Homage to Tony Duquette

There has been a lot of buzz lately about the Tony Duquette-themed holiday windows at Bergdorf's (well deserved buzz, I might add). Well, a reader was kind enough to send me images of another Duquette inspired window display, this time at Downtown in Los Angeles. This exuberant homage to Duquette includes all sorts of fantastical and whimsical touches, not the least being "coral" made from red pipe cleaners (now why didn't I think of that?)! Created by Downtown partner David Serrano, this tribute truly captures the spirit of Duquette.

Six Degrees of Separation

Meg Braff used Cowtan & Tout's "Floral Toile" in the bedroom above (House Beautiful 5/06). It was also used by Markham Roberts in this bedroom:



Roberts worked for many years for Mark Hampton:



Who worked for Sister Parish and Albert Hadley



Who used "La Portugaise" fabric in Brooke Astor's Library



Which was also used for curtains by Keith Irvine



Whose favorite fabric is B&F's "Le Lac"



Which was also used by Meg Braff

Jeremiah Goodman at Belvedere

Last night was a big night in Atlanta- our resident design maven Julia-Carr Bayler hosted a wonderful party at her store Belvedere to celebrate the recent release of interior illustrator Jeremiah Goodman's book. Not only was it a thrill to see his magnificent paintings in person, but it was even more exciting to get to meet the legend himself. Mr. Goodman, who looked quite dashing in his bow-tie, was extremely gracious and charming. I know I'm gushing, but I can't help myself. I've admired his work for so long that it was a real honor to get to talk to him.


If you're in Atlanta you should try to stop by Belvedere today to view the exhibition of his paintings. Works include the rooms of Diana Vreeland, the Duchess of Windsor, Rose Cumming, and Cecil Beaton. Or, visit 1st dibs for an opportunity to purchase one of Mr. Goodman's paintings.


(For those who visit the shop in person also be sure to check out Justin Giunta's Subversive Jewelry line as well as his paintings, also available on 1st dibs. The baubles would be a perfect holiday gift- to receive, of course!).

Image at top: "Diana Vreeland, Living Room" (aka Garden in Hell) by Jeremiah Goodman. Available for purchase from Belvedere/1st dibs

Sticking with What You Love

I think that each and every one of us has one
design-related thing that we return to over and over again. For me, it's Chinoiserie. For others, it might be toile, floral prints, or painting a room chocolate brown. "It" (whatever that may be) is a reflection of our personal style and is something that we should embrace.

For Caroline Herrera Jr., it is ticking, particularly that by Ian Mankin, that is her love. Luckily for Herrera, ticking is classic, chic, and easy to work with. Still, this fabric is a common thread throughout her homes. In the image above (Domino, Spring/Summer '05), Herrera has chosen a beautiful Mankin striped print in soft shades of red to give her Madrid bedroom a feeling of coziness.

The same Mankin print is also found on a Louis XVI sofa at her country home in Extremadura, Spain (featured in Vogue Living, Fall/Winter 2007).



And another Mankin ticking on a Spanish Empire daybed



And ticking is not only loved by Herrera Jr., but by her mother as well. Here it is in a pretty shade of blue in Caroline Herrera's Manhattan sitting room (Domino, Sept '06)

A VERY Happy Holiday from Charlotte Moss

Some of my favorite holiday gifts are those that are a collection of related items- think Fortnum & Mason gift hampers or Chanel no. 5 fragrance sets. They are a great way to experience the best of the best from these retail establishments. So I was excited to see that the Townhouse has put together very stylish gift boxes filled with all types of luxurious items. Whether it is an array of linens for a hostess, a library of design books, or an assortment of chic stationery, the collections all reflect Charlotte Moss' sense of style and flair. I also read that Moss' team will assemble a custom design/lifestyle library which is certainly a gift that one would never forget! And for those of you who want to treat yourself during this frenetic time of year? What about a charm bracelet or key ring with Moss' now iconic pagoda motif!


One of my favorites: The Stylish Desk, includes some of those wonderful notepads and pencils with witty quotations, post-it notes with Moss' pagoda motif, a weekly planner, and other fun desk items.


The Elegant Hostess- includes four hand-embroidered Valombreuse linen napkins, placemats, and guest towels. Your choice of twenty different embroidered designs- lily of the valley, daisy, orangerie, etc.


The Complete Decorator- Have someone on your list who is just starting to assemble a design library? What about giving this collection of books by Moss?

The Latest and Greatest Fabrics and Trims

Houlès Trim

The devil is in the detail... but in this case the detail is divine! I've met very few trims that I didn't like, but Houlès, for me, is the ultimate. Is it the firm' s history? The fact that it is French? Perhaps it's the amazing beauty and craftsmanship. I'm particularly taken with their new Beaugency collection. I think the shapes are exquisite and modern. These are not your grandmother's tassels and trims. I also love this particular colorway- the purple and yellow look so rich together. The nice thing about many of Houlès' trims is that they're fresh looking, both in color and design. They would look great with the most traditional or contemporary of fabrics.

John Stefanidis Fabrics

I've long admired the elegant and timeless interiors of London based designer John Stefanidis. But why was his fabric line not on my radar? The gorgeous fabrics, made primarily of cotton and silks, have such rich prints. And, while many of the prints are inspired by antique prints and textiles, they seem very "right now" to me.


"Chinese Clouds" in Cobalt


"Puccini" in terracotta and blue


"Josephine" in red and gold


"Jaisilmir" in Charcoal

Mongiardino's Turkish Fantasy

Those of you who have read my blog for a while know that I have a real thing for tented rooms. I think it is the combination of coziness, exoticism, and luxuriousness that appeals to me. I came across this photo of a room designed by Renzo Mongiardino, and of course at it was a tented room, I was taken.

While working on a client's home, Mongiardino was faced with a room defined by its very high ceiling. The client was prepared to lower the ceiling to a more comfortable height. Mongiardino, however, saw this as an opportunity to create a room that was inspired by a Turkish tent that he had once seen in a Swedish museum. Not only did the tent transform "the extraordinary dimension into a correct dimension" (Mongiardino's words), but it lent the room a rather Orientalist flavor. Quite a successful, and glorious, room!

(For related posts on tented rooms, click here.)


A charming sketch of the tented room.

A Woman of Great Style

A friend was kind enough to send me the October issue of Residence magazine, a Dutch design magazine (which, by the way, is a beautiful publication). I was excited to see this article on Caroline Herrera's Upper East Side home. I don't remember seeing these images before, although they could have been published in an American magazine. Anyway, I thought I would share them with you.

Unfortunately, I can't provide a lot of commentary as I can't read the article- I don't speak or read a word of Dutch! However, I think Herrera's home is as elegant, grand, and sophisticated as she is. It just goes to show that beautiful design is appreciated around the world.

The formal (and very red) living room. A sumptuous mix of fabrics.


Herrera's feminine bedroom. Can anyone identify the fabric??


The Warhol portrait of Herrera actually seems to fit right in with the predominately traditional furnishings.


A more neutral and softer color scheme in the dining room and in the image at the right (possibly her entryway?).


A display of old family photos. I can definitely see the attractive resemblance between the child in the photo in back and Caroline Herrera Jr.

(All images courtesy of Residence, October 2007)

Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People

OK- the book we've been waiting for (and the one we're all blogging about) has finally arrived, and it certainly does not disappoint. Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People is a compilation of homes and gardens that have appeared in Vogue over the past ten years or so. And if it sounds as though it's a rehash of old articles, well, it's not exactly. There are many photos included that did not appear in the original articles.

I think that where this book excels is in its lavish chapters on European and British estates. While American design is more of my style, I can't help but be fascinated by the timeless and slightly ethereal look that many of these homes possess. Some of them even manage to make messiness look chic!

And lest you think that the entire focus of the book is European, the Americans are well represented. The homes of Marina Rust, Samantha Rosen, and Tory Burch are all featured too.


The Provence home of Janet de Botton


18th c. faience displayed in the breakfast room of de Botton's home.


The salon in photographer Francois Halard's home in Arles. The walls are covered in early 19th c. painted canvas.


The lavish Paris bedroom of Carolyne Roehm.


One of the many (and ever changing) homes of Karl Lagerfeld. This home, Le Mée, was photographed in 1990.


Classic American style is represented by Marina Rust and her family home in Maine.


Don't forget the gardens! This pavilion at the Marrakech home of Marella Agnelli was inspired by one at the home of Yves Saint Laurent.

Some Advice from Charlotte

Attention all of you Charlotte Moss fans- check out the Nov/Dec issue of Southern Accents. The magazine has a great interview with the design legend in which she dishes on designers who have inspired her (Tony Duquette and Renzo Mongiardino), favorite furniture styles, and holiday decoration. Moss also gives the reader great advice on how to live stylishly and graciously (something which in my opinion Moss has more than mastered).

I thought I would share a few of Moss' favorite fabrics, some of which are also favorites of mine. But the part I really love? Check out Moss' skirt in the photo above- it's a custom fabric that incorporates Moss' iconic pagoda motif!


"La Riviere Enchantee" by Pierre Frey


"Jardinieres and Citrus Trees" by de Gournay- a beautiful handpainted silk fabric


"Digby's Tent"- designed by Charlotte Moss for Brunschwig & Fils

Image at top: Charlotte Moss in her Manhattan shop. Photo courtesy of Southern Accents. Photographer: Brooke Slezak