Decorating Dilemma

It can be a challenge to figure out what to put in a hallway or entryway. Consoles are always a great option- they tend not to take up too much room, and it's a perfect place on which to display an objet d'art, a small cluster of flowers, or a tray for keys and other detritus. But once you've chosen a console, then you've got to figure out what to place on the wall above the console. Artwork? A mirror? And what size? What a design dilemma!

An easy solution is to find a console/mirror set such as the ones I'm showing here. The scale of the two pieces match, which only leaves you with having to decide what to place on the console. If this is all a bit too matchy for some of you, you can always throw the whole look off kilter with a quirky sculpture or bibelot.




Italian polychrome mirror and console, c. 1950s, from Dragonette Limited


Wall console & mirror, c. 1950s, from Chapman Radcliff


French metal mirror and console, c. 1940s, from Ellen Ward Scarborough Antiques


Art Moderne console and mirror, French, c. 1940s, available at Retro-Modern


French console and mirror, c. 1950s, at Retro-Modern

Image at top: Italian Neoclassical Style mirror and console from Coup d'Etat Antique & Decoration

Setting the Scene

I've been thoroughly inundated with books! The Fall releases have been arriving daily at my house (what? me wait until Christmas for these goodies?), and as I write this I'm looking at a pile of about 25 books that are beckoning me to read them. When will I find the time? That I don't know, but when I can find an hour here and there to read, I try to make the most of it. So with that in mind, here are few things that to me make reading time enjoyable.

One must be comfortable while reading, and I can't think of a better chair than this one by Hollyhock. The Spencer chair is upholstered in a Velvet Strie in Slate, part of Suzanne Rheinstein's new fabric line for Lee Jofa.


Don't forget the throw! I love to read with my ivory Yves Delorme mohair throw on my lap (available at Linen Closet Online)


Of course the right light is crucial, and this floor lamp is a classic. (Le Tent adjustable floor lamp from Circa Lighting.)


I like to keep a journal and pen handy to make notes while reading, and I think this embossed journal from Charlotte Moss is particularly handsome.

Sometimes I like to drink these while reading, depending of course on the amount of concentration needed to read said book:

Vodka Gimlet
1 1/2 oz. vodka
1/2 oz. Rose's Lime Juice

Pour the vodka and lime juice into a mixing glass half-filled with ice cubes. Stir well. Strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with lime.

(Recipe and image courtesy of Southern Accents. Photographer Rex Perry)

And what would be my ultimate reading accessory? Why having one of these curled up next to me:

The Zig-Zag Table

Eagle-eyed reader Michelle has helped solve the mystery of the red zig-zag table. It is made by Leavitt-Weaver and can be ordered in custom sizes and colors (although my preference is the red). Based in California, Leavitt-Weaver is also represented in showrooms throughout the U.S. Thanks Michelle!

Can You Identify This Table?

In my recent post on Albert Hadley, I included a few photos of a red zig-zag table. The table appeared in a tableau at the offices of Paris-Hadley and in Hadley's Manhattan bedroom. This table also appeared in a 2002 Elle Decor article on Ward Denton and Christopher Gardner's apartment. A reader has asked if anyone could shed some light on the manufacturer of this chic little table. If you can help us, please let us know!

1st dibs: Picks of the Week

This week's new additions to 1st dibs are particularly good- thirteen pages filled with an array of treasures. As usual, I fancy a majority of the goods, but here are my favorites of the week. Which ones do you like?


Pair of George III Diminutive Painted Cabinets on Stand, c. 1780-90, available at Le Trianon


Firescreen by Rene Drouet, 1940s


Pair of Tortoise shell glass lamps, 1960s, at Prime Gallery LLC


Pair of Maison Bagues lamps, circa 1960s.


American Painted Dressing Table, c. 1820-35, at Kuttner Antiques


"Beach Chair", French, c. 1920, at Hollyhock


Pair of French Chairs, 20th c., at Downtown Joe Nye New York

Image at top: Pair of framed hand-painted leather panels from an 18th c. screen, at Hollyhock

Ballroom Bling

One of my all time favorite chairs is the ballroom chair. They have such grace and style, and most importantly, they can be moved around quite easily. These little gems are the perfect size and shape for all rooms- in the hall, against a wall in a living room, or in a dressing room especially. I am lucky enough to have a generous friend who gave me the classic, bamboo-style wooden ballroom chair with green and gold paint; it's perfect for my dressing table. The beauty of a wooden ballroom chair is that you can paint it to match your room. That said, if you really want to turn up the glamour, you might want to consider a vintage brass one- these are really quite elegant. And are you wondering why so many of these chairs are called "Chiavari" chairs? Well, I did too, and from what I have been able to determine, this style chair first originated in a town in Italy called Chiavari, where they are still manufactured today. (If anyone knows any additional information about this, please let us know!)


Vintage brass Chiavari chair at Coleen & Company


Pair of wooden Chiavari chairs at Chez Camille


Wooden ballroom chair from Source Perrier


More brass ballroom chairs at Thomas Brillet

Photo at top: Ballroom chair in the home of designer Krista Ewart

Bold Statements

Adding touches of red to a room is one of my favorite ways to add a little drama. I'm crazy for all shades of red, but the clear, bright tones of red are what really catch my eye. You can pick a few red accents to add to a room, like these items below, or you can go full steam ahead with red, a la Diana Vreeland's "Garden in Hell", above.


Sister Parish Chair at Hollyhock


Plastic Fantastic Rubber Lamp (the shades are rubber too!)


Blowing Rock Chair at Mecox Gardens


Red Lacquer Lamp from Gump's


Nesting tables at Benjamin Storck Ltd.


Red Albrizzi Box at Moss

Coleen & Company

Coleen & Company, located in Newport Beach, California, is a fantastic shop that sells an array of glamorous furniture and accessories. With a sharp eye for unusual pieces, designer Coleen Rider sells to some of the country's most prominent interior designers. Her store was also mentioned a few times in the June/July Domino article on designer Krista Ewart, who has incorporated some of Coleen's pieces into her own home (specifically the Blanc de Chine lamp in the bedroom and the painting in the living room).

In addition to antique and vintage pieces, Rider has also expanded into custom design. One of my favorite designs is the set of 3 hand-painted Chinoiserie panels. Seen below, these grisaille panels are just beautiful. Coleen is also planning to expand her custom offerings in the very near future with more stylish ideas. And just because you may not live near Coleen's shop, never fear- her inventory can be purchased on her website and shipped to your destination.


Vignette in Coleen & Company


Vintage Brass Chiavari Chair with Tiger Velvet Upholstery


1950's Italian Tole Console


Custom Hand Painted Grisaille Chinoiserie Panels


Blanc de Chine Bird Lamp

Illusion Tables

The drapery motif has been used on all types of furnishings: on chairbacks, sconces, and even urns. One of the most striking uses of "faux drapery" is on tables, creating tableaux that look as though they are covered in draped folds. The most celebrated of these types of tables is a galvanized tin table designed by John Dickinson. Here are a few others that have been created from contemporary acrylic as well as natural materials.


Tin and Brass Table with Draped Folds by John Dickinson, at Paul Marra Designs


Acrylic illusion table designed by John Brauer,available at Velocity


"Draped Linen" Table in Rattan by Soane


Cloudy acrylic illusion table at C. Bell Palm Beach

Photo at top: two different vignettes at the offices of Parish-Hadley, both featuring Dickinson's table

Cream of the 1st dibs Crop

I end up spending an inordinate amount of time looking through the weekly updated listings on 1st dibs, and this week was no exception, especially with the addition of so many new vendors. Here are a few of this week's picks:


Painted Italian Secretary, circa early 19thc., available at Galerie de France


Aluminum and red leather armchairs, designed by Dorothy Draper for the Fairmont Hotel, available at Sultana


Jean Picart le Doux tapestry "Lumiere d'Ete", circa 1940, at Little Paris Antiques


Sue et Mare Teaservice, 1927, at Modernism Gallery


English Brass Bar Cart, 1960s, at Buck House


Louis XV Style Fauteuils at Threshold by Kendall Wilkinson

Image at Top: Plaster Urn by Jean Michel Frank, on base by Christian Berard, 1930s, at Benjamin Storck Ltd.