I was on the lookout for a couple of basting brushes to replace my very ratty greasy ones. I thought about getting silicone brushes, but they don’t really soak up the liquids the way I want. And something about silicone and food coming together has never really sat that well with me. The other day, while wandering around Dean & Deluca trying to pass 15 minutes before a meeting, I came upon these lovely specimens. Something about the combination of the bristles, the cerulean blue plastic and the wooden handles make me quite happy. I also have a thing for brushes. More to come.

Mark Keoppen is a builder in upstate NY. He and his wife Wendy Townsend, a writer, live in a restored barn that Mark spent 10 years building with his own hands. Their home gives meaning to the idea of a structure being more than just the sum of its four walls. This place is literally transcendent. Their aesthetic is both minimal and lush — there is nothing extraneous in evidence. It seems to me that everything they bring into their lives has some purpose or deep significance. And the place itself is firmly rooted in its physical surroundings. That said, when I walked in the other day, I glanced to my left and saw these giant paintbrushes leaning up against a ledge in the entryway. My heart leaped at the sight of them. These aren’t just for decoration. Mark will, in all likelihood, use them. But in the meantime, they will continue to grace our presence.