Iconic Designers- Iconic Furniture

Many times a certain piece of furniture becomes identifiable with a particular decorator. Who doesn't associate the slipper chair with Billy Baldwin? Some decorators, such as Dorothy Draper, went beyond designing furniture for specific projects and created entire collections for prominent furniture manufacturers. Many of these decorators' designs, or imitations of them, are still being produced today. And if they aren't, these coveted designs have become highly collectible. Here are just a few iconic pieces of furniture that were either designed, owned, or championed by 20th c. design legends.


Parish-Hadley Table by John Rosselli, available at Ainsworth-Noah. Parish owned an antique table of this design (see below), which was auctioned off after her death. Reproductions of this table are being made by Rosselli.


Auction catalog with photo of Sister Parish's living room on the cover; her antique red corner table is included in the photo.


"Espana" Chest by Dorothy Draper for Heritage


Ad for Draper's Collection for Heritage


Klismos chair by T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings, available through Eric Appel. Robsjohn-Gibbings' designs were heavily influenced by ancient Greece.


"Loop" chair designed by Frances Elkins; reproductions available through Downtown


Tables designed by John Dickinson, available through Antique & Art Exchange. Dickinson is most closely associated with his plaster pieces that incorporated "animal legs".


(Photo at top of room decorated by Billy Baldwin, which includes the iconic slipper chair)

Brown and Aubergine

Last week I posted on blue, red, and pink rooms, so continuing in this vein, today I'll post some of my favorite brown and aubergine rooms.

These two dark, rich colors really pack a punch, and they go a long way in creating a luxurious and warm atmosphere. I love the way the light and bright colors of fabrics and accessories play off of dark walls. If you're scared of dark colors, perhaps you should embrace them in a small way, such as in a powder room. Flat browns and aubergines are always right, but if you want a high wattage effect, then go for the lacquered look. And if Billy Baldwin embraced these dark colors, then you know you can't go wrong!

Dining Room by Richard Keith Langham; color is Flat Brown by Pratt and Lambert (photo courtesy of Southern Accents)


Room for the 2005 House Beautiful Showhouse by Joe Nye

Room at top by Mario Buatta in a custom lacquered aubergine

Hot Off The Presses- "Rooms To Inspire"

I just picked up my copy of Annie Kelly's "Rooms to Inspire: Decorating with America's Best Designers" and it's truly fantastic. If you're on the fence about getting it, I encourage you to go out and buy it! Although I have not yet had the chance to read the text, I can say that the photographs by Kelly's husband Tim Street-Porter are beautiful. There are a lot of big names in the book: Kelly Wearstler, Miles Redd, Muriel Brandolini, and Jonathan Adler. While many of the chapters focus on these decorators' homes (some of which we have already seen before), there are also chapters on colors, kitchens, and outdoor spaces, with examples from other decorators as well. I thought I would include just a few pictures because I don't want to spoil it for anyone. That said, there are so many gorgeous photographs that it was really hard to choose just three. If you've already gotten your copy, let me know what you think.



Home of Marian McEvoy


Suzanne Rheinstein's Los Angeles shop Hollyhock


Room by decorator Kerry Joyce

(All photos from "Rooms to Inspire")

Breezy Blue and White

The blue and white color combination seems so right this time of year, especially when used in outdoor living areas, sunrooms, and really any room that opens onto a patio or garden. Mary McDonald is a master of this color scheme, and taking inspiration from this outdoor room that she did, I've found some blue and white pieces that are sure to add some "crisp tranquility" to any room.


"Notions" dining chair in Josef Frank's "La Plata" Fabric, from Anthropologie


"Walko" indoor/outdoor fabric by Pierre Frey


"Delft" cachepot from Tiffany & Co.


Blue and White Chinese Garden Seat from William Wayne & Co.


Mottahedeh Blue and White Tin Plates at William Wayne & Co.

Focus on Markham Roberts

Markham Roberts is considered to be one of the brightest young decorators in Manhattan, and it is easy to see why. Roberts, who used to worked under design legend Mark Hampton, has been fortunate enough to work on some pretty spectacular residences. What I like about his work is that while his rooms are sophisticated and at times formal, they are always comfortable. While Roberts' "look" is rather traditional, he manages to add fresh, bold touches to his rooms that keep them from looking dowdy. Some rooms are lacquered with rich colors, while others are defined by interesting patterns. Texture is another thing that I always notice about his interiors, such as smooth as glass lacquered walls and floors or sumptuous, tactile fabrics. And there always seems to be an interesting mix of accessories. Here are a few photos of his portfolio, courtesy of his website. Enjoy!

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

A Well-Stocked Bar

I love glamorous bars in a home, and I'm not talking about a small tray with a few bottles of liquor laid out on it. I like a bar that is both well-thought out and well-laid out. There are so many fun things you can add to your bar: a nice variety of liquor, a great array of mixers (Canada Dry or Schweppes anyone?), beautiful glassware, and chic bar tools. Of course a bar should first be utilitarian, but the "look" of it is important too. Perhaps that is why so many designers choose to put out glass bottles of Coke on the bar rather than plastic ones! While it may not always be practical to give up precious real estate in a house to a bar, they can be a sign to your guests that they're in store for a fun evening! (For ideas on bar tools and accessories, see my post "Glamorous Imbibing" from last year.)


Miles Redd's stylish bar in his Manhattan home (image courtesy of House and Garden, Sept. 04)


Eugenie Niven designed this apartment for her father, who is the son of actor David Niven. The photo of David Niven on the bar is quite apropos (image courtesy of House Beautiful).


Dining room with bar in the Paris home of Mathilde Agostinelli, designed by Jacques Grange (image courtesy of House Beautiful, Sept. 02)

Image at top of the "ultimate" home bar by David Hicks

Rose Cumming Zebrine Wallpaper

(Photo above of Ashley Whittaker's apartment, courtesy of Domino, Apr 07)

One of my all-time favorite wallpaper prints has resurfaced! "Zebrine", a blue and white zebra print by Rose Cumming, is featured in the April Domino in the home of designer Ashley Whittaker. I first spied this print in the Jan '05 issue of House Beautiful in an article on decorator Robin Bell's apartment. According to Bell, this fabulous print was first used at El Morocco, the legendary New York nightclub.

Glamorous pedigree aside, this print is certainly a stylish but bold statement. I love animal prints, but one has to use them with restraint. All other design elements of a room- furniture, artwork, and accessories- have to be toned down when paired with such a gutsy pattern. I think that both Whittaker and Bell accomplished that in both of their homes.

(Photo of Robin Bell's apartment, courtesy of House Beautiful, Jan '05)

Striking Tablescapes

Creating the perfect tablescape can be a difficult task. It takes a certain amount of skill to create the "right mix" of objects. There are many things you need to take into consideration when creating a tablescape: Do you have objects of varying height? Do you have a mix of colors that is pleasing to the eye? Is there visual interest in your combination of accessories?

The godfather of tablescapes was of course David Hicks. In fact, it was Hicks who coined the term "tablescape". Hicks was a master of the art of arranging. His tableaux usually included interesting flowers, artifacts, and bits of his collections. Below are a few photos of tablescapes that I find to be pretty close to perfection!


Tablescape by David Hicks

Design by Anne Coyle Interiors

Design by David Netto

Design by Miles Redd

(Tablescape at top by David Hicks)

Paper Lined Bookshelves

An old designer trick is to paint the backs of bookshelves a contrasting or darker color in order to create depth and interest. This trick definitely comes in handy if you're displaying objects in the bookshelves. Remember how great Todd Romano's antique Queen's Ware looked against the black backs of his bookshelves? Another look that I'm really taken with is the use of decorative paper on the backs of the shelves. I remember seeing a room published in which the decorator (I believe Steven Gambrel, but please correct me if I'm wrong) lined the shelves with marbleized paper. The design on the paper gives such interest to plain shelves and makes them seem more dramatic. I most recently saw the paper trick again in Christopher Spitzmiller's glorious apartment which has convinced me that I should try this someday!

Todd Romano's Manhattan home in Elle Decor, Jan '07

Christopher Spitzmiller's home

Bookish Dining Rooms

I have longed admired the look of books in a dining room. The library/dining room combination is certainly nothing new, but I think it's a great way to create warmth in a dining room. On the flip side, it gives the book lover an additional room in which to store books. This room multi-functionality is perfect for apartment dwellers and for those with small homes. If you own a large home with a formal dining room, why not take a small den, turn it into a library, and then use it for informal or small dinner parties?



(image at top of Alex and Eliza Bolen's dining room; bottom image is James Andrew's dining room)

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)