Nov 14, 2008

Top Nadeau

Cycle two of Bravo’s Top Design competition has come to an end, and the esteemed judges picked Nathan as the winner of the $100,000 cash and the four-page spread in Elle Décor magazine. Woo hoo. It seemed like the contestants were picked for their annoying laughs, celebrity relatives, or ability to perform shirtless, not for any great discernible design vision, and I mostly just watched to see what that crazy Kelly Wearstler would be wearing (a glitter beret and ankle socks with heels—cool!) and to hear Jonathan Adler’s snarky comments (these people were obviously working on his last, bare-ankled nerve by finals) rather than for design ideas. For the last challenge, the final three playas were given some cash and set off to furnish a townhouse. Beefy, Baldy, and Boho ran around L.A., and I was pleased to see them make a stop at Nadeau Imports. I’ve been a fan of the Chicago branch since it opened—they have a jam-packed warehouse full of solid wood furniture and accessories at unbelievable prices. One of the pieces Nathan picked was a huge Indian chest made of reclaimed wood, and Nadeau’s Midwest manager Keith Heric tells me they have one in stock that’s very similar (pictured above, 60” x 33” x 37”, $646). Using it in a smallish room with neutral furnishings almost cost Nathan his tiara (probably didn’t help that he referred to it as “an S&M sarcophagus”) but I think it’s got a great goth look, and would make a swell table base in a more suitable mise-en-scene. See you later, decorator! 

—BRADLEY LINCOLN

Posted at 09:19 AM in Scoop | Back to all posts