Frederick P. Victoria & Son

Have you ever wanted a touch of Elsie de Wolfe in your home? Or wanted to channel the cool elegance of Babe Paley? Well, you can do that, in a way, with furniture from the venerable firm Frederick P. Victoria & Son. F.P. Victoria has been in existence since the 1930s, and their clientele has included design and style icons alike- Billy Baldwin, Cole Porter, Duchess of Windsor. Fortunately, F.P. Victoria has maintained an extensive archive of their custom pieces, many of which are named for the particular client. I also believe that some of the items are inspired by famous pieces.

Below are some of the designs that F.P. Victoria currently lists on their website. I've tried to include what information that I could, but for those of you who are well informed about de Wolfe, Maugham, Porter, and the like, I would appreciate it if you could share with us any additional information. I know that I'm quite curious!

Elsie de Wolfe

Elsie de Wolfe side table

Cole Porter


Cole Porter side chair


Baldwin/Porter Coffee Table

Syrie Maugham


Syrie Maugham model reproduction Louis XV step magazine table

The Windsors


Chippendale style Chinoiserie Bookcase


The original- George III style japanned etageres from the collection of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor


Windsor Hurricane Lamp, originally made for the Windsors by F.P. Victoria in the 1950s

Babe Paley


Paley Venetian Mirror, based on a mirror sold to Babe Paley in the 1960s.

Image at top: Elsie de Wolfe mirrored bench after a Serge Roche design for de Wolfe

The Mysterious Billy Baldwin Painting

I first spied this great oil painting of two dogs in the book "Billy Baldwin Decorates" (see above). Baldwin had displayed it in his fabulous, glossy brown living room. Then, in an Elle Decor article from a few years ago on decorator James Andrew, the painting reappeared! This time, it was hung in Andrew's pale blue Manhattan living room. Imagine my surprise when, a few days ago, I was reading a magazine and came across "the painting" in an ad for Lars Bolander's shop. Did Andrew purchase the painting from Bolander and the photo in Bolander's ad was a few years old? Or, did Andrew sell the painting to Bolander? Perhaps a more plausible answer is that the original painting had been copied? Any insights that one could share would be much appreciated!


Photo of James Andrew's apartment, courtesy of Elle Decor


Photo of Lars Bolander's shop

Quadrille Fabrics

As Spring and its promise of warmer weather is right around the corner, now is the perfect time for you to reevaluate your interior and consider lightening things up. Out with the wools and in with the cotton and linen! Billy Baldwin suggested having two sets of slipcovers made for upholstered furniture- one set for summer and one for winter. While this may seem a bit extravagant, Baldwin had a point- who wants to spend the warm weather months lounging around on a pile of wool pillows?

The most appropriate fabrics for Spring and Summer are, in my opinion, cotton and linen. Why not change out those heavy curtains for some breezy linen panels in a solid color? And to add dash to your room, how about having some pillows made in a graphic- print linen or cotton? Some of the best summery graphic prints around are by Quadrille. Here are a few that would look great in a beach house and a city apartment:


"Saya Gata" in Orange on Linen by Alan Campbell at Quadrille


"Deauville" in French Blue by Alan Campbell at Quadrille

"Textura" in French Blue on Linen, China Seas Collection at Quadrille

Image at top is "Ziggurat" in Brown in Linen/Cotton, China Seas Collection at Quadrille

(All images courtesy of Quadrille Inc.)

Billy Baldwin: The Master

Billy Baldwin. What more do I need to say? Very few decorators can hold a candle to this master of interior design. His style could be quite contemporary, but he was just as comfortable with the traditional idiom. Many of his interiors were masterful displays of bold color, while others were outfitted in chic beige. I think the greatest compliment that can be given to Baldwin, though, is that his rooms were timeless.

I consistently leaf through "Billy Baldwin Decorates" for inspiration. I can see myself living in so many of the interiors, especially those that still seem so fresh today. Part of me leans toward his colorful interiors, such as the rooms of the legendary La Fiorentina or the pink living room of Mollie Parnis Livingston. My minimal side is drawn to the quite chic of Mrs. Gilbert Miller's living room. And what about drama? Well, Baldwin accomplished that too in the living room of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Eastman. Is it any wonder why Billy Baldwin is still so au courant today?



Blue and White Living Room at "La Fiorentina"

Snappy pink and white living room of Mrs. Mollie Parnis Livingston



Chic, chic, chic living room of Mrs. Gilbert Miller (my favorite!)

Deep, dark drama in the living room of Mr. and Mrs. Lee Eastman

Classic Carpet

Have you ever noticed that there are design elements that pop up over and over in interior decoration? Certain books ("Cabinet of Natural Curiosities" and "Best of Flair" ), fabrics (Lulu DK's "Chant" and Clarence House's "Tigre Velours") and furniture (Frances Elkin's Loop Chairs and Billy Baldwin slipper chairs) have all joined the pantheon of classic design.

There are also classic carpet patterns, too, that are favored by many decorators. One such pattern (and also one of my favorites) is "Antelope" by Stark Carpet. The combination of the subtle animal print and the neutral colors makes it a winner. Todd Alexander Romano learned about the pattern from C.Z. Guest, who told him it was perfect for hiding muddy paw prints.

Room by Todd Alexander Romano



Room by Jan Showers

Leopard print carpet is another classic. Stark makes a great one, although other carpet companies have leopard prints as well. Makes me think of Elsie de Wolfe!

Worn leopard print in C.Z. Guest's estate.

And finally, no post about carpet would be complete without including David Hick's designs (such as those at top). These geometric prints have graced many a floor and are always the focal point of a room.

David Hicks rug in a Steven Gambrel room

Nan Kempner: American Chic

The hot ticket in New York is currently the Nan Kempner exhibit at the Costume Institute at the Met. Nan Kempner was known as being the consummate fashion plate during her lifetime. She amassed quite a large wardrobe, much of it consisting of Yves Saint Laurent haute couture. It is no wonder that the Met considered the collection to be "art", and they were lucky enough to have had her wardrobe bequeathed to them after her death.

I was recently rereading "Billy Baldwin Decorates" and came across some photos of The Kempner's bedroom that had been decorated by Baldwin. While it is not necessarily one of my favorite Baldwin rooms, there is certainly much to look at. What is so striking is the amount of fabric used in the room. There is the shirred cream-colored muslin that covers the wall, the contrasting patterned fabric used on the headboard and bed, a floral print used on the sofa and chairs, and more. Baldwin writes that he chose to cover tables with fabric in order to create a sense of "restfulness". There are few sharp edges in this room.

Kempner chose later to work with decorator Michael Taylor, whose work was reminiscent of Frances Elkins and Syrie Maugham (both of whom strongly influenced Taylor). Taylor was considered to be the creator of the "California Style" of interior design, characterized by a lot of white and beige. Interestingly, Taylor was the chosen decorator of Kempner's parents, the Schlesingers of San Francisco (who incidentally had also employed Frances Elkins during her lifetime).

From the photos I have been able to find, it looks like Taylor tempered the casual California look and injected it with some New York high style. While much of the color scheme is neutral, the rooms were warmed up with traditional touches, such as the Coromandel screen. Kempner was known for her "casual" Sunday night spaghetti suppers, where friends and family could casually drop in. Can you imagine a more elegant setting in which to eat spaghetti????

Jeremiah Goodman

Jeremiah Goodman is considered to be one of the finest illustrators of interiors. Known for his watercolors and gouaches, Goodman made a name for himself with his interior renderings for decorators, celebrities, and Lord & Taylor. Goodman has painted the rooms of Billy Baldwin, Michael Taylor, Diana Vreeland, and Greta Garbo.

Now in his eighties, Goodman is finally getting the recognition that he so deserves. There is a new book, Jeremiah: A Romantic Vision, which is a compilation of some of his finest works. Coinciding with the release of this publication, there is also an exhibit of his works at Bergdorf Goodman (through December 31).

I found a few images of his work on the internet. The first work is "Tearoom at the Colony Club, by Elsie de Wolfe", which was painted in 1985. The second painting is "Jeremiah Goodman's East Hampton Living Room" (1967).

A few years ago, I was able to acquire two paintings that I believe were done by Goodman (Goodman always signed his paintings using his first name- Jeremiah- only). They are very simple renderings when compared to those above. As he did illustrations for Lord and Taylor catalogues and advertisements, I wonder if that might have been the purpose of my Goodmans?

More Classic Design Books

Here are a few suggestions for classic books that would be great additions to any design library:


"Decorating is Fun!" and "Entertaining is Fun!" by Dorothy Draper. What can I say? Draper was the consummate cheerleader of decorating- one who taught women (and I'm sure many men too) that a lovely home was accessible to everyone. All it took was ingenuity and enthusiasm. In addition to the witty prose, there is also a lot of practical advice that is still pertinent today.





"The Finest Rooms by America's Greatest Decorators" edited by Katherine Tweed. First published in 1964, this book contains essays by the top decorators of that time- Billy Baldwin, Mcmillen Inc., Rose Cumming, and Michael Taylor. Great photos too!



"Tiffany Table Settings", published in 1960. I love this book, especially as it was the book that started my collection. There are photos of table settings designed by socialites and decorators. Included are tables designed by Billy Baldwin, Van Day Truex, and Valerian Rybar.

Classic Room No. 1- Billy Baldwin

I had to share with you photos of one of my very favorite rooms- Billy Baldwin's living room.

I think the dark brown walls are so rich and are especially enhanced by the simple cream- colored slipcovers on the furniture. The Coromandel screen adds just the right dash of Chinoiserie flair. I am also a fan of the oil painting of the dogs which was displayed above his sofa (some of you may recall a spread that appeared in Elle Decor a few years back- it was the apartment of decorator James Andrew, who had bought this very same painting!). Of course, there are the classic Billy Baldwin brass bookshelves (first designed for Cole Porter, I believe) that, coupled with the right lighting, gave real warmth to the room. All in all, an example of decorating perfection!