Tuesday, November 27, 2007

Sticking with What You Love




I think that each and every one of us has one
design-related thing that we return to over and over again. For me, it's Chinoiserie. For others, it might be toile, floral prints, or painting a room chocolate brown. "It" (whatever that may be) is a reflection of our personal style and is something that we should embrace.

For Caroline Herrera Jr., it is ticking, particularly that by Ian Mankin, that is her love. Luckily for Herrera, ticking is classic, chic, and easy to work with. Still, this fabric is a common thread throughout her homes. In the image above (
Domino, Spring/Summer '05), Herrera has chosen a beautiful Mankin striped print in soft shades of red to give her Madrid bedroom a feeling of coziness.

The same Mankin print is also found on a Louis XVI sofa at her country home in Extremadura, Spain (featured in
Vogue Living, Fall/Winter 2007).



And another Mankin ticking on a Spanish Empire daybed



And ticking is not only loved by Herrera Jr., but by her mother as well. Here it is in a pretty shade of blue in Caroline Herrera's Manhattan sitting room (Domino, Sept '06)


12 comments:

  1. I've never understood people who don't like stripes. Clean, crisp, loud or subtle they always seem great to me. Hadn't realized Herrara had used them quite so often - to great success. And that picture of Sr.? It's the one that always pops into my mind when I hear her mentioned.

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  2. Got to love those chic Herrera women! Their rooms always look fresh and elegant.

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  3. Some of my faves here :)

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  4. Well, if ticking is good enough for these two icons, it's good enough for the rest of us. It does lend a nice finishing touch to a piece, I do agree. It seems fitting that the Herrera's would adore such attention to detail. After all, real style is in the details.

    As for my 'it' item... hard to say. I've worked hard to develop range so I don't have a fall back item I go to each time. But upon closer inspection I would have to admit that silk dupioni panel drapes are a signature item I adore. You can have them made (or ordered) in terrific quality anymore, and I love the clean, finished look they give at that 'just right' length.

    But those chocolate walls you mentioned sound lovely as well ;)

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  5. Those are some of my favorite images Jennifer. Ticking is one fabric I never tire of...fresh and classic!

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  6. I especially love the railroaded version on her settee. There are so many new, fantastic patterns floating around out there, but it is nice to see a simple, classic fabric looking sophisticated and new in this setting.

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  7. My first sofa was a blue and white ticking. I've always loved it. I am going to have to give it another shot! There are alot of great ones out there: Rogers and Goffigan, Summer Hill...the list is endless! Nice post!:)

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  8. I used to stock Ian Mankin fabrics. Not very popular in this part of the world, though! I do keep in touch for some specific customers. i do not know why so many people think stripes are tiring or old fashioned. i love stripes, and of course they look perfect in those settings as well as in more humble surroundings.

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  9. Irene-Isn't that a shame? For some people stripes are a classic- to others, perhaps only a trend that comes and goes.

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  10. Peak..great compilation of rooms with Mankin ticking. It is wonderful to see them all together. I love the way the ticking compliments the elegance of the rooms and the stylish women in the rooms.

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  11. Wonderful pictures . I love it. Great to see the same fabric in diferent use.
    For me the design related thing I return to is paislay.

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  12. I love ticking but even more than I do, my mother does - she uses navy and white ticking EVERYWHERE and has rolls of it stored away in cupboards at "home" just in case she needs to recover something!! I agree that we all have something we come back to time and time again - for me it seems to be blue and white things - china, ticking, batik, ikat etc. Another great post!
    XO
    Anna

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