High-Dowager Decor

A few weeks back I posted about old fashioned prints, and it reminded me of the Upper East Side home of Camilla and Carl Sorenson (published in Elle Decor, Dec/Jan '05). With the help of designer Steven Sclaroff, they set about decorating their apartment using "high-dowager decor". Inspired by the very English rooms at Chatsworth, they used a melange of old-fashioned prints; florals, stripes, and Chinoiserie prints are used together to give the apartment a slightly eccentric, slightly matronly, and altogether fresh look. What I like most about this home is that the overall design scheme gives a nod to the history of this pre-war building in a slightly cheeky way. This dowager decor will definitely grow old gracefully.

(To read my related post on old-fashioned prints, click here.)


The dining room is papered in a 1940s Chinoiserie print purchased from Secondhand Rose. The fabric on the sofa is Christopher Hyland's "Giuliana", and the armchair is upholstered in Maharam's Aria cotton velvet.


For a similar look, Secondhand Rose has this vintage Chinoiserie print on their website.


Another shot of the dining room, and a view of the living room with some fabulous gray and white cabinetry designed by Sclaroff. The armchairs' striped fabric is "Rayure Chenille" by Clarence House.


Top left: the master bedroom's sitting area with a sofa upholstered in Colefax & Fowler's Beaumont cotton-viscose fabric.
Bottom left: the dressing room with Clarence House's "Gothik Fretwork" wallpaper.

Photo at top: Another view of the living room; the sofa is upholstered in Scalamandre's "Foret" cotton.

More Cole and Son

In case you haven't had your fill of wallpaper posts this week, I thought I would include some more images of various prints by Cole and Son. They have so many wonderful designs that it's difficult for me to choose my favorites. Whether your style is traditional or contemporary, they truly have something to offer for everyone. And, I'd love to hear which ones are your favorites. Enjoy!



"Chinese Paper" , part of the Florence II collection


"Humming Birds"


"Hicks Moghul", part of the New Contemporary line


"The India Paper", part of the Richmond collection


"Raffles", part of the Richmond collection


"Catwalk", in the Classix collection


"St James Trellis"

Image at top: Glamorous, mirrored dressing room papered in "Paisley Flowers"

Fornasetti Collection at Cole and Son

Attention Fornasetti fans! Cole and Son, the legendary English wallpaper firm, has a collection devoted solely to the designs of Piero Fornasetti. Many of the designs are quintessential Fornasetti, such as "Il Sole" and "Tema a Variazoni" (seen at top). Other designs, especially some of the floral prints, are actually rather sweet- something that I would not normally associate with him. All designs are hand screenprinted and come in various colorways. And although I don't consider myself to be a huge fan of Fornasetti's work, some of these prints may make me change my mind.



"Ex Libris"- this reminds me of Brunschwig's "Bibliotheque" (which I posted about on Tuesday), but done in a more contemporary way.


"Fiori"


"Frutto Proibito"


"Il Sole"


"Malachite" -how fun would this be in a smallish sized room?


"Peonie"


"Riflesso"

Image at top: "Tema a Variazoni"

... and Trompe l'oeil Today

Yesterday I posted about the rich history of trompe l'oeil, and this artistic trick is just as popular today. Of course, painting trompe l'oeil designs on walls and floors appears to be the most popular application. For example, some people choose to paint mouldings on a wall to give the illusion of architectural features that in reality are not there. But trompe l'oeil painting is only the tip of the iceberg. There are trompe l'oeil prints on fabrics and wallpaper, and trompe l'oeil ceramics have long been popular with collectors. Here are a few examples of creative uses of trompe l'oeil.


Trompe l'oeil painted headboard (Domino 3/06; photo by Paul Costello)


Trompe l'oeil chair in a Philadelphia home (Cookie magazine)


Closeup of "Bibliotheque" wallpaper from Brunschwig & Fils. This trompe l'oeil print of a library of books was designed by famed trompe l'oeil artist (and decorator) Richard Neas.


"Le Temple des Grec" wallpaper by Studio Printworks. This print has the appearance of a wall built of blocks.


1960s Trompe l'oeil screen by Daniel Greene, available at Benjamin Storck Ltd.


Trompe l'oeil tableaux cloths by Los Angeles designer Mark Cutler


Italian ceramic bowl of Barlotti beans from Gump's

Image at top: Charming trompe l'oeil vignette at Hollyhock. The walls were painted by Paulin Paris.

Trompe l'oeil Then....

Trompe l'oeil is a French phrase which translates to "trick the eye", an apt term to describe this method of painting. The trompe l'oeil technique creates the illusion of three-dimensionality, thereby making an image look real. While there are a few examples of trompe l'oeil from Greek and Roman times, the technique did not gain popularity until the Renaissance when painters began to better understand perspective. Though it is most common to find trompe l'oeil employed by painters, this trick was also used by faience artisans to create lifelike fruits and vegetables. Even fashion designers found a place for trompe l'oeil in their designs. Elsa Schiaparelli, one of the 20th century's most innovative designers, created her iconic faux Bow Sweater, a look which designers still copy today.

(For some contemporary examples of trompe l'oeil, tune in for tomorrow's post.)


A "door" with a violin hanging from a knob. This 17th c. trompe l'oeil painting (oil on canvas) is attributed to Jan van der Vaart and is part of the collection at Chatsworth.


A Trompe l'oeil still life by Samuel van Hoogstraten, c. 1664 (collection of the Dordrechts Museum).


Asparagus faience platter, c. 1760-70. Part of the collection of the Musee des Arts Decoratifs.


Antique faience plate by J. Deutsch, circa 1774. Notice the trompe l'oeil piece of paper "resting on" a faux bois painted plate. (Plate is part of the collection of the Minneapolis Institue of Arts.)


Elsa Schiaparelli's iconic Bow Sweater from 1927.

Image at top: A trompe l'oeil painted gallery at Chateau de Tanlay, France. The architectural details are painted en grisaille and appear to be real.

An Iconoclastic Spirit

It seems to me that one trait that characterizes the legendary French designers is their confidence in their vision and style. I think that this is certainly true of famed French designer and shop owner Madeleine Castaing. Castaing's style could at the very least be described as eccentric. Inspired by 19th century antiques and interiors, Castaing strived for a romantic look (albeit a sophisticated one) that she achieved through vivid colors (blues, greens, and pinks in particular), mixing of prints, and a jumble of different styles of furniture and accessories. All together, this combination gave a room an unidentifiable style, but it was a look that seemed rather "weathered by time". Of course, Castaing's eccentricity was only heightened by her use of plastic flowers and her donning of a wig with a chin strap.

Although Castaing died in 1992, we are still able to purchase her favorite fabrics and rugs today. The rugs are manufactured by the French firm Catry and are available through Stark. The fabric is available through Edmond Petit. What I love about these prints is that although many of these designs are rather old, they still look fresh today.

"Castiglione" fabric


"Coppelia" fabric (one of my favorites)


"Rayure Fleurie" fabric (remember this from Mathilde Agostinelli's bedroom?)


"Leopard" carpet from Catry; this print was one of Castaing's favorites.


"Carrelage Castaing" carpet (this design is most of Castaing's most famous; Jacques Grange used it in a white colorway for Mathilde Agostinelli's apartment)


"Eglantines" carpet


"Feuilles de bananier" carpet


"Cachemire Castaing" carpet

Photo at top: The private bath of Castaing at her shop on Rue Jacob

A Fashionable Life: Amy Fine Collins

Fashion icons tend to live in a rather grand way, and why wouldn't they? Their sense of style and presence inevitably spills over to their homes, and more often than not, their passion for fashion is apparent throughout their domiciles. Writer and fashion muse Amy Fine Collins is one such individual. Known for her unique style and pixie-ish haircut, Collins' home is feminine, sophisticated, and chock full of references to fashion. The scrolled back lucite chair was designed for Helena Rubenstein's apartment. There are paintings and illustrations by Christian (Bebe) Berard and Marcel Vertes. Even one of the living room's rugs is attributed to Paul Poiret! It's actually rather amazing to see such a collection of pedigreed pieces. All in all, a unique home for a singular (and fashionable) personality.


A view of the living room with the Poiret rug and the Rubenstein chair.


The eclectic dining room with a Vertes painting, chairs by Syrie Maugham, and fashion sketches on the walls.


The entry, with console, mirror and torcheres by Serge Roche.


Another Vertes, this time in the form of a screen, in the bedroom. The caned cabinet is Jean-Michel Frank, which had at one time been owned by Horst.


Collins' office with a Louis XV style desk that at one time belonged to Hugh Hefner (!)

(All photos courtesy of Elle Decor)