Isabelle de Borchgrave for Target

Was anyone else as taken with these chair covers in today's Home & Garden section of the New York Times? According to the article, Isabelle de Borchgrave has created a new paper line for Target called "Isabelle Party" that is set to debut this month. de Borchgrave is a Belgian artist whose work is quite varied. She is best known for creating stunning paper dresses and costumes that represent the history of fashion. The collection, entitled Papiers a la Mode, was a collaboration with Rita Brown, a Canadian costume designer. de Borchgrave has also designed china for Gien and napkins and papergoods for Caspari.

The chairs covers can supposedly be sponged off and reused, and I'm assuming the same can be done to the tablecloths. I love the floral prints that de Borchgrave has designed. To me, they look a little like a Porthault print!

Paper dress from Papiers a la Mode collection (image courtesy of de Borchgrave's website)

Another paper dress from Papiers a la Mode (image from de Borchgrave's site)

de Borchgrave designed china from Gien


de Borchgrave design for Caspari

(image at top courtesy of New York Times)

Geometric Print Rugs

If you're looking for a geometric print rug that is a little tamer than those David Hicks patterns, you may want to consider one from Elson & Company. The company, which weaves Tibetan and dhurrie rugs, has a very sophisticated collection of rugs. The colors tend to be soft, and the patterns are not at all jarring. What is most exciting, though, is that Oscar de la Renta and Lulu de Kwiatkowski have both designed rugs for Elson. And for those of you who adore Lulu DK's "Chant" (myself included), you can now purchase a rug in this pattern (see image above)!

"Madison" in Sky by Lulu DK

"Manisalez" Dhurrie by Oscar de la Renta

"Pasajes Blu" Dhurrie by Oscar de la Renta

"Caceres" Tibetan by Oscar de la Renta

(All images courtesy of Elson & Company)

de Gournay Porcelain

de Gournay is best known for its magnificent handpainted wallpapers, but what you may not know is that they also create exquisite porcelain dinner services and figurines. With a factory in China that employs skilled craftsmen, de Gournay is able to manufacture porcelain much in the same way that it was produced hundreds of years ago for the East India Company. Although these reproductions are not true Chinese Export, they would certainly be a worthy addition to one's collection.

(All photos courtesy of de Gournay)

Shopping in Atlanta

A reader asked me the other day to post some of my favorite shops in Atlanta, New York, and LA. Unfortunately, I've only been to LA once, and it was so long ago that I can't remember where I went! I can, however, talk about Atlanta and New York. This week I'll post about shopping in Atlanta with an emphasis on design/home furnishings/accessories. For those of you who live in Atlanta or have visited the city, I would love for you to add your favorites to this list! Look for New York shopping next week.

Furniture/Antiques
Belvedere- 996 Huff Road. This shop, owned by Julia-Carr Bayler, has been at the top of my list since it opened almost 10 years ago. Specializing in mid-20th c. pieces, the look is glamour and elegance. No clunky furniture here. They also carry Christopher Spitzmiller lamps and Jonathan Adler pillows and ceramics.

Scott Antique Market- This monthly antiques market is legendary both in Atlanta and beyond. It's a great place to find reasonably priced antiques. There is a lot of ground to cover, so wear your walking shoes!

Travis Antiques- Galleries at Peachtree Hills. A great source for 20th c. French furniture, paintings, and accessories. This store is open to the public. Travis and Company also has a wonderful showroom in ADAC (Atlanta Decorative Arts Center), which unfortunately is to the trade only.

Interiors Market- 55 Bennett St. Comprised of numerous antiques dealers' stalls, this is a great place in which to spend half a day. Many different styles can be found here: French and English antiques, mid-20th c., etc.

Linen
Belle Chambre- 318 Pharr Road. I love this shop for beautiful table and bed linens as well as candles and soaps.

Home Accessories
Lush Life- 146 E. Andrew Dr. Great accessories such as crystal obelisks, coral, sterling silver shells, cachepots, and candles. They also create lovely floral arrangements.

Boxwoods Gardens & Gifts- 100 E. Andrew Dr. A traditional gardening/home decoration shop. Boxwoods has wonderful plants and garden urns. In addition, it's a perfect place to find a hostess gift. Great antique furniture and porcelain, too.

Beth Ann- 47 Irby Ave. Beth Ann's background is in makeup consultation and application. Over the years, however, she expanded into jewelry and accessories. Recently, she branched out into home accessories, and she carries items such as cocktail napkins, candles, and decorative items. You can also purchase furniture from Bungalow 5 from her.

This is just a *short* list as I could go on and on. Please share with me any shops that you like!

Todd Alexander Romano

I'm excited to report that Todd Romano now has a website! I have long admired Romano's interior design prowess. His "look" is what I consider to be updated traditional. He mixes traditional furnishings with contemporary ones, giving a youthful vibe to a room, and the decorative accessories that he uses are always unique and appropriate. I think that where Romano really excels, though, is in his use of color. Bold, clear colors can be found in his interiors, either on the walls as a backdrop or in his choice of upholstery and accessories.

In addition to his interior design business, Romano owns an eponymous shop on Lexington Ave. which is filled with wonderful antiques and decorative accessories. This is also the place to go if you are looking for Christopher Spitzmiller lamps and de Gournay wallcovering.

Here are a few photos of his portfolio that I got from his website (www.toddromanohome.com). And the next time you're in NYC, go to his shop. You won't be disappointed!

(All photos courtesy of Todd Romano Home)

Spectacular Beds

I adore glamorous beds. I'm not just talking about the linens but the bed itself. It seems like the ultimate luxury. While I do agree that one's bedroom should be an escape from the world, a "cocoon" so to speak, most of us tend to be quite practical and focus our energy (and funds) on the "public" rooms of one's house. This certainly makes sense as guests rarely make it past the kitchen, dining room, or living room. I thought I would share some fantasy beds that would truly be the showstopper of any bedroom.

Who does a bedroom better than Miles Redd? This iron bed has been seen in a few of his clients' bedrooms. I like the sculptural aspect of it.

This has to be my all-time favorite bed. Doris Duke bought this bed from Gimbel's, and it was part of the Doris Duke Collection auction at Christie's a few years ago. The Chinoiserie top is simply perfection!



This bed was in a McMillen room from many years ago. Although the bed is quite ornate, it is the canopy that once again makes this bed stunning.

Claus Porto Soaps

There are so many lines of soaps on the market today that the array is dizzying. How many soaps, however, are wrapped in such gorgeous packages that one hates to throw them away? That's the way I feel about Claus Porto soaps. One of the premier soap makers in the world, Claus Porto of Portugal has been making soaps since 1887. It is the soaps' wrappers, though, that I treasure (although the soaps do smell divine). The Art Deco-looking designs are originals from Claus Porto's archives. The soaps come in bar sizes, pastille sizes (perfect for one's powder room), and now in liquid soap pumps. The pumps would be a stylish addition to one's kitchen. They also make candles, but unfortunately the candle votives are not quite as decorative as the box it comes in!

Design Your Wall

The new issue of Domino refers to a website called designyourwall.com. This online wallpaper site sells a wide variety of traditional and contemporary wallcoverings. It appears to be a great source for moderately priced wallpaper. I've found a few patterns that are reminiscent of those of some higher-end lines. Of course the proof is in the pudding, and I haven't seen any of their papers in person. You can, however, order samples which would be highly advisable if you're ready to take the plunge.

Yesterday's New York Times mentioned that flocked wallpaper is making a comeback. Personally, I'm not crazy about flocked wallpaper, but this site has many options, such as this black damask on silver background paper.


This purple Royal Damask Wallpaper is a digital design wallpaper designed by David Wien of Vermont. It comes in purple, green, red, and white colorways.


For a little bit of David Hicks style, this Honeycomb wallpaper just might do the trick.

This Blue Bird wallpaper is a little reminiscent of that great de Gournay wallcovering, don't you think?

Bamboo prints might be ubiquitous (although I adore them), but here's one that's silver mylar on a white background. A little disco chinoiserie?

(All photos courtesy of designyourwall.com)

WASP Chic: C.Z. Guest

I have found an upcoming book release that has piqued my interest: Privileged Life: Celebrating Wasp Style by Susanna Salk (Assouline; February 28, 2007). Although I can find very little on the Internet about this book, I am hoping that it will focus on the colorful, traditional, and comfortable style of certain privileged Americans. Perhaps there will be photos of rooms by Sister Parish and McMillen?

In the spirit of WASP chic, I thought I would post some photos of the home of the ultimate WASP style icon- C.Z. Guest. Guest's estate on Long Island, Templeton, was designed by famed architects Carrere & Hastings. After a short time living in the manor house, the Guests moved to a "smaller" home on the property. This house, along with the manor house, were both decorated by Stephane Boudin of Maison Jansen. Guest, like so many other stylish individuals, did not continuously redecorate her home. She stuck with Boudin's work, only refreshing it over the years. The home was certainly stylish, but it was also quite warm and inviting. (Of course, if you were C.Z. Guest, you too could get away with thread-bare carpet and orchids sitting around in green plastic pots.)















(Photos from House & Garden, June 2004)

Jeremiah Goodman: A Romantic Vision

Living Room of Elsa Schiaparelli, Paris, 2002

A while back I posted on Jeremiah Goodman who is one of the premier interior illustrators of our time (see my post from Dec. 12). I have been anxiously anticipating the new anthology of his work Jeremiah: A Romantic Vision, and I'm happy to report that it has finally been released. Although I am still waiting for my copy, I was able to find some images of Goodman's work on his book publisher's website, powerHouse books. Enjoy!

Apartment foyer of Baron Jay de Leval, Mexico City, 1978

Living Room of Betsy Bloomingdale, Bel-Air, 2000

Living Room of Cecil Beaton, Redditch House, Broadchalice, Wiltshire, England, 2005

Living Room of Ivor Novello, 1949

(All photos courtesy of powerHouse Books)

Woodgrain China

Have you ever heard the saying "you can never be too rich, too thin, or have enough china"? OK, so I made this up, but I know I'm not alone in my love for china. There are so many beautiful patterns that it is very tempting to keep adding pieces to one's collection. My current favorite pattern is faux woodgrain. The faux-bois trend has been popular in furniture and garden urns for a few years now, and we are now seeing trompe l'oeil woodgrain show up on tabletop accessories.

What is interesting is that this design motif has been around for centuries. Moss carries a Nymphenburg porcelain breakfast set and platter (above) in a woodgrain pattern that was designed in 1796. The woodgrain serves as a backdrop to a trompe l'oeil etching that looks as if it has been tacked to the wood background. There is even a small "rip" at the bottom of the etching. I love how this rustic design pattern seems so sophisticated here.

For something more casual, Gump's has these hand-painted woodgrain ceramic plates.

And for outdoor entertaining, how about these melamine plates at Bongenre? The Texquite pattern is a modern-day, rustic interpretation of the Nymphenburg pattern!