People come to New York from all over the world to shop for the latest in stylish furnishings, lighting, and housewares. There's also the chance to visit some of the world's top design museums and important design showcases. New York product and furniture designer Jeff Miller (www.jeffmillerdesign.com) recommends these spots:
Where to Shop for Stylish Furniture:
BDDW (5 Crosby St., between Grand & Howard; tel. 212/625-1230; www.bddw.com)
With a dedication to craftsmanship, BDDW's contemporary furniture is made using traditional methods. Hardwood beds, chairs, tables, lamps, and storage units are all hand-rubbed with natural oils and lacquers.
Moroso (146 Greene St.; tel. 212/334-7222; www.moroso.it)
The store features stylish furniture created by international designers such as Patricia Urquiola, Ron Arad, Ross Lovegrove, Marc Newson, Tord Boontje, and Konstantin Grcic. There are also beautiful fabrics from Maharam.
Moss (150 Greene St.; tel. 212/204-7100; www.mossonline.com)
The shop looks like a museum showcasing cool modern furniture, lighting, and housewares. Many items are by hip Dutch designers such as Studio Job, Jongerius Lab, Claudy Jongstra, and Marcel Wanders.
Stickley, Audi & Co. (207 West 25th St.; tel. 212/337-0700; www.stickleyaudi.com)
If you can't afford the originals, this company produces "re-issues" (not reproductions) of classic Craftsman furniture designed by the legendary Gustav Stickley.
Museums with a Focus on Design
Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, Smithsonian Institution (2 East 91st St.; tel. 212/849-8400; www.cooperhewitt.org)
Through a collection that covers 24 centuries of creativity, the museum presents the impact of historic and contemporary design on daily life.
Museum of Arts and Design (2 Columbus Circle, at 59th St.; tel. 212/299-7777; www.madmuseum.org)
The focus of this museum is on the creative process through which materials in architecture, fashion, interior décor, and technology are crafted into works that enhance contemporary life.
Bard Graduate Center: Decorative Arts (18 West 86th St.; tel. 212/501-3023; www.bgc.bard.edu)
Located in a townhouse on the Upper West Side, the BGC's recently-renovated Main Gallery and the new Focus Gallery feature exhibits that highlight the design history of the decorative arts through artwork and objects.
Design-Oriented Day Trips
The Stickley Museum at Craftsman Farms (2352 Route 10 West, #5, Morris Plains, NJ; tel. 973/540-0311; www.stickleymuseum.org)
Visionary furniture designer Gustav Stickley was a major proponent of the American Arts and Crafts Movement. His New Jersey home showcasing his innovative designs is now a museum and well worth a visit.
Getting there: From Penn Station, take a NJ Transit train (Morristown Line) to Morris Plains, then a taxi.
Manitoga: The Russel Wright Design Center (584 Route 9D, Garrison, NY; tel. 845/424-3812; www.russelwrightcenter.org)
Russel Wright and his wife, Mary, designed and promoted their own product lines from the 1930s to the 1950s. Best known for cutting-edge tableware in colorful glazes with rounded shapes, their Iroquois Casual and American Modern china is still highly collectible. Wright also designed an ingenious American Modern home furnishings line. Examples are on view at Manitoga, their former 80-acre estate. Wright designed the stone, wood, and glass house and surrounding landscape.
Getting there: From Grand Central Station, take a Metro-North train (Hudson Line) to Garrison Station, then a cab.
New York's Design Showcases
Architectural Digest Home Design Show (Pier 94, 12th Ave. at 55th St.; tel. 800/677-6278; www.archdigesthomeshow.com)
The 10th annual Architectural Digest Home Design Show (March 17-20, 2011) highlights the latest design concepts and products for the home, including furniture, lighting, kitchens, and baths.
Kips Bay Decorator Show house (www.kipsbay.org)
Pick up some great design ideas at this annual charity event. Top designers decorate rooms in a different fancy venue each year. Proceeds benefit the Kips Bay Boys and Girls Club.
Open House New York (www.ohny.org)
During one weekend each October, get an insider's peek into New York City's superior architecture and design venues with this "open door" event.
Talk with fellow Frommer's travelers on our New York Travel Forum.
