A Billy Baldwin Bonus

And one more interior that seems oh-so-right for the summer: this Nantucket living room, which was decorated around 1980 by Billy Baldwin.  The house belonged to Michael Gardine, the writer behind Baldwin's memoir, Billy Baldwin: An Autobiography.  Gardine lived in the house with his partner, the makeup artist Way Bandy, while their friend Baldwin lived out his last years in a small cottage on the property.

I'm not bothering to show you the rest of Gardine's house, because Baldwin did not seem to be involved with decorating the other rooms.  And if you saw the other rooms, you would have wished that he had been.  Still, this room is so quintessential Billy Baldwin that I couldn't resist showing it to you.

My Idea of Real Comfort Is...

I recently found a fun 1980 House & Garden article in which top designers were asked to define comfort. Not surprisingly, most designers linked comfort to comfortable seating, including Billy Baldwin, whose Nantucket bed-sitting room, seen above, exemplified the designer's notion that comfort is "a first-class upholstered chair and everything within easy reach."

Designer Robert Lewis, with whom I'm not familiar, also believed comfort involved a well-upholstered chair, but comfort was atmospheric, too: "Wonderful fabric, herbs, flowers, good music- a place to unwind."

For Michael Taylor, comfort was "a seating arrangement that really works."  One such successful arrangement can be seen here, on Taylor's own terrace.  The wicker furniture was also designed by Taylor.

I agree wholeheartedly with William Hodgins' thoughts on comfort: "A casual stuffed sofa and a good mystery book."  I could easily relax- and read mystery novels- in this room designed by Hodgins.

No surprise that Denning and Fourcade showed rather elaborate upholstered chairs to illustrate comfort.  For Denning, it was "a chair where you can slump, put your feet up and make a telephone call," while Fourcade called for "a chair that you can sink into so that it completely enfolds you."

"Easy-to-move extra chairs that make your furniture arrangement flexible," said designer John Dickinson.  Such an important design consideration, and one that Dickinson acknowledged in his San Francisco home, above.

For Mario Buatta, comfort was linked with scent.  "A good piece of furniture, with pillows to rest your feet on- and a wonderful fragrance in the air."  In this photo of Buatta's home, you will find Freesia, potpourri, and pomander balls on the table next to the fireplace.

For Bob Patino, comfort was a soak in a "large deep tub full of hot water."

And finally, for Sister Parish, comfort meant "a room where one can relax and have tea with friends," something which, by the looks of it, she could do easily in her bedroom.


All photos from House & Garden, February 1980.

Tiptoe Through the Tulips

Through the years, the classic Paule Marrot fabric, Les Tulipes, has made appearances in quite a few well-appointed residences. Take, for example, the home seen above. Located in Bermuda, the house was decorated in the mid-1940s by Ruby Ross Wood, who chose the orange colorway of Les Tulipes for the living room's sofas and slipper chairs.

Wood's protege, Billy Baldwin, was also a fan of Les Tulipes, having used it on at least two occasions.

  

And then there was Stephen Mallory of Mallory-Tillis, who, like Wood and Baldwin before him, favored Les Tulipes, although this time the fabric was used to vibrant effect in a bedroom. (That vivid orange-red background must have been like a jolt of caffeine when viewed upon waking.)

In the 1970s, Toronto designer Robert Dirstein selected the fabric for his cozy, jewel-box library. Les Tulipes looks less floral-y when surrounded by dark painted walls, chrome, and smoked glass, don't you think?

Paule Marrot's tulips also figured prominently in the living room of this Otto Zenke-designed home in County Clare, Ireland, although here they were joined by irises and daffodils.  This Marrot print is known as Guermantes, which is still available today through Brunschwig & Fils.

In fact, Guermantes' most recent appearance was in a home decorated by Miles Redd and David Kaihoi, which appears in the current issue of Architectural Digest.  This house was located in the Bahamas rather than Bermuda, but the effect was much like it was in the Ruby Ross Wood-decorated house.  Cheery, upbeat, and fresh as a, well, daisy.  (Bjorn Wallander, photographer.)

Billy Baldwin Does Dallas

The photo above is one with which most of you are familiar. It shows the Dallas living room of the Harding Lawrences which was decorated by Billy Baldwin in the late 1960s. I first saw the photo years ago while reading Billy Baldwin Decorates, and there were two memorable things about this photo. First, the combination of those pink walls, floral print fabric, and modern artwork looks smashing. And secondly, there was some kind of color separation issue with the printing as the blue and white garniture looks strangely bleached out. (That problem seems to have been corrected in Adam Lewis' recent book, Billy Baldwin: The Great American Decorator, where the photo also appears.)

I was always curious as to what the rest of the home looked like, and I recently found additional photos in the May 1970 issue of House Beautiful. Now you know that I think Billy Baldwin was one of the greatest decorators ever. However, while the rest of the house was attractive, it seems to have lacked the punch that the pink living room had. The article did mention that when the Lawrences purchased the house, it was a dark, gloomy Tudor style house. Baldwin was charged with making the home bright and light, and that he certainly accomplished by painting walls and trim in soft, pale tones and upholstering furniture in colorful, cheery prints. Still, for me, the masterpiece of the house is that gorgeous living room, a room that ranks up there as one of the most attractive of all Baldwin's work. It just doesn't get much better than that.



In an effort to make the home feel comfortable, the Lawrences chose to forgo a formal dining room in favor of a combination dining room and library.




The sitting area of the dining room cum library with accents of sunny yellow.




When the Lawrences entertained (which, according to the article, was not often), they set up three tables to accommodate no more than twelve guests.




The "South Porch" where the Lawrences relaxed and took lunch. The cotton fabric was of French origin and made especially for Baldwin.




Mr. Lawrence's dressing room had walls upholstered in brown and white striped cotton.




The master bedroom, an oasis of beige cotton, boasted a view of Turtle Creek Park.




A view from the staircase. You can see the South Porch straight ahead on the first floor, with what I believe is a glimpse of the pink living room to the right. Note too the plaster palm torchères.


All photos from House Beautiful, May 1970.

Billy Baldwin in Color

I wasn't planning to make this week "illustration week" on my blog, but I guess it's turned out that way. Illustration is still, I believe, an important means of rendering a room, although it's a trickier endeavor than perfume ads. Oftentimes, I find myself wishing that I could see an actual photograph of a room in order to really absorb the details.

The drawings shown here, executed by artist Sheridan Kettering, appeared in the September 1948 issue of House & Garden. According to the accompanying article, all of these drawings represent interiors done by Billy Baldwin while he was still with Ruby Ross Wood, Inc. Unfortunately, there is no other information about location, homeowner, etc. I tried to find actual photographs of these rooms, but came up with nothing. So, I've typed out the captions that appeared alongside each drawing in hopes that it might help a little.

I suppose we'll have to use our imaginations to flesh out these rooms. If any of you know any other details about these Baldwin designed rooms, do tell.




Bright walls are excellent as shock value in a transition room, here in Citron Yellow, tempered by a Copper-carpeted stair. Parchment-stone floor, iron rail, black-and-gold Queen Anne clock, green plants, set the foyer atmosphere, which should be formal and architectural, but alive.




Sprout Green velveteen curtains bound this dining room with positive color blocks. Black flock paper, black tile floor create an illusion of distant walls, draw the eye to Forest Green upholstered Biedermeier chairs and mahogany table, in which an Empire chandelier is reflected. Highlighting a room's center makes for good conversation on a black-tie evening.




Varied in a man's bedroom, cold and warm blues start at the French Blue floor, climb the scale through sturdy Bright Navy to the flash of Kingfisher Blue. See how, by keeping to one color, you gain two more which in a wider palette would be overlooked: the strong brown of French Provincial walnut, the dry-textured white of the cotton bedspread.




Against quite Stone Gray, spacious in a party room, Sweet Pink cotton voile curtains and Citron Yellow leather coffee tables look festive. The modern feeling of this room depends not on furniture (Empire and Chinese-inspired) but on monotone treatment with enough space around each color note to let it register.




Quartz Pink floor and walls make the shell of this lady's bedroom. Flame cotton taffeta bed cover is for drama, the glazed chintz butterfly print curtains are for prettiness. The Portuguese chair, painted gray and upholstered in horsehair, proves that antiques can sometimes be improved on.




White moldings, picked out as elegant tracery on Charcoal Purple walls, underscore paneling and support the theory that woodwork, as the "bones" of a house, should be uniform throughout. To keep the mood of the living room restful, armchairs echo the scheme, are covered in white and Purple Heather.

Fabric Hall of Fame: Chinese Leopard Toile

Thank goodness for those great old prints that keep on keepin' on, and we have Brunschwig & Fils to thank for many of them. There is Le Lac, Les Touches, La Portugaise, and another print whose name does not begin with a le, la, or les: Chinese Leopard Toile. I've long admired this peculiar print, one in which in Chinese scenes are surrounded by intertwining red garlands, all set against a backdrop of leopard spots. I think that this eccentricity is what makes the print so charming.

I did a bit of digging, and thanks to a 1966 New York Times article, I found out that Chinese Leopard Toile was not only a favorite of Elsie de Wolfe but of Billy Baldwin too. (In the article, Mrs. Brunschwig said that Baldwin used "lots and lots" of this fabric.) I have consulted all of my books that contain de Wolfe and Baldwin interiors, and unfortunately I can't find a single photo which shows their use of the fabric. I did manage to find a McMillen Inc. designed interior in which the fabric was used on chairs and curtains, and I also uncovered a photo from an old House & Garden book.

According to the Times article, the original colorway for Chinese Leopard Toile was shades of red and blue, though a version with a yellow background was later added. Fortunately for us, both are still available. In both the McMillen and House & Garden photos below, it appears that the colorway used is different from what Brunschwig currently offers.

While I get that this print isn't for everybody, it has such an interesting history that it should be admitted to Fabric Hall of Fame- if there was such a thing. Oh, and cost of Chinese Leopard Toile in 1966? $5.80 a yard!


Chinese Leopard Toile as used by the designers at McMillen Inc.



Designer Rhoda Bright chose the print for window shades and a mattress cover.



You can see a close-up of the two colorways currently available. I pulled these two samples at the Brunschwig & Fils/Lee Jofa showroom at ADAC.

Chic It Up 1960s Style

I just received word that Winterthur's annual design conference, Chic It Up!, will be held on October 9 and 10 at Winterthur. This year's event focuses on 1960's interior design and the contributions that Henry Francis du Pont made both to Winterthur and to the design world during that decade. After all, du Pont was friends with such luminaries as Diana Vreeland, Billy Baldwin, Millicent Hearst, and Jackie Kennedy. In fact, you might recall that Kennedy appointed du Pont to be chairman of her committee to refurnish the White House, something which I'll explore in a future post.

This year's lineup of speakers includes Adam Lewis speaking on Billy Baldwin, Emily Evans Eerdmans discussing Madeleine Castaing, James Archer Abbot holding forth on Maison Jansen, and Mitchell Owens expounding on Swinging 1960s Style. I have heard both Lewis and Eerdmans speak before, and they are both interesting and engaging speakers. And although I have never had the opportunity to attend a lecture given by Abbot nor Owens, I hear that they too are most impressive. Can you imagine a better way to spend the day than to learn more about 1960s design? I can't.

Later in the day on the 10th, there will be workshops that one can attend led by Winterthur's own Maggie Lidz, Tom Savage, Jeff Groff, and Linda Eaton as well as other Winterthur historians. I have heard this group lecture before, and they too will knock your socks off. And there is even an optional tour the day before of private homes in the area including one whose dining room appeared in Thomas Jayne's recent book, The Finest Rooms in America.

Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend this year's event because of a prior commitment. I am sick that I'll miss it because the Chic It Up! event that I attended two years ago was one of the best conferences that I have ever attended- truly. This is why I urge you to make plans to attend. You really won't be sorry. And if my ebullience seems a little over the top, just know that I am not receiving any type of compensation for this plug. I am doing it solely because I think that Winterthur is one of our country's great treasures.

For more information, visit www.winterthur.org/ciu or call 302-888-4786.





The Dining Room at The Big Bend, one of the houses that is part of the optional tour. Photo courtesy of The Finest Rooms in America (The Monacelli Press, 2010) by Thomas Jayne. Photo by Kerri McCaffety.





Madeleine Castaing's Winter Bedroom at Maison de Leves that will be discussed by Emily Evans Eerdmans. Photo from The World of Madeleine Castaing (Rizzoli, 2010) by Emily Eerdmans, courtesy of Sotheby's.





Adam Lewis will speak on design legend Billy Baldwin. Photo by Horst, from Billy Baldwin: The Great American Decorator (Rizzoli, 2010) by Adam Lewis, courtesy of Adam Lewis.





The White House Blue Room as designed by Stephane Boudin of Maison Jansen. Photo courtesy of the John Fitzgerald Kennedy Library



Photo of David Hicks interior, part of the Chic It Up! banner, from from The Best of European Decoration (Reynal & Co., 1963) by Georges Bernier, courtesy of L’Oeil.

Cane and T-Abel

How could that photo above not capture one's attention, what with the Lichtenstein and the shocking red walls and bed. There's a lot going there ("there" being the New York bedroom of designer Arthur Smith, c. 1982), but what really made me sit up and take notice were the Bielecky Brothers side tables. This photo served as a (cruel) reminder that I have yet to get the Bielecky Brothers side table that I so covet. In fact, one of their cane wrapped tables would look perfect in my study with its Albert Hadley for Hinson "Trixie" wallpaper, its gray sisal carpet, and my black lacquered Parsons console. I like to think of the room as looking very Van Day Truex meets Albert Hadley with a dash of Jennifer Boles thrown in. At least, that's what I think.

According to Adam Lewis' Billy Baldwin: The Great American Decorator, we have Billy Baldwin and Van Day Truex to thank for the Bielecky Brothers' iconic cane wrapped chair, a design that was inspired by a Jean-Michel Frank piece. The two men commissioned Bielecky Brothers to make the chairs for use in various Tiffany & Co. salons, although I would venture to say that most of us probably associate the cane wrapped pieces with Baldwin's glossy chocolate brown studio apartment. Since that first chair, the line has evolved into cane wrapped tables, bookcases, and chests. One could say that these are investment pieces as they don't come cheap. But what's important to note is that they wear like iron. Atlanta designer Stan Topol has Bielecky Brothers' chairs and tables that are 30+ years old and they look good as new. You would think that he bought them yesterday!

I'm hoping that my table will look that good thirty years from now. I just need to get my hands on one first.



Van Day Truex used Bielecky Brothers chairs in his last apartment.




Mrs. Harding Lawrence (Mary Wells Lawrence) incorporated the chairs into this table setting for the book The New Tiffany Table Settings.




Angelo Donghia was an ardent fan of the line. Here, in his New York town house, he used two different styles of the Bielecky cane table.




I could have shown the Bielecky Brothers pieces in Billy Baldwin's Manhattan apartment, but I've featured those photos so many times before that I wanted to show something different. Here, in the games room of the S.I. Newhouse Jr. townhouse, Baldwin used both the chairs and the game table.




In this New York Social Diary photo of Adam Lewis' beautiful New York apartment, you can see that he too has the classic Bielecky Brothers' chairs. Fitting for the author of books on Van Day Truex and Billy Baldwin! Seeing that I admire all three men greatly (that is including Lewis), it's fitting that I want a cane wrapped piece too.




Stan Topol has Bielecky Brothers galore in his Atlanta office that recently appeared in the May issue of House Beautiful.

Top photo from House & Garden, January 1982; photo #2 from Van Day Truex: The Man Who Defined Twentieth-Century Taste and Style by Adam Lewis; #3 from The New Tiffany Table Settings; #4 from New York Interior Design, 1935-1985, Vol. 2: Masters of Modernism by Judith Gura; #5 from Billy Baldwin: The Great American Decorator; #6 from New York Social Diary, Jeff Hirsch photographer; #7 from House Beautiful, May 2011, Thomas Loof photographer.