Quick Takes With: Carol Song

Carol Song is always trend-spotting. “Every season I was like, What’s the new concept?,” she told us, talking about her time as the fashion director for Opening Ceremony. Lately, the new concept is Dae New York, the Korean cafe/wine bar/design shop she opened in Brooklyn that’s so inspired, so fresh looking, that the Instagram photoshoots quickly got out of control and had to be (largely) banned. Still, many of the design concepts of the moment were there from Dae’s early days: stainless steel surfaces, stamped plates, and the intricate molded butter that’s launched a thousand imitations.

Today Carol lets us in on the design icons she loves, the water carafe that’s on her nightstand, and one trend that’s on the out. Read on…

What’s on your bedside table?

Hello Kitty facial tissues in a Heeju burlap tissue case [similar] and a Carron carafe.

My favorite paint color for the bedroom is…

White Dove.

Your signature design move?

Reorganizing and clearing clutter, making sure all the pieces are there for a reason.

What’s a design trend that needs to go?

Terrazzo tile.

Your design pet peeve?

Painting over beautiful wood. Especially when people paint wood molding and trim white!

My go-to kitchen utensil is…

My Mac pro chef’s knife.

First design love?

Bauhaus.

What’s something you’re coveting?

Everything George Nakashima, especially a pair of Conoid lounge chairs.

And the last thing you purchased for your house?

Another Noguchi lamp.

Thanks so much, Carol! You can follow her design eye via @daenewyork and Dae New York (and, if you’re in NY, stop by: 385 Smith St, Brooklyn).