When Pinch celebrated its 20th anniversary with a successful New York pop-up at the Jacqueline Sullivan Gallery last year, founders Russell Pinch and Oona Bannon began contemplating a possible permanent space in the city. It was kismet, then, when friend and collaborator Ashley Hildreth asked the London-based couple to go in on a petite apartment in a Greenwich Village brownstone with her. Since January, Pinch and Bannon have been quietly transforming the intimate, residential space into an apt showcase for their furniture and lighting, welcoming clients in for meetings and informal meals along the way. Past the building’s arched doors and stained-glass roof light, glossy white flooring leads to The Apartment, where a marble fireplace, 19th-century plaster cornicing, and sliding timber doors backdrop a capsule collection of Pinch designs, including eye-catching shelves of scaled miniatures.Exhibitions“Knit and Weave” takes over an Austrian castleSince 2014, design curator Alice Stori Liechtenstein and her family have called Schloss Hollenegg, a regal 12th-century castle about an hour south of Graz, home. Until June 1, the medieval Austrian estate will be open to the public for “Knit and Weave,” wherein 30 emerging designers have juxtaposed the building’s historical fabrics with contemporary works highlighting color and texture. Curated by Johanna Pichlbauer, the group show’s featured works explore sustainability, identity, innovation, and heritage. Standouts include Vienna designer Theresa Hattinger’s large-scale outdoor textiles, as well as Helsinki-based Aoi Yoshizawa’s loom installation that magnifies ancient weaving techniques.Craft in America presents teapots as works of artLindsey Ketterer Gates, Teapot, 2003. Photo: Tony CunhaArdent collectors Gloria and Sonny Kamm have been amassing teapots—and commissioning artists to dream up their own fantastical versions—for years, culminating in what is now considered the world’s largest collection. Last week, Los Angeles gallery Craft in America unveiled “Tea for Two” (on view through August 30), a curated glimpse into the Kamm Teapot Foundation’s impressive 17,000-piece trove. Instead of focusing on the utilitarian aspects of serving tea, the creations on display center on imagination. Consider Peter Shire’s Sunburst Accordion, which takes cues from the Memphis movement, or Marilyn da Silva’s An Unlikely Pair, a union of dazzling stripes and polka dots rendered in gold-plated copper and colored pencil. Teapot, by Lindsay Ketterer Gates, even melds stainless-steel mesh with an unlikely array of pistachio shells.AD PRO Hears…… Last week, “Chris Gustin: Ascension” opened at Donzella Project Space in New York (through June 7). Gustin, whose ceramics career spans five decades, is presenting the first solo show of his Spirit series, an assemblage of cumulus clouds standing five-feet tall.Project spotlightAll aboard! Dimorestudio revives Italy’s Orient Express trainIn 1883, Belgian engineer and entrepreneur Georges Nagelmackers launched the Orient Express in Europe, setting a new precedent in luxury rail travel. Now, the iconic train has returned to Italy as La Dolce Vita Orient Express, zipping through Venice, Tuscany, Portofino, Rome, and Sicily, with chic interiors from Emiliano Salci and Britt Moran, founders of Milan-based Dimorestudio. Inspired by Italian legends—Cini Boeri, Agostino Bonalumi, and Giuseppe Capogrossi among them—the AD100 duo mixed swaths of walnut, polished brass, and jewel-toned velvet with boldly patterned textiles and bespoke furniture. Light fixtures exhibit a distinctive sheen, evocative of the 1960s and ’70s golden age.ProductDornbracht becomes even more bespokeThe Tara Handles in Leather Verdite. Courtesy of DornbrachtIn celebration of its 75th anniversary, luxury fittings brand Dornbracht has launched Dornbracht Atelier, a bespoke offering of manufactured showers, faucets, and sink fittings. The Atelier cracks open a heady spectrum of possibilities for creatives and clients who want top-quality craftsmanship matched to their particular vision. The Atelier’s offered finishes span whichever color or texture suits the project—not even leather-wrapped or checkerboard patterned options are out of reach. Engravings, logos, and other expressive accents are optional embellishments too, making a case for bathroom couture.

Nintendo likely to become "primary partner for third-party game publishers" over next gen, analyst firm forecasts Switch 2 set to sell 100m in five years. Image credit: Nintendo News by Tom Phillips Editor-in-Chief Published on May 15, 2025 Nintendo will likely be the "primary partner for third-party game publishers" on console in five years, an analyst firm has forecast, by which time Switch 2 will have hit 100m units sold. A fresh report on the coming year in video games - and beyond - from veteran firm DFC Intelligence states that Nintendo is likely to beat its own forecast for Switch 2 sales this year, albeit slightly. Nintendo has said it expects to shift 15m Switch 2 consoles before 31st March 2026, though DFC forecasts Nintendo will in reality likely sell 16m - enough to say it has beat expectations. With supply chain improvements, sales could be even higher still - as many as 20m, DFC believes. "Reflecting its historically conservative approach to new product forecasting, Nintendo is estimating sales of 15m Switch 2 units through the end of its fiscal year in March 2026," DFC wrote in its report, shared with Eurogamer. "When the original Switch launched in March 2017, Nintendo initially projected 10m units for the fiscal year but ultimately sold 15m units in that period. Based on that track record, the fact that Nintendo is forecasting a 15m unit number gives us confidence that they will be able to ramp up supply and navigate tariff challenges." With the delay of GTA 6 to 2026, the launch of Switch 2 will be this year's biggest driver of video game spending - particularly so in Japan, DFC expects, where Nintendo has a competitively-priced local model for that market. Looking to the future, DFC says Switch 2 will hit 100m sales by 2029 and be the leading console system at that time. Both Sony and Microsoft have expressed interest in launching their own handheld devices, and both companies are also widely expected to be prepping their own next home consoles to arrive from 2027 onwards. But Nintendo launching Switch 2 now means it will have several years of headstart on PS6 and the next Xbox. "DFC forecasts that by the end of 2029 the Switch 2 will have sold over 100m units making it the leading console system by a wide margin," the firm wrote. "The next few years could see Nintendo for the first time becoming the primary partner for third-party game publishers." For context, Switch is currently on 152m sales after eight years. PlayStation 5 is on 74.9m after four and a half years. Xbox Series X/S is believed to be at around 30m units after the same time period, though Microsoft does not release official hardware figures. Only seven console platforms have passed 100m over the years, with more than half from Nintendo: Game Boy/Color, Nintendo DS, Wii, Switch, PS1, PS2 and PS4. PS2 remains the best-selling console of all time at around 160m units sold - though Switch 1 is giving it a run for its money, and now sits less than 8m consoles away.

May 15, 20253 min readLawmakers Push to Legalize Emissions-Heavy ‘Supersonic’ PlanesA bill to repeal the ban on supersonic flights over the U.S. could increase the demand for the gas-guzzling jets from around a dozen to as many as 240By Corbin Hiar & E&E News The Concorde, seen above as it is returned to the Intrepid Museum last year, was last in commercial operation in 2003. Lawmakers want to help bring back supersonic flights by legalizing it in U.S. airspace, as United Airlines and others invest in the planemaking startup Boom Supersonic. Michael M. Santiago/Getty ImagesCLIMATEWIRE | Lawmakers on both sides of the Capitol are seeking to repeal a half-century-old regulation that prevents civilian aircraft from traveling faster than the speed of sound over the United States.The "Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act" could vastly increase the potential market — and emissions — of Boom Supersonic, a planemaking startup backed by United Airlines; Japan Airlines; and Sam Altman, the billionaire CEO of the artificial intelligence firm OpenAI.No commercial supersonic planes have been in operation since the Concorde ceased flights between New York and London in 2003. But aviation analysts estimate that the jets Boom is developing would consume at least two times more fuel per passenger than flying on commercial airplanes in operation now.On supporting science journalismIf you're enjoying this article, consider supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By purchasing a subscription you are helping to ensure the future of impactful stories about the discoveries and ideas shaping our world today.The bill is from Sen. Ted Budd (R-N.C.), whose state is home to Boom's manufacturing plant, and Rep. Troy Nehls (R-Texas), the chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Subcommittee on Aviation. It's co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Mike Lee of Utah and Tim Sheehy of Montana as well as Democratic Rep. Sharice Davids of Kansas."Supersonic flight without an audible sonic boom should obviously be allowed," said Blake Scholl, Boom's founder and CEO, in statements released by the bill's lead sponsors. "I urge Congress to pass the Supersonic Aviation Modernization Act supersonically, so we can all enjoy faster flights and maintain American leadership in aviation."The legislation would order the Federal Aviation Administration to scrap or update a 1973 regulation that prohibits non-military-related supersonic flight over the U.S. within a year of the bill's passage. It specifically calls for the agency to allow for civilian flights in the national airspace "at a Mach number greater than 1 so long as the aircraft is operated in such a manner that no sonic boom reaches the ground in the United States."The congressional push to undo the overland flight ban comes as NASA prepares to conduct its first test flights of a supersonic jet developed by Lockheed Martin to produce sonic "thumps," rather than booms, when traveling faster than the speed of sound. The United Nations' International Civil Aviation Organization is also set to develop new noise standards that member states could adopt.In February, Boom completed a series of supersonic test flights in a prototype plane that it claimed did not produce sonic booms that were audible from the ground. The speed of sound, or Mach 1, varies based on atmospheric conditions but is generally around 767 mph at sea level.The following month, Scholl visited Washington to lobby Trump administration officials to repeal the supersonic flight ban, POLITICO Pro reported at the time.The International Council on Clean Transportation, an environmental research group, estimated in 2022 that dropping overland flight prohibitions for supersonic aircraft in the U.S. and other major markets could increase the demand for the gas-guzzling jets from around a dozen to as many as 240. The company has already reported inking deals with airlines to produce 130 planes.Boom is designing its engines to run on sustainable aviation fuel, which has a fraction of the carbon emissions of traditional jet fuel. But operating the supersonic jets with SAF would be uneconomic for most airlines given the higher cost of SAF and the greater fuel consumption required to break the sound barrier.Reprinted from E&E News with permission from POLITICO, LLC. Copyright 2025. E&E News provides essential news for energy and environment professionals.

html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40/loose.dtd" The Office of the Architects of the Judicial Branch of Santa Fe has completed a morgue designed with a horizontal line that aligns with the large flat roof in Vera, Province of Santa Fe, Argentina.Under a commodatum agreement with the Provincial Government, the Judicial Morgue of the Judiciary of Santa Fe is situated on a portion of the Regional Hospital premises in the city of Vera.Named Judicial Morgue for the City of Vera, given the particular location and how the general public views this kind of architectural program, the intervention's main goal was to create a modern area that invites approach rather than rejection—or even one that people using the building's adjacent services might not notice. For this reason, the building is discreetly hidden behind reachable embankments covered with natural vegetation, leaving the viewer with only a horizontal line that is in line with the large flat roof that encloses the reception area, office spaces, the actual morgue, and the perimeter of the intermediate galleries. Rooms facing the back of the concrete embankment or adjacent plots are prioritized from the inside.Even though the main structure is surrounded by the embankments, the building was positioned to be visible in its entirety from nearly every aspect due to the lot's proportions. Its conserved native forest, which is included into the concept, produces diverse experiences when walked about at ground level, through the pedestrian entry, or via the car access road. The deliberate image of the "fifth façade"—an abstraction made up of the entire roof structure, the vertical boundary along the street, the infrastructure areas, the vehicle access road, the perimeter lines of the embankments and pedestrian access—is given special attention.Wind, shadow, rain, sun, and vegetation all become protagonists, meticulously incorporated into the architectural concept, as environmental and climatic aspects were carefully studied in the creation of this unique program. The structure is arranged around galleries, which act as areas of transition between the outside and the inside and, more importantly, as sun control systems, which help to lessen the harsh environment of the area. Among other things, a Venturi tube at the pedestrian entrance circulates air to chill the inside and splits to cool the outside walls.Administrative offices, conference rooms, identification rooms, cold storage rooms, X-ray and picture interpretation rooms, inclusive locker rooms, autopsy rooms, loading/unloading garages, pathological waste storage, and a main hall and reception area are all part of the functional plan. An infrastructure equipment cluster that houses air conditioning condensers, refrigeration units, a chiller, a hydropneumatic tank, a generator, and an external guard room are examples of supporting spaces. These are surrounded by an exposed shell of reinforced concrete walls and roof and are situated outside the huge metal roof.The courtyard, the pedestrian entrance, and the encircling galleries are notable semi-covered areas. They all have enormous circular open skylights that let in rainwater or filtered sunlight, making the room feel cozy and inviting for both professionals and guests. A semicircular bench serves as a reflective seating space beneath the skylights. Similar to how the building is visually protected from the exterior by concrete embankments covered in vegetation and purposefully placed pedestrian openings away from the hospital, the interior is similarly protected by intermediate areas that are intended to lessen the proximity and animosity of the reinforced concrete envelope to the south. This is accomplished by paving a courtyard with loose river stones of various colors, which lessens the impression on the eye and permits future plants to grow in between the stones.The building's partially covered sections face the designated vehicle access road to the north, and vertical screens act as a physical barrier in front of the urban street's protected row of native trees that border the entrance. Using metal structures, sheet metal, circular-section tubes, and a reinforced concrete planter, the physical boundary between the lot and the street was given special design consideration. This creates an expressive, organic line that opens up urban sightlines and draws attention to the main gate and institutional signage.The autopsy room and its auxiliary spaces are the heart of a morgue, thus biosafety regulations and the best use of circulation and support rooms were taken into consideration when designing the spaces. To circulate air and safeguard the working staff, the facility has specifically built climate control systems (power capacity and unique filters). It has a digital X-ray machine, surgical-grade lighting, specialized storage equipment, and two cutting-edge stainless steel autopsy tables made by national suppliers. Filtered natural light is let in through micro-perforated metal panels, softening the space's clinical feel. The main views are of the north inner courtyard.The building's infrastructure includes a generator for continuous power supply, self-sufficient solar power, a single absorption pit and separate outputs for pre-treating liquid waste that eventually discharges into the sewer system, and connections to municipal water and electricity. Additionally, it has video surveillance, complete climate control throughout, and intrusion and fire alarm systems. Interlocking permeable pavers and intermediate chambers were used to address drainage and paving issues caused by the lengthy access road that connected the building to the city roadway.Aluminum window frames, gypsum rock walls, oxidized metal sheets for the galleries' and semi-covered areas' ceilings, flush-joint interior ceilings, exposed reinforced concrete for the external envelope, hermetically sealed double-glazing in specific geometries for the operational spaces, and reinforced concrete partitions covered in perforated and plain metal sheets are among the materials used in the building. At the site and car entrances, the vehicle access road has unique wood elements, precast stormwater drains, and articulated paving. The structure is decorated with polished 30x30 cm granite mosaic tiles, and the kitchens and bathrooms have custom black Brazilian granite countertops. Whenever feasible, national and local suppliers were used.All things considered, this project has presented a big challenge for the professionals in our office, but its completion allows us to keep trying new things in the future. By bringing compassion and respect to a function that is usually disregarded because of its negative implications, it enables us to "reconsider our relationship with the afterlife." In the end, it is a project that offers the balance of beauty and usefulness that is the ultimate aim of architecture by articulating and integrating spaces to make them livable and noticeable.Section AASection BBEast elevationWest elevationNorth elevationSouth elevationProject factsProject name: Judicial Morgue for the City of VeraClient: Judicial Branch of the Province of Santa FeArchitectural Office: Office of the Architects of the Judicial Branch of Santa Fe / (Architect Adelia Sebastián - Architect Carreras Luis - Tech. Gonzalez Javier - Architect Batlle Casas Barbara - Basualdo Gonzalo - Tech. Grippaldi Bruno - Architect Soriano Sebastián)Architect(s) in charge: Architect Adelia SebastiánTechnical Support: Architect Guillermo Goddio - Architect Ramiro SosaConstruction Company: Cocyar S.A.Construction completion year: 2024Lot area: 5,000 m2Covered area: 402 m2Semi-covered area: 980 m2Project year: 2022Location: Vera, Province of Santa Fe, ArgentinaProgram: Institutional (Judicial Morgue)All images © Ramiro Sosa.All drawings © Office of the Architects of the Judicial Branch of Santa Fe.> via Office of the Architects of the Judicial Branch of Santa Fe

Doctors say they constructed a bespoke gene-editing treatment in less than seven months and used it to treat a baby with a deadly metabolic condition. The rapid-fire attempt to rewrite the child’s DNA marks the first time gene editing has been tailored to treat a single individual, according to a report published in the New England Journal of Medicine. The baby who was treated, Kyle “KJ” Muldoon Jr., suffers from a rare metabolic condition caused by a particularly unusual gene misspelling. Researchers say their attempt to correct the error demonstrates the high level of precision new types of gene editors offer.  “I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that this is the future of medicine,” says Kiran Musunuru, an expert in gene editing at the University of Pennsylvania whose team designed the drug. “My hope is that someday no rare disease patients will die prematurely from misspellings in their genes, because we’ll be able to correct them.” The project also highlights what some experts are calling a growing crisis in gene-editing technology. That’s because even though the technology could cure thousands of genetic conditions, most are so rare that companies could never recoup the costs of developing a treatment for them.  In KJ’s case, the treatment was programmed to correct a single letter of DNA in his cells. “In reality, this drug will probably never be used again,” says Rebecca Ahrens-Nicklas, a physician at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia who treats metabolic diseases in children and who led the overall effort to treat the child. That effort involved more than 45 scientists and doctors as well as pro bono Eventually, he says, the cost of custom gene-editing treatments might be similar to that of liver transplants, which is around $800,000, not including lifelong medical care and drugs. The researchers used a new version of CRISPR technology, called base editing, that can replace a single letter of DNA at a specific location.  Previous versions of CRISPR have generally been used to delete genes, not rewrite them to restore their function. The researchers say they were looking for a patient to treat when they learned about KJ. After he was born in August, a doctor noted that the infant was lethargic. Tests found he had a metabolic disorder that leads to the buildup of ammonia, a condition that’s frequently fatal without a liver transplant. In KJ’s case, gene sequencing showed that the cause was a misspelled letter in the gene CPS1 that stopped it from making a vital enzyme. The researchers approached KJ’s parents, Nicole and Kyle Muldoon, with the idea of using gene editing to try to correct their baby’s DNA. After they agreed, a race ensued to design the editing drug, test it in animals, and get permission from the US Food and Drug Administration to treat KJ in a one-off experiment. The team says the boy, who hasn’t turned one yet, received three doses of the gene-editing treatment, of gradually increasing strength. They can’t yet determine exactly how well the gene editor worked because they don’t want to take a liver biopsy, which would be needed to check if KJ’s genes have really been corrected. But Ahrens-Nicklas says that because the child is “growing and thriving,” she thinks the editing has been at least partly successful and that he may now have “a milder form of this horrific disease.” “He’s received three doses of the therapy without any complications, and is showing some early signs of benefit,” she says. “It’s really important to say that it’s still very early, so we will need to continue to watch KJ closely to fully understand the full effects of this therapy.” The case suggests a future in which parents will take sick children to a clinic where their DNA will be sequenced, and then they will rapidly receive individualized treatments. Currently, this would only work for liver diseases, for which it’s easier to deliver gene-editing instructions, but eventually it might also become a possible approach for treating brain diseases and conditions like muscular dystrophy. The experiment is drawing attention to a gap between what gene editing can do and what treatments are likely to become available to people who need them. So far, biotechnology companies testing gene editing are working only on fairly common gene conditions, like sickle cell disease, leaving hundreds of ultra-rare conditions aside. One-off treatments, like the one helping KJ, are too expensive to create and get approved without some way to recoup the costs. The apparent success in treating KJ, however, is making it even more urgent to figure out a way forward. Researchers acknowledge that they don’t yet know how to scale up personalized treatment, although Musunuru says initial steps to standardize the process are underway at his university and in Europe.

May 15, 2025Ravie LakshmananAI Training / Data Protection Austrian privacy non-profit noyb (none of your business) has sent Meta's Irish headquarters a cease-and-desist letter, threatening the company with a class action lawsuit if it proceeds with its plans to train users' data for training its artificial intelligence (AI) models without an explicit opt-in. The move comes weeks after the social media behemoth announced its plans to train its AI models using public data shared by adults across Facebook and Instagram in the European Union (E.U.) starting May 27, 2025, after it paused the efforts in June 2024 following concerns raised by Irish data protection authorities. "Instead of asking consumers for opt-in consent, Meta relies on an alleged 'legitimate interest' to just suck up all user data," noyb said in a statement. "Meta may face massive legal risks – just because it relies on an 'opt-out' instead of an 'opt-in' system for AI training." The advocacy group further noted that Meta AI is not compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in the region, and that, besides claiming that it has a "legitimate interest" in taking user data for AI training, the company is also limiting the right to opt-out before the training has started. Noyb also pointed out that even if 10% of Meta's users expressly agree to hand over the data for this purpose, it would amount to enough data points for the company to learn E.U. languages. It's worth pointing out that Meta previously claimed that it needed to collect this information to capture the diverse languages, geography, and cultural references of the region. "Meta starts a huge fight just to have an opt-out system instead of an opt-in system," noyb's Max Schrems said. "Instead, they rely on an alleged 'legitimate interest' to just take the data and run with it. This is neither legal nor necessary." "Meta's absurd claims that stealing everyone's personal data is necessary for AI training is laughable. Other AI providers do not use social network data – and generate even better models than Meta." The privacy group also accused the company of moving ahead with its plans by putting the onus on users and pointed out that national data protection authorities have largely stayed silent on the legality of AI training without consent. "It therefore seems that Meta simply moved ahead anyways – taking another huge legal risk in the E.U. and trampling over users' rights," noyb added. In a statement shared with Reuters, Meta has rejected noyb's arguments, stating they are wrong on the facts and the law, and that it has provided E.U. users with a "clear" option to object to their data being processed for AI training. This is not the first time Meta's reliance on GDPR's "legitimate interest" to collect data without explicit opt-in consent has come under scrutiny. In August 2023, the company agreed to change the legal basis from "legitimate interest" to a consent-based approach to process user data for serving targeted ads for people in the region. The disclosure comes as the Belgian Court of Appeal ruled the Transparency and Consent Framework, used by Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and other companies to obtain consent for data processing for personalized advertising purposes, is illegal across Europe, citing violation of several principles of GDPR laws. Found this article interesting? Follow us on Twitter  and LinkedIn to read more exclusive content we post. SHARE    

Though even the best AI models struggle to solve the majority of coding problems, that didn't stop one man's penny-pinching employers from replacing him with the tech anyway.Shawn Kay was a software engineer of 20 years who went from earning $150,000 in upstate New York to living out of a trailer, after he says his former boss outsourced his job to AI.As Fortune reports, he now does odd jobs to make ends meet, like gig work on meal delivery apps, and flipping his stuff on eBay.To make matters worse, Kay's been spat out into a noxious job market for highly trained tech workers. Out of 800 job applications he's placed since losing his income, he's only received ten interviews. As if to add insult to injury, a handful of those, he says, have been with AI."I feel super invisible. I feel unseen. I feel like I'm filtered out before a human is even in the chain," Kay told Fortune.At 42 years old, the engineer has been around long enough to prove his mettle. He's survived hiring downturns before, like the 2008 global financial crisis, and the brief recession brought about by the pandemic. This time, something's different.Though AI makes a great boogeyman — a narrative which, coincidentally, helps AI tycoons convince lawmakers to let the industry regulate itself — there are other factors at play in the tech job market.During the pandemic, tech companies became more profitable than they had been in years. Fueled by a society that quickly became dependent on tech and software companies to keep things afloat, the sector grew substantially throughout the public health crisis, triggering an industry-wide hiring spree.But as COVID-19 abated, many of those same companies found they had over-hired. Soon, waves of layoffs began rocking tech workers, coinciding with a flood of fresh STEM graduates entering the scene. That brought about a chaotic job market, where work is hard to find, and job quality is only getting worse.AI certainly didn't help things. Many tech moguls bought into promises that the buzzy new tech is going to "revolutionize work" — despite plenty of evidence that it's far from ready. It also irreparably damaged the job search; those seeking work like Kay now have to stand out amidst a sea of AI spam to have their resumes even read by a human.So, where are all the high-value tech jobs going? The answer, it seems, is to the bottom.While error-prone AI isn't ready to go it alone, it is ready to increase the productivity of untrained workers. A growing body of scholarship on AI and labor suggests that AI isn't simply taking over — it's enabling tech corporations to outsource high-paying jobs in the West to low-wage workers in the global south.This shift in tech job quality could be a part of the reason why we see AI having an effect on the tech labor market, despite the fact that 59 percent of developers experience consistent deployment errors when using AI to code. Why pay one worker in the US $150,000 a year, plus benefits, to sort through junk AI code when you could outsource a dozen workers in the Philippines for the same cost?The dystopian tale that AI is making us obsolete is bad enough, but it's nothing compared to the reality: AI isn't taking over the tech industry; it's turning it into a sweatshop.Share This Article

Some decorating trends will come and go (see millennial pink) while others have longevity, no matter what era we're in. One such aesthetic? Tasteful horse decor. Between Netflix's recent hit Ransom Canyon, the U.S. Polo championships back in April, and the many home tours we've published featuring horse motifs, everyone, including the design world, is enthralled with these creatures right now. While luxury fashion brands such as Ralph Lauren and Hermès may have introduced equestrian vibes into interiors (horses being an instantly recognizable part of both brands' identities), the look has evolved beyond just their ateliers. "Horses have always been a popular subject in the art and design world, going back to early cave drawings in the Lascaux Cave, France. It is so fun to see them back in the spotlight in interiors," designer Maria Burke says. "We have definitely seen a resurgence in layered, British interior style, so I think it is fitting that all sorts of equestrian subjects and patterns have also seen a rise in popularity." While several designers we spoke with mentioned the influence of British style in homes right now, others link our current fascination with the Wild West to a yearning for a different time. manufoto llcA horse sculpture nestled amongst candle holders is the perfect final decorative touch.Anson SmartMix and match art mediums, like textured pieces and a photo, in a room."Across the board, we're seeing a major shift back to traditional, cozy, old-world design. I think it's everyone's desire for comfort and reassurance during these rocky political and technological times. A return to our roots. It's the antithesis to AI," award-winning interior designer Lindsay Gerber Northart says. "The resurgence [of horse decor] seems to stem from a deep-seated yearning for connection with nature and a romanticized notion of freedom and open horizons," L.A.-based designer Jennifer Miller adds. "Horses embody both untamed beauty and a sense of serene strength in their powerful yet graceful presence. This inherent duality resonates with contemporary desires for authenticity and a touch of the organic within our living spaces." Indeed, in a world where we are scrolling endlessly on TikTok, checking our work emails while on vacation, or being spammed with fake phone calls daily, returning to a world that ran at a slower pace seems idyllic. Designers everywhere, from Los Angeles to Virginia, are seeing an uptick in client requests for incorporating horse decor into their homes. Burke notes that in one of her projects, they recently took the client's collection of riding crops and turned them into a gallery on their second-floor hallway. Meanwhile, Jeanne Barber, founder of Camden Grace Interiors, recalls a client in the New York City suburbs asking them to adorn her husband's office in oil paintings featuring hunts and horses. As you may be able to tell, if you love these majestic animals, there are plenty of ways to capture their essence in your home. "There's a romanticism to equestrian imagery that evokes both rustic countryside charm and old-world luxury, making it incredibly versatile across styles, from modern farmhouse to classic traditional and even minimalist spaces," designer Katie McCaffrey says. Tasteful horse decor is here to stay—forever—so check out the expert styling tips ahead on achieving the look seamlessly in your home. Related Story Make It Feel Modern Patrick BillerThe office is a great place to show off your love of the equestrian sport.Mixing new pieces with vintage finds is a tried-and-true furnishing method that gives your home its character. Even though this takes time, we're firm believers in slow decorating. When it comes to horse decor, Burke recommends employing the same method by merging "old master-style oil paintings with horse subjects above more modern pieces of furniture." If you already have such works of art, you're one step ahead of everyone else. However, if you're sourcing art from scratch, Burke says, "These works can easily be found on auction sites and even consignment stores if you are up for the challenge, and they make for a wonderful mix with newer pieces." We suggest checking out places like Chairish, 1stdibs, LiveAuctioneers, and Everything But the House.Related StoryLean Into Antique SculpturesJeanne BarberSculptures can be placed anywhere, including on a bar cart.Besides framed artwork, designers suggest adding horse sculptures to your space, whether that's a small statue of a stallion nestled on your bookshelf or a giant horse head that commands attention near your staircase. The best part about these pieces is that you can move them around the house anytime without having to deal with annoying photo hooks or adhesive strips. "In my own home, I have a large, cast-iron horse head that meanders through my house, depending on my mood," Barber says. "Lately, he's hanging out on our porch bar, greeting guests with a cocktail." Opt for Striking Photography© Rustic White Photography,LLCBuy a big print from your favorite photographer and hang it where everyone can admire it.Whether you dabble in photography or follow a National Geographic photographer who shoots the most amazing wildlife, if this is your art medium of choice, incorporating a stunning visual of a horse in your space is a no-brainer. "Professional equine photographers are increasingly producing some spectacular large-format images in both black and white and color. These can be striking statements alone or as a collection, and really set a sophisticated, luxurious vibe to any space," says designer and passionate equestrian Megan Winters. Don't Be ObviousAlanna HalePlaid, iron, brass, and leather can help you tap into the look more subtly.Yes, you can display tasteful horse decor without horses! If you're not into the animalcore look, you can instead hint at your love for them through horse-adjacent decor. "I think horse decor needs to be more of a nod and hint rather than literal...otherwise you're very easily getting into a tacky decor situation," Gerber Northart says. "Introduce patinated old leather pieces and brass accent pieces, which hint at the look and feel of horse tack. Wool and plaids hint at a fox hunt." Similarly, McCaffrey suggests using "checks, plaids, natural materials such as woven baskets to evoke equestrian style without being too literal." Related StoryLittle Touches Go a Long Way Michael CliffordShow restraint when leaning into the equestrian theme.All the designers we spoke with agree on one thing when it comes to making your horse decor feel tasteful: moderation is key. "I like to try to limit the use of a 'themed' element to one or two items per room," Burke says. "Instead of layering all sorts of prints with an actual horse on it [throughout the home], we will use one and then draw inspiration from other sorts of horse-related items, such as leather, thick wool blankets, and dark iron [for the other spaces].""The key is to ensure the execution feels intentional and contributes to the overall narrative of the space," Miller adds. "In our Sun Valley project, we incorporated a few horse drawings and a red horse painting I created myself, which felt especially fitting for the setting and served as a nod to the Western heritage and natural beauty of the area. The artwork reflects the landscape’s rustic spirit while adding a personal layer of storytelling." Shop Our Favorite Horse Decor PicksHermès Cheval Deco Ashtray$800 at HermesGucci Velvet Cushion With Horsebit$1,150 at GucciCharles MARECHAL (1865-1931), Horses in landscape oil on canvas$300 at liveauctioneers.comCarol Walker Leopard Appaloosa - Limited Edition of 100 Photograph$1,830 at saatchiart.comRalph Lauren Home Dalton Accent Table$18,790 at Ralph LaurenWilliams Sonoma Cashmere & Wool Equestrian Throw$499 at Williams SonomaKathy Kuo Monty French Country Black Aged Metal Round Side End Table$141 at kathykuohome.comRalph Lauren Home Brennan Clock$1,195 at Ralph LaurenArt Deco Style Silvered Brass Etruscan Horse Sculpture$4,250 at 1stDibsJoon Loloi Morison Leather Wrapped Table Lamp$199 at joonloloi.comFollow House Beautiful on Instagram and TikTok.

At Salone del Mobile in 2023, Armani Casa presented something new. Or, perhaps it would be more accurate to say that they re-created their classics. The brand introduced three different techniques that transformed their furniture into new works of art, both bold in color and material, and subtly naturalistic in aesthetic.In a statement, Mr. Armani said the collection's Venus console and Virgola bookcase shelves "feature a new type of hand-painted and lacquered glass." And at a Tuesday night event, partygoers saw the new techniques live and in-person at the brand’s Madison Avenue Flagship in New York. Indeed, Armani noted that the objects are "reminiscent of the uniqueness and beauty of high-end jewelry, made with a craftsmanship that is only possible in Italy." Treatment One: Orsini GlassLorenzo BaroncelliA demonstration of the Orsini Method.The Orsini Method involves artisans painting pieces of glass, creating a series of marbled bands. The brand noted, “This finish is obtained by hand painting the back of a tempered extra-clear glass with a special paint mixing different pastel tones, using a large soft brush.”The colors were inspired by the blue green walls in the Neoclassical Palazzo Orsini in Rome. Though the method is innovative, the painterly process and the use of temperas and pastels still make it feel completely classical.Items re-imagined from the Armani Casa collection with the Orsini Method include: Venus 2024 and Virgola 2024.Treatment Two: Shell Mosaic Lorenzo BaroncelliA demonstrationIn this mother-of-pearl mosaic, experts remove the outer layer of an oyster shell to find a the shiny whites, grays, and blues beneath. The Shell Mosaic, with this high end construction, reflects the ties between Armani's Casa collections and his clothing lines. Said Mr. Armani, “The strongest link between Armani/Casa and my fashion collections is the need to be functional and comfortable without sacrificing luxurious materials and a strong sense of style.” The Shell Mosaic is available in the following pieces from the Armani CASA Collection: Antoinette 2023, Camilla 2023, Sofia 2023, and Vega 2024.Treatment Three: Midollino Courtesy ArmaniThe Midollino Technique on the Riesling Bar Cabinet.Wicker will never go out of style, and Armani Casa’s iteration on the traditional form is reflective of the expertise and craftsmanship constant across the brand's fashion and furniture.The Midollino technique features a carefully woven, but thick and high quality grain. It happens to be the same method also used for a number of Armani handbags, capturing the relationship between the past and present reflective across the collection. Items from the Armani Casa Collection featuring the Midollino Technique Include: Melrose 2023, Riesling 2022, and Sharon 2023.Dorothy ScarboroughDorothy Scarborough (she/her) is the assistant to the Editor in Chief of Town & Country and Elle Decor. 

The Nintendo Switch 2 is getting some extra buttons with specific set-ups, like the Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip and Pro Controller 2. The GL and GR buttons, as they're called, add extra buttons on the underside of the Switch's handles, and Nintendo has shared some examples of just how easy it will be to do so.As shared on the Nintendo Today app, the new buttons are remappable and can be set to any button on the controller. This means anything from a face or shoulder button to, quite possibly, the screenshot button. No more moving that left thumb over for quick screenshots.According to Nintendo's update, the system will "remember each user's button assignments for each game they play." This could make it easy to set up game-specific, maybe even user-specific, mappings for GR and GL.PlayTo assign these buttons out, just press and hold the HOME Button while playing a game to access quick settings, and then key in your button on the GR/GL settings. This might not help at the time of this writing, as the Switch 2 is still a few weeks away. But if you're here from the future, you're welcome for the tip! It all seems pretty quick and easy to set, and the per-game functionality is nice to see.It's important to note that this particular Switch 2 functionality only works with the Joy-Con 2 Charging Grip and Pro Controller 2, at least at this time. The base Joy-Con 2's don't have GR and GL buttons on the underside. Both of these accessories are sold separately from the base Switch 2 console and its Mario Kart World bundle, and both got a price bump due to the current trade situation.It won't be long now until the June 5 release date for the Nintendo Switch 2, as it debuts with Mario Kart World and several Switch 2 versions of Switch 1 favorites, including The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and Tears of the Kingdom.Digital Foundry recently revealed the tech specs for NIntendo's upcoming hybrid handheld console, and its report expressed some concerns over GameChat's effect on performance. You can read more about that here.Eric is a freelance writer for IGN.