Letter From the Editor: Issue 09

"GETTING WARMER."

Hey there, housemates,

We’re officially in the dead of summer—and though the weather here in the Hudson Valley is surprisingly damp and cool this week, things are heating up.

The theme of our ninth issue this past month was “Getting Warmer.” When I came up with that conceit, I thought the stories would focus on hospitality: emotional warmth, hosting, homes, hotels. And though we have a bit of that—see Alex T. Williams’s interview with Lucia Bartholomew of Electric Bowery, whose credits include Wildflower Farms and Casa Cody—what comes through most clearly for me is the way these essays explore the climate of comfort.

Illustration: Megan Ladd

For Megan C. Reynolds, that comfort is physical, as she speaks with chairheads Sami Reiss (of the “furniture-demystifying” Substack SNAKE), designer and columnist Eric Trine, and architect and writer Witold Rybczynski about a chair’s function. To look good, or to feel good? That is the question. Also: Has the La-Z-Boy been misunderstood?

Elsewhere, Zach Mortice reports on finding solace in an unexpected place: the bathroom. Specifically, the bathroom at the Graham Foundation in Chicago, where (I’m learning) many a design writer has apparently sought refuge. “The room is a weird little ghost, dressed for the wrong occasion, but still there to help,” he writes. But it’s also a story of adjusting to the responsibilities that heap upon us as parents and professionals. The cold white tile is calling.

Fittingly, given this year’s semiquincentennial, Monica Nelson pens a reflection on the political and social narratives we tell through American historical objects. “Objects are convenient symbols for whole swaths of experience, standing in for histories that are rarely as tidy as their material remains,” she says. The reality, she argues, is much messier and uglier.

And as the world heats up literally, I speak with Nicole Kelner about noise as a proxy for pollution. Kelner, who released the book Quietest Places in New York City, is adept at turning environmental data into compelling infographics and is on a quest to connect climate awareness with some of the rituals in our daily lives—including one of her newest initiatives, “Quiet Car.”

Finally, for designers considering leaving their own comfort zones and testing out the wilds of trade shows, Eric Trine has advice in his third installment of “Chair Time.” The fair-and-market circuit is a hot topic of debate right now—and Trine, who has been around the block with these things for more than a decade, shares when it’s worth the investment and what you’ll need to make the most of it.

So take a seat—a La-Z-Boy, perhaps?—and dig in. And, for a wee bit of Wrong House–keeping, just a quick note that we’re going to try out some new things in the coming months as we roll out stories one at a time rather than the monthly dump. The volume and tone of our editorial aren’t changing, but you’ll see us in your inbox a bit more often. Catch you then!

Warmly,

Lila

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