A Lot is Cooking in California

There is certainly a lot going on design-wise in California right now. So much so that it's becoming difficult to stay on top of things out there. First off in Los Angeles, those gurus of fabulous furniture David Serrano and Robert Willson of Downtown have started a new venture- Outside Downtown. The shop's aesthetic is warmer and a bit more casual- perfect for beach or country houses. Think lighter finishes and stain resistant fabrics. This is definitely my idea of relaxed glamour (All images at top are shots from Outside Downtown.)

And further up north in San Francisco is designer Kendall Wilkinson. I always make sure to stop by her shop on my twice yearly trips to San Fran. Wilkinson is set to launch her Home collection which will include a bright blue leather tufted chair (which I believe is similar to those she featured in her show house room a few years ago) and a glass and lucite table- very glam. Wilkinson also has a wallpaper and fabric line in the works. I'd say she is definitely a designer to watch.

So... have you booked your trip to California yet?


A vignette of Wilkinson's shop


The soon to be famous blue leather tufted chair, inspired by one designed by Albert Hadley


Another shop vignette


Part of Wilkinson's new Home collection- a glass top table with a lucite base.

Hot Off The Presses!!

Well, not quite yet, but it's big news nonetheless. I just found out that Emily Eerdmans, design historian and author of Classic English Design and Antiques and the upcoming release Regency Redux, has inked a deal with Rizzoli to write a monograph of that rather mysterious and iconoclastic decorator Madeleine Castaing. Are you as excited as I am??

"The World of Madeleine Castaing" is scheduled to be released sometime around Fall 2010, and Jacques Grange has agreed to write the foreword. All I can say is that it's about time.

Let's get ourselves in the mood for the book by looking at images of Castaing's Paris apartment. As Emily notes, visitors to her homes felt as though they were stepping into a Balzac novel. I can certainly see why.

A New Chapter...

I've long admired Charlotte Moss. Of course as this is a design blog, I've talked many times about her style, her panache, and the gorgeous environments that she creates. She is such a talented woman. But there's more to it. She has business savvy and a vigorous work ethic. Interestingly, for someone whose aesthetic is rooted in tradition, she is a thoroughly modern woman.

As some of you may know, Moss recently made the difficult decision to close The Townhouse later this year. For those of you who have had the opportunity to visit it, you know that it is like no other store around. A few days ago, I spoke with Moss about the Townhouse, and she admitted to me that it was a decision that was not made lightly. One of the issues that many of us face is the lack of time to pursue new opportunities, to fully invest our energy and creativity in our current endeavors, and to spend time with family- in Moss' words, not being able "to have time to smell the roses". And this was just the problem that Moss was facing. With her career as a designer, a writer, a philanthropist, and a retailer, life was becoming a bit crowded. As she told me, she wanted the time to enjoy the process of retail, but career demands were making it difficult.

So while the Townhouse may be closing, it's not really going away. In fact, it's going virtual. We'll still be able to buy Moss' china, linen, and those gorgeous accessories on her website... and now we won't have to travel to New York to do so! Moss also told me that she plans on adding more editorial to her site, recognizing the popularity of the online design community.

Oh, and about that Charlotte Moss work ethic? She's working on a few books as well as adding products to her fabric and china collections. And she's still designing and decorating. It sounds to me like she's doing exactly what makes her happy!

House Proud: Nineteenth Century Watercolor Interiors from the Thaw Collection

Oh, to be in New York right now attending the House Proud exhibit at Cooper-Hewitt. Hopefully I'll get the chance. But in the meantime, I did find some images on the web.

The exhibit celebrates the impressive collection of nineteenth century watercolor interiors assembled by Eugene V. and Clare E. Thaw- one of the largest of its kind in the States. The rendered interiors include rooms at Carlton House, Buckingham Palace, and Schloss Fischbach (the paintings put my small collection of anonymous watercolor interiors to shame!) On display through January 25, 2009, the show is sure to be of interest to you collectors or those interested in design history.

(For additional reading, you may want to consider House Proud, the companion book to the show. I've got my copy on order. Thank you too to a few readers and Paul Pincus for alerting me to the exhibit.)


The Dressing Room of King Ludwig I at the Munich Residenz; Franz Xaver Nachtmann, Germany, 1836.


The Japanese Salon, Villa Hügel; Rudolf von Alt, Austria, 1855.


The Chinese Room in the Royal Palace, Berlin; Eduard Gaertner, Germany, 1850.


The Blue Room, Schloss Fischbach; Carl Friedrich Wilhelm Klose, Germany, 1846.

Image at top: The Circular Dining Room at Carlton House; Charles Wild, England, 1819.

Windsor Smith on Design

Windsor Smith is a designer whose career is on fire. In addition to her interior design work, she just debuted a fabric collection, a furniture collection, and a rug line as well (whew!). I recently had the opportunity to speak with Windsor and it was quite a treat. Her personality is as warm and sparkling as her interiors.

To borrow the tagline from the National Enquirer, "Inquiring minds want to know", and that's the way I feel about design. So I decided to get Windsor's thoughts on anything and everything design related.


On Her New Fabric Line:
Windsor's new fabric line for Kravet has received rave reviews, and it's not hard to see why. The fabrics that caught my eye were her bold and graphic prints. But don't think that these are "in your face" prints. Windsor likes the snap and pop of strong pattern, but she chose to render them in soft colors like celadon and clove. And she wisely chose to use no more than two colors per print. The result? Prints that are classic and easy to live with. (Fabric available through Kravet showrooms and through her website.)

"Insignia" in Seafoam


"Continuum" in Chestnut

On Mixing Prints...With Style:
One question that I am asked often is how best to mix prints. I'll be the first to tell you that I'm not completely comfortable with doing this myself. Fortunately, Windsor shared some tips. First, mixing florals can be difficult, so you might want to stick with just one. Also, stripes, especially tone on tone, can work with a variety of prints. And if you're mixing multi-color prints, proceed with caution! Windsor advises using no more than two. Interestingly enough, Windsor gives the green light to mixing vintage fabrics, saying "anything goes". Her rationale? Vintage textiles become found objects and art and should be displayed almost like a collection. In her mind, Lynn von Kersting's work is a great example of this kind of mix.

See how well this gray and white striped fabric works with the pink and white paisley print? Windsor obviously practices what she preaches!


And look at the smashing combo of the green tonal stripes with the punchy pink print.

On White... and Blue:
It seems that every designer has one color which they add to every room. For Albert Hadley, it's red. For many others, it's black. For Windsor? White! As she says "the absence of color makes other colors sing!" That said, she also admits that she has a weakness for blue.


Blue and white in an East Coast Traditional home à la Windsor Smith.

On the Stars of her Collection:
So unless you've been hiding under a rock, you know that Windsor recently introduced her new furniture collection. And just what are her picks for the stand out pieces?


Brittany Secretary. Works as a TV cabinet, desk, or in bathrooms to hold makeup and towels.


Slim Chaise. Looks especially good nestled at the foot of a bed.


Entry Round Settee. Looks very "Grand Hotel" to me!

On Her Dream Clients:




(Jane Birkin- in case you're wondering)




Legendary style icon Slim Keith

On Her Current Favorite Design and Architecture Books:


An Affair with a House


Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People

On the Details that Make a House a Beautiful Home:

1) Art and found objects that reflect the personality of the homeowner
2) Large bundles of the same type flower in a casual vase
3) Lighting that makes a room come alive day and night
4) Floor plugs




Windsor has some wonderful Found Objects for sale on her website, including this Early Chippendale Table and the Antique French Fireplace Canopy

On the Future:
So what's next for Ms. Smith? Plenty. She's working on some amazing projects including a late 1940's equestrian estate. And, big things are in the works for her website. In addition to her online shop, there will be decorating advice, newsletters, and video. I'd say Windsor is in need of a vacation.

What Ever Happened to Pierre Deux?

I mean, I know that it's still around. In fact, the store here in Atlanta is really quite charming. Even though the Country French look is not really my thing, I can't help but be bitten by the Provençal bug every time I venture into the shop. But let's travel back in time to the 1980s. Fess up- how many of you used to carry Pierre Deux bags? Or had a desk full of Pierre Deux accessories? And what about those cheery little vide poches and trays that were ALL the rage twenty years ago?

My very first handbag as a child was one of those Bermuda bags. You know, the ones with the wooden handles and the changeable fabric covers. But in the 6th grade I traded up to a small Pierre Deux handbag. It really was the cutest thing- pink and green and French all over. I also had a Pierre Deux overnight bag which I still have today. No, I don't carry it around but rather use it as storage.

What I must confess, though, is that I still love Pierre Deux's vide poches. In fact, I have some that are over twenty years old! I use my large ones to store empty perfume bottles. The medium sized ones come in handy for holding cocktail napkins or coasters. And the mini ones are great repositories for everyday detritus. Now, truth be told I don't display my Pierre Deux trays because they don't really go with my master design plan. But don't you think they are a nice alternative to plastic storage trays and bins?



The once famous Pierre Deux vide poches. The trays from the 1980s were usually covered in a very Country French print. And many of them had two separate fabrics for the top and bottom. The corner ties meant that you could change which side was the inside or outside.

These are the types of prints that were most popular back then:


"Avignonet" in Blue


"Bonis" in yellow and blue


"Indianaire" fabric in blue and yellow



Desks in Atlanta were considered to be bare unless there were a few Pierre Deux accessories. The pencil cups and frames were especially popular.


I remember many an iron chandelier with shades like these. As my parents were into early American, we stuck to the Pierre Deux desk and drawer accessories.


No rush seat was complete without one of these cushions. Considered de rigueur for kitchen and breakfast tables.


The Petite Voyage bag in Black Bonis. My 6th grade handbag was the same shape and size but the fabric was pink and green. What can I say? I was preppy.