Up, Up, and Away

I'm really taken with those antique and vintage balloon back side chairs. I know that the term "balloon back" is used to describe a few different styles of wooden chairs with bulbous, or balloon, shaped backs, but the ones that I like are those with back splats that resemble balloons. The design of these chairs was originally inspired by the Montgolfier brothers and their invention, the hot air balloon. Their 1783 manned balloon flight captured the imagination of the French people. Balloon mania found its way into chairs, chandeliers, toiles, and even clocks.

Balloon back chairs have a certain novelty aspect to them, one which I find to be charming. The flip side, though, is that you shouldn't add other novelty pieces to the room or the result might be too flighty (!) The same goes for the use of the iconic Ballon de Gonesse toile, a print that is really a classic. I'm not a huge fan of toile, but if I were to use it, I would leave the room's other accents rather plain and maybe even a little masculine. I guess the bottom line is that in decorating, one balloon is better than a bunch.


Image at top: Look closely in the mirror's reflection and you'll see a table surrounded by balloon chairs. Design by Melvin Dwork.




Not only do you have balloon back chairs in this Mallory-Tillis room but a balloon chandelier as well. I probably wouldn't go this far with the balloon theme, but the room does look kind of cute.




A set of four French balloon back side chairs, c. 1950, from James Sansum Fine and Decorative Art. I think they're really quite elegant.




I don't think that these are technically balloon back chairs. However, I'm slipping this shot in here because it's a chance for us to discuss that little closet bar. I love that.



Le Ballon de Gonesse, a c. 1784 toile; from the collection of Musee de la Toile.




It may be difficult to see, but the headboard fabric as well as the wallpaper (or is it fabric?) on the side wall is a balloon themed toile.




A c. 1950 French balloon table lamp from David Duncan Antiques. It might be a little off-topic, but I think it's a fun piece.


Dwork photo from House & Garden, October 1967. Mallory-Tillis photo from House & Garden's Complete Guide to Interior Decoration, 6th Edition, 1960; closet bar photo from Les Reussites De La Decoration Francaise: 1950-1960; toile bedroom photo from The Finest Rooms in France.

Jet Set with No. 9 Thompson

Speaking of travel...when I was growing up, my mother always made sure that I had a nice suitcase and garment bag as well as a cosmetic bag, jewelry roll, and dopp kit that matched. (She also drilled it into me to never wear white shoes, but that's a topic for another day.) So, with Mother's advice ringing in my ears, I'm on the hunt for new travel accessories. I love the new No. 9 Thompson collection of travel bags that are available on the Seventh Floor at Bergdorf's. The bags, cosmetic cases, and jewelry rolls all come in No. 9 Thompson's Chana print fabric or in one of their colorful silks. (No. 9 Thompson is, by the way, part of Jim Thompson fabrics.) And, the price is nice, ranging from $50-$125.

So, where will you be taking your No. 9 Thompson travel gear this summer?

















All images courtesy of No. 9 Thompson/Jim Thompson.

Joe Ruggiero for Sunbrella

I finally met Joe Ruggiero week before last. I had hoped to meet him a few years ago, but alas it was not to be thanks to an Alfie ailment. I'm so glad that this time it worked out as Joe is such a charming, knowledgeable, and affable man.

Joe hosted an event to celebrate the Spring 2011 Collection of the Joe Ruggiero Collection for Sunbrella. As much as I love the classic solid Sunbrella fabric (I used the gray awning fabric for my outdoor chairs), it's nice to see other options available. Joe's collection, inspired greatly by his travels, is made up of all kinds of fabulous woven fabrics including stripes, chevrons, and exotics. The beauty of his collection, though, is that while it's durable and easy to care for like all Sunbrella fabrics, the look and feel of it make it perfect for indoor use as well. I'm strongly considering using his Mohair-type fabric on my sofa. That way, my guests can spill red wine to their hearts' content, and all I'll have to say is, "No problem!"

PS- If anyone from HGTV just happens to read my blog, please consider bringing back Joe's show Homes Across America. Now that show made for smart TV viewing.



Germaine chair (available through Miles Talbott) covered in Deville Parfait.



Joe's Regent Chair (available through Miles Talbott) covered in Tie Dye Wren.





An indoor sofa covered in a variety of Joe's fabrics for Sunbrella.




Deville Cameo covers this chair.



I love that blue and white fabric on the rattan chair as well as the throw pillow. It's Asia II Mariner.








I took the shots above of my two favorite fabrics in Joe's collection. They are Asia II Mariner and Chevy II Marine, and both are perfect for warm weather decorating.

All images other than the bottom two courtesy of Joe Ruggiero.

Pierre Frey and Deyrolle

So, no radishes in the bunch, but I am still excited about Pierre Frey's new collaboration with Deyrolle, the renowned French house known for its taxidermy and other natural curiosities. Come September, Pierre Frey will debut a new line of cotton chintz fabrics printed with three of Deyrolle's classic botanical plates: Arboretum, Prairie, and Verger. I'm completely charmed by Arboretum and have got to figure out where I might use it. At least I have a few months to mull it over before the U.S. debut.

For more information, visit Pierre Frey's website.




Verger



Arboretum



Prairie


All images courtesy of Pierre Frey

Katie Ridder Collection Wallpaper

When Katie Ridder debuted her textile and wallpaper collection a while back, it generated a lot of interest in the blogosphere. No surprise, really, as the charming prints were a breath of fresh air. Didn't we swoon over Attendants with its turbaned men? Well, Katie is back with a new wallpaper collection that is just noteworthy as the last one.

There are a few favorite prints that have been rendered in new colorways, like Attendants which now comes in a metallic background. That's it at top. I bet those men didn't know that they would someday be placed in such a glamorous setting.




Beetlecat now sets sail against a Stone colored sea, one with a few teal waves.




Crane is a new addition to the collection. The regal looking bird is perched on a branch while keeping watch over a basket. Could it be filled with eggs? The print- which is really so beautiful- comes in Sky (soft, smoky blues) and my favorite, Birch.





Life at sea- or rather, in the sea- is captured in Crab. The crustacean and coral print comes in Coral and Fog.




And I've saved my very favorite to last. Is Wave in the Cinnabar colorway not absolutely stunning? I am dying to use this somewhere. Boy, is it good looking.




If you prefer green, Wave also comes in Moss.

Katie's website will be updated soon with these new prints which will also be available in fabrics too. And there are other colorways that are not seen here. The Katie Ridder Collection is available through Holland and Sherry showrooms as well as Harbinger in Los Angeles. I urge you to check out the papers in person; my photos don't do them justice!

The Fabric of My Life

I spent the other evening going through drawers of fabric samples. Now, don't you feel sorry for me that I wasn't whooping it up out on the town. I actually enjoy looking through memo samples, so it's a nice way for me to spend an evening. A sickness, I'm sure.



It was funny to see some of the samples that I had picked up over the years. Why did I select Scalamandre's Calabassas County? Actually, it's a great print, but I can't figure out where I thought I would use it. Frogs don't really work in my home.




I know that this is going to come as a big shock to you- I have a lot of Chinoiserie fabric samples. That Summer Hill Shangrila-Chinois Lacquer above? It kills me with its 1920s feel. Hmmm, it just might work in my dining room...




...Then again, Old World Weavers Pecheur Chinois is awfully tempting as well especially in that teal colorway. Decisions, decisions.




And stars, one of my favorite motifs? I have some of those as well. That's everybody's favorite Trixie by Albert Hadley for Hinson on the left, and Bassett Mc Nab's Rittenhouse (in glazed cotton, no less) on the right.




I'm thinking that in a previous life, I either hunted big game... Tashkent Tiger, Blues on White, by Hinson.




...or upland bird. Who knew that I had a thing for the sporting life? Sologne by Pierre Frey.




And speaking of big game, I have lots and lots of animal prints in my drawers. I've winnowed it down to a few for the photo. Grey Watkins' Trident Stripe in the background, and Rose Cumming's Tanzania and Sabu in the foreground.




Floral prints make an appearance in the sample drawers which is interesting because I don't use them often, if at all. But, give me this Jim Thompson Night Jasmine linen, and I will absolutely reconsider.



And finally, do you think that I like blue? Out of all of the colors in my fabric drawers, blue wins hands down. I wonder what that says about me? Wait, don't answer that.


I believe that most of the prints featured here are still available, although a few could be discontinued. Almost all of these fabrics came from the following showrooms: Ainsworth-Noah, Travis & Company, Jerry Pair, Grizzel and Mann, Scalamandre, Schumacher, and Ernest Gaspard.

The Kennedy Seal of Approval

By the time this blog post is published, "The Kennedys" will have debuted on Reelz channel. Based on what I've read, the miniseries isn't entirely accurate, but I admit that if I had Reelz, I would probably watch it. I think that more than anything, I'm curious how Katie Holmes portrays Jackie Kennedy.

And speaking of Jackie Kennedy, I found these two photos of her New York apartment c. 1971 when she was Mrs. Onassis. In a way, her home is what I would have expected. There are rows and rows of books and lovely antiques and bibelots. But what I might like best about these photos is the contemporary fabric used on both the sofa and the dining table. Now that is not what I expected. The fabric was designed by Design Works, a textile firm located in Bedford Stuyvesant that trained people in the craft of textile design and production. The company, created by an agency that was founded by Senator Robert Kennedy, was championed by Onassis who, in fact, recruited D.D. and Leslie Tillett to teach and mentor the Design Works employees.

The two fabrics shown here were part of a collection that Design Works created for Connaissance Fabrics. The sofa featured "Large Feather", a print evocative of African textiles that was printed on cotton duck. The colorway was black and "hot rust". The dining table was covered in "Fish Head Plaid", an exuberant geometric print of brown, white, and coral. Yes, the colors are evocative of the early 1970s, but regardless, the prints added some zing to the rooms' more traditional furnishings. As the House Beautiful article stated, they gave "an additional dimension" to the antiques and objects.

And look closely at the shot of the library. On the sofa's side table is a Coke bottle encrusted in cement and shells. It was made by John Kennedy, Jr. for his mother. A poignant piece that makes me kind of sad.





All images from House Beautiful, November 1971.