Current Inspiration #8
We took a hiatus. We worked on a project in France. We came back to Chicago's frigid winter. And we have things on our mind. We love this medium as a way of sharing pieces of our inspiration with those of you tuning in to our journey. And so here is 2021's first edition of what will be our periodical newsletter. We hope you enjoy it.
From Serbia, with love
We've been longtime admirers of this brand, and we were thrilled to incorporate one of our favorite pieces from their collection in our latest French venture. Ethnicraft has designed and created such unique and unforgettable pieces of furniture over the years, complete with original design concepts produced with sustainable materials (a core principle in our design approach). While products are conceived and developed in Belgium, some of the production and fabrication takes place in Serbia, by a crew of very meticulous craftsman with savoir-faire (another reason we love this brand). The result of this collaboration is a pure expression of delicate and refined design, built with the most durable wood and resources. This table brings us endless joy, and we cannot wait for our clients to throw dinner parties with this piece front and center!
A night at the Caterpillar House
With limited new movie material out these days, it's particularly delightful and unexpected discovering an original screenplay that is the direct result of our pandemic-stricken world. Extra bonus is when the film is beautifully shot in an architectural masterpiece. Beyond the incredible performance delivered by Zendaya and John David Washington, you cannot help but be captivated by this contemporary, mid century modern inspired home where the entirety of Malcolm and Marie takes place. Jonathan Feldman's Caterpillar House (in Carmel, California) is the serene backdrop for this intimate disclosure of heated arguments and soul-bearing confessions between the couple. Throughout the movie, the explosive dialogue between the two characters take us through the house like a choreographed dance, exposing the home's remarkable design, and revealing a seamless indoor/outdoor floor plan where Malcom and Marie evolve freely. Even if the movie is entirely shot at night in 35mm black-and-white film, we can imagine the home on a cloud-free and sunny day, absorbed by natural light and surrounded by incredible landscape. Most definitely the perfect place to spend the rest of the pandemic!
Bisou in the neighborhood
With all of this time spent at home over the last almost-year, we are extra diligent in carving out space for the things we enjoy. Our weekends are especially sacred and force us to be even more creative with the very limited options in previously available and encouraged activities. However, that hasn't stopped us from making friends, continuing to discover our neighborhood and growing our knowledge of wine. Cue the introduction of Easy Does It, a local shop focused on natural wine and highlighting original selections. Their opening came while we were in France, where we discovered what has become one of our favorite vignoble, Domaine Mosse. After spending time at the vineyard getting to know the newest generation of owners in the family business, Joseph and Sylvestre, we quickly grew to love their fantastic offerings. Upon our return, we were overjoyed to find one of our favorite bottles, Bisou, at this little neighborhood gem! Shout out to Easy Does It owner Zach, who is presenting a spectacular selection of noteworthy winemakers from around the world to a very eager Chicago crowd. Cheers to the things we enjoy!
Really humans after all
The news came to us as an earthquake and if you missed it, Daft Punk has split. As music lovers, and electro music aficionados, this one-of-a-kind duo was (and still is) a major influence in the formation of our musical taste. Their album Discovery was even Marc's first vinyl purchase as a teenager in France. Their legacy is undeniably massive, and if you look back at who those two Frenchies out of Paris worked with over the years, you would be blown away by how their art transcended cultures, music genres and design in the last 28 years. If we would have to recommend three of their creations to rediscover, it would be the following:
Electoma - Their arthouse movie
Around the world - Their unforgettable music video directed by Michel Gondry (that everyFrench teenager tried to reenact in his bedroom in the 90's)
The Alive Tour 2007 in Lollapalooza - Their live show that changed everything (one half ofMaredi was there to witness it!)