Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Christmas House

Well, we've all had showhouses on our minds lately, so I thought it fitting that I mention the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles Christmas House which will run from November 14-December 7. The showhouse, which benefits the Alliance Children's Theater, will feature the cream of the crop of Atlanta designers, many of whom have been featured in national publications. Designers include Phoebe Howard, Suzanne Kasler, Liz Williams, Gretchen Edwards, Stan Topol, Jared Paul, Mallory Mathison, Carole Weaks, Scott Laslie, and many more. (And if some of you designers are reading this post, congratulations and we can't wait to see you work your magic!)

For more information, click here. November will be here before we know it!

Time to Revisit a Late Designer's Work

I've recently become enamored with a designer whose work is no longer featured on the pages of shelter magazines. I read or hear very little about him these days, which probably adds to the mystique. I'm sure many of you are familiar with this designer, although to me his work is quite new. (Back in his heyday in the 1980s and 90s, I was preoccupied with homework and school activities, preventing me from focusing too terribly much on the design world.) Of course, the fact that he died almost 13 years ago is part of the reason why this designer's work is no longer at the forefront of our design consciousness, and it's really a shame because this designer- Richard Lowell Neas- created rooms that were stylish, sophisticated, beautiful, elegant, and timeless.

I first became familiar with Neas' name when I found out that he was responsible for Brunschwig & Fils' "Bibliothèque" wallpaper- one of my all-time favorite wallpaper designs. As Neas was an accomplished muralist and trompe l'oeil artist, it's no surprise that he would design such a charming print. Then I learned that Neas gradually made his way into a career as a decorator. And what decorating he did!

I've tried to collect a few images of his work, and in some ways it surprises me that I'm so taken with these very traditional rooms. While I am a traditionalist at heart, I do like to mix in some modern pieces- it's a bit like a design checks and balances system. I think that what has drawn me to his work is the fact that Neas created rooms that were completely livable. His New York projects seem to capture the spark that is so evocative of that city: urbane, sophisticated, and cosmopolitan. Yet there's nothing cold or stiff about these rooms. Neas imbued his projects with a softness and warmth that was so inviting. Perhaps it was the collection of unique and striking furniture and objets. Or maybe it was the mix of prints and patterns that was so pleasing to the eye. I actually believe it was a combination of all of the above.

I think Neas described the success of his rooms perfectly when he quoted his friend Annette de la Renta, "some of the most wonderful rooms are ones that seem as though all the objects were inherited from relatives with different styles and tastes- yet everything fits together magically." And this, to me, is the magic formula- and one that makes Neas' work so appealing.


An image of Neas' tiny Manhattan apartment. Note the trompe l'oeil swagged curtain at the top of the mirror. I just love this room.




Two photos of a Manhattan apartment that Neas designed around 1990.




I believe this dining room and bedroom were part of Neas' home in Charente, France. Neas certainly created environments that were appropriate for their surroundings.


A close-up shot of the "Bibliothèque" wallpaper.


Nina Campbell used "Bibliothèque" in her home.

Image at top: Richard Lowell Neas with a chicken at his home in France. (This image and those of his French home courtesy of House Beautiful, 2001. Images of the Manhattan project from HG, September 1990.)

Neas/de la Renta quote from the New York Times, "Home Design; Objects of Much Affection" by Carol Vogel, October 21, 1984.

Looking Ahead to Fall Part 2

In addition to the Bilhuber book below, here are some other upcoming releases that rank high on my wish list:


Mlinaric on Decorating. I really don't know a lot about English design impresario David Mlinaric, so I'm looking forward to this release. I'll give you a peek of this book next week.


Michael S. Smith Houses. I think we can all agree that this book will be one of the hottest releases this Fall.


Celerie Kemble: To Your Taste: Creating Modern Rooms with a Traditional Twist. I'm a fan of Kemble's work, so this will be a must-have for me. I haven't heard a lot of buzz about this book, but with a November release date, perhaps it's just a matter of time.


Regency Redux by Emily Eerdmans. I wrote about this book a while back, and believe me, my anticipation grows greater by the day. I think this book will be the breakthrough hit of the season.

Domino: The Book of Decorating. With the Domino name and a $32 price tag, this book will end up on most of our book shelves.

Georgian Style and Design: Living with Proportion and Elegance by Henrietta Spencer-Churchill. Everyone with a design library needs at least one Spencer-Churchill book. Or even two or three!


French Chic: The Art of Decorating Houses by Florence de Dampierre. With photos by Tim Street-Porter, this book is sure to be gorgeous.

Looking Ahead to Fall

It's not even Summer yet and I'm already looking ahead to all of the great Fall book releases. Crazy, huh? One book that I'm excited about is Jeffrey Bilhuber: Defining Luxury. In the book, Bilhuber explores luxury- what it means and why we need it in our daily lives. To Bilhuber, luxury can be found in small things like fresh flowers or in grand statement pieces. But more importantly, he writes that "Luxury is cultivated from the inside out, not the outside in." So true! The book features gorgeous photos of Bilhuber's work, including many projects that have not been published before. Here is a sneak peek of a few of Bilhuber's projects that made it into the book.

Joe Nye New York

I had the chance to visit the showroom of Joe Nye New York last week, and I was not disappointed! There are so many great pieces there that I was ready to ship half of the store home to Atlanta. Many of the finds can be attributed to Joe himself, while others are courtesy of the guys from Downtown. (I mean really, is this not a winning combination? Joe is the walking embodiment of style with a capital "S", while David and Robert of Downtown know what's going to be hot eons before the rest of us do.)

What really caught my eye was a new line of hand-forged wrought iron and steel patio furniture that is being sold at JNNY. The chairs, benches, and tables (the large basket-shaped one doubles as a planter) are powder coated in a choice of sixteen different colors, although custom colors can be special ordered (all pieces are made here in the States). And they don't rust! To me, the furniture looks a bit Elsie de Wolfe with some Mathieu Mategot and Rene Prou thrown in for good measure. How neat are these shield-back chairs?





Here is just a sample of what was in the showroom last week. If you see anything of interest, I encourage you to contact Karen at the showroom. She is really knowledgeable and nice too! (Tel. 212-486-7551)

For Those of You Planning a Spring Event...

I know many of you are in the throes of planning Spring parties and charity events, and believe me, I know that it can be daunting to decide on a scheme for an event. Sometimes all it takes is a spark... which is why I thought I would show some images from last week's New York City Ballet Spring Gala which was designed by none other than Charlotte Moss in collaboration with the talented DeJuan Stroud. (Moss and her husband Barry S. Friedberg were also Chairmen on the event.)

The event kicked off the Ballet's Jerome Robbins Celebration, so naturally the evening's program included such Robbins' works as Circus Polka, The Four Seasons, and of course West Side Story Suite. It was the graphic backdrop of this last piece that inspired the design duo's scheme for the event: yellow and black. I think this was an interesting choice because this color combination is graphic and gutsy and is not usually seen in Moss' residential work. But this is where Moss and Stroud were absolutely correct- when planning an event, sometimes you've got to think big and bold. What might work in a small room at home might fall flat in a large space, especially one like Lincoln Center.

Stroud and Moss, seen above attending to pre-gala details, kept things interesting by mixing up the table settings. Some tables had yellow cloths and small arrangements of yellow roses and protea, while others were all about black- black tablecloths, big black vases, and tall branches of forsythia.








Mixing up the table settings keeps things interesting.

Of course, the table settings are not the only things that need to be considered. What to do with the general atmosphere of the space? Are there architectural details that can be incorporated into your design scheme? Are there large voids that need to be attended to? In a place like Lincoln Center, it was important to make sure guests did not feel overwhelmed by the vastness of the space. I think they managed the space issue quite successfully, both with the tall masses of yellow flowering branches and with the yellow sculptural pieces hanging from the ceiling. And how great does the yellow and black striped banner look behind the Nadelman sculpture?


Bringing a large space down to size


It's all about the details

I hope that these tips might help you in planning your next event. With a little creativity, forethought, and careful planning, not only will your party be a success, but you too will be cool as a cucumber the night of the event. Just like Charlotte Moss.


Moss making her entrance at the Gala.

(For more information on the New York City Ballet, click here.)

(Image of Moss at top courtesy of Erin Baiano/Paul Kolnik studio. Decor shots and image of Moss at bottom: Mary Hilliard.)

Benjamin Dhong Interiors

It's Decorator Showhouse season again! Currently underway is one of the top showhouses in the country, the San Francisco Decorator Showcase. Benjamin Dhong, an interior designer who is designing for his very first showhouse, has created a really serene and elegant bathroom. Dhong was inspired by a trip through Sweden last summer where he saw rooms that were "a dazzling mix of high and low end furniture." Wanting to achieve a mix of traditional and contemporary, Dhong covered the walls in a very soothing, soft faux bois. But there's nothing rustic about this bathroom. I love the tailored shower curtain, table skirt, and curtain. And don't you just love the mirror and the smart little Saarinen stools? I think it's safe to say that Benjamin Dhong is definitely a designer to watch!

Los Angeles Antiques Show

The Los Angeles Antiques Show is wrapping up today, and from everything I've heard it sounded like a stellar event. A friend of mine was kind enough to take photos of some exhibitors' booths, which I'm sharing with you today. Looks like we missed a great show!





All I can say is "Wow!" I love this booth designed by Joe Nye. So chic! And notice the stylish use of Nye's beloved carnations.






Those clever owners of Downtown are always ahead of the curve. This year they featured a few pieces by the late Mexican designer Arturo Pani. I believe they are reproducing Pani's designs, including the small scroll table in the second photo.



The very elegant booth of Hollyhock. Notice how the exquisite furniture takes center stage.