The AD Aesthete

Ep414: A Knowing Eye: The Gifts at Cutter Brooks Dec 01, 2020

Amanda Brooks lives an enviable life. The former New York fashion executive settled happily in the English countryside and found a new avenue in Cutter Brooks (cutterbrooks.com), her small village shop that developed worldwide fans thanks to her knowing eye for chic country style, her relentless pursuit of the unusual, and her relationship with venerable artisanal firms. Join us as we unpack how she got her start, and what she plans to gift this holiday.

Ep413: Material World Nov 24, 2020

Whether designing a private apartment or public hotel, or turning his expertise to furniture, AD100 superstar Pierre Yovanovitch has a confident hand, and his talent for manipulating hard materials like wood, stone, and bronze makes them seem soft and sensual. But while aesthetic is important to the French star, he believes function is key, focusing on creating designs that comfort the body while delighting the eye. Join me as we talk about his career inspirations, and dreams for the future.

Introducing SELF: Checking In Nov 19, 2020

Introducing Checking In, the advice podcast where we answer real health and wellness questions from real people like you. Hosted by SELF’s Editor in Chief, Carolyn Kylstra, and featuring trusted experts, doctors, therapists, thought leaders, and even a few celebrities, we’re diving deep into what it really means to be healthy. Checking In launches on Monday, November 16th, with new episodes releasing weekly. Subscribe to get episodes right when they drop at 6:00 am EST.

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Ep412: The Whimsical World of Matilda Goad Nov 17, 2020

Cult British designer Matlida Goad is full of ideas, creating "pieces to elevate the home with the most minimal upheaval," as she calls them. Hers are the sort of items—happy, colorful, charming, and unusual—that one wants to keep as much as one wants to give. While Goad's mum was her very first customer, you may find yourself her next as she discusses her latest products, among them whimsical takes on everyday items like pitchers, planters, placemats, or eggcups (matildagoad.com). I hope you enjoy the program.

Ep411: Art and Soul Nov 10, 2020

Roman Alonso and Steven Johanknecht, the founders of the AD100 design firm Commune, chose a name that says it all: many talents across multiple disciplines, creating artful and soulful collaborations. Join me as they talk candidly about their new book, Design Commune (Abrams), their formative days at Barneys New York, and how they approach fearless design in harnessing the talent around them.

Ep410: Restoring Beirut Nov 03, 2020

On August 4, 2020, an explosion shook Beirut. Days later, French-Lebanese sisters Laura and Sophie Tabet came up with an idea for an online marketplace, Beirut Re-Store (beirutrestore.com/), which ultimately came to feature 173 talents selling artworks and all proceeds going to independent NGOs to help with reconstruction. Laura, a creative director, and Sophie, a production designer, join me to recount their personal stories and the international community that's joined them. Note: Graphic descriptions may disturb some listeners.

Ep409: What Makes a Great American Garden? Oct 27, 2020

Monty Don, the celebrated British broadcaster and horticulturalist, and Derry Moore, the legendary photographer, know how to capture the soul of a garden, having published several delightful books on the subject. The latest from these longtime friends is American Gardens (Prestel Publishing), a sweeping tour of landscapes both famous and obscure, classic and eccentric—and ultimately, singularly, defining what makes a garden indeed American. Join us.

Ep408: Dream Weaver: Rattan Style Oct 20, 2020

Considered the plastic of its day, rattan has never had a celebratory volume until now, with tastemaker Lulu Lytle's recently published book, Rattan: A World of Elegance and Charm (Rizzoli, with a foreword by yours truly). Lytle, of Soane Britain, spent years researching the material and its airy sense of style. Her sweeping survey of its inclusion in design, from solariums to cafes to the most fashionable interiors of all time, is one we explore together. I hope you enjoy the program.

Ep407: The Fashionable World of Federico Forquet Oct 13, 2020

Federico Forquet, the top-flight Italian couturier who, at the height of his genius, pivoted to design exquisite interiors and gardens, is indefatigable well into his 80s as he continues creating rooms, landscapes, and a forthcoming museum exhibition. Join Hamish Bowles, the International Editor at Large of Vogue, and Guido Taroni, fashion and interiors photographer, as they share an exclusive look at their new book, The World of Federico Forquet: Italian Fashion, Interiors, and Gardens (Rizzoli), a dazzling polychrome extravaganza with a rich, detailed eye on Forquet's work. I hope you enjoy the program.

Ep:406 The Politics of Architecture in Nazi Germany Oct 06, 2020

Historian Despina Stratigakos startled the academic world with her book Hitler at Home (Yale University Press), a powerful and unsettling examination of the ruler's homes. Beyond showcasing Germany's finest design, the dark premise also suggests the interiors served as propaganda intended to normalize the dictator to a global stage, as a man of culture and refinement. In her latest book, Hitler's Northern Utopia (Princeton University Press), Stratigakos turns her critical eye to the little-known story of the Third Reich's intent to reconstruct Norway as a means to bind the country closer to Germany. Join us.

Ep405: Inside the Obama White House: Everything Means Something Sep 29, 2020

When AD100 interior designer Michael S. Smith was tapped to decorate the private quarters of the Obama White House, he found himself pondering heady questions such as, How do you get the leader of the free world to agree to red curtains? In his new book, Designing History: The Extraordinary Art & Style of the Obama White House (Rizzoli), Smith offers design enthusiasts and historians alike a close look at his masterful transformation. Today, he joins me to talk about the Obamas' personal style and what it was like to work with the thoughtful couple on the project of a lifetime.

Ep404: Paradise Found Sep 22, 2020

Celebrating his new book Twelve Gardens Around the World (Editions Gourcuff Gradenig), AD100 landscape designer Louis Benech takes readers on a global journey of paradises, where each acreage has "juste." As many a design writer has noted, the magic of Benech is that he conjures gardens that look as is they have never been created at all. Join us for a transporting talk through the paths of his imagination.

Ep403: Searching for the Unconventional Sep 15, 2020

Edo Mapelli Mozzi—the same who recently married Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice—has for a dozen years been known in the UK as the founder and CEO of Banda. Created with the idea to identify unconventional buildings in neighborhoods off the slightly beaten path and to inventively transform them into impeccable luxury modern residences, he has a talent for developing top-notch urban homes at a lower price point. Long passionate about historic architecture, Mapelli Mozzi joins me today to chat about new projects, future trends, and how the pandemic has already changed what people want a home to be. I hope you enjoy the program.

Ep402: Arranging Shapes in Space Sep 08, 2020

Nicole Hollis, a leading American interior designer in San Francisco with a new monograph out from Rizzoli (NICOLEHOLLIS: Curated Interiors), describes her approach as less about pattern and color and more about shaping spaces with intention. Here, she speaks frankly about how her dyslexia acts as a creative springboard—a challenge and a gift, underscoring the importance of visual memory—and how she designs by reduction, focusing on forms and materials and how they interact and activate each other.

Ep401: The Mesmerizing Style of Marrakech Sep 01, 2020

Nobody understands Moroccan style better than international tastemaker, designer, and businesswoman Meryanne Loum-Martin, owner of the celebrated boutique hotel Jnane Tamsna and author of the new book, Inside Marrakesh: Enchanting Homes and Gardens (Rizzoli), which opens the doors to multiple private houses across the style spectrum—including a most-modern home constructed via 25,000 donkey cartfuls of materials. Join us as we travel to the heart of Marrakech design today, exploring the city's best and most inspiring rooms as described through the aesthetic language of both its insiders and expats.

Ep312: Bunny Mellon and Her Gardens Jun 23, 2020

Bunny Mellon may have been well known as an art collector, a philanthropist, and a self-taught landscape artist—yet it is the latter that is the focus of two new books debuting this fall: Bunny Mellon Garden Journal and Garden Secrets of Bunny Mellon (Vendome), in collaboration with garden historian Linda Jane Holden; interior designer Bryan Huffman, Mrs. Mellon's close friend; and Thomas Lloyd, Mrs. Mellon's grandson and president of the family's Gerald B. Lambert Foundation. All three join me to discuss the Mrs. Mellon, her life, and her gardens; I hope you enjoy the program.

Ep311: One Person's Well-Placed Lamp Is Another Person's Ill-Placed Illumination Jun 16, 2020

Architectural criticism has been a constant for centuries, with buildings under scrutiny throughout the ages. Interior design, however, has always received the white-glove treatment. Why? Join me for a lively discussion between Wendy Goodman, of New York magazine, and Suzanne Stephens, of Architectural Record, as we discuss the critiques of interiors and the history of aesthetic judgments.

Ep310: Jayne Wrightsman, American Connoisseur Jun 09, 2020

Jayne Wrightsman rocketed to international prominence from Midwestern obscurity, transforming herself into one of the most distinguished collectors of both French and English decorative arts along with her husband Charles B. Wrightsman. With the upcoming auction of her estate later this month, Christie’s experts William Strafford and Alan Wintermute join me as we discuss not just her many treasures but the woman who has rightly earned her place in the pantheon of American connoisseurship.

Ep309: British Country Homes and the Stories They Tell Jun 02, 2020

Historian Clive Aslet and photographer Dylan Thomas have captured a dozen romantic British country homes in their forthcoming book, Old Homes, New Life (Triglyph, July 2020), exploring in great detail the stories behind each property. Join me as they share how the younger generations are making their mark on these estates, from structural improvements to clever onsite businesses that are designed to keep these family homes preserved and productive for generations to come.

Ep308: All in Hand May 26, 2020

Though we live in the age of machines, we find ourselves drawn time and again to natural materials tooled by hand. With its focus on traditional craftsmanship, The American College of the Building Arts (ACBA) in South Carolina understands this instinct, offering instruction in areas like blacksmithing, stone-carving, and timber-framing. Talking about the importance of these centuries-old arts are William Bates, ACBA's chair of Architecture and Allied Arts, and Joe Whisonant, a recent graduate who has contributed to the restoration of Versailles and Notre Dame. I hope you enjoy the program.

Ep307: Hang It All: Artisanal Wallpapers May 19, 2020

Wallpaper, once scorned as fussy, has come into its own lately, with powerful patterns and brilliant palettes. But the genre's history is deep and even surprising. Join Carolle Thibaut-Pomerantz, the world's leading dealer in antique wallpapers, and Chris Ohrstrom, co-founder of the handmade wallpaper firm Adelphi Paper Hangings, as we look at the papers that decorate one's private rooms, the provocative designs that persist today, and the mode of creation, which remains as laborious and precise as it was more than 200 years ago.

Ep306: Perfectly Imperfect May 12, 2020

When one of the most admired interior decorators in the world teams up with the founder of one of fashion’s most popular labels, something special is bound to happen. For Robert Kime and Tory Burch, it sparked the Nara Collection, their new line of beautifully patterned fabrics and wallpapers inspired by visits to Japan. Join me with Robert and Tory as they retrace their steps through private sources in Kyoto and Tokyo to bring these textiles to life.

Ep305: The Healing Power of Architecture May 05, 2020

AD100 architect Lee Mindel knows 20th-century design inside and out. But what intrigues him most is how many of the world’s most-admired projects were created not to celebrate beauty alone, but to celebrate wellness, both mental and physical. Join us as we talk from our homes about the buildings and interiors that embody style—and humanity.

Ep304: American Spirit Apr 28, 2020

Like most of us, AD100 designer Markham Roberts and art and antiques dealer James Sansum are sheltering in place. But also like many, they are dreaming of getting away, in their case to their beloved Victorian house off Puget Sound which was recently featured in AD. Joined by interiors and garden director Alison Levasseur, together we go behind the scenes of their "hodgepodge lodge," exploring its rich history, curious decor, and breathtaking setting which includes views of both an active volcano and nuclear submarines. Escape with us.

Ep303: Making Room at the Table Apr 21, 2020

As we continue to shelter in place, three leading figures in the American design landscape join me from their homes: AD100 architect Annabelle Selldorf, interior designer Ellie Cullman, and landscape architect Janice Parker. In a conversation most topical, they share their personal experiences as women in a largely male-dominated industry, whether focused on leading their own firms, mentoring their associates, or encouraging diversity in the workplace. I hope you enjoy the program.

Ep302: The Sensation of Space Apr 14, 2020

Wellness is a trend, to be sure, yet it has always been a consideration for designers and architects as they create spaces for people to express their best selves. Irish-born designer Clodagh joins me from her home to discuss her feel-good design philosophy incorporating wellness, which started in her teenage years and has grown to incorporate biophilia and feng shui, and which has won her projects such as communal hotel lobbies and deluxe spas. I hope you enjoy the program.

Ep301: The Allure of 1980s Luxury Apr 07, 2020

For those growing up aware of the rich, intelligent, decadent style of the 1980s, it was a time of American tastemakers creating the most influential interiors. Today, designer David Netto joins me in recalling three of the most absolutely unapologetic and memorable of those homes, each inspiring his own work in its own way.

The AD Aesthete at Home: Season 3 Apr 06, 2020

Like many people around the world right now,, we and our guests are doing our best to shelter in place. The audio may not be as fine as in the past, yet perhaps you will still find our episodes to be as bright, lively, and informative as before. We hope you too can stay home, be well, and continue to enjoy our program wherever you are. Thank you, now as ever, for listening.

Ep210: A Century of Access at AD Mar 10, 2020

Our newest book, AD at 100, celebrates the most incredible homes of the past century, showcasing the work of top designers and offering rare looks inside the private worlds of artists, celebrities, and other fascinating personalities. Joining me in the studio to discuss the three-year process from ideation to publication is Amy Astley, editor in chief of AD; Alison Levasseur, AD's interiors and garden director; and Michael Shome, AD's visual director.

Ep209: All in the Family Mar 03, 2020

Heritage businesses often grow out of enviable, deep roots, yet today many legacy companies are run by corporate types wanting to trade on a brand name, not recognizing the original family creativity. Today I'm joined in the studio by three young powerhouses—Eliza Crater of Sister Parish Design, Valentin Goux of Rinck, and Freddy Victoria of Victoria & Sons—who discuss how they are working to respect their origins while innovating to remain relevant.

Ep208: Home Swede Home Feb 25, 2020

Swedish-born British designer Beata Heuman, an undisputed star of her profession, is an AD100 honoree who was named "Designer of the Year" in 2018 by Britain's House & Garden. Thoughtful and reflective, she chatted with me about unexpected details (that sometimes tip into the strange), being thrown into the deep end, and the secret to her appeal—part joy, part fearlessness, all talent. Listen in.

Ep207: Anglo-American Style: Then, Now, Forever Feb 18, 2020

Interior designer, writer, historian, and scholar Thomas Jayne may be devoted to traditional design, but as his rooms and books clearly show, the results are decided unstuffy. Of many decorators who hold high the torch of Anglo-American style, he prefers to bring its classicism into modern times, injecting it with vibrant colors, unexpected juxtapositions, and an inventive sense of frolic. Tradition not only can be taught new tricks, it demands them! I hope you enjoy our chat.

Ep206: Bright Young Thing Feb 11, 2020

British illustrator and designer Luke Edward Hall, a true leading light with thousands of fans and followers, may channel a glamorous, golden era—citing legends such as photographer Cecil Beaton and poet Jean Cocteau—yet beyond the gloss lies a hardworking talent whose tongue-in-cheek, creative whimsy has justifiably propelled him on his meteoric rise. Join us as we chat about his fascinations, inspirations, and most ambitious projects yet.

Ep205: The Rise and Fall (and Rise!) of Trimmings Feb 04, 2020

Interiors have long been enriched with handmade tassels, fringe, lace, braid, and other trims, all of which contributed to a significant percent of many a decorating budget. But with the rise of modernism in the 1920s, the art of handmade trim fell out of fashion. Could a revival be underway now? If textile historian and consultant Annabel Westman, who is executive director of the Attingham Trust and author of Fringe, Frog and Tassel: The Art of the Trimmings-Maker, has anything to say about it, the answer is yes.

Ep204: George Washington Builds His Dream House Jan 28, 2020

America's first president was a renowned military tactician, a Revolutionary War hero, and Father of the Country. Yet George Washington was also a man of surprisingly style, and the home he and wife Martha Washington created, Mount Vernon, astounded visitors and has always occupied a prominent place in the American cultural landscape. In recent years, however, Mount Vernon has dramatically evolved as researchers discover how the house and its rooms were ablaze with color and pattern, and the vibrant palette is being reinstated—but not without controversy. Joining me today to talk about the changing face of Mount Vernon is Curator of Fine and Decorative Arts Adam Erby.

Ep203: Inside/Outside, the Marriage of Architecture and Landscape Jan 21, 2020

Architecture and landscape design both enhance and anchor each other, never moreso than when the creative talents behind them collaborate as well as my guests AD100 architect Gil Schafer and landscape designer Deborah Nevins, who have several projects to prove it. Bonus: Listen in as I get persuaded to recite a Wallace Stevens poem.

Ep202: Duveen Brothers: Inventing American Taste Jan 14, 2020

Back in the late nineteenth century, the premier international arts and antiques advisories were the Duveen brothers, counselors to the very wealthy one percent on what to include in their private collections. As those artworks were donated to public museums and galleries, it's become clear how influential Duveen Brothers was in shaping American tastes today. Join me with Charlotte Vignon, a curator of fine arts for the Frick Collection, and art and design scholar R. Louis Bofferding, to discuss.

Ep201: No Matter Where You Go, There's Something to See Jan 07, 2020

"No matter where you go, there's always something to see," the acclaimed American decorator Mark Hampton once told me—a guiding principle for so many in the design industry. AD100 honorees Alexa Hampton and Steven Gambrel tend to travel the world with an eye for the unexpected, always returning home with snapshots that serve as a springboard for creativity. Join us as they sift through the details of their latest journeys.

Ep106: Making Sense of the World Through Objects Dec 17, 2019

Some of the most beautiful and affecting objects—a salt shaker, a stained glass panel—can carry an ugly thought, politically or socially. Mitchell "Micky" Wolfson Jr, a self-described preservationist whose collection of more than 70,000 treasures fill The Wolfsonian-FIU museum, always seeks a prismatic, human view to complete the portrait of these seemingly innocent items. Join us as we explore the stories behind a few of the rarest and fascinating pieces in his collection.

Ep105: The Art of Cross-Collecting Dec 10, 2019

With a passion for cross-collecting—that is, appreciating items from different time periods and genres—Philip Hewat-Jaboor, the founder of the glamorous British collector's fair Masterpiece London, has a lot to say about how observing the beauty in objects is as much about living with them as it is about looking at them. Listen in.

Ep104: Revisiting Mario Buatta Dec 03, 2019

Design historian and dealer Emily Evans Eerdmans is coordinating "Mario Buatta: Prince of Interiors," a much-anticipated auction of the late AD100 designer's belongings at Sotheby’s in January—nearly 1,000 lots’ worth. "Collecting is a very personal thing," Buatta, who died in 2018 at 82, once explained. "It relates to your childhood, it's about insecurity, and it's about wanting more." Join me and Emily in the studio as we explore the style of this timeless tastemaker.

Ep103: The All-American Elegance of the Shingle Style Nov 26, 2019

The Shingle Style of architecture, born in the late 1870s in the United States, has since been revived and recalibrated by successive generations of architects, from the Hamptons to France, even China. It was especially popular at seaside resorts, leading it to be called the architecture of the American summer. Discussing its invention and evolution with me are Tom Kligerman, a principal of the AD100 firm Ike Kligerman Barkley, architectural historian Willie Granston, and AD100 architect Robert A.M. Stern, who has been a leading proponent and inspiring reinventor of the Shingle Style since the 1970s. Join us!

Ep102: The Man Behind the Camera, Interiors Photographer Derry Moore Nov 19, 2019

Since the 1970s, British photographer Derry Moore, who is also the 12th Earl of Drogheda, has been one of the world's most celebrated chroniclers of interiors and gardens. Some of his most iconic work has been produced for Architectural Digest over the last 30 years, as well as for The World of Interiors and other publications; and a selection of his legendary images for AD appear in the new book "AD at 100: A Century of Style." Derry and I worked together at the magazine Nest, and I was privileged to write the text for one of his books, "In House." Join us as we catch up on photography, publishing, and the pleasure of a well-lit room.

Ep101: Elsie de Wolfe, the Mother of Modern Decoration Nov 12, 2019

Elsie de Wolfe, an American actress of the Gilded Age, became the most famous decorator in the world when she changed professions in 1904—and she's still a force in the field today, Her work and her work ethic has inspired many of today's leading interior decorators. Join interior designer Charlotte Moss, a longtime de Wolfe aficionado; cultural historian Charlie Scheips, the author of "Elsie de Wolfe's Paris: Frivolity Before the Storm"; and Gillian Davies, author of "Gender, Modernism, and Interior Design: Sex, Class, Home." Listen in!

Welcome to The AD Aesthete Nov 11, 2019

Listen in as the superlatively knowledgeable Mitchell Owens, Decorative Arts editor at AD (@ADaesthete), talks with the greatest design-world talents of our time about all things aesthetic. From the legacy of iconic decorators to the promise of design’s future, his lively, bold, and engaging conversations truly appeal to a mixed audience of industry pros and design enthusiasts.

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