tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post5472534079434921324..comments2024-03-28T01:39:53.154-04:00Comments on The Peak of ChicĀ®: Top Ten Fabric: La PortugaiseThe Peak of Chichttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02811933436075145329noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-26564096558914979292013-03-12T11:19:12.428-04:002013-03-12T11:19:12.428-04:00I recently wrote a blog post on the Bessarabian ru...I recently wrote a blog post on the Bessarabian rug in Brooke Astor's library. The rug and La Portugaise were originally in the drawing room designed by Sister Parish. When Albert Hadley transformed the drawing room into a library he kept La Portugaise and the Bessarabian rug because they went so well with his famous red lacquered shelves. The Bessarabian rug never made it to Sotheby's sale of Brooke Astor's estate. I have not been able to find out what happened to it. The blog is at: http://info.asmarainc.com/blog/bid/63364/The-Mysterious-Bessarabian-Rug-in-Brooke-Astor-s-Cozy-LibraryAbid Ilahihttp://info.asmarainc.com/blognoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-90418527577091740002010-12-05T17:02:43.892-05:002010-12-05T17:02:43.892-05:00When I was in high school, I had to do a fully int...When I was in high school, I had to do a fully integrated design for a home. In looking through an issue of House Beautiful, I found Mark Hampton's chocolate brown living room. I fell in love with every aspect of the room and started looking for every Mark Hampton room I could get my hands on. I only received a B on my project. "The walls are brown. Who has brown walls?" Thank you for this beautiful blog!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-47345350514725827382008-05-27T12:38:00.000-04:002008-05-27T12:38:00.000-04:00Magnaverde- The colorway you describe does not sou...Magnaverde- The colorway you describe does not sound attractive at all! (Thank goodness the rest of the sofa was worthwhile). Obviously, brown is the way to go! (And lucky you to get that sofa for $100)The Peak of Chichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02811933436075145329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-79234238002040909222008-05-27T11:18:00.000-04:002008-05-27T11:18:00.000-04:00I think of "La Portugaise" less as a masculine chi...I think of "La Portugaise" less as a masculine chintz than as a really aggresive one. Either way, though, I like it, but only in this colorway with the brown stripe. My camelback sofa had it in an orange/red/hunter green colorway that was nothing short of lurid, but considering that it had a down cushion & fretcarved mahogany legs--and, too, factoring in the fact that said sofa only cost me $100--I figured I could live with the garish fabric for a while. Turned out I was wrong. After a week, I was going crazy, so I painted the fabric red. Desperate times require desperate measures.<BR/><BR/>Obviously, designers with better taste than that of my sofa's first owner prefer the brown, but it's interesting that Keith Irvine eliminated the stripes in his curtains by careful spacing of the pleats.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-9057573168836186572008-05-23T00:57:00.000-04:002008-05-23T00:57:00.000-04:00Forgot to mention a bit about Brooke Astor's Libra...Forgot to mention a bit about Brooke Astor's Library. If you like the rug on the floor, the Kellogg Collection in Washington DC carries it.Kellogg Collectionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014348889982348539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-50134458163752341762008-05-20T22:58:00.000-04:002008-05-20T22:58:00.000-04:00It really is lovely, although I'm not sure if I co...It really is lovely, although I'm not sure if I could personally live with it. It looks fab in the Bilhuber room...Suzyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18245251599939279346noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-72243090873168936412008-05-20T20:38:00.000-04:002008-05-20T20:38:00.000-04:00Yes, good point everyone. It is a masculine chintz...Yes, good point everyone. It is a masculine chintz which does broaden its appeal.The Peak of Chichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02811933436075145329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-35476704355642839742008-05-20T20:36:00.000-04:002008-05-20T20:36:00.000-04:00Anon- I'll work on the wallpaper ;)Anon- I'll work on the wallpaper ;)The Peak of Chichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02811933436075145329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-43682607994325851422008-05-20T19:45:00.000-04:002008-05-20T19:45:00.000-04:00Exactly, it's a man's chintz. And Brooke Astor's L...Exactly, it's a man's chintz. And Brooke Astor's Library has always been my favorite room in an American home too.Kellogg Collectionhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14014348889982348539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-70447727646051227572008-05-20T18:11:00.000-04:002008-05-20T18:11:00.000-04:00in the new Charlotte Moss - there's a chintz that ...in the new Charlotte Moss - there's a chintz that looks a lot like this without the stripe - it's on a bedroom canopy. There are so many classic fabrics and reading the Moss book has reinforced to me the value in continuing to use them and not abandoning the classics in favor of the "flavor" of the month. Glad you're back - very interesting Peaks this week!<BR/>Jonicotedetexashttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06421509668956556785noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-1370036777649605822008-05-20T17:58:00.000-04:002008-05-20T17:58:00.000-04:00This is truly a timeless fabric. And it made the h...This is truly a timeless fabric. And it made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. I posted about fabrics on eBay today and the seller has some vintage French fabrics that evoke the same feeling. I almost included it in my post! Check out my post here:<BR/><BR/>http://eclecticentertaining.blogspot.com/2008/05/ebay-today-antique-fabric.html<BR/><BR/>then check out the similar fabrics on eBay here: http://cgi.ebay.com/Antique-French-Valance-Fabric-floral-bed-surround_W0QQitemZ110251926138QQihZ001QQcategoryZ38001QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItemLaura Stockett Roberts https://www.blogger.com/profile/14295399661077967738noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-86802561734544718552008-05-20T12:16:00.000-04:002008-05-20T12:16:00.000-04:00TW, yes, it is unsentimental ... it is, of all thi...TW, yes, it is unsentimental ... it is, of all things, a very masculine chintz ...An Aesthete's Lamenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620941811191294750noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-17615807820253336952008-05-20T11:41:00.000-04:002008-05-20T11:41:00.000-04:00Great shot of the Astor library...such a design ma...Great shot of the Astor library...such a design masterpiece! I hope and pray the new owners recognize the importance of such a room. Great post, such an interesting history for lovely fabric!Angie Teaterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17975223226910802319noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-60978559811034088112008-05-20T11:12:00.000-04:002008-05-20T11:12:00.000-04:00La Portugaise is an unsentimental chintz, and sure...La Portugaise is an unsentimental chintz, and surely that is what made it so attractive to the decorators on this impressive list.<BR/>Yet it must be admitted that the bold brown stripe makes it difficult to work with. Billy Baldwin eschewed piping on his seat cushions, feeling that it would interrupt the pattern in an unfortunate manner.<BR/>As a footnote: La Portugaise was surprisingly cost-priced at $8.oo per yard (in the early 1980s) but the very moment Billy Baldwin's Nantucket cottage was published, the price tripled, leading up to the stratospheric regions~ where it remains today.Toby Worthingtonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05887066048372484464noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-38758377165683889162008-05-20T10:55:00.000-04:002008-05-20T10:55:00.000-04:00Any chance the photos of Billy Baldwins Nantucket ...Any chance the photos of Billy Baldwins Nantucket house will appear here?<BR/>Love the idea of the top ten fabrics, can wallpaper be next?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-36585653968453983302008-05-20T10:12:00.000-04:002008-05-20T10:12:00.000-04:00Patricia- I think Le Lac is still one of my favori...Patricia- I think Le Lac is still one of my favorites ;)The Peak of Chichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02811933436075145329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-41054383878310629412008-05-20T10:07:00.000-04:002008-05-20T10:07:00.000-04:00Jennifer - this is one of my favorites, too. It w...Jennifer - this is one of my favorites, too. It would be in my den right now if it weren't for the Le Lac hanging in my living room.Mrs. Blandingshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06402207636108999627noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-61784194634742858532008-05-20T09:15:00.000-04:002008-05-20T09:15:00.000-04:00Courtney- I'd love to see the photo if you can fin...Courtney- I'd love to see the photo if you can find it. Having all of these books and tearsheets can be great, but trying to find specific things can be a chore! It's a problem I have often :)The Peak of Chichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02811933436075145329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-84874509624233189432008-05-20T09:04:00.000-04:002008-05-20T09:04:00.000-04:00Jan- Another good point- so many options in terms ...Jan- Another good point- so many options in terms of color. You could bring out the colors of the floral part of the print, or you could tie in to the brown stripe.The Peak of Chichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02811933436075145329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-81990552995458642952008-05-20T09:02:00.000-04:002008-05-20T09:02:00.000-04:00Aesthete- I still have not seen photos of Baldwin'...Aesthete- I still have not seen photos of Baldwin's Nantucket home. Shame on me! But you're right, a lot of people really can't stand this print. Interesting point about the print being orderly and flowery. To me that is its charm!The Peak of Chichttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02811933436075145329noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-65966314002769797832008-05-20T08:58:00.000-04:002008-05-20T08:58:00.000-04:00Jennifer, I used to have an image of Alexa Hampton...Jennifer, I used to have an image of Alexa Hampton as a teen -- from Vogue or Bazaar -- on that sofa in her parents' Hamptons home. Plus there are pictures of it in an old design book my godmother gave me. At the moment I can't find either and it's driving me crazy!<BR/><BR/>Anyway, I love the print. Great post.Style Courthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11034129367345351303noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-31188826103056553852008-05-20T08:31:00.000-04:002008-05-20T08:31:00.000-04:00Gorgeous fabric -- look at all of the colors to wo...Gorgeous fabric -- look at all of the colors to work into the whole room! Great posting -- LOVE the chair in the top photo -- just right for reading! LOL! <BR/><BR/>Jan at Rosemary CottageTeacatshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06899566893360863672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-34961211.post-21124121328521423662008-05-20T08:28:00.000-04:002008-05-20T08:28:00.000-04:00"La Portugaise" really is a splendid fabric. Much ..."La Portugaise" really is a splendid fabric. Much loved by Billy Baldwin too, who used it at his house in Nantucket, as I recall, at least in one of its incarnations. Some people have the most extraordinary aversion to it though, which I fail to understand. It is so flowery yet so orderly at the same time. Perhaps that could be part of the problem, its merging of the two.An Aesthete's Lamenthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09620941811191294750noreply@blogger.com