Pea Green with Envy

Lately, I've really been drawn to weird and unusual shades of green. Yes, it may not sound particularly appetizing, but shades like moss, loden, and pea green can be quite beautiful. Still need convincing? Well, for me, it was the room at top, designed by Mario Buatta, that made me reconsider green (usually not a favorite color of mine). Of course, the fact that Buatta covered the walls in mossy green velvet makes it a rather easy sell. I don't think I'm alone, because others were won over by Nick Olsen's room below (I'm crazy for Nick's room too, but I saw the Buatta one first).



What I've noticed, though, is that the designers who have used these odd shades tend to be quite creative in their use of it. Buatta and Carolina Irving have both chosen mossy and murky shades of green fabric to upholster walls. Miles Redd chose a lacquer finish for the olive colored walls in one of his projects. And designer Richard Adams did not hold back with his use of green- he painted the walls, upholstered the banquettes, and covered the lampshades in the same shade of green.

Bottom line- after years of bright, happy colors, maybe it's time to inject a little moodiness into our homes.

(Nick Olsen used Benjamin Moore's "Oregano" for his apartment. My friend Clinton Smith used "Kyoto Green" from Valspar in his guest room to great effect.)


A room by Miles Redd (photo from Southern Accents)


A sliver of a shot of Carolina Irving's entrance hall.


Living room of London designer Richard Adams

Call of the Wild

The blogosphere has been atwitter over the fabulous leopard print-clad room designed by Mary McDonald (in the Feb. issue of Domino)- and understandably so. This homage to Madeleine Castaing is stylish and fun. And while McDonald used the same leopard print for the walls, curtains, sofa, and armchairs, it's not animal overload. Fortunately, McDonald has not abused the leopard print, something which some people so cruelly do in the name of style (and if you need proof of this, then read my book review of "Dictator Style" for some truly terrible examples of animal prints gone bad). But I digress.

If you want to dip your toe into the sea of animal prints, you could add some leopard or tiger print pillows. Elsie de Wolfe did so at Villa Trianon, and they look quite smart against the caramel colored velvet sofas. Nan Kempner obviously thought so too.


Villa Trianon, Elsie de Wolfe's home



If you're feeling confident and want to mix your prints, you should see the apartment of writer and stylist Julie Fowler. I had to take photos from the TV as this apartment was featured in an old episode of Sheila Bridges show, so forgive the quality. Anyway, Fowler has a very small apartment, and she chose to incorporate various animal prints (something which she has always been drawn to) mixed with shots of bold color. I especially like how she has draped the ottoman with the leopard fabric. (If any of you readers know Julie Fowler, have her email me because I'd love to have photos of her apartment to show you. I think many of you will really like her home.)


Living room of writer Julie Fowler


A vignette from Fowler's home

Or, you could throw restraint out the window (like Mary McDonald), and embrace the animal print. Betty Sherrill of McMillen did, and how chic is this dining room?


(Photo courtesy of New York Social Diary)

Ashley Whittaker Design

I have really been curious about the work of New York designer Ashley Whittaker, who was named one of the Domino 10 in 2007. I could tell from the photo of her apartment that her look was tailored and traditional- but with a twist. She incorporated just enough color and pattern (and fun accessories) to make her home au courant, but she managed to maintain a classic rather than trendy look. I think that this was the hook for me! Fortunately, we can see more of her work in the February issue of House Beautiful.

The house, located in Southampton, is yet again a striking mix of color and pattern. The furniture consists of many timeless pieces, but the boring is banished with Whittaker's use of playful prints. I think my favorite room is the dining room- I love the turquoise fabric on the walls combined with the pink/coral fabric on the chairs. And, as Whittaker is a former protege of Markham Roberts, I think you can see a bit of his influence in her work, but the look is wholly Whittaker.



The cheery sunroom with lattice, wicker, and various fabrics in orange!


The use of blue in this sitting room inspired the use of it throughout the house. I like the various shades of blue- from ice blue to turquoise to navy.


A very feminine and cozy bedroom-I love that Cowtan & Tout print on the vanity skirt and the pillows.


The living room; the ottoman fabric is "Nairobi" from China Seas through Quadrille

Top images: Views of the dining room. The turquoise linen on the walls is from Quadrille; the coral linen fabric on the chairs is by Travers.

(Photography by Eric Piasecki)

Spirited Design

Well, we talked about bar carts yesterday, so inevitably my thoughts went to those cozy rooms that invite one to sit a while and have a few drinks. Evidently, one of the chicest places in which to see and be seen and enjoy some libations was El Morocco, above. From the photos I've seen, I wouldn't call El Morocco cozy, but I'm sure those zebra banquettes alone guaranteed an exciting time.

It may be a cliche, but "clubby" type rooms can be some of the most comfortable in which to relax and socialize. I think that the British excel at this look. Think rich dark woods, deep colors, and comfortable upholstered furniture. This type of room is perfect for a single malt scotch.

Or, you could go the exotic route à la White Webb. Once again, the room envelopes you, but this time the feel is a bit more Oriental (with some Western undertones). What to imbibe in this type of room? Something decadent and mysterious (any thoughts??).

And for something very American, look at the room below by Alessandra Branca. The look is clean and crisp, just like a gin martini.

Although many of these rooms below are rather different in appearance, they are quite similar in feeling: they have comfortable upholstered furniture, the fabric and pillows are interesting and inviting, and they beg for one to sit a while and relax.

The Brits:


A view of Annabel's in London. A rather hodge-podge mix of colors and fabric, yet it still looks quite inviting (photo courtesy of New York Social Diary)


I believe I've shown this photo before, but truly, could you not spend hours lounging in this room?? Room by John Stefanidis

The Exotic:

Room designed by White Webb. All of the fabric is a paisley print in cotton- how luxurious!

The American:


Design by Alessandra Branca (Southern Accents, Jan/Feb 08)

In with the Old, In with the New

A few months ago, the New York Times published an interesting article on Newport, Rhode Island society decorator John Peixinho. I was really quite curious about him as he counts the inimitable Oatsie Charles as a client. In fact, Peixinho upholstered Charles' late husband's Barcalounger in a Scalamandre Chinoiserie print. Now, how can you not like the decorator who adorns the 800 pound gorilla in the room in Scalamandre?

So it was interesting to see the recent article in House Beautiful (Jan. 08) about Peixinho's own home in Newport. The 1730 house is owned by the Newport Restoration Foundation, which strictly limits what Peixinho can do to the house (i.e.- no painting!). It seems, though, that Peixinho overcame these restrictions by filling the home with pieces that he loves, and this to me is what makes the home interesting. Amongst the Chinese export, the Hitchcock chairs, and other antiques are more modern pieces- a bright yellow Bungalow 5 coffee table, contemporary paintings, and mirrors from Ballard Designs.

It's this mix of the old and the new that I find inspiring. I've been fortunate enough to receive some early American antiques from my parents, and will inherit more some day. As much as I adore these antiques, I don't actively collect early American. But that's okay because they work with my other furniture. I'm here to suggest that with a little imagination and a critical eye, you can mix American antiques with Louis XV chairs or 1930s furniture for example. And really, isn't this the modern way of living?


The card room with the Ballard Design mirrors and newly painted Queen Anne Chairs.


Another view of the card room with a modern painting.

The Master Speaks

Many of you know that one of my design icons is the late Van Day Truex- designer, Parsons instructor, and Tiffany & Co. design director. An authority on all matters of design, Truex wrote an article in a 1946 issue of House & Garden about framing and hanging pictures (apparently something which confounded people back then as it does today).

Truex, whose living room is seen above, wrote that one should frame and hang a picture so that will "enhance, embellish, complement, and emphasize the picture". I agree. Truex preferred gold leaf and gilt frames for both modern and traditional pictures, although plain black or wooden frames were also acceptable. I think he would have approved of Kenneth Jay Lane's choice of frames for his Orientalist art:



Of course, not every picture is a fine work of art. For artwork that is more decorative, Truex said that framing could be as "entertaining and spirited as one wishes". I would say that these prints in a room by Roger Banks-Pye are definitely spirited- the geometric-patterned frames are quite striking.



Another treatment that I find quite charming is hanging pictures with decorative cord (although Truex, who was more of a purist, might not have agreed with me). You could use a simple cord, like that used by John Fowler:



Or you could go a bit more elaborate like Elsie de Wolfe did at Villa Trianon (although, to be quite honest, I can't tell if the cord is real or faux-painted):



Regarding placement of pictures, Truex advises one to hang or display the art in close proximity to one's furniture rather than up towards the ceiling. I think this vignette by Miles Redd sums up this idea perfectly:



And for a quirky spin on picture hanging, you could hang your artwork like Horst P. Horst did here, "like steps up the wall" according to H&G.

(Image of Kenneth Jay Lane from "Elle Decor So Chic")

The Mysterious Jib Door

In last week's post "Fun with Books", I showed a few examples of book-themed treatments of jib doors. A reader suggested that I devote a post to the subject of these doors, which seem to be more prevalent in Europe than they are here in the States (although there are jib doors in the Oval Office).

For those of you who may not be familiar with them, jib doors are basically disguised or concealed doors. The doors tend to be flush with the walls around them and lack any surrounding architecture, thereby creating a continuous plane. Many times the doors even have concealed hinges to further add to the disguise. Jib doors are usually given the same treatment as the rest of the walls in a room- paper, fabric, mirror, etc.

John Fowler was a designer who incorporated jib doors into many of his projects. In one of the images below, you will see that Fowler papered both the walls and the jib door with a Chinoiserie paper. But Fowler could also be quite inventive with his treatment of concealed doors. In David and Evangeline Bruce's Albany set, Fowler gave the jib door the same molding as the rest of the wall but added a trompe l'oeil painting to both the door and the wall. When one opened the jib door, the painting was revealed to be faux.

Even if you have never heard of the term "jib door", I'm sure you've seen them before. In fact, I think one of the most famous photos of a jib door has to be that above of Pauline de Rothschild opening the door in her Paris bedroom. And with beautiful wallpaper like that, who would want to mess it up with a clunky door!


This jib door at Colefax & Fowler in Mayair was cut into a large painted panel- the door became part of the artwork, so to speak.


The Bruce's dining room with the trompe l'oeil painting on the jib door.


A classic treatment of jib doors- papering both the walls and the door (located to the right of the bed). Design by John Fowler (Sudeley Castle.)


David Hicks was also a fan of jib doors. Here, he papered both the walls and the door with a marblelized paper. However, he also added a little lit vitrine that, according to Hicks' son, moved with the door. Now that's clever!


I once saw an interview with Albert Hadley in which, if I remember correctly, he discussed the concealed door in his gorgeous red hallway that led to his powder room (I believe he said that his guests usually had trouble finding the powder room!). I couldn't find any images of this, but did find a jib closet door in Hadley's guest room. Look closely- it's on the left-hand side of the room.


Jib doors in the Oval Office- a rather blah treatment of the concealed doors during Eisenhower's administration.

Pierre Bergé's Follies

You know the feeling you get when you see a room that speaks to you? A room that perfectly represents the way you want to live? Well, this is how I feel about these garden pavilions at the Parisian home of Pierre Bergé, business partner of Yves Saint Laurent. Designed to accommodate a study and a dining room, each pavilion is a glorious mix of glass and antique mirrored walls, priceless Louis XVI antiques, non-pedigreed pieces, and stylish bibelots. In lesser hands this mélange could come across as a hodge-podge, but here the look is chic, timeless, and comfortable. Now wouldn't having a study like this make work seem much less taxing?

(Image at top: the dining pavilion with a table and chairs by Gilbert Poillerat.)


My favorite pavilion- the study. The 18th c. black console by Adam Weisweiller holds a Sèvres tea service. The portrait is of Jean Cocteau.


The veranda which connects the two pavilions. The cafe table and chairs are by Diego Giacometti. And what's more classic than a striped awning?

(Images from House & Garden, Nov. 2001; photographer Pascal Chevallier)

Fun with Books

Last week we had a lively discussion on how best to display books in one's library, books by the yard, display of figurines on bookshelves, etc. I think we came to the conclusion (or at least I did) that we agree to disagree.

Despite the fact that many libraries tend to be serious rooms, there's no reason why one can't add a little humor to them. To me, well-loved and well-worn libraries are already full of life, but what's the harm in having a little fun in them too?

The image above is of a library designed by Colefax & Fowler. Some of the bookcases in the room are real, functional bookcases with chicken wire mesh doors. But look closely at the section above- it's actually a trompe l'oeil painted panel that hides a jib door. The painting of the faux books and mementos is covered in chicken wire to make it look like the real bookcases. What clever subterfuge! Here is a blurry detail shot below.



Another clever trick is to be found in the library at Chatsworth. Instead of using trompe l'oeil painting to hide a door, the late Duke of Devonshire chose to inset faux books into a door. These "books" have all types of witty titles: "Consenting Adults" by Able N. Willing; "The Endless Road" by Wanda Farr; and "Venus Observed" by Sawyer.



Or, you can just paper a wall in books like Nina Campbell did using Brunschwig & Fils "Bibliotheque" paper. One of my all-time favorite prints, this paper would look great in a small room or hallway leading to the library or on blank walls in the library.

Glorious, Glossy Red

I recently came across this image above in my copious amount of tear sheets, and I quickly remembered why I tore it out. From an old issue of House & Garden, this vignette is so chic, so glamorous, so Asian, and so perfect! But what really makes this image so striking is the glossiness of everything- nothing to me is richer looking than a high gloss, high sheen red.

I was trying to figure out how to incorporate this shot into a post, and lo and behold I found this dining room in the December issue of Elle Decor. Designed by Brian McCarthy, this shiny red room is reminiscent of my favorite vignette, no? The walls are so glossy they almost look wet! Not to mention that fabulous mirrored door in the corner- yet more sparkle. And because the entire apartment is a feast for the eyes, I'm also including a shot of the elegant and au courant living room too. You can't have too much of a good thing!





(Top image courtesy of House & Garden. Bottom two images from the December issue of Elle Decor; photographer William Waldron)

Holiday Style - Aerin Lauder

I think we've all been waiting with anticipation for the December issue of House & Garden - most especially for the article on Aerin Lauder's Long Island home. And I can say that the article does not disappoint.

We've seen the home before in a past Vogue Living, but here the home is decked out in its holiday finery. It's absolute perfection- but then, what would you expect from the impeccably stylish Lauder? Lauder pays homage to her late, beloved grandmother by using many of Estee's antiques and treasures, but what Lauder has managed to do is to give it her own youthful flair.

I won't spoil the surprise for you, but here are two photos from the spread. Don't worry- there are plenty of great shots that you'll find in the article. Enjoy!





(Images courtesy of House & Garden, Dec 07; photographer Francois Halard)