Give Me The Night

One reason why I fancy 1970s-era issues of Architectural Digest is because each issue usually featured at least one decorated-for-night apartment.  Often bijou in size and typically located in Manhattan, these jewel-box spaces epitomized Seventies nocturnal swank.  Rooms in these apartments tended to be drenched in dark, daring color and accessorized with reflective surfaces- namely, brass.  And "nice" furnishings, like antique chairs and floral-print fabrics, often mingled with accents that, in some apartments, could be a little "naughty."  Mirrored ceilings, anyone?

But it's the nighttime atmosphere of these apartments that captivates me most.  These were not the kind of rooms in which to stay home and watch, oh, say "Starsky & Hutch."  These were rooms meant for sophisticated entertaining, either as the evening's main event or as a precursor to late-night disco dancing.  Although he was singing about nocturnal cavorting, George Benson's lyrics to "Give Me The Night" might also describe the appeal of the seventies-era nighttime apartment:

You need the evening action
A place to dine, a glass of wine
A little late romance

And with that song now stuck in your head, I give you an early-1970s Manhattan apartment, decorated by Joseph Braswell.  Some of the décor might be a tad dated-looking, but the slick, stylish touches more than make up for that.

All photos from Architectural Digest, May/June 1973, Norman McGrath, photographer.

House Tour: The New York House of Benjamin Garber and William Kennedy

What to do when your work schedule is so hectic that it leaves you little time to prepare a blog post? You scramble to find photos of a house so attractive that you don't have to devote much time to writing text.

Now that I've gotten that off of my chest, I'll get on with the gist of this blog post. The upper Westchester County, New York house you see here belonged (or, perhaps still belongs) to designers Benjamin Garber and William Kennedy of William Kennedy Associates. Built in 1968, the 7,000-square-foot house was composed of quite spacious rooms, which were decorated in that dignified style so characteristic of mid-twentieth-century, high-end design.  By dignified, I mean that the house was appointed with fine fabrics, formal, antique furniture, and exquisite porcelains, all set against a backdrop of sophisticated, harmonious color.  And although the house could be deemed polite (a compliment in my book,) there is nothing stuffy about this house.  Warmth and comfort are much in evidence, with just enough dazzle to keep things interesting.

Also interesting is the information provided by the 1974 Architectural Digest article, in which these photos appeared.  According to the text, Kennedy once worked for Syrie Maugham, and both men took over her U.S. operation in the 1950s.  The interview for this article must have been lively, with much banter about Kennedy's former employer.  I'll leave you with this exchange between the two men, in which both share their thoughts on Maugham:

"She was the greatest gal I've ever know," says Mr. Kennedy.  "Venemous," says Mr. Garber, "but the most charming girl that ever walked into a parlour.  Whatever she did, she insisted on quality."

"She sold the worst things in the world," says Mr. Kennedy.  "But she made them look like quality," says Mr. Garber, "and that is magic that few people do well." 

P.S.- Does this room, above, remind you of the work of designer Michael Greer?



Photos from Architectural Digest, Jan/Feb 1974, Charlotte Brooks photographer.

Modern Meets Traditional

Variations on a modern theme. That's how a 1940 issue of House & Garden described the Sutton Place apartment, seen here, of socialite Mrs. J. Cheever Cowdin. Decorated by Virginia Conner, who was also the decorator of Henry and Clare Boothe Luce, the apartment appears as if right out of a sophisticated late 1930's movie. Like many of that era's cinematic Manhattan apartments, Mrs. Cowdin's home is, on the whole, traditional, polished, and fitting for a lady of society.  And yet, there is nothing dowdy about this apartment, something which can be attributed to Conner's choice of high-style, glamorous, and, for that time, modern accents.

If you look at the apartment's most traditional room, the pine-paneled library (which, quite frankly, looks a little squashed by the room's low ceiling), you'll find the traditionalism relieved by beige corduroy-covered armchairs. In fact, throughout the apartment, Conner used shades of beige, white, and blue to help lend a clean, modern feel to the home. Mirror can be seen throughout the apartment, especially in the foyer, where it covered walls, and in the dining room, where it was applied to the top of the dining table. And there are even accents that remind me of Syrie Maugham, especially the foyer's palm-frond plaster table.

When I look at these photos, I can't help but think of the movie Laura, in which Gene Tierney plays the title role.  Like Mrs. Cowdin, Laura also lives in a traditional-yet-glamorous Manhattan apartment.  I'm reminded of the scene in Laura's apartment in which Dana Andrews, who plays a detective, refers to Laura as a dame.  A disgusted Waldo Lydecker, played by Clifton Webb, admonishes the detective and then asks, "Is this the home of a dame?" 

I think it's safe to say that Mrs. Cowdin's apartment, like that of Laura, was definitely not the home of a dame.

According to the magazine article, the living room was awash in blonde tones.

The glamorous dining room had soft gray-blue walls, while the dining chairs were covered in pinky-beige leather.

Mrs. Cowdin's bedroom was a symphony of blues.  The walls were painted light blue, the bed was covered in blue and white satin, and the rug was midnight blue.

The apartment's foyer certainly made quite a statement.  In addition to the mirrored walls and plaster console, the black and white rubber floor added to the space's decorative drama.

Also located in the foyer was this butterfly clock.  A variation on a modern theme, perhaps?

Old World Weavers

A recent windfall of late Seventies issues of Architectural Digest and Southern Accents provided me with another windfall: a clutch of Old World Weavers advertisements. As you know, Old World Weavers, the luxury textile firm, was founded by Iris Apfel and her late husband, Carl, in 1950.  Although now owned by Stark, Old World Weavers remains a to-the-trade source for traditional, dignified fabrics, such as crewelwork, embroidered silk, and damask.  So, in addition to being a fashion maven, Iris Apfel is also an authority on textiles and the decorative arts, an expertise that seems to be humorously suggested in the photo above.

The advertisements, which I have included below, are quintessential Iris Apfel.  A maximalist streak runs throughout them, with layer upon layer of sumptuous fabrics and trims (by Old World Weavers, of course,) porcelains, singerie, and antique furniture.  I assume that the ads were photographed in the Apfels' Manhattan apartment, because if you compare the ads to more recent photos of their apartment, you'll see they have much in common.  Luxury, abundance, and a flair for the dramatic characterize their home as well as their advertisements. In fact, that description could also be applied to Apfel's lauded fashion sense, too.

But really, what excites me the most is how an advertisement manages to capture most everything that I- and likely many of you- admire about traditional decoration.  Chinese porcelain, braided tassels, blue opaline glass...how often do we see these now-underrated furnishings presented in such exalted light?  The answer is, unfortunately, not often enough.

A shot of the Apfels' living room.

Another view of the living room.

The Apfels' library, as featured in Architectural Digest

Iris Apfel in her living room, which was photographed for Architectural Digest




Photos #1, #3, and #5 from Rare Bird of Fashion: The Irreverent Iris Apfel, Eric Boman author and photographer; #7 and #9 from Architectural Digest, June 2011, Roger Davies photographer

A Fantasy of a Flower Room

I don't mind black and white photography, but there are times when I find it maddening.  Take, for the example, the photos of this gem of a flower room, which was painted in trompe l'oeil.  How can one truly appreciate trompe l'oeil paintwork without seeing its colors?

Despite these limitations, the photos, which appeared in Classical America IV, still manage to capture the room's immense charm.  According to the accompanying text, the room, which was located off of a residential garden and used for flower arranging, was painted by decorative artist Hight Moore.  (No mention is made of where in America this room was located nor when Moore painted it.)  Together, the artist and the homeowner conceived a space where the Rococo style- or, at least, a trompe l'oeil version of it- runs rampant.  Other than an existing door frame, chair rail, and single half-round molding at the ceiling, the architectural embellishments have been painted on by Moore.

Of course, what the photos don't capture are the colors that Moore used, so I'll simply quote from the article:

Against the white of the walls, the trompe l'oeil architectural details, i.e., the dado, cornice, ceiling panels, etc., are in a pale mauve, with the actual door frames and back splash of the sink in faux marbre of mottled lilac.  The rocaille-and-vine motifs are in a strong green, as are the rocaille frames of the two reliefs, the one over the door and the other over the sink.  The details of the reliefs are white, like the stove, against a soft terra cotta background which echoes the brick floor.

So there you have it- a flower room whose sense of fun and fantasy is evident, even when presented in black and white. 

More Classic America...

Speaking of Classic America, I hope you'll join me tomorrow night for an ICAA-sponsored lecture on classical architecture, which will be presented by Birmingham-based architect James Carter.

The details can be found above, but for more information or to register, please visit the Southeast Chapter of the ICAA website.

Breakfast Tray Chic

Thank you to the Scully & Scully catalogue for reminding me that the world hasn't completely gone to hell in hand basket. Its numerous pages filled with photos of folding bridge tables, hardboard place mats, wooden breakfast bed trays (similar to the one above), and other traditional niceties always bring me comfort, for they make me realize that some people in this world continue to appreciate such things.

Speaking of breakfast bed trays, there was a time when the morning meal often required its own set of dining accoutrements, including china and linen made especially for use on a breakfast tray or a small breakfast table.  If you read any of the 1930s and 1940s-era design magazines, you'll find numerous articles written for the bride, advising her of the household inventory she would need to run her home efficiently and entertain properly.  Along with luncheon china and luncheon linen, dinner china and dinner linen, and tea sets and tea linen, breakfast china, referred to as "luxuries" in a 1936 House & Garden article, was often recommended for one's "breakfast repertory".  Needless to say, brides were encouraged to own a lot of china and linen.  (Don't even get me started on the recommendations for bed and bath linen.  The lists for these were endless!)

Although not a bride, I, too, have breakfast china (Porthault's Trèfles pattern), a large breakfast tray, and a set of breakfast tray linen, which consists of one mat and two napkins.  I wish that I could say I use these daily, but instead, it's more like a Sunday occurrence.  If only my life were leisurely- and if I had staff- then perhaps my weekday breakfast repertory would be far more luxurious than it currently is. 

Singer and actress Julie London, photographed in bed with her breakfast tray by Slim Aarons.

Truman Capote's Porthault breakfast set, sold at Bonhams in 2006.

Mario Buatta created this dining-in-bed vignette for Tiffany.

Wooden breakfast bed tray from Scully & Scully

Another Slim Aarons' breakfast-in-bed photo, this one of Mrs. Saunderson of Montecito.

Brooke Astor's breakfast china by Hammersley & Co., sold at Sotheby's in 2012.

Vintage Madeira pink breakfast set from D'Anjou Linens

 An elegant bed vignette, courtesy of Tiffany & Co.

A 1940 Léron linen ad, which shows their charming "Bouquet" table linen.  The linen was available in luncheon sets, tea sets, and breakfast sets.