For years a piece of furniture by Maria Pergay -- any piece by Maria Pergay -- has been high up on my list of coveted items.

Today, Christie's is having its auction Arts Decoratifs du XXe Siecle, and Lot 63 (below) represents a unique result of a collaboration with Maison Jansen: a table with two layers of glass enclosing decoration in stainless steel.

Christie's estimates the gavel will come down somewhere between $54K - $81K USD.

I first encountered her pieces when I was working at Studio Sofield and shopping for entry chair options for the NY flagship of Tom Ford. We presented the Ring Chair, pictured at left (which was ultimately passed over in favor of the Lalanne that sits there now); the curves of the stainless steel were mesmerizing...

Maria Pergay is known best for unleashing stainless steel's softer, more sensuous qualities that often take the back seat to its more industrial connotations. Her pieces merge fantasy and modernity, bringing warmth and softness to the cold material.

Something other-worldly surrounds Pergay's work, which is furniture, and some.... Each work, to Pergay, is "An expression of — what can I say, maybe like it came from Mars or the moon?" Brigitte Bardot's alien beauty sits well with the lines of the lit tapis volant!

Pergay, born in 1930, began her career designing store window displays before releasing a collection in 1968 that was snapped up in its entirety by Pierre Cardin. She is alive and well, still actively producing new work and enjoying revived interest in her oeuvre, including recent exhibitions at Demisch Danant in New York, Place des Vosges in Paris, and Design Miami.

Meanwhile, back on planet earth, the department stores in NYC have unveiled their holiday window displays, reminding us that it is gift-giving season...
I'm not holding my breath that whoever secures the bid on the glass and steel dining table on auction at Christie's will just feel like giving it to me --
but I'd be happy with just about anything attached to a pouf rouban (image below) ! I'd be fine with the green one too.

If you're craving more information, check out these tomes:

"The only thing that separates us from the animals is our ability to accessorize..."

(Clairee, Steel Magnolias).

Cozying up with a throw -- on the sofa, in bed, with a good read, or your favorite snugglebug -- is a natural response to temperatures dropping outside. In more temperate climates, the warmth factor is less relevant than the cushy effect.

Throws are great accessories in any room because they function exactly as accessories do: they add visual interest, a layer of texture, and reinforce your vibe for a fraction of the cost of the staples that anchor how everything works.

So while some of our wardrobe changes may arise from weather conditions in real life, some lucky you's out there may be just getting to replacing your summery florals with a more wintry color scheme to get into the spirit.

In the same vein, swapping out or adding in a throw brings some flair to marking the seasonal shift.

You can't go wrong with cable knit...

Whether your look is light and airy, or a little moodier. Changing the scale of the knit adds dimension too.

A solid color gives a neutral palette more depth; or it brings a pop.

For me, the ultimate is fur. In a crisp modern space, in a feminine sitting room, in a whimsical yet organic living room.It screams cozy, and there are sustainable options for the real thing as well as faux.

Or toss in some pattern to bring in some subtle funk.

Feeling inspired to accessorize? They make excellent gifts too. Check out some of the selections below, get your weekend going, and you're on your way --- wishing you all a great weekend.