Friday, August 06, 2010

More Blue (and Leopard too)





My favorite combination as of late is a clear shade of blue mixed with leopard print. I blame it solely on this soon to be released book, The World of Madeleine Castaing, seen above. To be fair, though, I guess I should blame not only Emily but Ms. Castaing as well.

Perhaps this is why I can't seem to get a certain Parisian apartment out of my mind. This too was another discovery in my copy of
Architectural Digest International Interiors (are you sick of me mentioning this book yet again??) This apartment was the home of antiquaire Jean Pierre Hagnauer and his wife. At one point in his career, Hagnauer had been a decorator, having trained under the legendary Georges Geoffroy. Hagnauer counted Jean Cocteau and Jean Marais as clients, but eventually the lure of being a full-time antiques dealer was too great and he left decorating behind for good.

The home, like most of the others in the book, is worldly and refined. But I think that what sticks with me is the color blue woven throughout the apartment. It's such a beautiful backdrop to the fine paintings and artwork, the rare specimens of furniture and bibelots, and some really great leopard print pillows. Before I finish this post, though, I thought I would include Hagnauer's decorating wisdom. Truly, these are words to live by:

*Above everything else, respect the thrust of the architecture. Do not decorate a vintage 1930s apartment in a Louis XV manner nor make a Pop statement in some Louis XIII chateau.

*Reject those trends of the moment that force interior designers to accept objects of poor quality under the guise that they are "amusing."

*Reject any literal and painstaking recreation of historical periods. In the long run such an approach can only be static and boring.











(Castaing cover image from The World of Madeleine Castaing by Emily Evans Eerdmans, to be published by Rizzoli. All other images from Architectural Digest International Interiors, Pascal Hinous photographer.)

20 comments:

  1. Will add this to my list. I am breaking the bank on great interior design books this year!
    Teresa (Splendid Sass)

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  2. I too adore blue and leopard - in fact they both reside in my living room! Looking forward to the EEE book on Castaing.

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  3. To me, this apartment represents decorating at its pinnacle- a thoughtful and well thought out combination of colors, textures and well loved objects that blend together seamlessly. There is much to study and learn from here. Two small lessons- the glass topped steel side table which looks so well here. The French seem to excel at combining the contemporary with the old without the jarring and forced effect it can have when attempted by less experienced hands. The second is the apple green table cloth in the dining room. In a vacuum, it's not a color combination most of us would think of. In the flesh, it's sublime.

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  4. Magnus- I could not have said it better myself. And it does take a skilled hand to successfully mix the old and the new in a way that is relaxed.

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  5. Jennifer, International Interiors is pure GOLD, isn't it? Hagnauer was one of MC's very favorite places to shop (and then mark up exponentially of course), and in these photos of his residence, I think an overlap in taste is apparent - that crazy floral carpet is very similar to an archival MC one called "Duc de Morny", if indeed it isn't the same.

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  6. Magnus says it perfectly. I too was struck by the apple green tablecloth --it gives focus to the entire room. Great post; am adding these books to my Christmas list.

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  7. All apparent the Castaing influence. Is this a case of the Egg following in the Chicken's footsteps? One thing-the tiebacks, they really never work, other than that fairly flawless. pgt

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  8. I have always considered leopard a neutral, if used correctly. I love Madeleine Castaing pairing the blue with warm tones. Can't wait for the book.

    Not sick of you mentioning the ADII book, as I just ordered it. So thanks for saying it again. :)

    Cheers,

    Claudia

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  9. Dying to get my hands on a copy of this book! I may have to use the blue/leopard combo for our new apartment...

    xx Katie

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  10. I agree, I would rather have three
    fantastic pieces in a room that
    a room full of cute clutter.
    Leopard is right up my alley, I am not to fond of blue. It does
    look pretty.
    great post.

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  11. I agree, I would rather have three
    fantastic pieces in a room that
    a room full of cute clutter.
    Leopard is right up my alley, I am not to fond of blue. It does
    look pretty.
    great post.

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  12. Really stunning apartment. They've used a complex shade, not too strong, but no hint of pastel either. Waiting for EEE's book, of course too.

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  13. What a truly delightful blog! Yes, the interiors you show are mainly American and I've not heard of many of the decorators mentioned so I've learned something already, but looking through your posts and your book blog I have seen various books that I have in my small decorating-books library - Dorothy Draper, Colefax & Fowler (of course!), Dorothy Rodgers, Nancy Lancaster and others. Your blog is like one of the very best interiors magazines - I am so glad to have found it, and by pure chance!
    Margaret P (England)

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  14. What a beautiful blue! When paired with green it evokes earth & sky, which is what I recall Castaing as being enamored with in an article I read some time ago- alas I cannot remember where. Looking forward the book!

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  15. I am loving the blue and leopard combination and the mixing of the old with the new.

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  16. Can you do a post on your favorite contemporary leopard print fabrics? I've got my heart set on leopard dining chairs, but can't seem to find the fabric. The ideal for me would have the coloration and "markings" (as a repeat) of the real thing. I'm also partial to velvets and velours for their furry look and feel.

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  17. I keep returning to your post as it is apparently the sole mention of JP Hagnauer anywhere on the web. It would also appear that AD' 'International Interiors' is the only publication to display his interiors.

    My interest lies in the fact that he was also a furniture designer, no doubt not on a huge scale but probably to fit requirements on his jobs.

    One such piece was a table that cropped up in the Bill Blass collection in 2003 - lot 20:

    http://www.sothebys.com/app/live/lot/LotDetail.jsp?sale_number=N07928&live_lot_id=20

    Whilst the description makes no mention of a signature, I'd bet my bottom dollar that the buyer & underbidders spotted the hand-written / scratched words - Jean P Hagnauer. This would almost certainly have been followed by a 'No. 1/2/3/5 etc.'

    The table has the feel of Philippe Hiquily - perhaps only in the use of petrified wood & metal - but it has a thousand times more charm & humour.

    Anyway, my long ramble is in hope that others might have come across works by this unusual & talented antiquaire.....

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  18. Off the List- This is most interesting. I was not familiar with Hagnauer nor his work until I saw the chapter in "Int'l Interiors". I'll keep my eyes open for other references.

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  19. Anonymous10:46 AM

    The Castaing's mansion of Leves now :

    http://www.bellesdemeures.com/annonces/achat-de-prestige/maison/leves-28/63667691.htm

    no comments...

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    Replies
    1. Wow. A far cry from what it once was. I could say something else, but I suppose I shouldn't!

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