The Cultivated Home

The perfect day: visiting a first-rate museum, eating an incredible meal and, of course, shopping. There is only one place to go for all of these things under one roof: the Neue Galerie in NYC. This museum of early 20th century German and Austrian art has held incredible exhibitions of Josef Hoffman, Gustav Klimt and, currently, Van Gogh.

When you are through taking the full tour, make sure to visit their amazing gift shop. Unlike most museum shops, this gift shop actually has an unbelievable selection of textiles, home accessories and furniture. From the Dagobert Peche fabrics to the Josef Hoffman pillows and hardware, this shop offers carefully chosen items which are hard to find elsewhere. Of course, after you are done shopping and have worked up an appetite, make sure to visit the famed Cafe Sabarsky and enjoy a delicious Apelstrudel. Located at 1048 5th Avenue at 86th Street .

We were a bit scared of the monogram phase this year in interior decorating, so we never brought it up. It just strikes us a bit odd to exclaim your initials on a hand towel – and quite frankly, choosing from Times New Roman font or Script was rather uninspiring. But we are getting over our fear with these really amazing, graphic monogram pillow cases from Urban Outfitters. Considering we are in the middle of a recession, doesn’t it feel great to buy really chic pillow cases with a huge statement for only $18 each? We like it. Yes we do. And thank you, Urban Outfitters, for the new font in monogramming – we’re hoping LL Bean will catch up sometime soon.

Hudson, NY has become a refuge for weary New Yorkers. It’s got a fantastic strip with a bevy of boutiques and antique stores which rests amongst the natural surroundings of “the sticks.” One of our favorite spots to shop, by far, is Historical Materialism. I actually acquired an eight foot Russel Wright sofa from them and have been running back for a fix ever since.

The retailer’s focus is on modern and machine-age furniture from mainly America and Europe.  The space is huge and sports a ton of furniture. But we especially like the simplicity of this holophane glass light fixture. The owner must have a nose for them because they always seem to have them in stock. For this fixture and other pieces from the era visit them at 601 Warren Street in Hudson, NY.

Shine a new light this season with a vintage piece. School House Electric uses original cast-iron molds from 1900 to the early 20th century that were once popular in private residences and industrial settings. After the 1960’s most of the molding designs fell out of production with only a few remaining.

The collection at School House Electric represents original molds found in an Upstate New York warehouse and is truly some of the best inspirational examples of early American lighting design. With over 100 hand crafted lighting fixtures, ranging from Art Deco to an aspiring collection of hand-painted shades, one can easily reinvent a dim environment with a volt of forgotten grace.

Bludot has been around for years, selling to local retailers, however this December they finally opened their own store in Soho. They specialize in useful, affordable and modern furniture created by a team of three designers who have been working together since college. Their Moduliciuos storage line is clean and architectural, with a great choice of colors to coordinate with any palette. They have a wide range of products including chairs, beds with storage and desks all smartly designed. Visit their stylish and modern showroom at 141 Wooster Street, New York City.