Cheers to 2025 +plus affordable art, interior design predictions, Jacques Grange, and New York's neon signs
Pages turning
Welcome to the first Lucy Curates of the year. I hope your holiday featured good company, delicious meals, and favorite traditions. As I reflect on this past year, I am grateful for all it brought - amazing clients, a feature in AD, and the continued opportunity to live my dream as an independent creative. I’m looking forward to some exciting design projects on the horizon which I can’t wait to share. And I love writing this little newsletter of mine. Toasting to you, my readers! Happy 2025, thank you for being here. 🥂xx
Art
Two of the most common questions I’m asked by clients and friends alike is 1. where to find affordable art and 2. how to choose it.
Below are my suggestions for places to find art, but I’ll start with the latter - trust your gut. If you like something don’t overthink as to why or worry about your collection ‘matching'. In my opinion, art shouldn’t match - we contain multitudes (thank you, Walt), and I feel deeply that our walls should reflect that. I think this mix of mediums, genres, and subjects adds soul, interest, and a sense of individualism to a space. And it’s funny, you’ll be surprised how seemingly disparate pieces pair harmoniously - your taste has an innate point-of-view.
Next, where to source:
Online marketplaces like Chairish, 1stDibs, and eBay. When browsing these sites, I find it easier to score when you have a specific type of piece in mind - I found this winterscape on Chairish a few years ago. I wanted an oil painting featuring snow and began my search with key words. And always negotiate with sellers - I usually offer 25% off the list price and it’s almost always accepted!
Vintage Stores / Thrift Stores. My favorite places to shop for home decorative objects. In addition to being havens for art of all kinds, they are also a good place to find quality housewares (they don’t make glasses and ceramics like they used to). The best places in the city are City Opera Thrift and Vintage Thrift. If I’m elsewhere, I find that Google is a great resource - people are into treasure hunting and the reviews for secondhand places are both thoughtful and helpful.
Museum Shops. These are the most underrated places to find affordable art. I find the quality of prints to be high and it’s easy enough to order an inexpensive black poster frame from Amazon. MoMA and The Met have great online shops.
Magazines. Whether covers, cartoons, and even a beautiful editorial spread, keep something that speaks to you.
Etsy. I’m always blown away by the talent out in the world. There are incredible artists selling original pieces for reasonable prices.
The street. I’ve found some of my favorite pieces from local street artisans here in New York and abroad.
I have yet to dabble in the world on online auctions - I find them overwhelming and stressful. People have scored beautiful pieces for practically nothing, so If you are an online auction aficionado, I’d love to talk shop (and share with readers!).
A goal of mine for 2025 is to invest in a piece of gallery art, I’m dreaming of a Stephen DiRado photograph, I keep returning to this favorite (modern photography is one of my favorite mediums).
Predictions
My mom always saves me interesting articles from the Off Duty section of the weekend WSJ. The latest featured a what’s in / what’s out for interior design in 2025.
A few anticipated trends I’m happy to see (fingers crossed):
ANTIQUES 😍: old things forever. A return to pieces boasting originality, soul and craftsmanship.
Gem Tones: personality-deprived neutral wastelands be gone - deep purples, rubies, citrines are making a splash.
Polished Nickel: my favorite finish. I love mixing metals, and polished nickel is both beautiful and plays nice with others. Goodbye to all brass everything.
Corner Seating: the return of the banquette! Large, open floor plans have all but done away with nooks and cozy seating, which give smaller spaces function and personality.
Dynamic Ceilings: matte white no more - I love to paint ceilings the same color as the walls, or if neutral, a satin finish to allow light to bounce more easily.
New New
The new year always feels like a time to update and upgrade. Below are suggestions to easily refresh your space:
Ruched Faux Fur Throw ($90) - The softest, warmest addition to your sofa
Titanium Always Pan Pro ($135) - I got this for Christmas as a replacement for my ride-or-die of 4+ years and she is PRETTY (thank you Em 😊)
Acacia Burke Salad Servers, Set of 2 ($25) - Pair looks good serving salad and sticking out of your utensil jar
Aurora Large Pill Vase ($95) - Excited to fill with Trader Joe’s lilies
European Linen Stripe Napkins ($30) - This is how the french do it
SQ Sconce Wired Plug-In ($320) - News alert: plug-in sconces are in - I’m considering these for a wall in my living room
Italian White Burl Wood Frame 5x7 ($37) - Give a favorite image the chance to live outside your phone
Set-Of-Four Sun Scalloped Coasters ($125) - Add some weight and shape to your coffee table
Quick Dry Bath Rug by Micro Cotton® ($29) - The difference replacing tired bath mats make
Luxe Sateen Sheet Bundle ($225) - The difference replacing tired sheets make
The Goldfish Bowl Henri Matisse Print ($95) - Fill a spare wall with a museum print
Maison Balzac La Pomponette Large Candle ($99) - I want this so I can reuse the jar as a toothbrush holder
Handwoven Padma Rectangle Storage Basket ($119) - “Off the floor and into a basket” is a motto to live by
Handblown Moroccan Cone Glassware - Set of 6 ($48) - These are my favorite drinking glasses - maybe it’s time to upgrade your hodgepodge collection
Alessi Kitchen Timer ($35) - Add classic Italian design to your counter (and cook your pasta for the correct amount of time)
Linen Pouf Stool ($119) - The pouf is the most versatile piece of furniture ever: seat, foot rest, side table, bookshelf
Maloy Black Metal Trident Candelabra ($150) - This would add a little drama and interest to a living room mantel
Devi Cow Hide Rug ($499) - There is something both timeless and cool about a hide in any room
North Star
As I reflect of my education and journey as a designer, I find myself returning to the work of french design titan Jacques Grange - one of my biggest sources of inspiration.
Born in Saint-Tropez in 1944 and educated at Paris's École Boulle and École Camondo, Grange honed his skills under the legendary decorator Henri Samuel. He then began an illustrative career - he is favorite among the elite and discerning art connoisseurs around the world, including Yves Saint Laurent, Paloma Picasso, Princess Caroline of Monaco and Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen.
Grange is a genius mixmaster - he pairs antique with modern, bold colors with muted tones, the simple with the complex. The results are handsome spaces that feel timeless, unfussy and spirited. This eclectic approach has become his hallmark. As his partner Pierre Passbon says: “his style is impossible to describe. You just feel it. “
Although his projects are grand, his approach can used for any size or budget project: fill rooms with beautiful things, use varied colors, textures and shapes, and don’t try to hard (or make it look as so - the real art).
Lit Up
I enjoyed this New York Times article about the history of neon signs in the city, which made me nostalgic for a New York I never knew. I like to imagine it aglow in hazy color when almost every storefront featured a humming work of artistry above it - the collective twisted tubes characterizing its 20th century streetscapes. Preservationists are fighting to save the last original signs as they become replaced with more efficient and safer LED bulbs, but it’s a losing battle (there’s even a blog dedicated roundup of lately-departed neon signs in New York City). This update from the girl that is missing paper ads on the subway - I’d rather do without the glaring screens flashing something new every stop.
Comfort Food
One of my favorite dishes is rice pilaf - flavorful, warm, filling - its been my ultimate comfort food since childhood. I made it from scratch for the first time this Christmas and it was better than I could have imagined. An ancient dish that has been adopted - and adapted - across cultures around the world, I learned I’m not the only one to love it (a lot). It’s a welcomed addition to any table, and especially easy to make for larger parties. Below is a brief history, courtesy of The Heritage Lab:
Rice pilaf originated in ancient Persia around 1000 BCE. The dish involves sautéing rice in oil or butter before simmering it in seasoned broth. As the Persian Empire expanded, pilaf spread across the Middle East, Central Asia, and the Mediterranean. The Ottoman Empire further popularized pilaf in Europe, where it was adapted into local dishes like "plov" or "pilau" in Eastern Europe. French cuisine also embraced rice pilaf, often serving it with meats and using a mirepoix of onions, carrots, and celery. Introduced to the Americas through European colonization, rice pilaf evolved with new local flavors. Today, it remains a versatile and beloved dish worldwide, celebrated for its adaptability and ability to complement a wide variety of ingredients.
