A whole new way to read the room
At the end of May, the Los Angeles–based artist Tayla Parx showed off her turquoise-tinted living room in an intimate interview with Vogue. (In case you’re not familiar with her solo work, she’s written chart-topping hits for the likes of Ariana Grande, Victoria Monét, and Normani, to name a few.) While there are so many beautiful decorations to marvel at within the plant-filled sanctuary, what I couldn’t look away from was the bright yellow New York Post newspaper box.
As someone who has been working in the media industry for what feels like an eternity, it’s the statement piece that I didn’t know I needed in my space until now. This box is giving major “tell me you work in media without telling me you work in media” vibes, and I am so here for it. Apparently, it’s a refurbished newspaper box that has been converted into a vinyl record stand. In addition to the New York Post, there are retro boxes from The New York Times, The Washington Post, Chicago Tribune, Los Angeles Times, The Boston Globe, Detroit Free Press, and more.
Impact Racks, the company that sells them, also offers customizable versions in a variety of colors for those that would rather not be affiliated with a publication. The price ranges from $339 to $429, which honestly doesn’t feel too out of bounds considering how much magazine racks and record holders tend to go for on the market. Used newspaper equipment is available to purchase from the store as well. Some of the brand’s other clients include Google, Nike, and Warner Bros.
According to its Instagram page, Impact Racks has been “the leading supplier of newspaper boxes on the East Coast” for the past 30 years. Operating out of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, the family-run business was founded by John Knowles, a former paperboy turned newspaper enthusiast. In 2019, the company started converting the boxes into vinyl record stands and sidewalk libraries and selling them on Etsy at the suggestion of John’s daughter, who was interested in finding a way to recycle unused racks instead of sending them off to landfills. So far, Impact Racks has sold 1,373 of the stands on the platform.
You’re probably wondering why Tayla wanted one of these boxes, right? Same here, which is why I had to reach out and ask her about it. She told me that she wanted the New York Post box specifically because of her deep connection to New York City, a place where she’s written some of her favorite songs. “When it comes to my home decor, it’s a must to have pieces that either tell your story or remind you of your own,” Tayla explains. “The main colors of the area are monochromatic greens with splashes of yellow, so I figured it would be the perfect both functional and cute addition for the vibes!”
In a world where the media is often demonized, we have to preserve the free press—or at least the fondest elements of it.
Original article appeared on Architectural Digest | Author Sydney Gore
