Interior Illustrations

One of the downsides of interior design is that the fruits of a designer's labor are not always permanent. We are fortunate enough to be able to see paintings created by the Old Masters, sculptures by Rodin, and furniture by Thomas Chippendale. But how many rooms designed by Elsie de Wolfe are left for us to view? Or what about that fabulous Cole Porter apartment designed by Billy Baldwin? Of course, photographs are one way in which to immortalize these important rooms, but a more artistic (and charming) method is through painting these interiors. Interior illustrations and renderings have been a popular form of interior documentation through the centuries, and fortunately for us the internet (and design blogging) has introduced many people to this art form. Take for example Anne Harwell of Annechovie, a talented painter whose renderings have been scooped up by most of us (myself included!).

Many designers have chosen to have their work painted. Denning and Fourcade, the late legendary designers who embraced "le gôut Rothschild", had many of their homes captured in paintings. Designer David Easton and painter James Steinmeyer recently auctioned off the contents of their New York home Balderbrae, and included were interior paintings by Steinmeyer. And Charlotte Moss is a notable collector of interior paintings. Isn't it great that these artistic gems are just as popular as ever?

For posts on Jeremiah Goodman and his interior paintings, click here.



A painting of Robert Denning's Manhattan apartment (image courtesy of Doyle New York)


A rendering of Denning and Fourcade's Paris apartment (image courtesy of Doyle New York)


James Steinmeyer's painting of Balderbrae's porch, c. 1992 (image courtesy of Doyle New York)


James Steinmeyer's painting of the Leather Room, Chatsworth, c. 2004 (image courtesy of Doyle New York)


Here is an interior illustration in my collection. Unfortunately, I can't read the artist's name as it was faintly written in pencil.

Image at top: Another painting of Robert Denning's Manhattan apartment (image courtesy of Doyle New York)

Bold Borders

According to son Ashley Hicks, one of David Hicks' favorite design tricks was to outline the edges and corners of a room with a contrasting braid or paper (Hicks also liked to apply similar borders on window treatments and upholstered furniture too). The effect is one that is bold and graphic- it visually reinforces the shape of the room. Ruthie Sommers used a similar idea in a room she designed for her husband (above). Wanting to make the room look like it was "tied up like a package", Sommers chose a Hicks style paper for the walls and painted a dark, wide border around the edges of the walls. What intrigued me most about this decorating "device" (to use the words of Ashley Hicks) is that it was used in the former royal palace Kew Palace (England) during the late 18th/ early 19th c. In Princess Elizabeth's room (below), the walls are covered in a green verditer wallpaper, and a Greek key border outlines each wall. How interesting to see this type of decoration used in a historical home, in a mod sixties room, and in a 21st c. California home.


A graphic room designed by David Hicks


Another Hicks designed room; the walls are covered in a blue woolen fabric and the outline is achieved using black braid.


Princess Elizabeth's bedroom at Kew Palace

(Photo at top of Ruthie Sommers' Santa Monica home; courtesy of Cottage Living)

From the Entertaining File...

I'm sure I'm not the only one who clips articles on entertaining. While my style of entertaining may not be as elaborate, I do think the fantasy aspect of these articles is quite inspiring. One can take a few ideas here and there and create a party that is totally chic. Or, at the very least, the photographs may encourage someone to stop worrying about what he/she doesn't have and to just throw a darn party!

This Domino article on editor Tori Mellott's Christmas party (make that a Festivus party) is really quite clever. The idea was that someone can host a fab party for not a lot of money. Now, here in the dog days of summer, the thought of holiday parties may seem a little much. I for one am not worrying about holiday entertaining right now. That said, the decor and the details make these photographs fun to look at- an entertaining feast for the eyes!

To see how another design diva entertains, visit my post on Mary McDonald's Christmas party.


A view of Mellott's living room. I love her red sofa!


A stylish bar. I also like how Mellott has framed her intaglios and prints.


A tray filled with smoking accoutrements.

(Images from Dec/Jan 07 Domino; photos by Marcus Nilsson)

A Young Woman's Apartment

When I was going through my tear sheets the other day, I came across this apartment that was featured in Quest magazine a few years ago. The owner was a young woman in Manhattan who was starting a career as a clothing designer. To me, this apartment is so perfect for a young woman. It's youthful but sophisticated with a little bit of spunk thrown in to the mix.

The walls of the living room are a deep turquoise- a color that is a little unusual but completely dramatic. In order to keep the room from looking too dark, the floors are painted in a white and brown checkerboard pattern. For some shots of color, orange, yellow and brown are used to great effect. And the wallpaper in the entry! I think this particular print (can someone tell me what it is?) provides a little maturity to the apartment. All in all, a pretty great apartment for a lucky young woman. What do you think?













(All photos from Quest magazine; photographer: Fernanda Gilligan)

A Whimsical Approach to Design

A little humor never hurt anyone, and the same can be said for design. A light-handed approach needs to be taken when injecting whimsy into a design scheme. Too much and it might look like you live in a fun house. With this in mind, here are a few fun finds that combine humor and style!


"Spangle" fabric in pink, from Andrew Martin at Lee Jofa


"Family Silver" fabric from Lee Jofa


"Bulldog on Pillow", Meissen, available at Moss


Four Panel Screen with monkeys, c. 1950, available at J.F. Chen

Image at top: "Sans Souci" lamp from Brunschwig & Fils

Budget Living

A few ways to get the look for less (or at least slightly less!):

Luxe: Pair of vintage Mottahedeh urns available at Woodson & Rummerfield's


Budget: Tobacco Leaf Mottahedeh urn at Neiman Marcus


Luxe: "Arles" linen from Robert Kime


Budget: "Mengei" fabric from Buy Fabrics


Luxe: Large Burlwood Bowl from Mecox Gardens


Budget: Burlwood bowls from Anthropologie


Luxe: Jansen brass floor lamp, c. 1950s, from Steven Sclaroff


Budget: "Meurice" brass floor lamp from Jayson Home


Luxe: Chinese Wallpaper Panels from Drum & Company


Budget: Chinoiserie Silk Panels from Source Perrier


Luxe: "Grille Moderne" wallpaper by Studio Printworks


Budget: "Calligraphy Stripe" wallpaper from Ballard Designs

Adelphi Paper Hangings

Many times I am amazed at the vibrancy of color and the intricacy of pattern of antique wallpapers and fabrics. I think that there is a misconception that many of these historical patterns were limited to florals and damasks with an occasional Chinoiserie or Neo-Classical print thrown in for good measure. How untrue! Some of our ancestors, if they had the means, chose to live surrounded by some pretty snazzy patterns.

Adelphi Paper Hangings is a wonderful source for block printed reproductions of historical wallpapers. Many of their clients are museums and historical homes, but they do sell to designers too. Some of the prints do seem a little dated for a modern home, but a majority of them would, in my opinion, fit right in to a contemporary design scheme. How about that fantastic "Plymouth Ashlar" (above) in an entryway? Or the "Hamilton Urns Stenciled" in a powder room? What means the most to me, though, is the fact that there are artisans and scholars whose passion is keeping this part of design history alive.



"Pagodas", English, circa 1763. This Chinoiserie print was used in the Jeremiah Lee Mansion (1768), Marblehead, Massachusetts. The colors seen here are the original colorway.


"Hamilton Urns Stenciled", Boston, 1787-90. According to Adelphi, this print is "one of the earliest examples of American neo-classical wallpaper design." I think the graphic nature of this print makes it a viable print for today.


"Laurel Trellis", French, 1800-15. Think the popularity of Trellis is limited to the 20th and 21st centuries? Well, this print was discovered adorning a wedding box that was made in Paris in 1804.


"Pebbles and Flowerpots", Philadelphia, c. 1810. This wallpaper was hung in the dining room of Pope Villa, Lexington, Kentucky. The grisaille tones and the trompe l'oeil pebble design make this print truly stunning.


"Pineapples", American, c. 1845. Stylish in the 19th c., equally so today!


Image at top: "Plymouth Ashlar", French or American, c. 1805-25. Ashlar papers were characterized by faux masonry blocks that were usually adorned with some type of ornamentation. These papers were generally used in hallways and stairwells (high traffic areas), and when an area began to show signs of wear, a new "block" could be applied over the affected area only. No need to hang new sheets of paper.

"Books Serve as Decoration"

How best to display books? This question seems to ignite passionate discussion. The first issue one should decide is whether to display books with the dust jackets on or off (I'm quite a fan of dust jacket art, so I choose to leave them on. This, however, is strictly a personal preference). Many designers who dislike the "randomness" of a sea of dust jackets choose to cover books in white muslin or paper, thereby creating a visually cohesive look. I would suggest this only for prop books; if you use your library for reference, you might be driven crazy by this design trick.

Once this thorny issue has been solved, then one must figure out how to incorporate their books into their decor. Do you display only books in your bookshelves, or do you incorporate a few decorative accessories as well (no tchotchkes please!). Do you organize them by color? By subject? By size? Or, do you forgo bookshelves altogether for stacks of books on tables and the floor?

Believe it or not, this topic of discussion was on the minds of designers and design devotees alike over seventy years ago. I found a brief article in a January 1936 issue of House & Garden titled "Books Serve as Decoration". Here is what the editors had to say:

So colorful are book bindings that, when used in large groups, they play a definite part in the color scheme of a room. They should be treated as a decoration. Two examples show practical application of this principle. In the room above, the depth of the wall made it possible to mass books as a colorful surrounding to a door between rooms. In the Chicago apartment of David B. Stern (below), they form a wide panel background to the desk and enhance the interest of the wall (Samuel A. Marx, architect in both instances).

OK, so this article didn't shed any light on the dust jacket issue, but it is interesting to see this acknowledgment of the importance of books in decor.

(Noted New York 20th c. furniture dealer Liz O'Brien has written a book on architect and designer Samuel Marx which will be published this fall: UltraModern: Samuel Marx Architect, Designer, Art Collector. You can also see some of his furniture designs on 1st dibs.)

Blue and White Bedrooms

Is it just me, or does blue and white seem to be one of the most popular color combinations for bedrooms? Certainly it makes sense- blue is soothing and serene (very important in a bedroom!) and white is clean and calming. On top of that, there are so many great blue and white prints that just seem so perfect for bedrooms. I think it's safe to say that a floral print for the bedroom is one of the most popular options. Soft blue and white is a very traditional and classic choice, but if you want to punch up your bedroom with some zing, why not try a turquoise shade like Betsy Burnham does below?



A mix of blue and white prints used with aplomb by Markham Roberts


A children's bedroom by designer Meg Braff


A snappy little bedroom in the home of Todd Romano


The use of turquoise in this bedroom gives this bedroom a little more energy than a paler shade would. (Design by Betsy Burnham.)

Photo at top: Bedroom designed by Charlotte Moss for the 2006 Kips Bay Show house