The AD Aesthete

Amanda Brooks lives an enviable life. The former New York fashion executive settled happily in the English countryside and found a new avenue in Cutter Brooks (cutterbrooks.com), her small village shop that developed worldwide fans thanks to her knowing eye for chic country style, her relentless pursuit of the unusual, and her relationship with venerable artisanal firms. Join us as we unpack how she got her start, and what she plans to gift this holiday. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Introducing Checking In, the advice podcast where we answer real health and wellness questions from real people like you. Hosted by SELF’s Editor in Chief, Carolyn Kylstra, and featuring trusted experts, doctors, therapists, thought leaders, and even a few celebrities, we’re diving deep into what it really means to be healthy. Checking In launches on Monday, November 16th, with new episodes releasing weekly. Subscribe to get episodes right when they drop at 6:00 am EST.Listen to Checking In here: Apple Podcasts: http://listen.self.com/self-apple Spotify: http://listen.self.com/self-spotify Stitcher: http://listen.self.com/self-stitcher Or wherever you get your podcasts. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Roman Alonso and Steven Johanknecht, the founders of the AD100 design firm Commune, chose a name that says it all: many talents across multiple disciplines, creating artful and soulful collaborations. Join me as they talk candidly about their new book, Design Commune (Abrams), their formative days at Barneys New York, and how they approach fearless design in harnessing the talent around them. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Monty Don, the celebrated British broadcaster and horticulturalist, and Derry Moore, the legendary photographer, know how to capture the soul of a garden, having published several delightful books on the subject. The latest from these longtime friends is American Gardens (Prestel Publishing), a sweeping tour of landscapes both famous and obscure, classic and eccentric—and ultimately, singularly, defining what makes a garden indeed American. Join us. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Federico Forquet, the top-flight Italian couturier who, at the height of his genius, pivoted to design exquisite interiors and gardens, is indefatigable well into his 80s as he continues creating rooms, landscapes, and a forthcoming museum exhibition. Join Hamish Bowles, the International Editor at Large of Vogue, and Guido Taroni, fashion and interiors photographer, as they share an exclusive look at their new book, The World of Federico Forquet: Italian Fashion, Interiors, and Gardens (Rizzoli), a dazzling polychrome extravaganza with a rich, detailed eye on Forquet's work. I hope you enjoy the program. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

When AD100 interior designer Michael S. Smith was tapped to decorate the private quarters of the Obama White House, he found himself pondering heady questions such as, How do you get the leader of the free world to agree to red curtains? In his new book, Designing History: The Extraordinary Art & Style of the Obama White House (Rizzoli), Smith offers design enthusiasts and historians alike a close look at his masterful transformation. Today, he joins me to talk about the Obamas' personal style and what it was like to work with the thoughtful couple on the project of a lifetime. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Edo Mapelli Mozzi—the same who recently married Queen Elizabeth's granddaughter, Princess Beatrice—has for a dozen years been known in the UK as the founder and CEO of Banda. Created with the idea to identify unconventional buildings in neighborhoods off the slightly beaten path and to inventively transform them into impeccable luxury modern residences, he has a talent for developing top-notch urban homes at a lower price point. Long passionate about historic architecture, Mapelli Mozzi joins me today to chat about new projects, future trends, and how the pandemic has already changed what people want a home to be. I hope you enjoy the program. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Nobody understands Moroccan style better than international tastemaker, designer, and businesswoman Meryanne Loum-Martin, owner of the celebrated boutique hotel Jnane Tamsna and author of the new book, Inside Marrakesh: Enchanting Homes and Gardens (Rizzoli), which opens the doors to multiple private houses across the style spectrum—including a most-modern home constructed via 25,000 donkey cartfuls of materials. Join us as we travel to the heart of Marrakech design today, exploring the city's best and most inspiring rooms as described through the aesthetic language of both its insiders and expats. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Architectural criticism has been a constant for centuries, with buildings under scrutiny throughout the ages. Interior design, however, has always received the white-glove treatment. Why? Join me for a lively discussion between Wendy Goodman, of New York magazine, and Suzanne Stephens, of Architectural Record, as we discuss the critiques of interiors and the history of aesthetic judgments. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Historian Clive Aslet and photographer Dylan Thomas have captured a dozen romantic British country homes in their forthcoming book, Old Homes, New Life (Triglyph, July 2020), exploring in great detail the stories behind each property. Join me as they share how the younger generations are making their mark on these estates, from structural improvements to clever onsite businesses that are designed to keep these family homes preserved and productive for generations to come. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

Wallpaper, once scorned as fussy, has come into its own lately, with powerful patterns and brilliant palettes. But the genre's history is deep and even surprising. Join Carolle Thibaut-Pomerantz, the world's leading dealer in antique wallpapers, and Chris Ohrstrom, co-founder of the handmade wallpaper firm Adelphi Paper Hangings, as we look at the papers that decorate one's private rooms, the provocative designs that persist today, and the mode of creation, which remains as laborious and precise as it was more than 200 years ago. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

AD100 architect Lee Mindel knows 20th-century design inside and out. But what intrigues him most is how many of the world’s most-admired projects were created not to celebrate beauty alone, but to celebrate wellness, both mental and physical. Join us as we talk from our homes about the buildings and interiors that embody style—and humanity. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices

As we continue to shelter in place, three leading figures in the American design landscape join me from their homes: AD100 architect Annabelle Selldorf, interior designer Ellie Cullman, and landscape architect Janice Parker. In a conversation most topical, they share their personal experiences as women in a largely male-dominated industry, whether focused on leading their own firms, mentoring their associates, or encouraging diversity in the workplace. I hope you enjoy the program. Learn about your ad choices: dovetail.prx.org/ad-choices