Not that long ago I posted my 2010 upgrade plans for our apartment home theater, outlining the hopes of changing out to a full 1080p HD projector, a better universal remote (done!), and the pie in the sky hopes of ridding of HDMI cables. Unplggd reader and audio specialist, Ragan chimed in, noting specifically my audio selection was too much of a compromise in performance. He accepted the challenge of putting together a respectable home theater setup on a budget (actually one of three), catering to small space dwellers and has followed up with an informative and detailed selection of expert choices below. More

We are always looking for interesting ways to use unsung materials to create a new kind of WOW for the events that we design. Like the Maine Wedding I blogged about a couple of weeks ago, we recently had the opportunity to explore a very different kind of re-use for a fundraising gala for the American Friends of the Israel Museum. Held at Cipriani’s grand ballroom on 42nd Street, the evening’s theme, The Written Word, inspired us to make recycled newspaper our material hero dujour. More

I am so excited about our very first product line, David Stark for West Elm, and it’s is in the stores right now! During the holiday season, folks with the most refined taste often lose their heads and douse themselves in green and red glitz. That’s because there are few other modern options to deck their halls with — but my holiday collection offers a cool solution to that quandary, mixing naturals with metallics and using an array of recycled and repurposed materials to create special items that can be used in multiple ways.

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Here at David Stark Design, we’re always thinking of ways to re-use discarded objects or to see everyday, humble items in a new light. One such flash of inspiration came this summer as we scouted for a wedding in Maine.
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For times when you don't feel like dealing with all the goop, or just as an extra bit of spookiness.

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An upholsterer’s approach to fabric is completely different than that of a decorator or designer. Their main relationship with fabric is mainly an aesthetic one whereas mine is more of a utilitarian one. Basically, I look at the fabric in relationship to the piece that I am going to be upholstering to gauge whether it has the correct elasticity and give for me to apply it properly... More

A few designers have always given us a great deal of inspiration: Alvar Aalto, David Hicks, Massimo Vignelli, Milton Glaser — but no one more so than Lou Dorfsman, the brilliant and legendary designer behind CBS' corporate identity for more than 40 years. Everything he had his hand in at CBS set the design bar to an always striven-for height, and probably his most fascinating design was the Gastrotypographicalassemblage — the massive wall of hand-milled type set in a 35 foot long by 8 foot high California job case for the CBS cafeteria. More

Let's now tackle the issue of green upholstery. Without naming names, there are companies out there claiming they specialize in and sell “green” upholstered furniture using natural, non-toxic and biodegradable materials offered at the same price as mass-produced companies. This is totally untrue and misleading. The reality is that the products and materials currently available for doing green upholstery are minimal and exorbitantly expensive... More

Much of our inspiration comes from books and magazines, and because Linda and I are out yard saling and flea marketing just about every weekend, the overwhelming majority of that material is not very recent, and our bookshelf is a rainbow of aged, oxidized, antique whites. More

An example of 8-way hand-tied springs

True upholstery ateliers —or as they are more commonly known, upholstery studios— consist of a wide range of services. They normally offer everything from soft goods (i.e. draperies, shades, pillows, window cushions, bedding slip covers) to hard goods (i.e. reupholstery of all styles of furniture, sofas, chairs, ottomans, modern and antique, upholstered headboards, wall upholstery and custom built projects). In a nutshell, an upholstery atelier should be versed in anything to do with fabric and your home, excluding clothing...
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