In my last posting, I discussed the lighting I found at ICFF and around New York City. This time, I’ll comment on the non-lighting things I saw that were of interest. I’ve tried to break them into recognizable sections. I’ll also toss in a few comments about the museum shows, including the 2026 Whitney Biennial, a show I have been enjoying (and not enjoying!) for a number of years. Lastly, I’ll toss in a few theater comments for those of you who might find yourself in New York with a free evening.
Kitchen Finishes
Reading recaps of EuroCucina at Salone del Mobile, I came across the new Nature-Ritual from Fisher & Paykel. Using totara, an indigenous timber from New Zealand, the appliances are faced with wood. At the SOHO Bulthap showroom, one of the displays used a warm brass finish on their metal cabinets. This has a nice calming feel. Think of a “brass” version of stainless steel. Both concepts show a desire for something different in the kitchen. Since America abandoned the Tuscan kitchen, we have been using a pared down aesthetic where appliances are being hidden and an unnatural cleanliness is displayed. I wonder if this outreach is an indicator of a desire for something new. I’m going to be paying attention to the trends here.
https://www.fisherpaykel.com/us/nature-ritual-2026
Bathrooms
I had a similar feeling when I saw the Herbeau display. More than any other room, the bathrooms have developed contemporary aesthetics. This company is the antidote. Classically shaped and embellished porcelain or faucets and fillers that are highly decorative help one imagine a different approach to bathroom design.
Since I first saw them, I have loved the Infinity Drain idea, so much so, I used them in our rehab. The new “Disco-Rectangle Linear Drain” is a real sweetheart. The same linear shape, but with a rounded edge and inlaid with a slice of matching floor. The rounded end really softens the appearance and allows this functional product to disappear into the floor with class and elegance. If it were paired with the classic Herbeau fixtures above, this newer idea would work nicely together.
Other Cool Things
I was one of the first attendees to walk down the perimeter aisles of the show, when one of the exhibitors blurted out, “Hey, you’re tall!” and asked if I would mind helping her hang a sign. She had a die-cut sign on premask and couldn’t get it mounted. She, of course, had no idea my first job out of high school was working in the art department of a “decal” manufacturer. Not only did I know how to hang it, I knew how to make it and produced artwork for scores of pieces like it! The folks at Reflectel were lucky, but they also have an interesting product. They custom frame any wall mounted flat screen TV. They can incorporate millwork or finishes that surrounds the room, or simply make a unique piece that fits the space. It is a very interesting way to “hide” a TV screen.
I don’t often get pulled into a booth that displays cabinet hardware, but Lo & Co offered a fun collection of unique designs that can really make a difference in a room.
A few years ago, I saw some decorative wall pieces created by “blowing” high pressure air in the void between two welded sheets of metal. Using a related process to that company, Zieta, Nitush Aroosh used hydro-formed metal to create beautiful, sculptural pieces.
Opiary has a way of creating relaxed, comfortable outdoor settings. I especially appreciated the built-in toekick lighting set within their display. It fits so naturally in the organic setting and provides the necessary illumination for nighttime navigation. (Guess I’m not finished commenting on lighting, after all!)
Perhaps the most photographed piece in the whole show was the retro-designed stereo console created by Wrensilva. For the last decade they have been helping people understand how I grew up listening to music. Our little suburban home had a massive TV/Stereo console set in the living room. When the TV wasn’t on, the stereo was playing LPs by Sarah Vaughan (dad’s fav) or Jerry Vale (mom’s) or Spanish Guitars (their combined go-to.) It could easily be swapped out for any of the pieces they make. One-two-three and you are catapulted back to the 1960s. This time with superior sound.
https://wrensilva.com/?srsltid=AfmBOopjzsO5YJfFQQ40YtklO8LtMH0bRyJN_PRHWUt19pmFOoCehheG
To visually match the stereophonic sounds coming from the living room, two companies were displaying older concepts in room dividers. Shimmer Screens has brought back the beaded room divider. Dooor, an Italian company that originally made pleated dividers (they call them textile doors) is now offering them in velvet, faux leather, canvas and many other options including a hip metallic iridescent that was on display. I talked with the founder’s grandson and he is still using his grandfather engineering. Sometimes you can’t ignore a classic!
Furniture
As I looked over my notes from the weekend, I realized I had a lot of thoughts on furniture and I didn’t even make it to Park Avenue South this trip. I suspect the furniture designers are getting itchy for some new bend in their product. I’m not sure where the direction will end, but so far, I am loving the journey. I’m not certain I have ever heard of Amura, but the collection of quirky chairs in their SOHO showroom forced me to take notice and jot in my notebook, “interesting furniture / check out their website” I like them even more now.
I hadn’t thought much about 3-D printed products lately. It was “all the buzz” a few years ago, but has since exited from the media. What has apparently happened is designers and manufacturers are quietly and simply just doing the work. Decibel has an entire product line of printed furniture and it is some of the most interesting and clever product I saw at the show. Some of the material is suitable for exterior applications, others are only for indoors, but all of it, including the background wall in their booth is printed. If you can’t get a good idea what is going on in the photo, I urge you to check out the website to see how far 3-D printing has gone.
I’m not so sure about the next step for high-end French brand Ligne Roset. The items shown at the show are the most “non-Ligne Roset” pieces I think they have ever produced. They sort of reminded me of that 1980s American brand, This End Up, who made rumpus room furniture out of shipping crates and wooden skids. While L-R has always made pieces that are teetering on the edge of viable, I’m not sure crate-based couture furniture is their best path forward. It does, however help us understand that a search is on for something new.
https://www.ligne-roset.com/us
What’s next could be a return to a more functional chair. Deap Design introduced their new Luna Chair at the independent maker’s wing of ICFF. (Hope they keep this element next year!) I told the designer, it reminded me of the old Telephone Tables from the 50s & 60s. She of course didn’t know what this old guy was talking about. (Sometimes, it is rough getting old!) The chair is designed with the realization that we use furniture differently than years ago. With our collection of phones and tablets, we need a broader place to set them down. Luna could be the answer.
In the same area of the show, Simon Johns showed a beautiful mix of wood and stone. His online presence shows a mix of stone and metal and lots of variations that are extremely appealing. Ian Love stacked what looked to be old wood turnings as table bases and covered them with “micro-cement” tops. Both are smaller creators with interesting eyes on the future.
Finally, if you’ve been reading my assessments of ICFF over the years, you know my admiration for the Bernhardt furniture collection designed by Terry Crews. Crews worked his way through art school on a football scholarship, became a professional player, actor and emcee, but his true passion remains design. I find his pieces to be beautifully sculptured and visually appealing. The complementing lines of the back and the walnut lower support are perfect in his new sofa design. Just like every other year, these pieces are among my favorites of the show.
Museums
“Why do you spend so much time in museums?” if I had a nickel every time someone said that to me, I’d be a wealthy guy. OK, not wealthy, but I could afford a pretty good meal. My answer usually revolves around my desire to “see” the things that artist are creating; the emphasis on the word, “see.” After checking out the 2026 edition of the Whitney Biennial and the exhibits at the newly reopened New Museum, I realize that “seeing” can be a bit restrictive. The creative community is including a lot more sound in their work than I have ever experience.
Admittedly, this runs a bit contrary to my personal preference. About 40-45 years ago, artists began to include a lot more text or written messages in their work. “Art” is a visual media. If you want to write, explore books, poems, monologues. (Not blog posts! That lane is full!) Over the last decade, I am experiencing déjà vu, this time, with the creep of sound. Now I find myself asking why visual artists want to be aural artists and why they are not exploring music. To compound this, an art museum and art galleries are perhaps the worst possible places to consume audio and written creativity. When viewing an exhibition, the collective audience is packed and in polite society, we allow ourselves a minute or less to absorb what we see. Add text and we must now read and absorb the words and try and determine how they relate to the visuals. Now we add the audio and are faced with bringing in a third input, yet we remain politely fenced in by the time we can spend contemplating the piece.
Audio is often distributed via a sound loop and that adds yet another kink in the enjoyment, because, presumably, the artist want you to experience the full 13 minutes, 12 seconds of sound that accompanies the piece. Were I home, I could dedicate the required time to maximize my understanding of the story being told, just as I do with a musical release. I can’t do that in a museum. Finally, the acoustics in art museums are horrible. Tall ceilings and flat surfaces make the subtleties of sound, almost impossible.
Does this experiential shortcoming denude the work? Therein lies the rub. Of course, it shouldn’t, but it absolutely does, unless you agree to spend the demanded time with the work, or buy the piece and then live with it. This, then questions what timing is appropriate. A viewing/hearing expectation is not included in the plaque next to the art, unlike the very specific playing time of a musical release.
Like the written word, sound does not appear to be going away. Eventually, I will find a way to derive understanding from the combination, or abandon any future interaction with work that includes this duo or trio. In the meantime, it will remain a challenge for me.
Beyond the sound, there was some powerful work in computer generated art, sustainable art and art that spoke to the conflict of money required for environmental efforts. The work of female artists was especially poignant as these younger women grapple with the prospects of a life with fewer freedoms than their mothers and grandmothers.
Lastly, I was underwhelmed with the inaugural exhibition at the expanded New Museum. The new building is wonderful, but I couldn’t extract anything from the collection, except, of course, that the galleries were very noisy, what with all of the audio art included.
New York Theater
I’ve been very lucky to have seen a decent amount of the shows in the 2025-2026 Broadway season. Here’s a quick rundown.
- My Favorite: Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) – Twist my arm and I might say Schmigadoon!
- If you want to see an expensive, theatrical extravaganza on a huge stage: The Lost Boys
- If you’ve forgotten how emotionally draining good drama can be: Death of a Salesman
- If you want to immerse yourself in Drag/Ballroom culture…at the “legitimate” theater: Cats: The Jellicle Ball
- Need an evening of goofy, madcap fun with Victor Garber and Celine Dion aboard the fated ship, Titanic? Titanique is your show.
- Need a moment in a transvestite’s time warp? The Rocky Horror Show
- Want to see how the mighty fall? Giant tells the story of Roald Dahl at his most vile.
- Want to watch a battle of the ballads? Chess
- My Favorite – Schmigadoon! Twist my arm and I might say: Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York)
I always get “something” from my trips to New York. Because I’m now an old guy, I find I need to sit occasionally. I used to walk non-stop from 11:00 until the showrooms closed and curtain time approached. The much needed rest at the New Museum allowed me to have a delightful conversation with a young student who stopped to sketch and jot a few notes. We talked about art, careers, life and the expectations the world foists on people. Honestly, we could have probably continued for another hour, but his buddies started to worry about him and came searching. I also knew, despite my age, I was refreshed enough to continue my exploring. This conversation and the pages of notes I took over the long weekend told me, despite a few bumps in the road, the future looks interesting; the new ideas will shake-up the norm and we shouldn’t worry so much. Solutions to most problems will arrive, sometimes in unexpected packages. We just can’t be frightened to open them.
Lighting by Jeffrey 