Take Another Look at Mallett

So, day one of last week's ice storm was spent touring a neighbor's apartment. (See Wednesday's blog post.) Day two involved spending time with some Mallett catalogues, which I had been saving to read on a rainy day.  The rain never came, but the ice and snow certainly did.

I have long been familiar with Mallett's reputation as a leading antiques purveyor, but what I did not realize until recently is that Mallett deals in pieces of more recent vintage, too.  Take, for example, the François Catroux-designed console from 1970.  Then there's the Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend lantern that was designed by Matali Crasset just last year.  In fact, Mallett's contemporary arm, Meta, has commissioned a number of contemporary pieces that I believe are destined to be design classics.

Then there are the delightful objects that Mallett offers, many of which are featured in the new Objects catalogue.  See the brass and shagreen telescope in the photo below?  Would you have guessed that it was made around 1790?  And what about that whimsical silver-plated lemon squeezer?  I don't think that I have seen a practical object that has as much character as this lemon squeezer does.

Below, you can see a compilation of objects and furniture that caught my eye.  And because antique furniture continues to be Mallett's stock-in-trade, I included a few choice examples as well.  After all, every interior can benefit from an antique or two.

If you haven't visited Mallett's website in a while, it's time to do so again.  I think you'll like what you see.

A George III shagreen and brass telescope, c. 1790

Silver-plated honey jar, c. 1910, by Mappin & Webb

Set of carved bone dollhouse furniture, made in France, c. 1890

Arts and Craft-style lemon squeezer, silver-plated, c. 1890, made by Hukin and Heath

A pair of c. 1930 Table Lamps, in the Art Deco style, made in America

A set of twelve Art Deco cafe chairs, designed to look like drums and made of tole.

Chrome and smoke glass console table designed by François Catroux, c. 1970

Bespoke Diamonds are a Girl's Best Friend Lantern, 2013, designed by Matali Crasset.

A rare George III satinwood artist's table, c.1780

A c.1740 Irish mahogany card table

A George III mahogany window seat, c. 1770


All photos courtesy of Mallett.

Another Peek into the Decorators' Dorm

The beauty of living in a high-rise is that when an ice storm hits and one is trapped indoors for days, cabin fever never really strikes.  There are simply too many interesting neighbors with whom to spend time chatting and drinking wine.  Or at least, where I live, there are a lot of interesting neighbors.

One of those neighbors is David Hayes, a prominent member of the Atlanta design community.  Back in 1964, David joined Alan Ferry Designers, which eventually grew into the very successful firm, Ferry Hayes Designers.  (The firm is now known as Ferry, Hayes, & Allen.)  Now retired, David had a long and illustrious career, working as both a designer and an architect.  His training and expertise obviously came in handy when renovating and decorating his apartment, which is considered to be one of the chicest residences in my building.

But now, David is leaving our little community to move back to the house in which he was raised.  His apartment is for sale, and I had the chance to take a peek inside during last week's winter storm.  What I noticed about the apartment is that it is an effortless blend of sleek interior architecture, now-classic modern furniture, and high-style traditional pieces.  Some of the pairings and furnishings that stood out to me were: gilded consoles and mirrors paired with modern lamps; classical sculptures and bronzes; contemporary art; klismos chairs; neutral-colored fabrics; black accents; and a lot of books.  My neighbors were right; David's apartment really is quite chic.

I took numerous photos of David's apartment, which you'll see here.  If you're interested in more information, please contact broker Skeet Thomas at skeetthomas@dtpga.com

All photos taken by Jennifer Boles for The Peak of Chic; copyright of Jennifer Boles

Your Decorating Horoscope

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen my recent uploads that show decorating horoscopes for each of the twelve astrological signs. The horoscopes, which also include corresponding room schemes created by top designers, came from the 1969 House Beautiful: Your Decorating Horoscope.  The magazine was a gift from a very kind friend, and it has provided me with hours of entertainment.  I had no idea that horoscopes could be so much fun.

In addition to the horoscopes, the magazine also features a column titled, "Of Planets and Personalities". Written by Xavora Pové, a former astrologer for Harper's Bazaar, the column "divulges certain significant relationships between the birth signs and their expressions in planning decor."  I'm including some of Xavora's observations below, along with interior photos that I think sum up her predictions perfectly.

Kinda brings back memories of Sydney Omarr and Jackie Stallone, doesn't it?


Decorated Ceilings:

Palazzo Colonna, Rome

Villa Fiorentina; painted ceiling by Martin Battersby

"These have extra significance for the Aquarian, the Water-Bearer, whose symbol is the pitcher, open to that from above; for the Piscean, whose psychic, artistic, interpretive genius comes from the highest sources."


Growing Plants:

Reddish House, home of Cecil Beaton

"Sagittarians shouldn't have unreal anything. Their live plant displays may vary from the look of an Irish lea to a near-jungle. Virgo might prefer the easier care of artificial plants, exquisite ones. The Taurian needs a garden spot, live, even in an apartment. All persons born in air or water signs need growing plants about, in cool well-ventilated areas."


Special Needs:

16th-century illuminated antiphonals, hung in the Paris apartment of Pierre Delbée. The antiphonals were placed between two mirrors and mounted in stripes in chrome.

"For Pisceans: music everywhere; glass walls, but with beautiful flowing fabrics."


The Diamond Idea:

Room decorated by François Catroux

Table, collection Jean-Marie Rossi

"A basically monochrome room, enlivened by quick touches of all the colors that flash from a diamond's facets. For Aries, white; for Leo, yellow; for Scorpio, black to begin with. All showing the full spectrum in accessories."


Mirrors:

Home of designer Joseph Braswell

Bathroom decorated by Jacques Thual

"Virgos loathe being seen at less than their best, need strategically placed mirrors for frequent critical appraisal. For the Piscean, the subtle reflections given by smoky or semi-pellucid mirrors."


Portraits of one's self:

Portrait of Elsie de Wolfe in her dining room on Irving Place.

Mural depicting de Wolfe in the entrance hall of Villa Trianon; painted by Drian.

"Most Librans are so lovely they should have their portraits painted. Portraits of Pisceans ought to be impressionistic. An Aquarian's portrait should be commissioned by someone else. Leo would have a self-portrait, prominently displayed."


PS- Surprisingly, de Wolfe was not a Leo.  She was a Sagittarius.

Heading to Raleigh

I want to let you know that I'll be in Raleigh, North Carolina this Thursday, February 20th to celebrate the opening of an exciting new showroom, @Home with DT.  The brainchild of Raleigh real-estate guru and decorator, Danny Taylor (yes, of "Just Ask DT" fame,) the showroom will be comprised of both a full-service interior design studio as well as a retail shop where antiques, books, art, porcelains, and all other kinds of home accessories will be sold.

During the opening, I will be signing copies of my book.  I want to invite those of you who live in the Raleigh area to attend this event as it will be great fun.  To RSVP, please email joey@dtandcompany.com

Stay tuned for photos of both the showroom and the event, but in the meantime, here is picture of the new showroom that Danny recently sent me:

A Georgetown Classic

I was looking through my file box on Southern Design (yes, I organize my magazine clippings by region and country) when I came across this 2008 Southern Accents article on the Georgetown townhouse of the rare book dealer, Kinsey Marable.  Upon seeing this clipping again, I remembered exactly why I saved the article in the first place: antiques; books; dogs.  Marable's home was an inviting and comforting mix of all three, and I don't think it gets much cozier than that.

The house was decorated by Richard Keith Langham and his then-associate, Lindsey Harper.  Along with Marable, the trio created a home that exuded grace, charm, and elegance.  And yet, thanks to a few choice pieces of contemporary-minded, twentieth-century furniture, the house looked anything but old-fashioned.

Take a look at the photos below, and tell me that you don't want to go out and buy an antique or two, build more bookshelves, and adopt a new dog.  I'm ready to do all three.  I just don't think that Alfie would appreciate a new canine addition to our home.

All photos from Southern Accents, March/April 2008, Erik Kvalsvik photographer.

Currey & Company in NYC

I always like to support Atlanta-based companies, so I want to let everyone know that Currey & Company will be opening a new showroom at the New York Design Center.  To celebrate the big event, Currey & Company will be hosting a grand opening event on February 5.  Unfortunately, I won't be able to attend, but I'll be there in spirit.  The folks at Currey know how to throw a party, so I'm sure that a good time will be had by all.

For more information, please see the invitation above.  If you do plan to attend, please RSVP.

Family Circle Style?

A few years ago, a kind reader gave me a stash of old magazines, one of which was the December 1975 issue of Family Circle. There were a few photos in this issue that bowled me over, because they were unlike anything I had ever seen before in Family Circle. When I opened up the magazine, I was expecting women in Mom jeans (or whatever the equivalent was back in 1975) and country quaint interiors. What I saw instead was disco-era fabulous.

The photos, which you can see here, accompanied an article on black and white clothing. It wasn't really the clothing that caught my eye, although I do think the black and white jersey sweater dress looks awfully chic. Rather, it was the photos' setting that had me gaga. This interior, which was located in Chicago (that was the only information that I could find in the photo credits,) was chock full of everything that I find to be luxurious. In some photos, you can see boiserie-covered walls, while in another shot, there is a mirrored wall. The floor is covered in a rough-textured carpet, which was then layered with some kind of stylish Asian rug.  And then there is the sublime French furniture, all of which appears to be upholstered in cream and café au lait-colored  silks, velvets, and damasks.  And what about the accessories?  Lacquered Chinese boxes, rock crystal, lacquered furniture, porcelain with gilt mounts, marble-topped cocktail tables, and animal prints.  Yes, please!  I'll take it all!

The great photographer, Victor Skrebneski, shot these images, so that might partially explain their high-style setting.  But the person who decorated this Chicago interior certainly deserves credit, too, because this interior is the epitome of mid-1970s glamour.  And to think that it appeared in Family Circle.