy Boat is available at Bed, Bath & Beyond; $89.99.

Above: The Marin White Gravy Boat has some freeform elements to its shape; $19.95 at Crate & Barrel.

Above: The Noritake Colorwave Gravy Boat is $44.99 at Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Above: For midcentury fans, Crate & Barrel has brought back Eva Zeisel's Classic Century Sauce Boat first introduced in 1952; $24.97 in-store only at Crate & Barrel.

Above: My favorite is still a good old-fashioned antique ironstone pitcher; fortunately, there are many such pourers to be found on Etsy.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on November 21, 2013, as part of our Crowd Control issue.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Remodelista Market Spotlight: Table Linens for Everyday and Holiday
• 8 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Decor Ideas
• Steal This Look: A Low-Key Dining Room in Hudson, NY

Set your table at the Remodelista Holiday Markets coming to LA and SF in December. Here's a preview of favorite designs, all fresh from small design studios in California.

Here are the market details:

• Los Angeles—Saturday and Sunday, December 5-6: The Remodelista Market will be in residence at Big Daddy's Antiques at 3334 La Cienega Place near Culver City from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day.
• San Francisco—Saturday and Sunday, December 12-13: The Remodelista Market will be in the factory space at Heath Ceramics at 2900 18th St. in the Mission from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday.

Above: "A non-disposable life" is the motto at Mollie DeVries's Ambatalia, a studio and shop located in a shipping container in Mill Valley. Black Fringe Linen Napkins are $84 for a set of four. Read our Q&A with Mollie in Shopper's Diary: Mill Valley's Queen of Green.

Above: Studio Patro aprons are a Remodelista uniform (look for us: we'll be wearing them at the markets). Its linens are all designed, printed, and sewn in California. Shown here, the Everyday Stripe multipurpose tea towel, $24. 

Above: To get the meal to the table: The Àplat Tote, made in SF of organic cotton canvas, $46, is designed for carrying tarts, pies, and food dishes while keeping them upright and presentable.

Above: Tricia Rose's Rough Linen designs are another Remodelista staple. Her Orkney Tablecloth comes in five colors and two sizes, starting at $130. (Check out Rough Linen's bedspread in Philip Johnson's Glass House in 14 Lessons in Minimalism and, on Gardenista, read Tricia's 7 Secrets to Make a Perfect Bed.)

Above: LA home decor company Local & Lejos works with artisan communities in Guatemala, Mexico, India, and Rwanda. Block printers in Jaipur make this Lari Tea Towel Set; $28 for two. 

Above: Best known for its organic cotton bedding, Coyuchi also offers napkins, table runners, and tablecloths. Simple Linen Napkins in natural and white are $48 for four.

Above: Cotton & Flax is a line of handmade textiles by printmaker Erin Dollar, all cut, silkscreened, and sewn in LA. The collection includes patterned Cocktail Napkins, $28 for two; merino wool Coasters, $26 for four; and merino Trivets, $32.

Above: Edie Kahula Pereira of Specialty Dry Goods works with leather, denim, linen, and scrap materials to create her limited edition, hand-stitched satchels, pilllows, and potholders. Shown here, her Unfinished Edge Placemat of 14-ounce American bull denim with dash or dot patterns sewn on both sides; $48.

Above: Heather Taylor Home is LA textile designer and art consultant Heather Taylor's two-year-old label. Her tabletop designs, including her Soho Tablecloth, $186, are handwoven in Chiapas, Mexico. Soho Napkins are four for $79.

Above: "Italian table linens designed in Los Angeles by an Englishman," is the tagline of Tim Gledhill's Huddleson Linens. Gledhill offers a large repertoire of solid and patterned tablecloths, and custom sizes are a speciality. Shown here: his Petrol Green Rectangular Tablecloth, from $245; Linen Napkins, $22 each; and Cotton Plaid Napkins, $9.50 each.

To see more previews from our forthcoming Remodelista Holiday Markets in LA and SF, check out Coming to California and The Potters.

More Stories from Remodelista

• 10 Easy Pieces: Simple Gravy Boats
• 8 Last-Minute Thanksgiving Decor Ideas
• Steal This Look: A Low-Key Dining Room in Hudson, NY

The Pearl, an old San Antonio brewery deftly transformed into an entire neighborhood of restaurants, shops, and an outpost of the Culinary Institute of America, has just opened a place to stay. The 146-room Hotel Emma is the work of Roman and Williams, former set designers who have become masters of the historic conversion. Several years in the making, the quarters put original curiosities, such as fermentation tanks and a giant copper engine, to clever use. And there's an overall expansiveness and down-home grace that plants the place firmly in Texas.

Photography via Roman and Williams, except where noted.

Above: Yes, this was once a brewery—and in operation until 2001. The eight-story structure was designed in 1898 by August Maritzen who ultimately had more than 80 breweries to his credit and is in the Second Empire style. Photograph via The Rivard Report.

Above: Roman and Williams say that in every project they "strive to find the tension between spontaneity and rigor, refinement and rebellion, and past and future." At the Emma, this translated into surprise details, such as an ammonia-powered copper engine preserved in the lobby. Photograph by Scott Martin via The Rivard Report.

Above: The vast concrete-tiled space is divided into intimate seating areas.

Above: Roman and Williams preserved the decayed brick walls and framework ceiling while giving the space a grandeur. This being Texas, everything is outsized and upholstery is in saddle leather. Photograph by Craig Washburn via San Antonio Magazine.

Above: There's even a two-tiered in-house library: The 3,700 volumes were acquired from local novelist and cultural anthropologist Sherry Kafka Wagner. Photograph by Scott Martin via The Rivard Report.

Above: Brewery workers were allowed to imbibe on the job thanks to what was known as the Sternewirth privilege. Located in the building's great hall off the lobby, the Sternewirth bar and clubroom has 25-foot-tall ceilings and three fermentation tanks that Roman and Williams converted into lounges. Photograph by Scott Martin via The Rivard Report.

Above: A closer look at a tank lounge with leather banquettes and metal paneling. Photograph by Scott Martin via The Rivard Report.

Above: Wood and metal seating at the below-the-mezzanine bar. Upstairs books and beer bottles are on display. Photograph by Scott Martin via The Rivard Report.

Above: Original archways and peeling walls have been preserved in the old brewhouse tower guest quarters. There are also rooms in a new wing.

Above: A nice place to plant your hat.

Above: Room to spare: The tall-ceilinged guest rooms have Herter Brother–inspired four posters.

Above: White Frette linens are punched up with embroidered pillows. Note the built-in storage cupboard.

Above Twin pedestal sinks in a blue-and-white tiled bath. The hotel's robes are seersucker made by Pearl's resident guayabera designer Caroline Matthews of Dos Carolinas.

Above: A preserved factory column alongside a new clawfoot tub.

Above: Provisions from South Texas are sold in a hotel grocery called The Larder.

Above: A Thanksgiving still life.

Above: Bentwood armchairs, wood banquettes, and old-fashioned pendant lights at Supper. Photograph by Scott Martin via The Rivard Report.

Above: Food is a big emphasis: In addition to the bar, the Emma is home to a restaurant called Supper—John Brand is the chef—and has a team of culinary concierges on hand to guide guests.

For two more Roman and Williams designs in dramatic historic buildings, take a look at the Chicago Athletic Association Hotel and New York's High Line Hotel in Chelsea.

Hotel Emma is at 136 E. Grayson St., overlooking the San Antonio River and the northern end of the River Walk, a 15-mile promenade.

More Stories from Remodelista

• 10 Tips: How to Create a Laid-Back Thanksgiving, Northern-California Edition
• Shopper's Diary: Picture Room in Nolita
• Required Reading: A Cookbook from London's Most Artful Restaurant

Before renovation, the kitchen of a 1915 historically listed bungalow in Oakland, California, had all the characteristics of kitchens of its day: dark, cramped, disconnected, with inadequate storage. The bungalow's inhabitants—a family of four—wanted a light, open, gathering space with lots of storage. As part of a complete overhaul of the 2,500-square-foot house, architects Ian Read and Gretchen Krebs of Medium Plenty in Oakland transformed the kitchen into a midcentury-inspired berth of white and wood anchored by a near-black kitchen island. It's now the heart of the home—warm, but without excess. Says Ian, "There's nothing you can point to that is a luxury rather than a need for the clients." 

Photography by Melissa Kaseman. 

Above: The clients' primary goal was "to bring light and order to the kitchen." Medium Plenty's solution was to add abundant cabinetry, a bit of open shelving, and plenty of bright, white surfaces. 

The architects wanted to inject some low-level ambient room into the room for its nonworking hours, so above the built-in cabinetry, the architects installed a strip of warm-hued LED tape to cast a glow on the ceiling. A matching strip is beneath the lowest shelf, casting light onto the counter space below. Says Gretchen, "You don't always want to light up the space to working level if you're just going to grab a drink."

Above: The wall-mounted cabinets were fashioned in white oak and MDF by Treasure Island Woodworks in Emeryville. The circular cutouts that function as cabinet pulls is one of Medium Plenty's midcentury references—this one to the credenzas of George Nelson.

Above: The kitchen island countertop is Richlite—a warm-to-the-touch paper-based composite—in Black Diamond. The facings of the integrated drawers were painted to keep costs in check. The architects note that the Richlite will patina with age, likely lightening at first then darkening again over time. 

As for the color scheme, the clients wanted something "light and airy but not stark," and in the end, the dark gray island anchors the space and adds warmth. "The idea of a light and airy room with a grounding element in the center just kind of worked," says Ian. 

Above: Appliance garages over the kitchen island feature pop-up doors. 

Above: The wall surrounding the kitchen window is tiled in Ann Sacks' Savoy Mosaics, in the Hive shape and color Ricepaper. 

Above: Countertops are Caesarstone Misty Carrera, walls are painted in Benjamin Moore Silver Satin, and lower cabinets and trim are Benjamin Moore Collingwood. The drawer and cabinet pulls were sourced by the client. 

Above: To minimize clutter, the architects installed a recessed exhaust hood above the island range. "We love how open it keeps the space by not having a dropped hood hovering in the center." But the tactic, says the architects, "can be tricky in a remodel because you need to work around the structure in the floor above." They put the hood's blower in the attic to reduce noise. For more, see Remodeling 101: Ceiling-Mounted Recessed Kitchen Vents.

Both the dishwasher and refrigerator are concealed behind cabinet facings. The door at right opens onto the laundry room, followed by a half bath and backyard access. 

Above: The open-plan dining room, just off the kitchen, is illuminated by pendant lights from Schoolhouse Electric. 

Above: Around the corner from the kitchen, stairs wrap around a partial wall hiding more kitchen cabinetry.

Above: The floors are engineered European white oak, stained in a slightly lighter shade and sealed onsite. The cabinetry in the living/dining room mimics the cabinetry in the kitchen. 

Above: The hallway at the top of the stairs off the kitchen showcases Medium Plenty's custom guardrail design, made by Dialogue Design Build and Welsh Ironworks, both in Oakland. (Plus a cameo by the architects' daughter, Mica.)

 Browse more favorite projects from Medium Plenty:

• More Boat for the Buck: A Cost-Conscious California Houseboat Remodel
• A Neo-General Store Opens in Oakland
• The Architect Is In: Medium Plenty in San Francisco
• Tile Intel: A Budget Remodel with Heath Seconds

More Stories from Remodelista

• Remodeling 101: 8 Sources for Used High-End Appliances
• The New Art Gallery: 9 Kitchens with Artwork on Display
• Kitchen Installation: 9 Rooms with Wooden Spoons as Art

One of the easiest ways to set an enticing table is to get creative with napkins. Here are some favorite ideas. No starch required.

Above: Linen napkins are knotted in the middle at an outdoor dinner hosted by Le Marché St. George in Vancouver, B.C.

Above: Tricia Rose of Rough Linen groups two layers of linen together and ties them with brown twine. The Orkney Linen and Smooth White Linen Napkins are $20 to $24 each from Rough Linen.

Above: Spotted at Bar Agricole in San Francisco, the rolled napkin secured with leather. Here's how to DIY your own leather napkin ties.

Above: Last week on Gardenista, Erin grouped seeded eucalyptus, rosemary, and hypericum together for a Botanical Napkin Ring.

Above: Traditional in shape but unconventional in material: Live Wire Farm's Wooden Napkin Rings, made from Vermont hardwood; $20 each.

For a table setting filled with ideas to steal, see our post on Schoolhouse Electric's Fall Dinner With Friends.

N.B.: This post is an update; the original story ran on November 18, 2013, as part of our Crowd Control issue.

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A toast to the educators: tokens of gratitude to enhance life in the classroom and beyond. Pair with a student-made card and a heartfelt note of thanks.

Above: Discovered by my next-door-neighbor Felicity, double-sided Perfetto Pencils by graphic designer Louise Fili are $13.95 from Princeton Architectural Press.

Above: An Ash Hand Stamp and Ink Pad from WMS & Co. is $60 for the small size, which is perfect for return addresses. The stamp design can be selected by the recipient and ordered from WMS & Co.

Above: Upgrade the everyday: Italian Hand Staplers are $28 each at Schoolhouse Electric.

Above: Tiny Drippy Glaze Bud Vases are $18 via Etsy seller Porcelain & Stone.

Above: Made in Haiti from school uniform fabric, Fait la Force's new Plaid Tote is $42—and 100 percent of the proceeds are put toward school tuition for children in Haiti. (See more from Fait la Force in our post Housewares Made in Haiti.)

Above: Teachers have a lot of notes to write. From Spanish stationers Arpa, a set of six Handmade Cards with deckled edges is $14 from McNally Jackson's Goods for the Study.

Above: The Autopoint Twinpoint is two pens in one; $12 from Loyal Supply Co. of Somerville, Massachusetts.

Above: Cacao Prieto of Red Hook, Brooklyn, makes single-origin organic chocolate from Dominican beans. The Criollo Assortment is $50 and individual bars are $8. (They also make two award-winning, oak-aged rums.)

More Stories from Remodelista

• Handmade Wallpaper in Painterly Prints from Rebecca Atwood in Brooklyn
• 10 Greenery-Draped Chandeliers, Holiday Edition
• Remodelista Market Spotlight: The Potters at Remodelista's LA and SF Holiday Markets

Some of my favorite images of an artist's home and studio are of Henri Matisse's studio apartment at the Hotel Regina in Nice during the early 1950s. The walls of every room are covered in hand-painted forms, repetitive organic prints, and rows of color swatches: Wall as canvas.

I recently came across Brooklyn textile designer Rebecca Atwood's new line of wallpaper and was reminded of Matisse's artist's flat. Her approach to wall decor is similar: prints that have the look of studio markings, painting, sketches, and experimentation. Here is a look at Atwood's painterly palettes—three prints in two to three colors each.

Above: Similar to her fabric line, Atwood's wallpaper prints are all drawn from Cape Cod landscapes and ocean patterns. Yardage of all of Rebecca's wallpapers can be ordered through her studio (hello@rebeccaatwood.com). A swatch can be purchased for $5 online.

Above: The Petals Wallpaper in Taupe Blue; also available in Peach. 

Above: The dashes design came about from a mark-making experiment in Rebecca's sketchbook. Available in Coral, Gray, and Navy.

Above: To view the different options in person, a complete Wallpaper Swatch Set is $39.

Above: A design that came about from marbling paper with India ink in the Japanese suminagashi marbling technique. The wallpaper is available in Cloud, Clay-Blue, and Ocean.

For more on the designer, see our posts:

• Pattern Language: Textiles from a Native Cape Codder
• Sketches of Cape Cod: Rebecca Atwood's New Fabric Collection

More Stories from Remodelista

• Gift Guide 2015: Holiday Gratitude for Teachers
• 10 Greenery-Draped Chandeliers, Holiday Edition
• Remodelista Market Spotlight: The Potters at Remodelista's LA and SF Holiday Markets

This week the Gardenista team presents the best tips for a Homegrown Holiday that take us from Thanksgiving into the winter season. Here's a look.

Above: A house built of sustainable materials, inspired by modern architecture, and designed with special a connection to the land in Architect Visit: Into the Woods with Drew Lang in the Hudson Valley.

Above: When the same cocktail shows up on your menu year after year, it's time to shake it up with one of these 10 Ways to Host Your Best Thanksgiving, Cocktail Edition.

Above: Privet berries and twine make great Thanksgiving tabletop decor; we like the idea for all our dinners to come this winter.

Above: Michelle rounds up her favorite Silvery Conifers to us as a miniature field guide this winter.

Go to Gardenista for more ideas and inspiration, including: Hardscaping 101: Concrete Pavers and The New Vegetable Garden: 7 Essentials to Grow (and Eat) This Fall.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Trending on Gardenista: How to Plant a Painterly Landscape
• Trending on Gardenista: New World Basics
• Trending on Gardenista: A Creative Landscape

Here's a look at what we loved this week.

• Above: When updating a family farm in Martha's Vineyard, designer Kathleen Walsh let the surrounding landscape be the focal point. Photograph by Erin Roth. 
• DIY Star Ornaments.
• Dealing with carpet stains after the holiday? 

• Above: We're loving Nina Mair's round and rectangular frosted soap dishes. 
• A guide to the best furniture stores in San Francisco.
• Here's a Christmas tree idea for small-space dwellers.  

• Above: A small-scale tree set up for Scandi lovers. 
• Reminder: We have two Remodelista Markets in California coming up. First, we're headed to Big Daddy's Antiques in Los Angeles December 5–6. Then, we're making our way up to Heath Ceramics in San Francisco December 12–13. We hope to see you there. 

Instagram and Pinterest Picks of the Week

• Above: LA-based Remodelista Market vendor Local & Lejos (@localandlejos) is on our Instagram radar. 

• Above: For festive inspiration, we're perusing Cotton & Flax's Winter Holidays board. 

More Stories from Remodelista

• Handmade Wallpaper in Painterly Prints from Rebecca Atwood in Brooklyn
• Gift Guide 2015: Holiday Gratitude for Teachers
• 10 Greenery-Draped Chandeliers, Holiday Edition

This week in the world of design and architecture, architects were chosen for yet another London bridge, Norman Foster talks sustainability, and Farrow & Ball mixed a new color for the Rodin Museum in Paris. 

The Inspiration for the British Red Phone Box

Above: Photograph by Fabio Lugaro via Flickr. 

The design of the famous British red telephone box is credited to Giles Gilbert Scott, but the Guardian tells the story of its inspiration: Sir John Soane, one of the most prominent architects of his day, designed a grand tomb to mark the death of his beloved wife, Eliza Soane, in 1815. One hundred years later, Gilbert Scott, a trustee of the Soane Museum, took inspiration from the tomb for his now-iconic 1920s design. Read the full story at the Guardian. 

Former Venice Biennale Curator Sentenced to Death 

Above: Ashraf Fayadh at Jeddah Art Week, posted on his Instagram feed. Photograph via ArtNet News. 

Saudi-born artist and curator Ashraf Fayadh has been sentenced to death in Saudi Arabia on charges of apostasy, including spreading atheism and threatening the morals of Saudi society. The charges stem from his 2008 book of poetry, Instructions Within. Fayadh is a well-known proponent of Saudi art, having organized a 2013 art exhibition in Saudi Arabia that received praise from the director of the Tate Modern, and was co-curator of that year's Saudi exhibition at the Venice Biennale. Read more at the New York Times. 

Norman Foster Talks Infrastructure

Above: Foster + Partners' Thames Hub, a proposed airport powered by tidal energy. Image via Foster + Partners. 

In the London School of Economics' Urban Age Global Debates on cities, British architect Norman Foster shared views on infrastructure, sustainability, and global travel with Observer architecture critic Rowan Moore. He expressed disappointment over the likely rejection of his Thames Hub airport proposal, and when asked about the role of an architect in infrastructure decisions, he said, “I have no power as an architect, none whatsoever.” Read the full story at the Guardian. 

Rodin Museum Reopens in Paris

Above: The Rodin Museum, mid-restoration. Photograph via French Style. 

The Rodin Museum at the Hôtel Biron in Paris reopened on November 12—in honor of Rodin's 175th birthday—after a three-year, $17 million structural and interior renovation. The revamped space holds an additional 200 Rodin sculptures, making the museum the largest Rodin collection in the world. Farrow & Ball developed a paint shade for the interiors, called Biron Gray, “to complement marble, bronze, stone, and terracotta equally.” Half of the renovation budget came from the French state, and the other half from the sale of new bronzes cast from original molds. Read more at Wallpaper and Reuters. 

Bystrup and Robin Snell to Win for Nine Elms Bridge

Above: Image via Dezeen. 

Danish architects Bystrup, in partnership with Robin Snell & Partners, have all but won the competition to design a new £40 million ($60 million) bridge in southwest London, linking Nine Elms (in Wandsworth) and Pimlico. The competition's jury gave unanimous endorsement of the Bystrup proposal to the Wandsworth Council, which is expected to accept the recommendation. Read more at the Architects' Journal. 

More from this week: 

• Remodelista Obsessions: Wintry Whites
• Gardenista Obsessions: Winter Whimsy
• Trending on Gardenista: Homegrown Holidays
• Trending on Remodelista: Homemade Holiday

More Stories from Remodelista

• The Best Cookbooks for Holiday Gifts, 2015 Edition
• Current Obsessions: Wintry Whites
• Handmade Wallpaper in Painterly Prints from Rebecca Atwood in Brooklyn

Cookbooks make great gifts; more personal but just as useful as a bottle of wine. Here are 12 new cookbooks sure to be well-worn this time next year, with splattered pages and folded corners.

Please note that we're fans of local bookstores, but for the sake of convenience, we've linked to Amazon here.

Above: In Near & Far: Recipes Inspired by Home and Travel Heidi Swanson explores vegetarian cooking from the pages of her travel journals; from Morocco, Japan, Italy, France, and India. Each chapter begins with a list of ingredients to build out your pantry accordingly. Find more on Heidi's own pantry in Secrets from the Swanson Kitchen, SF Edition.

Above: From Korean-American chef Corey Lee comes Benu, a cookbook named after his Michelin three-starred restaurant in San Francisco. In the book, Corey structures a 32-course tasting menu of poetic recipes in the realm of modern Asian cooking; $35.97 on Amazon. A signed copy is available for $60 at The Line, who also did a story on the restaurant: An American Restaurant: Inside Benu with Chef Corey Lee.

Above: In The Nordic Cook Book, chef and founder of Swedish restaurant Faviken Magnus Nilsson presents 700 recipes of new Nordic cooking inspired by his travels through Denmark, the Faroe Islands, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden. Recipes are accompanied with bits of culinary history and information on traditional technique and ingredients. For the chef who likes to try new recipes, such as rose-hip soup and juniper beer; $31.97 on Amazon.

Above: A cookbook from chef Daniel Humm and business partner Will Guidara co-owners of restaurant The NoMad, part of the glamour-saturated NoMad Hotel in New York City. The duo also owns Eleven Madison Park and wrote its cookbook and I Love New York. The Nomad Cookbook translates the restaurant's recipes in traditional cookbook fashion and includes a stealth cocktail recipe book set into the back page of the book; $62.50 at Amazon.

Above: From chefs Eric Werner and Mya Henry, a couple who left their restaurant jobs in New York to start Hartwood on a powerless road in Tulum, Mexico. Dishes are cooked with local ingredients over an open flame (the interior of the restaurant is powered internally with solar energy). With contributions from editors Christine Muhlke and Oliver Strand, recipes are translated from the Yucatán to the everyday kitchen with a base of honey, salt, herbs, chilies, onions, and garlic. Hartwood: Bright, Wild Flavors from the Edge of the Yucatán is $26.49 on Amazon.

Above: Mexico from the Inside Out is a new cookbook from chef Enrique Olvera, a pioneer of modern, authentic Mexican food from his restaurant Pujol of experimental cooking—the Noma of Mexico City. The cookbook includes over 65 accessible but creative Mexican dishes to cook at home; $35.97 at Amazon.

Above: For a California take on Mediterranean cooking and rustic pizzas, Gjelina: Cooking from Venice, California includes 125 recipes from the locally favored restaurant with international acclaim. It's $19.25 at Amazon. Photograph from Chronicle Books.

Above: A peak inside chef Alice Waters's home pantry through a compilation of essays and recipes on the building blocks of everyday cooking, My Pantry: Homemade Ingredients that Make Simple Meals Your Own, out this past September, is $14.99 on Amazon.

Above: Atelier Crenn: Metamorphosis of Taste is the debut cookbook from French chef Dominique Crenn, the first female in America to earn two Michelin stars for her San Francisco restaurant Atelier Crenn. Crenn builds up surrealist dishes of "poetic culinaria" as she calls it, presenting challenging but inspirational dishes and a unique plating technique. It's $31.30 at Amazon.

Above: A cookbook out this past October from one of our favorite Bay Area restaurants, Camino, This Is Camino from chefs Russell Moore and Allison Hopelain details 100 recipes from the Oakland kitchen, a pared down approach to new California cooking; $25.23 at Amazon.

Above: The highly anticipated Nopi: The Cookbook from Yotam Ottolenghi is a collection of 120 new recipes pulled from Ottolenghi's London restaurant, cowritten with head chef Ramael Scully; $25.37 on Amazon. Photograph from Here Design.

For more ideas, see all our guides to date at Gift Guides 2015 and see last year's post Gift Guide: Cookbooks that Make Perfect Presents.

More Stories from Remodelista

• Top 5 in Design News: The Red British Phone Box, Norman Foster on Infrastructure, and Another New London Bridge
• Current Obsessions: Wintry Whites
• Handmade Wallpaper in Painterly Prints from Rebecca Atwood in Brooklyn

This week we're heading to the UK to explore the design scene; join us for a tour of what's new and noteworthy. 

Above: Photograph from A Visit with Marianna Kennedy, London's Sorceress of Color.

Monday

Above: One of our all-time favorite London flats hits the market; we take a look in today's Architecture & Interiors post.

Tuesday

Above: Is tweed making a comeback? We look at the new mania for menswear fabric in Tuesday's Trend Alert.

Wednesday

Above: We'll be rounding up our favorite folding dining tables in this week's 10 Easy Pieces. 

Thursday

Above: In Thursday's Kitchen of the Week, Margot drops in on a just-completed East Dulwich kitchen overhaul.

Friday

Above: In Friday's Design Travel, we visit a just-opened hotel outfitted head-to-toe with madcap English textiles. 

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