Does This Look Familiar?

"Prelude to the Christmas party, reserved for sentimental moments"



OK people, give it up. How many of you have had a sentimental moment as such before one of your parties? I'm sorry but not in all my days have I been this relaxed before one of my parties! Now I realize that you're supposed to look this cool and calm in front of your guests, and Lord knows I've tried to do so (and hopefully successfully!). But behind the scenes is this going on for me? I don't think so. Setting a table like this is fun and easy for me. And I enjoy getting myself primped and fluffed before a party. But during the prelude to the party I'm running around lighting candles, keeping an eye on the oven, making sure the ice is fresh, etc. And when I've had significant others who have helped me with parties, I've even been known to be hell on wheels and bark orders at them- in the kitchen and away from the guests, mind you. But does any of this stop me from entertaining? Not on your life because there is nothing more fun...even without these sentimental moments!

Image from House & Garden, Dec. 1948

Clutter- Good Idea or Bad? Talk Amongst Yourselves

Anytime I'm flipping through Interiors and English Style, I always stop and stare at one interior that is featured in both books- the London home of antiquaire Stephen Long. I can't help but marvel at how much "stuff" he was able to fit into that home! Can you believe it?

Now, I think that one reason I spend so much time looking at these photos is because I need a lot of visual stimulation, and you certainly get that with this home. There are layers and layers of objects, books, fabrics, flowers, plants, etc. But that neatnik side of me becomes curious and wonders how does one clean a place like this? Just how dusty do things get? And does one constantly misplace things in a home like this?

For those of you who may not be familiar with Long, he is considered to be one of the preeminent antiques dealers in London, a profession that might help explain the chock-a-block home. Long once said "If you have only a few things, they must be really good, but if they're not, you have to crowd them up." He also chose to lay a strong foundation for each room- bold colors and strong statements like the faux tortoise molding, bookcases, and fireplace. And according to Long, it's the clutter that then softens the whole effect. I think he has a valid point.

Long once defended clutter by writing "True clutter is very different from those artfully arranged tablescapes, piles of expensive books and endless buttons and bows aimed to give an instant lived-in look. It is based on the often unconscious acquisitiveness of many of the Human Race who cannot resist making jackdaw nests for themselves with things which have taken their random fancy." Well said, and spoken like a true collector. It's certainly food for thought. But my question is, do any of you live like this? Or do you adhere to a design diet of moderation?


Another view of drawing room. I am so taken with the faux tortoise molding and fireplace, which is hidden behind you guessed it... clutter.


The kitchen shelves are laden with blue and white china and creamware.


The dining room does not seem as crowded as some of the other rooms. See how pretty the room looks lit by candlelight? Remember this when you're entertaining over the holidays and try using only candlelight.


The sitting room. Note the faux marbre molding. The chintz on the armchair is Old Rose which was a favorite of John Fowler, a close friend of Long. The curtains were made from an 1825 chintz.

Image at top: Another view of the drawing room.

Vintage Clothing for Vintage Interiors

Do you ever see an outfit or an item of clothing that reminds you of a particular interior? Or am I the only one who does this? (I suspect not!) So, while I was browsing through the online catalogue of Leslie Hindman's upcoming Vintage Couture and Accessories auction (Dec. 3), I started to play a game with myself where I would try to find interiors that were reminiscent of or appropriate venues for these couture gems. Do I have too much time on my hands? Perhaps. But it is kind of fun to figure out where one might wear a particular Scaasi or Pucci if one had the opportunity to do so. Here's what I came up with:




If a date ever shows up at my home wearing an Hermès silk shirt like this, I might not let him get past the door. But I suppose that back in the early 1970s, I might have approved of his choice of attire. And the man who wore this shirt would have looked right at home in this room designed by Brown and Morrow.



Had I had the chance to visit Ava Gardner in her Madrid apartment (seen above and decorated by George Stacey), I would have worn this cream satin toreador cape. Certainly it would have been a bit incongruous in a rather staid apartment like this, but I would have worn it as a tribute to Gardner's well-known weakness for bullfighters.



I'm a closet maximalist, so had Diana Vreeland invited me to her Garden in Hell, I think that this Yves Saint Laurent Leopard Print Wool Dress might have been my choice. It might have clashed like crazy with DV's red floral print fabric, but I think she would have approved of this dress. Oh, and I probably would have accessorized with some Kenny Jay Lane.



In the spirit of a "Hunt Breakfast on a Kentucky Plantation", I think this Hermès sweater would have been a nice touch. Sure it's a bit themey, but how often are you invited to a hunt breakfast in Kentucky, especially one designed by Valerian Rybar?



These Chanel cameo earrings scream Dorothy Draper circa 1930s. I can't decide if they're evocative of the Hotel Carlyle or Hampshire House (seen above)- or both!

Image at top: I'd wear this Scaasi ensemble (c.1950s) anywhere and everywhere. It would be me and my Scaasi!

A Very Branca Holiday

Like it or not, the holidays are here (not to be a scrooge or anything, but I'm just really not ready for the onslaught). So, to help get us- and especially me- in the mood, let's look at how Branca the store has gotten into the Christmas spirit. Of course, Alessandra's signature red is woven throughout the store vignettes, and it's particularly festive at this time of year. And I am a sucker for a pretty Christmas tree, and this one looks especially nice surrounded by the antlers.

But what I'm really excited about are some of Branca's holiday items. The gifts are all very Branca looking,and the nice part is that they're not pricey. Oh, and with the exception of the pillar candle, they're unique to Branca too, so you're not going to find them everywhere. To order, call the store at 312-787-1017.


Branca Carpe Diem Agenda Book, available in black, brown, silver, and gold. Small- $40, Large -$75.


Branca Glass Balustrade Candleholder. $200


Branca Solid Beeswax Red Striped White Pillar. $40.


Branca Leather Partial Cover Flip Notepad. Small- $30; large- $50.


Red Goat Skin Leather Mini Credit Card Envelope, $40.


Large Hand Blown Clear Glass Suspension Radiometer Ornament, $170. The radiometer (that metal thing on the inside) reacts to light in the room, causing it to spin. And if you thought I knew what a radiometer was, then you don't know me very well! I had to have it explained to me, and I believe after the third go at it that I finally got it. But it is a very cool ornament, and sophisticated ornaments that actually do something are hard to find.

Mark Hampton circa 1992

I mentioned a while back that I thought Mario Buatta deserved to have a book published about his life and work. I still do, and I think I need to add Mark Hampton to that list. Not only did Hampton have style in spades, but it seems as if he was quite knowledgeable and smart as a whip too. Why a book on Hampton has not yet been published is a mystery to me. Let us hope that someone remedies this situation soon! In the meantime, here is a Manhattan apartment decorated by Hampton that was published in HG, Sept. 1992. I think the look here is quite classic and comfortable, but I also know that this style of interior decoration has fallen out of favor a bit. Do you think we'll ever come back to this look??

I also might add that Hampton seemed like the type of designer who would have kept up with the times. Were he alive today, don't you wonder what his aesthetic would be like?

(Apologies for the not so crystal clear photos. Alas I'm having scanner issues.)

Daydreaming with Hermès

I don't know about you but I could really use a little getaway right now. Unfortunately, that wish will remain a fantasy and not a reality for the next month or so. So in the meantime, I'll just play hooky and spend some time dreaming about these Hermès vignettes. I love the Hermès website, and it's a great way to get lost for an hour or so. But by far my favorite section of the site is the slideshow of past and present images of the Faubourg Saint Honoré shop windows. Are these gorgeous or what? And even better, the trip didn't cost a dime!

(Navigating the site is a little tricky. Go to hermes.com, then click on "travel the world of Hermès." Find the "Indian Fantasy" photo like that at the top of the post and click. The slide show will begin.)


1989 window decorated in the theme of "In Praise of Silk".


"Cheval d'Orient" from 2006. Don't those columns remind you of Brighton Pavilion?


A detail from the "Cheval d'Orient" window. Fabulous.


Leopard prints, Greek keys, red stars... enough said. Oh, except about the saddle, which makes me want to take up riding.


A window from 1954 with fantastical seahorses.


"Iridescent Fountain" from 1984.


Gorgeous colors in this 1977 window.

Image at top: 2008 window- "Indian Fantasies". All images courtesy of the Hermès website.

Rose Cumming and an Ode to the Eccentrics

A few weeks ago I lamented the dearth of true and passionate collectors. In that same vein, I've decided to write about the vanishing eccentric. Whatever happened to those individuals who were bizarre, squirrely, or downright kooky? Of course, where I come from we have our fair share of eccentrics, and they hold a special place in our hearts. After all, they make for good story telling during family affairs. But sadly they are a dying breed.

And in the design world, was there anyone more eccentric than Rose Cumming? Stories abound about this force of nature. First, there was her unusual appearance. A powder puff mass of blue hair was the first clue that this woman was no shrinking violet (or perhaps I should say shrinking periwinkle). In Legendary Decorators of the Twentieth Century, Mark Hampton wrote of the time that Cumming attended a party at Sister Parish's home wearing a very long bright green crepe dress that was cinched around her waist with a gold tieback. And in her hair were plastic fern fronds! That's certainly a look I could not pull off, but I admire the effort nonetheless.

In terms of her work as a decorator, Cumming's look was hard to define. In the book The Finest Rooms, Cumming wrote that she liked Gothic, Chippendale, Austrian Baroque, and early Victorian, just to name a few of the periods she admired. She loved "lush things", birdcages, silk fabrics, and pure color. Her dislikes were as extensive as her likes: faux beams on ceilings; figural wallpaper (unless it was a silver paper or old Chinese); and coffee tables. Oh, and wall to wall carpeting too, unless it was in a bedroom or on a staircase. When Cumming decorated a room, she tended to throw a lot of her likes into a room, making it a melting pot of styles. But in a weird way it seemed to work. Many times her work was quite beautiful, and at the very least it was unforgettable. In his book, Hampton did a wonderful job at describing this enigmatic figure. He remarked that "her version of reality was not like anyone else's". I think that would describe most noncomformists. They certainly march to the beat of their own drummers, but they also possess the courage of their convictions. Perhaps there is something that can be learned from Cumming and her ilk, plastic fern fronds and all.




I first saw these images around ten years ago, and I've never forgotten them. This sitting room was in Cumming's brownstone in New York. Cumming chose to use macabre objects in this room, supposedly as a "reaction against the usual conception of prettiness in decorating." Note the Audubon prints above the sofa that represent animals of prey. The fireplace was adorned with plates of snakes. The unusual curtains were really Indian saris. And what about that unusual lampshade? It's an Indonesian parasol. It's all rather bizarre... but quite interesting too.


Cumming's bedroom was evocative of the 1920s. The curtains are blue lame, which in this room actually works against the backdrop of blue-mauve metallic wallpaper. The 18th century Persian child's bed was used as a low table. Hampton wrote that
Cumming preferred to show her home at night. Can you just imagine what this room must have looked like, especially if it was lit by candlelight?


Cumming could also decorate rooms that were down right gorgeous. I am so smitten with this room, especially that black wallpaper with the gold stars. This room was in Cumming's home circa 1929.

Images at top: A young Rose Cumming in her drawing room circa 1930. An older Cumming appeared in a Harper's Bazaar article in July 1964. Here Rose was photographed in her legendary shop. Thank you to a very kind reader for providing me with these two images.

Gene Moore and His Magical Windows

The holidays are almost here, and store window dressers everywhere are gearing up to wow holiday shoppers. Shop windows will be bedecked, festooned, decorated, and fluffed with vignettes that are fantastical, edgy, traditional, and magical. So I thought it was a fitting time to show the work of Gene Moore- truly the most famous of all window dressers (or as the New York Times called him, a window display artist. This might be a more appropriate term.) Moore began his career as a window designer for Bonwit Teller, I. Miller, and other legendary department stores in New York. He joined Tiffany & Co. in the 1950s and set the bar for excellence in window display with his amazing mini-sets. Moore's windows ranged from the surreal to the sweet. His windows were oftentimes humorous. But most importantly they were never boring. Oh, and the merchandise that was featured was never overshadowed by the decoration. Moore struck the right balance between creativity and commerce. I suppose that might be why he stayed at Tiffany's for almost 40 years.

Here are some of my favorite images from Windows at Tiffany's: The Art of Gene Moore. The book is chock full of Moore's windows through the years, and I think that many of you will find it quite interesting- even if you are not a window display artist!


A Valentine's window from 1959. The knitted heart was made of red yarn.


I just love the humor of this window, and that trompe l'oeil needlepoint placemat is divine! This vignette was from 1969. Note the classic All-Purpose Wineglass which was designed by Van Day Truex.


The gumdrop watermelon is a perfect backdrop for the fancy jewels. Designed in 1966.


A witty window circa 1965. The partially unzipped zipper frames the simple vase with iris and the gorgeous jewelry perfectly.

Image at top: This window was part of a series of windows with a geometric theme. Moore felt that the sphere would only work with pearls, hence the broken pearl necklace.