John Fowler at the V&A

I recently had the opportunity to travel to London, and at the top of my to-do list was to see the exhibit "John Fowler: Detail in Decoration" at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Although comprising only two rooms, the exhibit was an excellent overview of John Fowler's fifty year career.

For those who may not be familiar with him, John Fowler is best known as the master of the English country look. He began his career as a decorative painter, later branching out into the field of interior design. In 1938, he joined forces with decorator Sybil Colefax to form Colefax and Fowler. Upon Colefax's death, Nancy Lancaster acquired the firm. Fowler learned a great deal from Lancaster, and although their taste was very similar, they tended to have a rather contentious relationship. As has been oft quoted, they were the "unhappiest unmarried couple in England". Fowler left the firm in 1968, and spent his later years advising on the restoration of National Trust houses.

Fowler had a deep interest in document fabrics and wallpapers and began to collect them (later leaving them to the V&A). He reproduced many of the historical patterns that he found, and these figure prominently in his work. One of his favorite document prints was "Berkeley Sprig"- a charming print of a flower against a trellis background. This print has been used in numerous Colefax & Fowler interiors. One of my favorite Fowler fabrics that was featured in the exhibit is a trompe l'oeil pattern of venetian style blinds- he used the fabric for roman shades, an idea that I just may borrow sometime.

One of the most delightful aspects of the exhibit was the display of painted furniture that Fowler either owned or used in his various projects. The painted furniture was rather simple and sometimes rustic but was thoroughly enchanting and contributed greatly to this English country look.

No exhibit on Fowler would be complete without including photos of some of his best-known rooms. Fowler's work for Mrs. David Bruce is legendary, especially his work on her London drawing room. Note the elaborate curtains, which are another hallmark of Fowler's design.

And of course, I couldn't leave out the famous yellow drawing room at Colefax and Fowler's shop/offices on Brook St. A collaboration between Fowler and Lancaster, this room ranks as one of the most iconic rooms in the history of interior design.

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!

Books, Books, and More Books!

I love design and lifestyle books, both current ones and those that are out-of-print. I am constantly looking for new ones to add to my library- the only problem is trying to find space to store all of my books!

Here are some suggestions for books to add to your design library:

Jansen by James Archer Abbott. Maison Jansen was one of the best known design firms of the 20th c. A great anthology of their work.






Van Day Truex by Adam Lewis. While Truex is best known as the former Design Director at Tiffany & Co. (he designed the classic Bamboo flatware pattern, among others), he was also an instructor at Parsons for many years . Truex also famously introduced Albert Hadley to Sister Parish, and the rest is history!


And, one out-of-print suggestion:

"My Favorite Things; A Personal Guide to Decorating and Entertaining" by Dorothy Rodgers. This is a really fun work written by the wife of composer Richard Rodgers. Includes tips for decorating one's city and country homes, entertaining guests in one's home, and generally living a swell life. Includes classic recipes such as Jellied Madrilene(!).

House & Garden Style -1936

I was recently looking through some vintage issues of House and Garden from 1936. I was struck by how modern and vibrant the rooms were, especially considering that they were designed 70 years ago! The above picture was from an ad for Armstrong Linoleum floors. Linoleum was then considered the height of chic. I love the Chinoiserie elements of the room- the Chinese red console and wall brackets, the Chinese Chippendale banister, the blanc de Chine porcelain figures, and the gold Pagoda mounted to the wall. And if that wasn't enough, the designer added a Greek key motif to the mix.

Check out another Armstrong ad below- I love the plaster palm fronds on the wall- very Elsie de Wolfe! And don't you think the white dining chairs with apple green satin upholstery is very au courant?