D2S Editor Favorites for January

Favorite New York Shops

Shopping for high-end furniture and accessories is not a contact sport. It's an art. And the way to master this art is to go out to great stores and soak in their merchandise. Go often into these stores, take notes, talk to people there who know their product lines well, and make an informed buying decision.

We don't think it's difficult to decorate your apartment or home, but it does take time and you can make the process fun and enjoyable. Whether you need large pieces of furniture to anchor a room or lots of accessories (the jewelry in the room) to add layers of interest, or you're looking for tabletop items, antiques, throws, or home gadgets, there are stores aplenty in New York City. We recently focused on three shopping meccas -- Moss, Jonathan Adler, and Mecox Gardens -- and came up with a holiday and New Year's shopping wish list. Watch our window-shopping video, and let us know what you think!

Favorite Design Book

Defining Luxury: The Qualities of Life at Home (Rizzoli, 2008) is old-fashioned glamorous, and we love it. Master designer Jeffrey Bilhuber's book is divided into chapters by quality: discovery, passion, history, ornament, grace, comfort, and delight. "Luxury," however, is the lightning rod that organizes Bilhuber's witty text and Trel Brock's stunning photographs. Bilhuber's is a mature, rational view of luxury, particularly in these economic times when spending on furniture and luxury goods has fallen by double digits from last year. He writes,

My understanding of luxury has evolved over the years. I still believe that luxury is about achievement and expression, but now I find it in a variety of different riches. I think there's a kind of full, complex, deep luxury that comes with experience: as we learn and develop, our ability to discern and appreciate expands. As we broaden our experiences, we understand more profoundly what comfort can and should be. Thus, for me, appreciation, experience, education, and comfort are among life's greatest luxuries -- and yes, so are beautiful furniture, glorious objects, and ravishing rooms.

Favorite Sweet Tooth Obsessions

Lollyphile produces a grand trio of lollipop confections that must be tasted to be believed. These are not the sweets you remember from your childhood, sticky and gooey and predictable. Here is a true adult lollipop in flavors like maple bacon, absinthe, and wasabi-ginger. Lollyphile has just started a Candyphile candy-of-the-month club, too, showcasing boutique candymakers and marvelous discoveries from around the world. Get on board this luxe San Francisco candy company's sweet tooth train today!