Friday Favorites 12/16/2011

Kara Lashley, Associate Editor
Searching for stocking stuffers? The Avva votive set is sure to light up a special someone’s holiday. Designed by Rhode Islander Ayako Takase for Teroforma, the five beechwood votives morph into a display object when stacked for storage on the accompanying snuffer. You can find this sleek set, and other fun gifts, at Mix Design Store in Guilford, Connecticut.

Photo courtesy of Teroforma

Stacy Kunstel, Homes Editor
Like an organized jumble of pick-up sticks, the Maze Table by Snug Furniture can be as compelling as it is challenging. That’s exactly what makes it not only a gorgeous piece of furniture, but art. In fact the whole Snug Furniture line pushes the envelope in shape, comfort and style, saving us from the expected. I’d love to see this piece in a large foyer with massive pot of orchids sitting on top of it or as a side table next to a high-armed sofa.

Photo courtesy of Snug Furniture

Jared Ainscough, Assistant Art Director
The beginning of a new year gets me thinking about the time that’s passed, and passing time gets me thinking about clocks. One look around my house will tell you that I think about clocks a lot. A clock is a marvelous thing: whizzing and whirring on the inside with thousands of tiny working parts, but calm and steady on the outside, slowly and quietly marking the passing seconds. Besides building beautiful clocks, Chelsea Clock, in Chelsea, Massachusetts, restores and sells vintage pieces. Some of those old pieces were built in other factories, and some–like this one–were crafted by the company decades ago. Adding to this clock’s interest is its amazing history. It was ordered by the company’s founder, in 1913, to be presented to the U.S. Navy YMCA at the Brooklyn Naval Yard. The engraving on the case has been polished and lacquered to its original luster. The face of the clock remains untouched, showing the subtle wear of the years that have gone by. The beautiful hand-painted letters are thin as hairs in spots, worn through entirely in others. The timelessness of its beauty and the longevity of the movement in it stand as an example of what true craftsmanship can accomplish.

Photo courtesy of Chelsea Clock