Bunny's Making a Beeline for Atlanta

I won't be posting much this week as I'll be traveling, but I did want to let you Atlantans know about Bunny Williams' Beeline Home launch party this Friday, April 17 at Mrs. Howard. With Bunny and her fantastic furniture and accessories being present at the event, you know there will be quite a crowd. I hope to post photos of the furniture in place next week.

To see more of Beeline Home, visit their website and my post from a few months back.

(The event starts at 6pm. It is requested that all attendees RSVP at lkennelly@jmhoward.net)

Someone Else Who Is Rethinking Chintz

Remember my post last week about solid chintz? Well, Lulu deKwiatkowski has obviously been thinking about it too. Two new additions to the Lulu DK fabric line are Pierre and Ginger chintzed linens. The fabrics have a subtle sheen rather than the "shiny" finish of traditional chintz. I can't wait to see the fabrics in person because it seems like these fabrics are spiffy versions of linen. It might also be an option for those of you who are allergic to high sheen chintzes.



I had been thinking about upholstering two armchair seats in leather, but now I'm considering the chintzed linen. Have any of you seen it in person?



(Images at top: Ginger in Gold; Pierre in Fig)

And Yet Another Mr. Hadley Opportunity

First, we had the opportunity to purchase books from Mr. Hadley's library, and now we can buy a bit of his creative process too! Gerald Bland will be exhibiting a selection of Mr. Hadley's sketches that were drawn throughout his career. This is really a wonderful opportunity to own a bit of America's design history.

And if you're not able to visit the exhibit, I would suggest reading Albert Hadley: Drawings and the Design Process. It's a great book that provides insight into Mr. Hadley's vision.

(Gerald Bland is located at 1262 Madison Ave.)

In a Chinoiserie State of Mind

I certainly do not need any reminders that Chinoiserie is my favorite style. Still, I couldn't help but notice that it has been on my mind more often than usual. Just in the last week I've been thinking about these items:


My new black linen hand towels with a coral, Chinois monogram on them. I can't wait to use these at my next party. (Hand towels from Gramercy Fine Linen. This great linen shop is a block up the street from my home...meaning I will be getting into a lot of linen trouble.)


While flipping through a circa 1980 magazine, I found this old Tiffany ad. I wonder if they still produce this clock? If not, they really should.


I'm considering buying a copy of Cecil Beaton's Chinese Album, mainly for the dust jacket. And because what I just wrote makes me feel guilty, I will end up reading the book too.


And, I was checking out Charlotte Moss' "Virginia" AirEssence Diffuser. Why? Because her "Virginia" fragrance smells divine; I love the decanter with the Chinoiserie pagoda stopper on it; and, I think I'm the only person in the world who has not yet tried one of these stick diffuser systems!


Image at top: Dancing Figure Holding a Mask, part of a series designed by Jean-Baptiste Pillement, c. 1759. Image courtesy of The Getty.

Verde Home Earthday Sale

There is a great store here in Atlanta that made me change the way I felt about green design. Located at the Brickworks building, Verde Home sells furniture, rugs, and accessories that are environmentally friendly and good looking too. I think that's been one of my beefs with green design- sometimes the pieces just aren't very attractive. And that is why I was pleasantly surprised by the offerings at Verde. I think many of their rugs and upholstered pieces would work well in traditional homes. Oh, and they also sell gorgeous antiques, and that's green too.

Verde Home will be hosting their annual Earthday sale from April 18 to April 25. Discounts will be offered on upholstery, Tibetan rugs, lighting, and custom hardwood furniture. If you're reading this post and you'd like to hit the sale early, by all means do. Verde has offered readers the opportunity to take advantage of a one week presale from April 13-17. Go see what good green design is all about- and get a discount too!

Nymphenburg to the Rescue

I too would share Wallis' glee at visiting the Nymphenburg Porcelain Manufactory in Munich. Wallis had a thing for porcelain (amongst, um, other things), and so do I. Why is porcelain perceived to be something old, fussy, and outdated?

I find it depressing that many of today's brides forgo the fine china and sterling flatware for something low maintenance. Well, whoever said life is easy? Isn't it nice to have special, exquisite things for which to care? And don't you behave a little differently, perhaps in a more civilized manner, when you're dining from formal china? It's the same thing in terms of your wardrobe. I find myself slouching when I'm dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, but when I make an effort and wear a dress or suit, I tend to stand more erect and mind my manners too!

One porcelain manufacturer that is attempting to keep porcelain relevant for today's society is Nymphenburg. With a history that dates back to the mid-18th century, Nymphenburg honors its past by manufacturing historical pieces that have been part of its collection for over two hundred years- perfect for those traditionalists. But they also are embracing modern design by engaging artists like Ted Muehling and Hella Jongerius to design more contemporary pieces. It's really the best of both worlds.

Lest you think that some of Nymphenburg's porcelain figures and accessories are too traditional, perhaps it's time to rethink them. I believe it's all about the environment in which you display the porcelain. I like the incongruous look of a very traditional piece of porcelain in a starkly modern room. And if you need further evidence, look to design guru Murray Moss. He displays all kinds of Nymphenburg porcelain amongst the more cutting edge wares at his eponymous Manhattan shop. Moss, and Nymphenburg, are making porcelain cool again.


Bavarian Lion paper weight, based on a design by Johann Peter Melchior, c. 1800.



Chinese group with vase, ivory glazed, design by Konrad Linck around 1770.



Egg vase in glazed coral red by Ted Muehling, 2000



The "Atlas" pattern is inspired by ikat weaving. Would it surprise you to learn that the pattern on this china was designed in the late 18th century?



Butterfly collection, plate sky; by Ted Muehling, 2000



Nymphenburg Sketches, Game series; Hella Jongerius, 2006



I'm now coveting Mare Nostrum fish service. The rococo shape was taken from Nymphenburg's Cumberland service of 1760, but the variation with the fish motif was added in 1928.



Bonbonniere Eye container, 2009



Hare in Cabbage, Luise Terletzki-Scherf, 1960. Not for everbody, but this figure made me smile.

Image at top: The Duke and Duchess of Windsor, accompanied by Princess Hella of Bavaria, visited Porzellan Manufaktur Nymphenburg in 1954. All images from the Nymphenburg website.

Separated at Birth?

The famous library at Reed House, designed by Frances Elkins and David Adler. The sofa and table are Jean-Michel Frank pieces. The walls are sheathed in panels of Hermès goatskin.


David Hicks designed this Swiss library in 1970. The walls are covered in padded caramel suede panels. The sofa is upholstered in the same suede.



This tablesetting was designed by J. Allen Murphy in honor of Mr. and Mrs. Rex Harrison back in the 1980s.



This room, designed by Mary McDonald, combines one of the decorator's favorite color schemes- blue and white- with another favorite color: pink.


The late decorator Renny Saltzman designed a groovy bedroom using strong reds and blues back in the 1960s.


Jonathan Adler is keeping this groovy spirit alive with this bedroom in his Manhattan apartment.


A living room at Waldorf Towers decorated by Parish-Hadley. The walls are a deep aubergine.


Though the walls are brown rather than aubergine, the glossy finish and the mirrors in this Miles Redd room are reminiscent of the room by Parish-Hadley.

(Image of Elkins interior courtesy of David Adler, Architect: The Elements of Style. David Hicks image from David Hicks: Designer. Murphy tablesetting from a 1980s Southern Accents; Mary McDonald image via House Beautiful. Saltzman image from House & Garden's Complete Guide to Interior Decoration; Jonathan Adler photo from Elle Decor So Chic: Glamorous Lives, Stylish Spaces. Parish-Hadley image courtesy Parish-Hadley: Sixty Years of American Design. Miles Redd room from House Beautiful, 1/02, Minh+Wass photographers.)

Luther Quintana Studio

Finding a good upholsterer can sometimes be tricky. Finding one who is both skilled and innovative is even more difficult, and that is why Manhattan-based Luther Quintana is one of the tops in the field. Having been in the upholstery business for over twenty years, Luther is the go to guy for some of the top decorators in the trade: Miles Redd, Tom Scheerer, and Jeffrey Bilhuber, just to name a few. In fact, if you've read an article about one of these designer's projects, you've probably seen Luther's work without realizing it.

Luther recently opened a second showroom in Manhattan called Luther Quintana Studio. Located near the D&D Building, the studio showcases much of Luther's fabulous upholstered pieces as well as antiques, decorative pillows, and accessories. I think that once you see Luther's work, you'll realize that you can't go back to ho-hum and mediocre upholstery (something which many of us seem resigned to while we search for that upholsterer who wants to branch out and try something new). If you're in the neighborhood, you should pop in for some inspiration. Also, make sure to visit Luther's website for many more photos of his work.

(Luther Quintana Studio is located at 237 East 60th Street and is open Monday through Friday 9am-6pm and Saturday by appointment. The downtown showroom/workroom for custom upholstery and drapery is still at 151 West 26th Street, by appointment.)







The images above and at top are of the studio. I'm loving the bench with the hoof legs, the screen, the Loop chair....







The ottoman, screen, and sofa are just a few of Luther's current favorites. Just think how great these pieces would look in our favorite fabrics.

Crystal Rock of Ages

We had our rock crystal moment a few years back. Obelisks, spheres, votives, and lamps made of quartz were de rigeur for a time. And while it was never as ubiquitous as coral (which, for the record, I still like), I got a little tired of it.

That is, until now. I was browsing through the catalogue for Christie's upcoming auction "European Furniture, Works of Art, Tapestries, and Carpets", to be held in New York on April 16. There are quite a few rock crystal pieces included in the sale, and now I'm smitten with the stuff all over again. What I am wondering, though, is if these pieces all came from the same collection. If so, aren't you curious about what the collector's home looked like?



Rock crystal tazza with rock crystal spheres, Modern, est. $8,000- $12,000


Pair of smoky rock crystal tazze, Modern, est. $6,000-$9,000


Pair of gilt metal, rock crystal, and glass wall lights, Modern, est. $6,000-$8,000


Pair of silvered-metal mounted rock crystal table lamps, Modern, est. $7,000 to $10,000


Pair of ormolu-mounted rock crystal lamps, Modern, est. $4,000 to $6,000

Image at top: Pair of rock crystal five-light candelabra, Modern, est. $8,000 to $12,000

The Fabric That Dare Not Speak Its Name

Chintz can be such a controversial subject. What? You didn't know that? Oh yes, the fur can and oftentimes does fly when discussion turns towards chintz. And why? It's nothing more than glazed cotton. How can you disparage good old cotton? And I for one love glazing (especially on doughnuts). I think chintz has unfortunately gotten a bum rap, much like linoleum and shoulder pads.

We had a mini chintz revival recently, although the chintz that seemed to garner the most publicity was of the floral variety. Florals are all well and good, but the chintz that strikes my fancy are solids. I love the sheen of solid chintz fabrics, but this is where the quality factor comes into play. Cheap chintz looks, well, cheap. It's all about the luster, and well-made solid chintz fabrics have got that in spades. It's a humble, toned down kind of glamour.

I found this early 1980s ad above for Zumsteg fabrics. Look at the yummy colors, the shiny finish, and the subtle, tonal print. Can't you see fabric like this used for some glam curtains in one's bedroom? Or what about seat cushions? If I owned a Frances Elkins' Loop chair, I'd use a chintz like this.

Of course, who doesn't associate floral chintz with Mario Buatta. But another prince of chintz- albeit solid chintz- was David Hicks. He used glazed cotton fabric for pillows, bedspreads, curtains, and all kinds of upholstery. And you know, it looked really great. My only advice would be to use solid chintz sparingly. Otherwise, your rooms might end up looking slippery!

(PS- Does anyone know anything about Ashley Hicks' forthcoming book David Hicks: A Life of Design? It's due to be released this Fall. Just added that to my wishlist.)






David Hicks designed all of the rooms above. His use of gutsy, colorful glazed cotton made chintz hip and sexy.

(Images of David Hicks' work from David Hicks: Designer and David Hicks on Decoration - With Fabrics)