Design Hunting
With his magpie eye, curator James Markel takes us through Fashion Island’s burgeoning scene. Your crib sheet starts here.
A fearless master of mixing antique and modern elements, James Markel came by his trade honestly. At 18, his first retail job was at Restoration Hardware at Fashion Island (“It was the cherry and brass era.”) So, it was a full circle moment when RH Gallery sourced ceramics and art for its new HQ from Markels’ Limbo Décor in North Laguna.
“RH has been pursuing the antique aesthetic for millenia,” says Markel. “With the new RH Gallery, it has finally arrived at using antiques to contextualize the collected home.” Adventurous. Harmonious. Markel is adept at conjuring spaces that are inviting and eye-catching, all refracted through the lens of 21st-century Southern California living. His mix-mastery has earned kudos amongst clients, including a top coterie of interior designers, real estate agencies and boutiques.
For the Newport Beach native and admirer of decorative arts, Fashion Island has a gravitational and nostalgic pull. Here, Markel susses out the sustainable, the handcrafted and the refined.
ARHAUS & BUCK MASON
ARHAUS
Their sofas are made of American wood and built in the US. I’m in love with Bronte; it’s so Bauhaus.
BUCK MASON
Coffee table books add character and ignite conversation. His source: Buck Mason, which is designed by Leanne Ford. His Pick: “Eileen Gray, Designer and Architect.”
NEIMAN MARCUS & GARYS
NEIMAN MARCUS
Pottery is art, so it doesn’t always require greenery or flowers. The stoneware by French ceramicist Lorene Cavagna can stand on its own. The mirrored steel collection by Georg Jensen has timeless Scandinavian appeal.
GARYS
Once hiding in the racks as a kid as my dad tried on suits, GARYS is now my go-to for heritage brands and luxury gifting. This kit by Taylor of Old Bond Street is the perfect addition for his bathroom sink. Once hiding in the racks as a kid as my dad tried on suits, GARYS is now my go-to for heritage brands and luxury gifting.
This kit by Taylor of Old Bond Street is the perfect addition for his bathroom sink.
RH GALLERY & ANTHROPOLOGIE & CO.
RH GALLERY
Features antiques and vintage ceramics sourced from Markel’s Limbo Décor.
ANTHROPOLOGIE & CO
The newly styled space at Anthropologie & CO is exploding with decor, including mirrors and a handpicked selection of antiques.
“The decor in each home tells the story of where you’ve been, what you love, the things that evoke joy,” he says. “Ultimately, I create spaces that are as cohesive as they are personal.”
