I Want Everything In This Room!

I can't stop looking at this photo of antiques dealer Louis Bofferding's (former?) Manhattan living room that was featured in the 1996 book The Table. One reason of course is because the room is just so good looking- clean, uncluttered, airy, masculine, restrained, and immensely chic. What I also like about it is that there isn't a shred of mediocrity in this room. Each piece is magnificent on its own, but when mixed with other important pieces? Decorative Arts Heaven! Would you expect anything less from such an admired dealer?

When you start to dissect the room and study each piece, it's hard not to be impressed by the provenances. A 1950s Jansen table with blue steel legs. Fornasetti faux malachite plates. An iron elephant mounted on a red silk pedestal from Geoffrey Bennison (on table). A Louis XVI armchair with antique Chanel purple silk velvet. And barely visible in the far left hand corner, an iconic "Bird Table" by Meret Oppenheim, c. 1939. Yep, I swooned too. But rather than seeming ostentatious or even "full of it", the room- gold chip furniture and all- comes across as personal and well-thought out. It is truly the room of an erudite man who really knows his stuff!



This Royal Dining Table by Maison Jansen looks similar to that of Bofferding except for the legs which are black steel rather than blue. (Available at Todd Merrill Antiques)

Gold leafed Bird Table by Meret Oppenheim, available at Eccola. The listing on 1st dibs says this specific table is 21st century, so obviously this table is a much later version than that of Bofferding.

Bofferding's table was set with these Fornasetti plates. Also, you can get a better look at the Bennison piece.

A pair of Fornasetti gold and malachite plates, available at Gallery 25.

The pineapple on Bofferding's console appears to be tole. This pair of lamps from John Salibello Antiques have a similar look.

(Images of Bofferding's apartment from The Table, Diane von Furstenberg)