Decorating with Plates

Yes, yes, sure—plates are certainly meant for your meals, but they can do much more, like smarten up a bare wall. For some “how-to” insight, we chatted with our head curator, Wendy Wurtzburger, who just so happens to collect plates and who has seen their versatility all over the world.

A: What sort of plates are you especially drawn to?

W. Twentieth-century and contemporary styles from France and South Africa. Right now, I can’t resist Ruan Hoffman plates. I also love animal-themed plates, which explains why a butterfly plate by Natalie Lete caught my eye many years ago. That chance encounter was the start of our relationship with her.

A: What is the most inspiring way you have seen plates used? 

W. Kit Kemp commissioned multiple artists to design a plate with the exact same dimensions for an exhibition. There were so many styles, but the shape really pulled the show together. I’d love to make a wallpaper out of that! Also, at the Independent Art Fair in New York, I fell in love with Nicole Werner’s work. She put a dish rack on a pedestal with pots and pans and china.

A: Any other interpretations you’ve loved?

W. I am obsessed with a repurposed bench that Keith Johnson made out of found furniture that was then embedded with plates. Not only was it an unexpected mix aesthetically speaking, but from a utilitarian perspective, it was genius because it had a plate to drop your keys! I’ve also seen amazing interpretations while in Japan—like ceramics organized into a grid, or wrapped in fabric.

A: Tell us about decorating with plates.

W. Well, first, it’s fun! And I like that you can create your display at once, or continue to build it over time. The trend right now is to do something unexpected, or to manipulate your collection in some way. Our Little Owl collections (pictured) do a brilliant job of this! Also, something really simple, such as white plates in various shapes, can make a big impact if you have a huge amount of them. I also like putting up broken plates and painting a message on them. 

A: What are your favorite plates available at Anthropologie this summer?

W. I’d have to say the Ponza Mezza Canape Plates. They bring back such wonderful memories of our design team’s trip to Bodrum. There we had wonderful, delicious mezze lunches on mismatched plates, and sailed on gullets drenched in exotic textiles—really inspiring stuff. These plates would look great as a ceiling border on a plate rail, too!

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Artist Collab: Monica Nador

The story of Monica Nador is an inspiring one—turns out she left her career as a successful artist and moved to the Jardim Miriam favela in São Paolo. There, she began painting the facades of local buildings, and eventually taught her innovative techniques to her neighbors. What you see here are those same designs, reimagined as colorful beach towels.

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An Afternoon with Hollister and Porter Hovey

Tucked away in a loft building in the heart of Williamsburg, Brooklyn, you’ll find the home of Hollister and Porter Hovey, authors of the book Heirloom Modern. One chilly spring afternoon, they invited us into their apartment to explore their vast collection of heirlooms, and to chat about everything from their inspiring magpie ways to what it’s like working alongside one’s sister.

A: How did you first become interested in collecting heirlooms?

P: It was family-influenced for us. Our mom was always a shopper, so it started with her and we’ve expanded on her interests and made them our own.

H: Our parents were collectors, but not the type who would buy 80 pieces of the same thing, like baseball cards. I am a little more obsessive-I have 30 pith helmets. And we’ve always loved the stories behind objects and the family folklore that comes with them.

A: What is your most treasured possession?

P: The painting of the hunter—it’s nice because it reminds me of all the times we spent going to the antique store with our mom. She was really hesitant about the purchase and had to think about it for a day before going back to the store and buying it. It was a huge deal, because where was she going to put a life-size portrait of a hunter in our house? But she loved it and she made it work, and over time he sort of became a member of our family.

A: What are your five most treasured items?

P: The hunter, the Hermes scarf, the mirror, the Scottish prints, and the desk-all items from our childhood home. I also really love our chandelier—it was one of our first purchases for our apartment we live in now.

A: What is your biggest inspiration?

P: Definitely our family, the stories they tell and how they always surprise us. Our grandma is pretty tight-lipped, but out of nowhere she’ll tell you a story from when she was 16. She was at her boyfriend Bill Holden’s house, slurping a Coke, when his parents walked in, and she was so embarrassed! I love stories like that.

A: What era has influenced you the most:

H: The time from World War I to World War II. Even when I was a little kid, I thought movies with ’20s and ’30s fashion were so much better than when I was growing up in the ’80s. I yearned for a time when men were elegant and women wore flapper dresses.

A: What is your favorite place you’ve ever visited?

P: Istanbul—it’s the perfect combination of East-meets-West and completely unlike anywhere we’ve ever been before. We hunted for days before we found the antiques market, which made it all the more special when we found it. The art scene is really interesting, too. All of the artists featured in the modern art museum were Turkish, which was really refreshing.

H: London is the place where we’ve found the best antiques. We adore it, but it’s also not as adventuresome finding things there. We just go down to Portobello Road and love everything. The last time we were there we had bought heaps of things in under 45 minutes.

A: What’s it like working together?

P: We know each other so well that we’re always on the same page in terms of aesthetics. We never fight and we never have to ask questions. We know each other’s strengths and weaknesses.

A: Tell us about the book Heirloom Modern.

H: Initially we wanted to make an advice book that would help people understand the things they love and how that should impact their home design. But eventually we realized we wanted it to be different from other interiors books, and instead decided to focus on our family and friends and the stories behind their homes and the objects they love.

A: Do you have any advice for people decorating their space?

P: Buy what you love. It will all come together because it represents who you are.

H: Think about the most fun vacation you took when you were a little kid. Think about the prettiest movie you’ve ever seen. First impressions are very important, and the things that resonated with you when you were five will still resonate when you are fifty.

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Five Things With t.la

Confession: we got it bad—we’re talking really bad—for t.la tees. So it goes without saying that we jumped at the chance to tour their studio in the heart of Los Angeles’ garment district, and ask them—you guessed it—five pressing questions.

A: Ok, first things first: what does ‘t.la’ stand for?

t.la: T-shirts made in LA, and true love always.

A: Tell us a bit about your small-yet-mighty team.

t.la: Our design team comes from various backgrounds. Collectively we have many years of experience in the garment industry—some from design and fashion merchandising, others from retail and manufacturing.

A: Explain what’s so unique about your tees.

t.la: The mix of high-quality fabrics, soft mineral washes and comfortable silhouettes with special interior love marks (i.e., details).

A: Do you have a process for choosing colors?

t.la: It starts with inspiring photographs. Then we research color trends to create a wearable palette each season.

A: Why t-shirts?

t.la: Everyone wears t-shirts. Plus, t-shirts have a way of always making you feel good.

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15 Ways to Wear Summer Denim

Denim—who doesn’t love it? Even in the summer, it’s an absolute must. Here our personal shopper manager Christina styles her top three picks—a sleeveless chambray tunic, slim white crops and a trusty vintage jacket—a total of 15 different ways. (Don’t blink, or you may just miss your next denim do!) 

Book Club: Heirloom Modern

Sisters Hollister and Porter Hovey, authors of the book Heirloom Modern, have a unique interior design philosophy that emphasizes the personal history and experiences of each home’s inhabitants. An anthology of must-see spaces belonging to friends and family, the book provides a glimpse into how each drew inspiration from their past and incorporated it into their present-day homes. Check out some of our favorite spreads: 

Our grandma has beautiful taste-we’re so lucky that she’s still alive and lives right uptown. She’s hilarious. Every time she visits she completely rearranges the furniture—she can’t handle asymmetry and non-organized furnishing!” - Hollister Hovey

“[When designing your space] personality is most important. We always say that no one responds to being in 2013. You have layers of experiences throughout your whole life that make you who you are. There should be relics of your family’s past and your experiences. That makes it more comfortable for you and the people coming into your home.” - Hollister Hovey

“It’s not a book to buy if you want tips. It’s a book to be read lightly and enjoyed for its stories and photos.” - Porter Hovey

“Our greatest extravagance? Traveling. Our mom said regardless of where you go, try to stay at a nice place. Just take one vacation a year and make it really special. Treat yourself to one really big purchase because you’ll remember it for your whole life and the memory of a different place and culture will never be taken away from you.” - Porter Hovey

Real Talk: Denim Brands

When it comes to jeans, we all play favorites, forever loyal to a wash, silhouette, or beloved brand. So perhaps you’ll find a new object of your denim affection among this lineup of brands we’ve come to know and love. Don’t worry, there’s always room for one more devotee.

CURRENT/ELLIOT

Give us a little background on your brand.

Current/Elliot was launched in July 2008, and was born out of a love for vintage denim and its Americana roots.

Where do you turn for inspiration?

We are constantly inspired by the past, yet always looking to the future. We love James Dean in Giant, and of course everything about Levi’s 501.

Describe the jeans of your youth.

Washed and worn down—perfect!

Give us your denim philosophy, in five words or less:

It’ll take six: Love to wear, wear to love.

-Serge Azria, CEO and Creative Director

AG ADRIANO GOLDSCHMIED

Give us a little background on your brand.

AG Adriano Goldschmied started in 2000 as a partnership between my father, Yul Ku, and Adriano Goldschmied. My father was one of the best jeans producers in the world, and Adriano was widely considered one of the best denim designers, so it seemed to be a great partnership.

Where do you turn for inspiration?

Street style, vintage clothing, art and music.

Describe the jeans of your youth.

As a kid, you don’t really think much about the jeans you’re wearing. My jeans were always just a utilitarian choice.

Describe the jeans you were wearing five years ago.

I was probably wearing our Protégé in raw Italian denim. I would wear them nearly every day for as long as I could before washing them.

What’s the next must-have pair?

For Spring ‘13, we think women will be looking for vintage-inspired jeans. Jeans with more wear and love, and also with holes and destruction.

Give us your denim philosophy, in five words or less:

Chic. Sophisticated. Classic.

-Sam Ku, VP and Creative Director

MOTHER

Give us a little background on your brand.

Mother was born in 2008, at a time when black jeggings were all the rage. It was born not out of the need to create another denim brand but out of a need to create something unique, something special.

Where do you turn for inspiration?

Every season we pick a song or band, an artist, a rug. This recipe brings tone, color and texture to our designs.

Describe the jeans of your youth.

Easy one: Girbaud stonewashed x-wing fighter pegged jeans, everyday.

Describe the jeans you were wearing five years ago.

Literally the same pair I’m wearing now.

What’s the next must-have pair?

A wider straight-leg jean. Ours is called The Pretender, and it has a marbled vintage wash.

Give us your denim philosophy, in five words or less:

Don’t you want me, baby?

-Time Kaeding, Designer