National Design Week came to a close today. Established three years ago by the Cooper-Hewitt to spotlight the ways in which design enhances our everyday lives, the week-long celebration included free admission to the museum and public programs and events. I hustled over to the Cooper-Hewitt in time to catch the eclectic mix of exhibits – children’s wallpapers, 19th c. watercolor interiors and a prototype housing project in China. Highlights included the scratch and sniff wallpaper (below) and discovering the works of 19th c. children’s book illustrators Arthur Rackham and Kate Greenaway.

After a bite to eat, it was off to the Chanel Mobile Art pod in Central Park. The carousel of artwork, centered around Chanel’s iconic quilted bag, was comparable to a mini biennial. A favorite was Leandro Erlich‘s Le Trottoir (The Sidewalk), a voyeuristic meditation on Parisian street life (below, right).