H&M just announced the eight finalists for their 2013 Design Award. The award supports emerging European talent by funding and collaborating with one design student chosen from 19 fashion academies in European countries.

Fashion is art and designer Trina Turk joined forces with The Decorative Arts and Design Council (DADC) of LACMA on May 23rd to raise funds for the acquisition of new items for the museum.

Guests shop the Trina Turk boutique in Los Angeles

In recent years, Asian American designers have come to the forefront of the fashion industry. Trina Turk, whose Japanese mother taught her how to sew at a young age, was ahead of the curve. Founding her fashion company in 1995 along with her husband, photographer Jonathan Skow, Turk’s first line was immediately picked up by major department stores such as Barney’s New York and Saks Fifth Avenue. Since then, her company has expanded to 11 deliveries per year, including a men’s line and home décor.

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Award-winning interior designer Surachai Tangsakyuen has created interiors for luxury hotels, spas and personal residences from Egypt to Hong Kong. Here, he provides tips on how to create mood-lifting home sanctuaries.

ISSUE: Fall 2011

DEPT: Entertaining

STORY: Anna M. Park

Award-winning interior designer Surachai Tangsakyuen has created interiors for luxury hotels, spas and personal residences from Egypt to Hong Kong. The New York-based Thai native obtained his master’s in lighting at the Parson School of Design and is currently the chief interior designer at the international design and architecture firm Perkins Eastman. “Your home environment should be your sanctuary; it can have a huge impact on your mental and emotional well-being,” says Tangsakyuen. Here, he provides tips on how to create mood-lifting home sanctuaries.

• Lighting: “I recommend that people use incandescent light bulbs instead of fluorescent ones, which give off a very harsh light. Incandescent bulbs have a softer, calming quality, which is perfect for relaxing and unwinding in your home. Also combine various non-uniform light sources in a room, such as dimmed lights and candlelight or a floor light and a wall scone. This will help to create a really warm, personalized sanctuary feeling in your home and can make your environment especially cozy in preparation for colder months.”
• Bedroom: “Dress your bed according to the season and/or your mood. Layers of sensual, tactile fabrics are great and you can envelop yourself in rich fall shades of aubergine, violet, olive and russet. For a great fall/winter look, try a warming crimson cashmere throw com- bined with a gold cotton damask over crisp white bed sheets. Natural fabrics are particularly good for helping you to regulate your body temperature.”
• Color: “Instead of using pure white, which can feel quite cold, sterile and clinical within the home, use other white tones with a hint of color, such as Navajo white or China white, to help create warmth. Similarly if decorating with black in your home, which is becoming in- creasingly popular, instead of using a straight black, try other dark tones such as black forest green or hale navy. Darker colors can help to create a smart yet cozy, cavernous atmosphere. It can make a room feel like your own personal lair.”