Covet: Vintage hand-blown Murano chandelier, $12,000
Maria Fei knew this chandelier was destined to become part of her life.
When she spotted it last fall in a Parisian antiques store, Maria Fei knew this chandelier was destined to become part of her life. The 1960s fixture sparkles with nearly 40 hand-blown Murano glass teardrops, which hang from a brushed stainless steel disc. “I was drawn to it without even thinking,” says Fei, a buyer for Louis Boston. “It was love at first sight.”
Only one thing threatened to keep them apart: the lofty price tag. But while unable to own the object of her affection outright, Fei could at least purchase it for Louis Boston, where the one-of-a-kind lamp now presides over shelves of china and serving bowls on the first floor.
Though the chandelier is formal enough to grace a dining room or entryway, Fei dreams of showcasing it in a less traditional setting. “I like things a little bit askew,” she says. “I see it over an island in a stainless kitchen with marble countertops. Its elegance is in its simplicity.”