Pattern Play

For quite some time now, many of us have had a love affair with graphic prints. Perhaps we can blame it on the David Hicks revival, but the clear, strong prints were, at the time, a breath of fresh air. Today, I think we are starting to see some interesting trends develop in the way of prints and pattern.

Exoticism is once again creating a stir as evidenced by the popularity of ikats and suzanis over the last few years. Both are great, and I hope that this might lead to people rediscovering paisley and other prints with deep historical roots. Lately, I've been thinking a lot about The Gallery at The Carlyle, above, which was designed by Renzo Mongiardino. This "Turkish tea room" is exotic, albeit in a Manhattan kind of way!

Boldly mixing pattern (or perhaps mixing bold patterns!) is another trend that can be difficult to execute. The safe bet would be to add one bold piece to the mix like a wild pillow or a patchwork chair. However, look at the way designer Alidad deftly mixed various prints from his collection for Pierre Frey. No one print stands out so the overall look is a cohesive one, but achieving this does take a certain amount of skill!


"Christina" fabric by Clarence House


"Red Mermaid" Needlework pillow, inspired by an antique Cretan fabric


"Taika" salad plates by iittala, available at Vivre. The pattern was inspired by Nordic folklore.


A patchwork chaise from J. Roaman, East Hampton. The shop has garnered a lot of press for its colorful and inventive furniture.


Early 20th c. quilt from Suzanna Hamilton Antiques & Art


An elegant window display with a mix of prints and patterns designed by Alidad for Pierre Frey

Works of Art

I was flipping through the October issue of World of Interiors today and came across the most beautiful article on fabric. Two artists, Jessica Hayns and Benjamin Kempton, took various swatches of fabric and created the most fantastic objects. The inspiration behind these fabric works of art was couturier Paul Poiret's designs, which were influenced by Surrealism and Japanese art. It is interesting to see how some of these rather mundane prints have been turned into something all together quite beautiful.

The article contains many amazing images, but I thought I would share a few with you. Enjoy!


Clockwise from top: "Chinese Leopard Toile" by Brunschwig & Fils; "Tea Introduction" by Rubelli; "Manchuria" by Vervain; "La Vie Chinoise" by Clarence House; "Satsuma" by Vervain


Clockwise from left: "Coralli 1" by Dedar; "Jacob Embroidery" by Jed Johnson Home; "Reef Figured Velvet" from Brunschwig & Fils; "Coralia 3489004" from Gaston & Daniela; "Diaghilev" by Clarence House


Clockwise from top: "Blue Print" by Bennison; "Flora" from Sister Parish; "Poppy" by Jed Johnson Home; "Burma" from Sister Parish; "Faux Bois" from Jed Johnson Home; "Block Flowers" from Designers Guild


Clockwise from top: "La Gloire de la Mer" from Grey Watkins; "Aphrodite's Treasure" in brown and blue colorways, from Brunschwig & Fils; "Medallion" from Jed Johnson Home with "Cabana" fringe from Donghia; "Corallo" from Grey Watkins with "Cabana" fringe from Donghia


Clockwise from top: "Bahamas Multicolor" by Gaston & Daniela; "Leopard" from GP&J Baker; "Zebra" and "Ocelot", both by GP&J Baker; "Alderney" from Colefax & Fowler; "Homage to Rose Cumming" by Jean Monro; "Alderney" from Colefax & Fowler


Chairback: "Bizarre" from Scalamandre with "Kiribati Feather Trim" from Color de Seda. Chairseat and top chair skirt: "Romeo e Giulietta" by Dedar. Bottom chair skirt: "Perroquet" from Nina Campbell.


Top row: "Tarascon" by Christopher Moore
Middle row: Left- "Tumbleweed" by The Silk Gallery; Right- "Daphne Ikat" from Madeline Weinrib and "Diva" from Chase Erwin
Bottom row: "Jardin" by Kenzo and "Province" by Scalamandre

Image at top: "Honshu Antracita" by Gaston & Daniela

Cecil Beaton Fabric

I've always admired Cecil Beaton. This creative force was a photographer, a diarist, a costume designer, and a set designer (have I left anything out???). He was also known for his amusing line drawings, some of which appeared in his books.

So, I was quite thrilled when a reader informed me about the Cecil Beaton Fabric Collection. According to the website, the prints, drawn by Beaton in 1948, were commissioned by Zika Ascher for his couture fabric line. Many of the prints are produced in linen, cotton, and silk fabrics as well as wallpaper (the prints also come in various colorways).

I'm crazy about "Ashcombe Stripe". This is not your everyday striped fabric, especially as you can see the drawn lines in the stripes. And what about "Beaton Rose"? If the color shown below is too graphic for you, then you must look at the Mink colorway on the website- it's very creamy and subtle. I'm also drawn to the "Beaton Pansy" (below). To me, it's a little reminiscent of a Porthault print. What do you think?


"Beaton Rose" and "Ashcombe Stripe"


"Beaton Rose" "Ashcombe Stripe" and "Pelham Check"


"Beaton Pansy"


"Beaton Bloom" "Ashcombe Stripe" "Pelham Check"



"Beaton Tic Tac Toe"



Image at top: Cecil Beaton at Reddish House

The Classics II

A continuation of my series on classic design. See The Classics I for further reading.

The Saladino Lamp


Designed by John Saladino, this lamp is so simple and so perfect. And the fact that it has been in production for over 30 years just goes to show that many times it's the simple things, and the simple designs, that have staying power.


Le Creuset Dutch Oven


Not only is this Dutch (or French) oven stylish, it is the perfect vessel for beef bourguignonne and winter stews. And what's more timeless than the orange Flame color?


The Parsons Table


Legend has it that the Parsons table was conceived by students at the Parsons School of Design in Paris and their lecturer Jean-Michel Frank. Again, another simple design. This Parsons side table, available at Apsara Interior, was from the estate of saloon singer Bobby Short.


"Bowood" print


Discovered by John Fowler at Bowood House in the 1950s, this charming chintz is one of Colefax & Fowler's most popular and enduring prints.


"Blue Canton" China


This Mottahedeh pattern, inspired by blue and white Chinese Canton ware, is so versatile. The bonus? You can wash it in the dishwasher!

"Chou Chou" print


This classic Sister Parish design is available in both wallpaper and fabric. A tasteful way of injecting some pizzazz into a room.


"The House in Good Taste"

The Elsie de Wolfe book that has inspired generations of designers (and ghost written by Ruby Ross Wood).

Porcelain Prints

Novelty prints- those prints whose themes are so unique that they can't be categorized- often get a bad rap, and sometimes rightly so. Many times the prints are cutesy, childish, strange, or just plain bad. One type of novelty print that does at times catch my eye is that which depicts porcelain. Perhaps it's my love of porcelain that draws me to these prints, but porcelain prints can be quite lovely.

Take Manuel Canovas's "Ming" linen (above)- to me, this print is quite sophisticated. Or "Precious Cargo" by Scalamandre- this wallpaper could work quite well in the right (traditional) home. A drawback to these prints? Be careful- porcelain prints can veer into twee territory quite quickly.


A powder room designed by Elaine Griffin. The plate print fabric on the walls is by Stroheim.


"Precious Cargo" wallpaper by Scalamandre


"Francie & Grover" fabric by Carleton Varney. I know many of you are thinking "Is she for real?". Yes, this is a little too cute and corny, but someone with a great sense of humor (and a love of Staffordshire dogs) could definitely pull this one off.


"Sheffield" wallpaper by Thibaut. To me, this is a versatile and fresh print.


The entrance hall at Haseley Court, Oxfordshire- the home of Nancy Lancaster. Notice the chair with the blue and white porcelain fabric, as well as real blue and white porcelain displayed through out.


This glazed chintz which depicts porcelain, tables, and umbrellas is modern, graphic, and crisp. And to think that David Hicks designed this room!

Image at top: Manuel Canovas's "Ming" linen on the walls of the Creel apartment (photo from Elle Decor, photographed by Simon Upton)

Design Weakness- Prints

As I've mentioned before (perhaps to ad nauseam), my weakness is for prints. Sometimes I think that I've never met a print that I didn't like, although in actuality there are a lot of ugly prints out there too and I definitely don't like those! My problem is that there is never enough room in which to use all of these printed wallpapers and fabrics that I like. Yes, you can mix and match prints but you have to have a trained eye, and to be honest, I'm not quite there yet. So, in the meantime, I just collect photos of these prints and hope that one day I will be able to use them somewhere.

Here are a few of my current favorites. What are yours???


Mauny "Draperie Marie Louise" wallpaper. I love this trompe l'oeil design.


"Castiglione" fabric from the Madeleine Castaing Collection


"Oasis" fabric by Scalamandre


"O'Marra" fabric by Scalamandre. I think I'm drawn to the color combination here.


Zuber wallpaper, no. 30023- another glorious trompe l'oeil print. Notice a theme here?!

Image at top: A home designed by Diamond Baratta. Very disparate prints used in this room, but the color scheme ties them all together and creates some harmony.

Exotic Fabrics

For many centuries, the exoticism of such far-away places as Asia, the Far East, and Russia captivated Westerners. This fascination is quite evident in much of the decorative arts that were produced in the 18th and 19th centuries. Although we now have a more accurate picture of these once distant lands, the traditional pictorials are still charming. So, in that vein I thought I would post some fabrics which capture the spirit of the exotic.


"Diaghilev", linen & cotton, by Clarence House


"Manchuria" by Vervain


"Jahangir" cotton by Lee Jofa


"Kipling" linen/cotton in Ebony by Lee Jofa


"Beauport Promenade", glazed chintz, by Brunschwig & Fils

Image at top: A 19th c. blue and white ceramic plate depicting an Indian scene; collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum

The Classics

Trends may come and go, but there are certain "things" that never go out of style- and thank heavens for this! I have no issues with indulging in current fads- I'm guilty of having displayed the ubiquitous coral! But decorating your home entirely with trend-driven items is not the way to achieve a timeless look. Who wants to spend the time and money reupholstering a sofa a year from now because the chosen fabric is no longer stylish?

Fortunately for us there are many timeless pieces that have stood the test of time. Here are but a few classics that are always appropriate and always stylish.

(Stay tuned for future Classics posts...)

Classic Candle:

Yes, the heady scent of Rigaud candles is evocative of the go-go years of the 1980s, but there's no denying the allure of Rigaud. They were, after all, the preferred candles of Diana Vreeland.

Classic Lighting:

The swing-arm lamp was first introduced to the marketplace by George Hansen. Such a simple yet innovative idea. If you've ever used one, you know how handy (and stylish) these lamps truly are.

Classic Linen:

Alright, it seems a lot of people don't "get" Porthault prints. Some say they're too matronly and too old-school. Well, what's wrong with that? Jackie Onassis and Wallis Simpson certainly didn't have a problem with it. Trust me, once you get hooked on Porthault, there is no going back!

Classic Flatware:

"Bamboo" flatware by Tiffany & Co. First introduced in 1961, this legendary pattern was designed by Van Day Truex who, in my opinion, was a classic in his own right.

Classic Fabric:

"Les Touches" by Brunschwig & Fils. A graphic take on the animal print. I once read where Geoffrey Beene swathed an entire room in this fabric!

Classic Chair:

The slipper chair, seen often in interiors by the Billys (Baldwin and Haines).