A Primer on Modern Furniture

I recently admitted to myself that my knowledge of modern furniture (especially mid-century and later) was a bit thin. And this was a situation that had to be remedied. Of course, I was familiar with the modern classics, especially those iconic pieces by the Eames, Panton, Nelson, and Bertoia, but beyond that? Well, I certainly could not write a post about modern furniture with any authority.

I went about my modern furniture education the old-fashioned way- by reading. Fortunately, Vintage Furniture: Collecting & Living With Modern Design Classics by Fay Sweet came to my rescue. The book is a great overview of modernism from the late 19th century up to today. The early adherents of modernism are featured, including Thonet, Rietveld, the Bauhaus, and Ruhlmann. Next, it's on to those very creative Scandinavians: Aalto, Wegner, and Jacobsen, to name a few. And of course, no modern furniture book would be complete without discussion of the Eames, Noguchi, and their fellow mid-century maestros.

Where the book was especially helpful, at least to me, was with its chapters on Pop and Post-Modernism. With the recent death of Ettore Sottsass, Memphis design has been featured everywhere! There have been articles about this movement in recent issues of Elle Decor and Vogue Living. Kelly Wearstler has a Sottsass Carlton Cabinet- one of the most iconic pieces of Memphis furniture- in her new home. Could this be a sign of Wearstler's new direction? Will we be seeing a resurgence in popularity of 1980s furniture? I don't know, nor am I sure if I'll take part in this trend. But at least now I finally have some idea as to what everyone seems to be talking about.

So if you too need, or want, to bone up on modernism, I enthusiastically recommend this primer on modern (and classic) design.


A nifty folding chair designed by Michael Thonet... in 1890!


How gorgeous are these plywood pieces by Alvar Aalto (especially that drinks trolley). To me, this is the kind of modern furniture that mixes well with more traditional antiques.


The iconic "classic" of Memphis- the Carlton cabinet by Sottsass, designed in 1981. Although I can't see displaying this cabinet in my home, I do respect both the design and the spirit of the piece.

(All images from Vintage Furniture by Fay Sweet; Antique Collectors Club; 2007)

Estee Lauder & Kazumi Yoshida

A few months ago I wrote a post about artist and fabric designer Kazumi Yoshida. The creative mastermind behind many of Clarence House's most inventive prints, Yoshida has recently partnered with Estee Lauder to design a limited edition candle and bottle for Lauder's fragrance pleasures. Aerin Lauder is obviously a fan of Yoshida as she says "Yoshida's consummate artistry is evident in Clarence House's beautiful decorative fabrics, some of which I have in my own home. Yoshida's designs are elegant, luxurious and timeless."

I just got my pleasures candle, and it smells divine. The packaging is so sweet and perfect for Spring. And, it's just another way to add a bit of Kazumi Yoshida's imaginative artistry to your home.

(By the way, you can buy the candle from your Estee Lauder counter. I also know that you can purchase it online at Bloomingdales.com)

Passementerie Lighting!

Passementerie sconces?? Why those are two of my favorite words in the design dictionary! As soon as I saw mention of them on 1st dibs yesterday, I had to immediately visit the site of the mastermind behind this quirky lighting line- Hélène Aumont. The California based Aumont not only designs lighting but furniture and accessories as well. And if that isn't enough, she is also an interior designer (I am assuming that she decorated the glorious Paris apartment of Patrick Aumont, who was featured on 1st dibs.)

But it's the passementerie covered chandeliers and sconces that have caught my fancy. They're wildly chic and whimsical and reminiscent of 1930s French design. What do you think?


Passy Grand Chandelier


Passy Petit Chandelier


Pompidou Sconce


Orsay Sconce

Image at top: A passementerie sconce in a Paris apartment designed by Hélène Aumont.

Claire Cormier Fauvel

Remember when I wrote a post about my elusive search for the shell turtle candlestick owned by Joe Nye, Christopher Spitzmiller, and Todd Romano? Well, amazingly enough, I received an email from the candlestick maker herself- the talented French artist Claire Cormier Fauvel. While Claire does occasionally make smaller items for retail shops (like the turtle candlestick she designed for Hollyhock), she spends a majority of her time creating custom design pieces (chandeliers, sconces, etc.) for interior designers. In addition to working with shells, Claire also uses beads and iron to render her masterpieces.

Claire was kind enough to share these photos of her work with me. The pieces are truly wonderful! Although Claire does not yet have a website (she's simply too busy working her magic with shells and beads!), she can be reached by email: c.fauvel2@wanadoo.fr

Here is but a sampling of her amazing work:


Black Mussels Chandelier


Tiny Shells Frame


Blossom Chandelier


Coral Lantern


Coral Chandelier


Palm Candlesticks


Crocodile Chandelier


Eye Detail of Crocodile Chandelier- how fabulous!


Fish Chandelier

Image at top: My dream candlestick in the home of Joe Nye

The Architecture of Joy

I just spent the weekend reading Chinoiseries by Bernd H. Dams and Andrew Zega (Rizzoli New York, 2008), a book which has generated a great deal of buzz in the blogosphere. And I just couldn't not write about it- the book is too stunning and in my opinion deserves all of the praise that it receives.

The book is a compilation of architectural watercolors of 17th and 18th c. Chinoiserie follies and pavilions in France. Rendered by Dams and Zega, the colorful paintings capture the exuberance and charm of these architectural gems. To the authors, these buildings represent "the architecture of joy". And joy is what Dams and Zega give to the reader.

Some of the buildings featured in the book were never built; the authors based their renderings on historical documents. Sadly, most of the structures that were built have been destroyed. That is such a tragedy, but I suppose we can take solace in the fact Dams and Zega have preserved the legacy of these buildings, if at least on paper.


Tartar Tent at Parc Monceau; built c. 1775. Commissioned for the Duc de Chartres, this structure was later destroyed.


Chinese Tent for Trianon Versailles. Conceived by the workshop of Jean-Baptiste Pillement in 1780, this tent, never built, was possibly designed for Marie-Antoinette's gardens at Trianon.


Refreshment Tent for Versailles. Another project that was never built, this charming tent was designed in 1779; the architect is unknown.


The Pagoda at Rheinsberg. One of the book's few non-French examples, this pagoda was built for Prince Heinrich of Prussia around 1765. Located at Heinrich's palace at Rheinsberg, Germany, the pagoda is sadly no longer standing.

(All images from Chinoiseries by Bernd H. Dams and Andrew Zega, Rizzoli New York, 2008)

Palatable Florals

For months now, many magazines have touted the return of the floral print. Now, for some people, florals never went anywhere; they remained alive and well on sofas, bedspreads, and walls in many a cheery home. You floral fiends may now find yourself a little more in vogue than you were last year, and that's great! Stick with what you love. It's like me and my Chinoiserie- some years I'm the belle of the ball, while at other times I'm yesterday's news.

Personally, I'm very picky about floral prints. They can't be too sweet nor they can be too "floral-y". The prints almost need to be toned down by some other addition to the print. I do think, though, that there is a floral print for everyone. If you're like me, maybe some of these florals might be just the thing to get you on the floral bandwagon. But, if you have a strong dislike of these prints, then you too should just stick with what you love.

Despite being a floral-challenged person, I adore these Braquenie prints. See, they're not "pure" floral prints. Image at top: "Bordure Cheverny"; Image at bottom: "Rivière Enchantée & Pércale"


Now this is a unique floral print- "Paradise Lost" by Scalamandre.


Does this count as a floral? I do like "Elsie de Wolfe" by Scalamandre


Not too sweet nor saccharine. "Margot" by Clarence House


Now we're talking; this print is gorgeous! "Menars" by Brunschwig & Fils

Image at top: "Garden in Hell" living room of Diana Vreeland. She was the one person who could make florals look downright decadent.

The Soane Mystique

History has produced but a small coterie of architects and designers whose work continues to inspire us today. One person who figures prominently in this pantheon is Sir John Soane, the visionary British architect. Well versed in the Neoclassical style, Soane designed both private manor houses as well as public buildings (most notably the Bank of England). However, it is Soane's home at 12-14 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London (now known as Sir John Soane's Museum), that has inspired legions of fans through the years. Built in the late 18th c. and added on to during the early 19th c., the home is a sterling example of Soane's refined aesthetic and his no nonsense practicality.

There are a few rooms in particular that seem to enthrall visitors. The Breakfast Room is a marvel in design. In order to maximize the light in an otherwise dark space, Soane topped the room with a domed ceiling and oculus. He then added small convex mirrors throughout the room- in the archways, around the fireplace surround- to help reflect the light. It is highly effective and pleasing to the eye too.

The Library, characterized by segmented arches and Gothic accents, is noted for its rich Pompeiian red walls and bronze green trim. Trust me, the combination of these two rich colors is extremely handsome- you really have to see it in person to appreciate the complexity of the colors.

And I can't forget to mention Soane's collection of antiquities and architectural ruins, displayed en masse throughout the home: in the Dome Area; the Colonnade; the Sepulchral Chamber. It's staggering to think that one man is responsible for such an important collection!

So, how do modern day designers channel the spirit of Soane? Well, let me show you. And I'll add that I think Sir John Soane would be quite proud of their efforts.


An arch in the red and green Library of Sir John Soane


An homage to the Soane style, on a small scale, in a library designed by Josef Johns.


The home of Stephen Calloway. Note the rich red walls, the green trim, and trompe l'oeil painted arches.


Soane's Breakfast Room. Note the convex mirrors inset into the arches and the ceiling.


A detail shot of the ceiling of the Breakfast Room.



David Mlinaric designed this Soane-esque dining room/library in the home of Lord Rendlesham. Look at the marvelous ceiling.



A tribute to Soane's impressive collection in the flat of Peter Hone. Some of the antiquities and fragments are real, while others are faux (the columns on the walls are actually engravings that have been glued to the wall)


Another view of the Hone flat.

Hooray for Houlès

How gorgeous are these Houlès trimmings? Part of the Spring 2008 "Les Marquises" collection, the passementerie is reminiscent of 18th century embellishment. Although the line comes in twelve different colorways, I'm completely taken with this gorgeous, pearly shade of gray. Just look at the gimp, the fringe, the tassels... why you could create a mini-Versailles right in your own home.

Now, if your taste is a bit more simple and earthy, then don't you fret. Houlès has also introduced the "Natura" collection which was inspired by Mother Nature, truly the world's preeminent designer. Think earth tones, linens, and waxed cotton.





Finally, modernism and passementerie are not incompatible. If you don't believe me, look at the "Lounge" line. With simple, elegant designs in muted colors and metallics, you modernists can have your cake and eat it too!