Shoes by Daphne Board. Photo by Izzy Berdan

Get Your Kicks

What is it: Custom, handmade lace-up dress boot, size variable. Price: $1,200–$1,300.
Who makes it: Daphne Board (pictured in top image) in Holyoke, Massachusetts. At this one-woman shop, Board uses a wide range of leathers (from kangaroo to kidskin) in a rainbow of colors, so she can craft the shoes of your dreams. “There are some shoemakers who have a specific line of styles, and I’ve never tried to limit myself to that, which is good and bad,” she says. “I spend a lot more time on things because I generally say yes to people when they ask, ‘Can you do this?’”
Why we love it: The beauty of these shoes is more than laces-deep. Board is a certified pedorthist, so your pair is custom designed to perfectly fit your feet. What could be better?

Journal cover by American Bench Craft. Photo by Izzy Berdan

Take Note(s)

What is it: The Hemingway Journal, 3.5 × 6 in. Price: $94.
Who makes it: Chris and Jason Angelini, cofounders of American Bench Craft in Reading, Massachusetts. Tired of wallets that fall apart, they make their goods using single pieces of full-grain leather, held together with rivets instead of glue or stitching. “Our products are made the way they were years and years ago, when it was almost a competition to see who could put out a better, longer-lasting item,” says Chris.
Why we love it: With a clean, classic look that’ll never go out of style, this built-to-last journal cover will accompany you on a lifetime of adventures.

Aprons by Linny Kenney. Photo by Izzy Berdan

Work It

What is it: The Lumberjack Apron, 21 × 33 in. (sans straps). Price: $350.
Who makes it: Linny Kenney, owner of Linny Kenney Leather in Littleton, New Hampshire. “The aprons are typically sold to chefs,” says Kenney. “My fiancé wears his when he’s doing carpentry work, though, and I wear mine when I’m painting and staining leather. This new design has a toolholder—a riveted strip of leather—that various things can clip on to.”
Why we love it: This sexy apron, made with eco-friendly, vegetable-tanned leather, will make you want to get busy.

top image: Work by Daphne Board (shoes), American Bench Craft (journal cover), and Linny Kenney (aprons). Photo by Izzy Berdan

The post Take It Home: Looking Good in Leather appeared first on Take Magazine.

Get hammered

What is it: Classic cocktail muddler in jatoba. 11.5 × 1.5 in. Price: $48; ice mallet and Lewis bag (in hard maple and jatoba). 10.75 × 3 × 2 in. Price: $82.
Who makes it: Thea Price-Eckles of Masnu in Somerville, Massachusetts. “The more you enjoy using a tool, the more you love your work, the better your cocktails taste! I use these two woods because their density helps them hold up to frequent use.”
Why we love it: The minimal, curvaceous aesthetic lends sex appeal to the hard, hard work of making cocktails . . .

Sip stylishly 

What is it: Lowball and highball glasses. 3.5 × 3.5 in. and 3 × 5 in. Price: $60 and $70 each.
Who makes it: David J. Benyosef of Cambridge, Massachusetts. “I use a traditional Venetian process called cane, where I stretch a color 30 to 40 feet and chop it up into 5-inch sections. Each cane is fused together; then I twist the cane, causing the lines to spiral.”
Why we love it: The op art effect of these swirly glasses will make your guests’ heads spin before they take their first sip.

David J. Benjosef glasses, Diane Hoffman towel, and The Shade Tree tray. Photo by Dominic Perri

Clean up colorfully 

What is it: Chihuahua and Mexican hairless dog kitchen towel. 18 × 28 in. Price: $30.
Who makes it: Diane Hoffman of Providence, Rhode Island. “The Mexican hairless and Chihuahua projects were born in 2017 as areaction to the negative rhetoric of the current administration.”
Why we love it: A retro-mod design featuring psychedelic pups makes mopping up even the stickiest of liqueurs fun.

Hold everything

What is it: Tiger maple tray. 12 × 18 × 2.75 in. Price: $165.
Who makes it: Frank Dobai, owner of The Shade Tree in Moodus, Connecticut. “Tiger maple is a special, highly figured wood that’s durable and beautiful. When dye absorbs into the wood, it accentuates the grain even more.”
Why we love it: It’s not always about what’s on the tray. This bright pop of color will cure the winter blues and make your holiday cocktails even more festive.

Photo by Dominic Perri; Credenza courtesy of Danco Modern, dancomodern.com

The post Take It Home: Raising the Bar appeared first on Take Magazine.

Don’t touch

What is it: “Thorny Bowl.” Bronze bowl with a base of porcupine quills. 5 in. wide, 3 in. tall. Price: $395.

Who makes it: Joy Raskin, Concord, New Hampshire. “I’m fascinated by porcupines,” says Raskin, “and their quills are quite challenging. Making the porcupine bowl was a different step for me. The longer quills add drama, which is what I was going for.”

Why we love it: The play between the lustrous, new-penny glow of the copper bowl and the organic wreath of spikes it’s nestled in. Use it to present something with the same unexpected dichotomy, like cayenne chocolates or fleur de sel caramels.

Metro Pendant. Photo courtesy of Vermont Modern

Hang it up

What is it: Metro pendant. Adjustable from 37.5 to 42.4 in. long. Available in several finishes. Price: $1,050.

Who makes it: Vermont Modern, Castleton, Vermont. “It delivers a design impact that doesn’t overpower a space,” says Sean Ruck of Hubbardton Forge, the company behind the VM lighting line. “Depending on how the tubes of the pendant are adjusted, it’s possible to have a very visually intriguing piece that still allows for open lines of sight within a space.”

Why we love it: The chic, urban styling and mass-transit-map inspiration created in the land of green mountains and covered bridges. The ability to change up the look with a twist here, a turn there, or a different bulb style assuages our design commitment issues.

Schon DSGN Pens. Photo by John Polak

Write tastefully

What is it: Schon DSGN Pens, Classic Collection. 4 in. long when closed, 5.75 in. long with cap posted on the back. Price: $58–$178.

Who makes it: Ian Schon of Schon DSGN, Boston, Massachusetts. “Materials like leather wear in, rather than out,” says Schon. “I think the raw metals used in these pens have a similar effect of wearing in, making them reflect the amount of use and care that one would have for an object that travels with you all the time.”

Why we love it: A sleek, modern addition to our bordering-on-obsessive collection of beautiful writing supplies. The varying weights of the metals—from 1 oz. for aluminum to 3.3 oz. for bronze—create different writing experiences for the user.

Joy Raskin – Silversmith
Concord, New Hampshire
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Vermont Modern – Lighting
Castleton, Vermont
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Schon DSGN – Pen Makers
Boston, Massachusetts
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Top Image: Thorny Bowl by Joy Raskin | Photo by John Polak

The post Take It Home: Sleek, Spiny, Shiny appeared first on Take Magazine.