Timeless Shoes...Timeless Spaces

Am I the only person who has been bored with shoes over the last few years? There was a time when I had difficulty figuring out which shoes to buy because most of them were pretty, glamorous, feminine, and made one's legs look really good. But lately? Well, not so much so. The shoes seem so, well, aggressive and frankly not very attractive. I tried- really tried- to be open-minded this season and considered buying a pair of Louboutin pumps that had that military look going on. But when I saw them in person, I realized that should I wear them, I just might be mistaken for a pole dancer- from the ankles down, of course. That, or I could possibly end up in traction. Basically, the shoes were fraught with danger.

This is why I find my mid-thirties self buying shoes that are classic. Shoes that look stylish today and that will look equally as chic next year and beyond. I'm still wearing my black suede Manolo 4" pumps that I bought ten years ago...and I still get compliments on them. It's why I bought the Roger Vivier shoes at top in both black and gray suede. I've already worn them a great deal and will continue to do so until they fall apart.

So why am I on a shoe tangent? Well, I started to think about shoes- and classics- after seeing these photos of the Paris apartment of who else? Roger Vivier. The designer and Jacques Damase created a home that was a blend of antiques and modern art and furnishings- a combination which, by the way, is now classic. There was 13th c. sculpture, Louis XVI chairs from the Palace of Rambouillet, 20th c. artwork, and Georgian silver. Quite a mix, and one that could have veered into hodgepodge territory. Fortunately, it did not, but I suppose that's not a surprise. When one buys and collects pieces (and shoes) that are more timeless than of the moment, somehow they always have a way of working with what you already own.




The spacious entrance hall had an 18th c. stone figure on one side, while on the other was "Compressions", a work by the artist César. Those uplights, left visible on the floor, add a sense of drama to the space.



More of that dramatic lighting, this time in the sitting room. The mix here includes a 12th c. Chinese goddess, a Mies van der Rohe Barcelona chair, a Coromandel screen, and red leather Louis XV chairs.



A different view of the sitting room. The rustic looking tiled floor is an unexpected choice for a room filled with refined furniture.



The Regency paneling in the dining room was scraped of its paint. Collections of Georgian silver and Creil china filled the corner cabinets



A Louis XIV Boulle table holds a South Sea Island mask and rock crystal candlesticks.



Monsieur Vivier's bedroom was painted gray. One of the more unique pairings in the home has to be the black leather bed on which a white cotton Louis XIV Provençal coverlet was placed.

(Vivier apartment photos from The Best in European Decoration)