Jim Thompson Silk Is Not Helping My Fabric Addiction

Seeing that I seem to troll the internet for fabric on almost a daily basis, I thought I'd end the week with some photos of Jim Thompson Silk and No. 9 Thompson's new Spring collections. There were so many fabrics that caught my eye...like that Velvet Illusion, below, which would lend an El Morocco vibe to one's room. Tiger Hills might be a great substitution for the Braquenié print that slayed me last week (the one on Jayne Wrightsman's canapé and fauteuils). And for sheer drama I included the fabulous Ayuthya, at top, because it looks pretty spectacular. So on that note, I'm off to walk my condo and find something-anything- that needs a little refreshing with some new fabric.



Velvet Illusion- a velvet spin on Jim Thompson's classic Illusion print.


Taj Mahal


Jaipur


Hopi



Kosa Pan

And from No. 9 Thompson:


Tiger Hills


Arya Vine


Jatni


Santosh

Wigs and Braids

So I read something about wigs yesterday, and that got me thinking of Madeleine Castaing. (And for those of you who are sick to death of reading about Castaing and her wig with the chin strap, I know and agree. She was so much more than that wig, but what a wig it was.) One of my very favorite Castaing rooms is the Paris bedroom of composer Baron de Banfield, which I am assuming was decorated in the 1950s or early 1960s.

I think that what strikes me about this room is the architecture. The apartment itself was in a modern building, so Castaing had to employ architectural improvisations. The designer chose to imbue the apartment with an 1830s feel (think Regency, Charles X, and Biedermeier), which explains the use of arches and columns throughout the space. Because Castaing felt the bedroom was too long, she added an arched alcove at one end with closets on either side. (Don't you love those closet doors?) A bronze Directoire bed was placed within the niche, but according to the accompanying text, it rested only halfway in the alcove. Quite honestly, it looks to me like it's pressed up against the wall, but what do I know. Still, if it was positioned the way the text says it was, it would have given the perception of depth.

Another bold design gesture was the color choice: red. An unusual choice for a bedroom certainly, but the fact that the walls were covered in red fabric might mean that the effect was more cocoon-like. But to me, the most striking aspect of this room (other than those fabulous closet doors) is the "braiding" that was used on the walls. Castaing trimmed the walls with it, and cleverly created crown molding with it as well. In the top photo, notice how she took the fabric over the edge of the ceiling.


The same fabric was used in the small hall that led from the bedroom to the bathroom. Note the criss-crossed braiding on the ceiling.


If I'm not mistaken, the braiding was one of Castaing's signature fabrics. If it looks familiar, it might be because the same Castaing fabric (or one that looks awfully similar) also made an appearance in Lisa Fine's Paris flat, featured in the current issue of Lonny.



See the fabric on the little slipper chair? Looks similar to the Castaing fabric, don't you think?

Many of the fabrics that were hallmarks of Castaing's work are available through Clarence House, including my all time favorite "Coppelia". But, for a fabric with a similar feel, there's also Cassaro's "Bergama" in Wineberry.






(Castaing photos from The Finest Rooms in France; Fine photos from Lonny magazine, Miguel Flores Vianna photographer.)

Winterthur, Part Three

As part of my Winterthur tour, I was treated to a behind the scenes tour of their textile collection. Curator Linda Eaton, who by the way is incredibly knowledgeable, took us into the bowels of the house where boxes and boxes of textiles are carefully stored. Textiles like this one- an antique English valance:


Isn't the craftsmanship amazing?

Some of my favorite pieces were the antique Indian Palampores. This one, below, is simply stunning in person. Would you believe that it's early 18th century? It's in pristine condition.



As it was in the days of Henry Francis du Pont, curtains, pelmets, and slipcovers are changed out seasonally. Winterthur has a room that's devoted entirely to curtain storage! There are racks and racks of out of season curtains, while pelmet covers are carefully hung on the wall. Many of the curtains have tags sewn into the lining identifying which season they should be displayed. I wish I had taken a photo, but I was so amazed at the sight of this space that I simply forgot!

One of the greatest surprises to me was Mr. du Pont's bedcover in the master bedroom.




Does the fabric look familiar? Remember these photos from my recent posts?




Braquenié's Tree of Life print as seen in Givenchy's country manor and Braquenié's "Le Rocher" print.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I entered Mr. du Pont's bedroom and saw this fabric. It was almost identical to the Braquenié prints I've been obsessing about as of late. Linda explained that the du Pont fabric is yet another antique Indian Palampore with the Tree of Life motif. Many of these Indian prints were copied by European textile makers back in the 18th century.

It's crazy how this print seems to be everywhere I look!




The day ended with a tour of Winterthur's Licensing group. In case you didn't know, Winterthur has teamed up with companies like Stark, Brunschwig & Fils, Kravet, Currey & Company, and others to design lines of products that have been inspired by or are replicas of items in the Winterthur collection. The paper above, a Chinoiserie print, is part of the Winterthur Collection for Stark. As lovely as this paper is, my favorite is this one:




How beautiful is that? You should visit Winterthur's website for a complete list of product partners. There are a lot of nifty things in these collections!

Sister Parish Design

Yesterday I stopped by Mrs. Howard to pick up a copy of the newly released Sister Parish Design: On Decorating and was lucky enough to meet the authors, Susan Bartlett Crater and Libby Cameron, as well as the illustrator of the book, Mita Corsini Bland. I'm sure most of you are familiar with Susan and Libby; Susan is Sister Parish's granddaughter, while Libby was a protégé of Mrs. Parish. The two joined forces a few years ago and founded Sister Parish Design, one of my favorite fabric and wallpaper lines (and I'm sure a favorite for many of you, too.) And Mita is recognized as a leading watercolorist and illustrator. All three are not only very talented, but immensely likable too.

I just started to read the book last night, and from what I've read thus far, I'm completely charmed. The text is engaging, and I am enjoying the interviews with prominent decorators as well (Miles Redd and Todd Romano, anyone?). And Bland's illustrations are simply perfection! I can already tell that this will be a favorite book in my library.

Crater and Cameron also brought a few samples of their line's new linen prints as well as a cotton print, "Bolero", which I'm absolutely taken with. Definitely check out the new prints on their website, or visit one of the showrooms which carries the line. Grizzel and Mann in Atlanta has a great selection of Sister Parish Design fabric and wallpaper. (I also want to note that the fabrics and wallpaper are hand screened in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and Westerly, Rhode Island, which only adds to their appeal.)


From bottom to top: "Desmond" linen; "Sunswick" linen; "Burmese" linen; "Dolly" linen.


"Bolero". I love the colors- brown, coral, shrimp, navy, and pale aqua.

(Images at top courtesy of Sister Parish Design; bottom two by me.)

That Print Again

I'm being haunted by Braquenié fabric. A few weeks back I posted about one of my favorite Braquenié prints, "Le Rocher", that has been retired but that does make a banded appearance in their current "Bordure Cheverny" print. (Kim Huebner of Pierre Frey was kind enough to comment that "Le Rocher" has not been permanently discontinued, only sent for a rest in the archives. Frey owns Braquenié.) You can see "Le Rocher" at top and "Border Cheverny" beneath it.

So as I was reading The Givenchy Style over the weekend, I saw the photo below of the "Châmbre d'Hélène" in Givenchy's estate Le Jonchet. The glorious fabric draped, swagged, and upholstered all over the room is Braquenié's "Tree of Life". The tree has roots of what appears to be my beloved "Le Rocher".







I'm thinking that this was a sign that 1) "Le Rocher" will be reintroduced in the Braquenié line and that 2) it will eventually find a place in my home. There's no harm in being hopeful, is there?

(Givenchy photos from The Givenchy Style by Françoise Mohrt)

Spellbound by Color

I love color in my home, but not so much in my wardrobe. (Look through my closet and you'll see a sea of black, gray, and bit of greige thrown in for good measure.) But a panoply of bright colors is usually not something to which I gravitate. Lots and lots of shocking, wild color in one room feels like getting hit in the head with an anvil. But if an array of vivid color is limited to one piece or a confined area, and if the colors are arranged in a tight, linear way, well, that's an entirely different story. An angular composition of color seems to give a semblance of order to what otherwise might be chaos; it adds a severity and an edginess to the colors which I like.

Take, for example, the fabric I've shown at top. I don't know who made this fabric, but I'm absolutely in love with it. I realize it's not for everyone, but think about this geometric print being used in a controlled way- perhaps on a seat cushion, pillow, tablecloth. It could very well bump a room from great up to fabulous. And it has the Brooke Astor seal of approval.




Think something like Harran II, Frank Stella, 1967; the Guggenheim Collection.


I think this quilt, Bittersweet XII by Nancy Crow, 1980, would be magnificent hung on the wall as artwork, especially if housed in a very minimal, contemporary space.


This Donald Brooks coat from the 1960s/70s is fabulous. The colorful bands read sophisticated, not cutesy. It's that wow piece that would make the rest of your neutral wardrobe sing.


There's a reason that this book makes appearances so often in chic interiors, and it's just not because it's about Christian Liaigre. I think it might also have to do with that cover.


Even better than the Liaigre cover is this one, American Painting by Barbara Rose.

(Unfortunately, I can't remember from which publication the photo at top was taken.)

Bring Back the 80s...

Fabric from the 1980s, that is. There are certain prints that were last popular in the 1980s- prints that were exotic in a stylized kind of way and that packed a whole lot of punch. They were aggressive, much like 80s fashion. Case in point- the fabric on the cushions and chair shown above. I've been trying to find a fabric like that for some time now, but I suppose this print has fallen out of favor. Personally, I think it's high time to bring it back.

I've had quite a few helpful readers comment about the fabric at top. Some say it was Brunschwig, while others say Braquenié or Clarence House. Regardless, it's a fabulous print. In fact, one reader from Texas who shares my favorable opinion of this fabric was kind enough to send me an old Architectural Digest article in which our beloved fabric appeared:






Another favorite print that I'm pretty sure has been discontinued is this Braquenié print, above. My parents used to have this fabric throughout their bedroom and sitting room, and I also remember seeing it used as curtains at Le Gavroche back in the late 1980s. I'd love to use this fabric on something in my home-if only it were still in production.


A Clarence House print c. 1989 (if you can see it; the photo was tiny). The blue and tan colorway makes this print seem more palatable for those not into vibrant color.

And then there is this Braquenié fabric, Bordure Cheverny, that is currently available. It's a beautiful print, but for me it's all about the banded print amongst the flowers. They need to produce that print solo. Just my humble opinion.