#12 FEAR FACTOR: masks, carved sculptures, and more
Plus Sandy Liang homeware and some perfect desks
Hello! Welcome to McLotto, a furniture newsletter for nice pieces from the tri-state area and beyond. All typos and grammatical errors are, of course, intentional. Find the perfect club chair, celebrate lucite, buy an old Comme button-down, and delve deeper into Craigslist. If you enjoy McLotto send it to a friend or keep it a secret. 💋
THE MCLOTTO AGENDA
Sandy Liang enters the homeware space
FACE YOUR FEARS: return from the abyss of Millenial Minimalism with some freaky pieces and some NEW FACES for your home
A sweet desk roundup for your WFH setup
To be continued: There are cathedrals everywhere for those with the eyes to see….creating shrines in your home for INNER PEACE.
Some News
Sandy Liang dropped her homeware collection yesterday which also included some slippers, aprons, and dresses. (As a side note, I do own Subu slippers and they are incredible.) Overall the homeware aspect was really just two rugs, both of which are nice. In strange timing, I stumbled across this incredible chair by Ziyu He that was inspired by Liang and would have been a welcome addition to the line. Clothing seems to be priced a lot lower than her main brand, so if you’re looking for something nice to splurge on from her collections this could be your time. As for the welcome mat, $225 feels a little steep and there are plenty of great ones out there including this Sunnei one I’ve recommended before for $85.
Phoebe Philo released her much-anticipated line this week. I’m not going to comment on the style or price point of the clothes because you don’t need another opinion. However, I will say I haven’t felt this excited looking at clothes in a really long time. Philo’s influence is legendary, and has extended into the moodboard-ification of homeware you’ll read about if you scroll down a little further. The collection made me excited to get older and see clothes that feel tender and smart. “She is singing a deep and powerful song,” said Suzy Menkes in a review. (Also recommend checking out Lauren Sherman’s email about the line.)
FEAR FACTOR
In previous Mclotto editions, I have touched on the need to face your fears in domestic spaces. Sometimes when people ask for help sourcing a piece or finding something to furnish their apartment, I ask them what they like and they blink. The truth is that it’s actually really hard to find out what you like: the moodboard-ification of everything has not only led to many interior spaces looking exactly the same, but also to people being unable to look outside of their algorithms for hints of their own taste or style. (We see something similar happening in fashion, where personal style is increasingly rare and often fleeting.) As a result, people often act like their apartment is an Airbnb that is still listed with an owner they’ll never meet.
It’s completely understandable within the furniture and interior design realm: furniture is so, so expensive and often more permanent than a Mad Happy logo sweatshirt or another oversized blazer. The Airbnb part is also quite real. Renting and moving from one tiny apartment to another in New York often feels hopeless for people in their 20s and 30s. (Insert a subletting your apartment for a week meme here.)
If you’re uncertain about making a permanent decision for your home or don’t know how to find what your style is, picking up some smaller pieces can help you elevate a space without spending $800 dollars to realize you hate Art Deco sconces or a West Elm couch. Taking risks in your home can feel extremely difficult, but I recommend starting with small objects that intimidate you. A cool mask, wooden sculpture, or even an accent chair can help balance out a room, make it feel more personal, and inform decisions you want to save up for, like a new couch or a big area rug. These run the gamut of prices, so don’t come for me because of a $400 dresser.
An antique negative of a pin-up model to kick things off. It’s priced on the higher side ($189) but it’s been up for a while and they’re taking offers.
I hope this isn’t sold by the time I send this out but as of 5 PM the night before, it’s still up. This 2FF maple dresser is a steal for $440, with curbside delivery for $40. **I know it feels like there are a million tiny vintage shops in NYC and that’s because there are. If you’re looking for some places to check out, look at mclotto.xyz on IG and go through the follower list. Most are NYC-based and good.
A tiny chrome chair for $100! It’s the end of the month and if you’re moving into a new apartment this could double as a nightstand for a few weeks while you look for more stuff.
A great carved cow mask for $145. Start a collection or put it in your entryway next to a mirror.
Some nice folk art birds to place on a high shelf or put on top of a cabinet. Put them in a circle and place a small plate on top for a makeshift trinket dish.
A side table is also a great low-commitment purchase and this tulip one looks nice for a cool $120.
As far as other finds this week, here are some quick hits:
This chrome/ black table is a great price and looks very fun, ditto with this other chrome table which has been up for three weeks for a good price
These two side tables are worth the trek to Connecticut for $50
Still obsessed with these Joe Colombo chairs even when they’re beat up — starting at $500 for two but I’ll probably bid on these before they go up
A great knit CDG skirt for fall
Big $$$ desk roundup
I will leave the best of LiveAuctioneers up to Sami Reiss of Snake, but a lot of desks on the site right now are incredible. Here are a few to inspire your WFH setup.
A very clean William Sklaroff for Vecta 'Uniplane' desk that feels so good to look at and is currently at a nice $600.
This Vladimir Kagan desk is solid and reminds me of another lucite one he did that sold on Live Auctioneers a few years ago.
I keep seeing this Marzio Cecchi desk everywhere and now it’s finally up for grabs for a cool 8,000 euros.
Not on Live Auctioneers but this blue Orix Desk by Vittorio Paris & Nani Prina for Molteni is in such a good color and the built-in light is such a nice touch. Would make a good addition to the Uten Silo organizers you see at Home Union.
Next week, enjoy some good pocket shrines and a selection of great candles for fall.
Thanks so much for reading.
XO
MC