Wendy Silverstein
Wendy Silverstein is a former editor at Architectural Digest, Home, Kitchen & Bath Customer Planner, and Home/Style magazines. A consultant to the design industry, she works closely with interior designers, architects and other professionals in the field.
Hackberry Goes to the Fair
Each fall I look forward to attending Field & Supply, a modern interpretation of a traditional arts and crafts fair held annually at the Hutton Brickyards in Kingston, New York. This year’s event, which took place over Columbus Day weekend, was of special...
Hardwood in the Bathroom
When it comes to choosing surface materials for the bathroom, most people think tile or, budget permitting, marble. But an increasing number of savvy designers and homeowners are using hardwood to clad bathroom floors, walls, and built-in furnishings....
Tulipwood Down Under
This year, our sister organization, the American Hardwood Export Council, sponsored an intriguing collaboration with eight of Australia’s most highly regarded young design studios. AHEC asked each to replace the timber they normally use for a signature product with...
Party Central: The Built-in Hardwood Wet Bar
If you entertain frequently at home, a built-in wet bar—that is, some combination of storage and display cabinetry for glasses, silverware, wine, liquor, and mixers; counter top space where drinks and finger foods can be prepared and served; a sink and faucet; and...
Whittle After Work: An Architect Hand Carves Wood Utensils
Based in Texas, Lake Flato Architects has always been one of my favorite American firms. Their environmentally sensitive work is characterized by the imaginative use of hardwood, stone, and other natural materials. So I was pleased to see them featured in a Retrofit...
On Show: Hardwood at ICFF
Each May, design aficionados like me look forward to the annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF) in New York, a four-day extravaganza where more than 800 exhibitors from around the globe display the latest furniture, lighting, flooring, and every other...
Hardwood Screen Gems
A slatted or openwork screen can be a marvelous way to divide a room or create a defined space without making it feel claustrophobic. And if the screen or partition is made of hardwood, you get the beauty and character of the material as a decorative bonus. Here are...
Framed in Hardwood
Getting art and photography professionally framed can be ruinously expensive. A number of online custom framing services are helping bring down the sky-high prices while offering a close approximation of the craftsmanship and quality you’d expect from a reputable...
American Red Oak in London
I was very interested to learn the following about red oak from our sister organization, the American Hardwood Export Council: The European market must, till now, have been something of a frustration for U.S. red oak suppliers. The species is America’s most prolific...
Hickory Takes a Bath
There are always interesting discoveries to be made at KBIS, the annual Kitchen & Bath Industry Show, but one installation really got my attention at this January’s expo, which was held in Orlando, Florida. It was a large and very elaborate bathroom by Wellborn...