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9/11 Memorial: A “Perfect Design”

by Briana Mowrey September 11, 2011 9 Comments

A decade after the 9/11 attacks, two gaping voids still sit in the ground where the twin towers of the World Trade Center once loomed. But today the towers’ footprints are filled with reflecting pools and waterfalls, in what is now the 9/11 Memorial.

september 11 memorial Visualization by Squared Design Lab

Bronze parapets engraved with the 2,983 names of those who perished in the ’93 WTC bombings and at the hands of terrorists on September 11, 2001 wrap around the pools. The names of the victims are listed not in alphabetical order, but in “meaningful adjacencies” that reflect where they were, their affiliations, or personal relationships (as requested by their surviving loved ones). The plaza that holds the pools is a grove of swamp white oak trees, an urban forest that symbolizes life and rebirth.

The memorial’s look is the result of an international competition, and New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has hailed architects Michael Arad and Peter Walker’s winning submission as the ”perfect design.” The void, he says, does not tell visitors what happened or what they should think, but challenges them and gets them to reflect. Though the memorial is not officially open to the public until tomorrow, our hearts and thoughts are with everyone touched by the tragedy, and we are reflecting today.

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New NYC Condos Up for Auction

by Lili Zarghami January 8, 2011 6 Comments

Most of the country is still struggling to recover from the Great Recession, including the real estate market. Economist and many others once regarded New York City as relatively immune to housing bubble trouble.

Not so, this time around. The adverse effects of developers and investors throwing up new homes at remarkable speeds are still being felt here. Curbed NY recently reported that a condo building in a Astoria, Queens, is going on the auction block in February with apartment prices being slashed up to 67%. The building failed to sell 25 apartments, despite fantastic city views and top-of-the-line amenities. If you’re in the area, open houses begin this weekend.

Blog of the Week: Young House Love

by Kayla Kitts October 10, 2010 3 Comments

Sherry and John Petersik are full-time bloggers with a knack for all things DIY. Meet one of their babies, Young House Love, a blog dedicated to the adventures of their first home renovation project.

Designers: Judith Balis

by Karli Sanders Cook September 21, 2010 5 Comments

Judith Balis founded Nest Instinctual Interiors to provide her community with design services for those who love interesting finds and spaces that reflect each individual’s personality.

See more rooms by Judith in Designers’ Portfolio.

Read on to learn more about Judith’s creative approach to budget decorating and what brings her to the big city twice a year.

1. Which designers influenced you?

My top contenders would have to be Barclay Butera and Erinn Valencich. I could move right into their homes with nothing but my toothbrush. I love David Hicks for his use of deliciously saturated colors and Billy Baldwin for his belief in taking the time to collect and surround yourself with things you truly love. Jonathan Adler inspires me with his brilliant use of shape, color and form while Kelly Wearstler‘s mere existence makes me smile. In addition to these big-name designers, I admire my mother-in-law, a long-time New York design veteran, who taught me that beige is not a swear word.

2. What’s your favorite design style?

Judith’s Answer + a funky room

Weekly Tour: David Scott’s New York Home

by Chelsey Bowen June 22, 2010 2 Comments

David Scott of David Scott Interiors opened the doors to his design firm in 1991. A graduate of New York School of Interior Design, he now serves on the Board of Trustees and continues to design beautiful spaces across Manhattan. He’s given us a peek into his new home in New York City’s United Nations Plaza and shares his inspiration, plus design tips you can use in your home.

david-scott-interiors-living-room-office

See David’s New York Home

Sex and the City 2: Carrie and Big’s Apartment

by Chelsey Bowen May 25, 2010 47 Comments

Sex and the City 2 hits screens this Thursday, May 27th, and it’s time to catch up with our favorite four girls, New York City, beautiful clothes and as always, the incredible shoes. Of course, we’re also dying to see the set design, so we snagged a sneak peek of Carrie and Big’s new apartment.

SATC2-Carrie-Big-Kitchen

Carrie On

Swinging From the Rafters

by March 9, 2009 7 Comments

After two years of searching all over Manhattan, I bought a home! I’m so tangled in the red tape that I haven’t had time to think about actually LIVING there. It’s an old department store that was converted into a co-op: 800 square feet with 17-foot brick barrel ceilings. The previous owner drywalled the brick ceilings and walls and painted them an awful red faux finish. There’s an ugly staircase and salmon colored marble on every surface in the kitchen.

I thought living in my new space sans aesthetic improvements would be okay for the time being but now that I’m about to move in, I’ve had a change of heart. So I’ve prioritized: 2 cheap changes with a big impact.

First: The faux finish will be covered in a clean white paint to brighten and modernize the space. My second improvement is will surprise you…I want a swing. It’ll remind me not to take this so seriously. I’ve been consumed by the stress of buying, so the swing serves as a reminder that even though this new home is a huge responsibility, it’s first and foremost, HOME. So, What kind of swing do I choose?

This swing was on Apartment Therapy: