INSIDE & OUT : Traditionally Modern
Some pitchers are worth a thousand words, especially Tiffany & Co.’s sterling silver holloware pieces.
“There’s a purity to the silver, and the movement of the pieces just shows through,” said Jo Ellen Qualls, vice president of Tiffany at South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa. “It is an artistic expression of a functional item.”
Created by the Tiffany design staff in New York, the swirl bar pitcher and irregularly wrapped pitcher give Tiffany’s traditional classicism and craftsmanship a modern perspective.
“The pieces will work in any decor, from traditional to contemporary,” Qualls said.
The pitchers ($1,200 each) are part of a collection that includes a tulip vase and pineapple and banana jars.
Affordable Chic
Home Express has moved into the neighborhood, ready to spice up your decor.
More than 200,000 items are on display in the 41,000-square-foot store, which opened last week in Laguna Niguel at the Marketplace on Alicia Parkway at Pacific Park Drive.
Home Express, which carries everything from bedding to towels to furniture to small electrics, envisions itself as a one-stop decorating and furnishing store. You can even bring home dinner, because the store sells food, too.
Small electrics abound at Home Express, which carries several items that are new on the market. A microwave popcorn popper (about $23) by Presto works with any corn and any oil. There’s also a fabric-covered bread and tortilla warmer (about $20) by Venture and a portable massager (about $60) by Homedics.
“Whether it is someone who is starting out or over, a college student in need of dorm room accessories, or simply an urge to update for the season, we offer the most variety at the best value,” said Jim Patterson, executive vice president and general merchandise manager.
Soothing Waters
Sculptor Dan Skaggs knows how to coin a fountain.
With his latest work, the Temple series, Skaggs of Capistrano Beach combines the soothing qualities of a fountain with the suggestion of a temple.
“I wanted a more architectural look that was slightly spiritual,” said Skaggs, 47.
An explorer of different media, Skaggs uses cast stone, marble, granite and bronze--his favorite material--in making the pieces.
“I like to mix things up,” he said.
Temple I ($2,250), which is 4 feet 8 inches tall by 27 inches wide by 16 inches deep, includes a tank in the base and submerged lighting. It is designed to butt against a wall.
Temple II ($3,000) is a free-standing sculpture. It is shown placed in a small pond ($450), which Skaggs can customize to a client’s specifications. The fountain is 40 inches tall by 24 inches wide by 22 inches deep.
Both fountains, which can be used indoors or outside, have grid-like fronts with a three-dimensional appearance, resulting in a sparkling water effect.
Skaggs, who introduced his fountains at the Laguna Festival of Arts in August, says he has his football coach at Cal State Long Beach to thank for his move into the arts. “He was the one who told me to take art classes,” said Skaggs, now an instructor at the Interior Designers Institute in Newport Beach. “He told me being a PE teacher is a pain in the neck.”
For information on Skaggs’ works, call (714) 240-5106.
