Mother Goose and Trim

Bullion fringe reminds me of that old nursery rhyme about the little girl who had a little curl right in the middle of her forehead. (Click here if you're not familiar with it.)

When it's good, it's very, very good.....


Tory Burch's library (Vogue, François Halard photographer)



Madeleine Castaing's home (French Interiors: The Art of Elegance, Christina Vervitsioti-Missoffe photographer)


Carolina Herrera's home (Fernando Bengoechea, photographer)


Miles Redd interior (Elle Decor, Simon Upton photographer)


Bedroom of Oscar and Annette de la Renta (Vogue, François Halard photographer)

...but when it is bad it is horrid!

(Bullion trim at top from Lewis and Sheron)

Mally Skok Fabrics

I was over at the Travis showroom the other day and was introduced to a fantastic new line of fabric by designer Mally Skok. Inspired by her love of antique and modern textiles, Skok recently debuted her line with the India Collection. Each print is charming, but I think what makes the line truly appealing is the hand crafted look of the fabric. I guess that's not surprising as all of Skok's fabrics are hand screened by Peter Fasano. For more information about the line, visit Mally's website, or do as I did and contact Dolly at the Travis showroom in Atlanta, (404) 237-5079.

Update: For you New Yorkers, Skok's fabric is also available at the Hinson showroom.

Julia in Pink on Oyster

Julia Double in Blue on Oyster

Nichola Aqua/Sand on Canvas

Rohet Multi on Oyster

Rohet Flora Multi on Natural

Rohet Stripe on Natural

Samode in Blue on Oyster

Go Dark!

The House Beautiful Color Institute took place here in Atlanta last week, and the turnout was huge.  No surprise, really, as Atlantans are design obsessed...but I think the rest of the country has its fair share of design savvy citizens as well.  Stephen Drucker led a lively discussion on color, and when the topic of current design trends came up, Stephen mentioned that dark colors seem to be captivating us today.  Case in point...the deep navy kitchen of Windsor Smith and the black entryway designed by Rob Southern (seen above), both of which were featured in the September issue of House Beautiful.  This trend is one that has really struck a chord with me, perhaps because I recently painted my powder room navy.  All of the talk of deep, dark rooms got me thinking...

...about designer Courtney Giles' den.  Look at the fair-haired version of the room when it was featured in Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.  It's light and bright, yet that fabulous corduroy sofa, the geometric rug, and the deep brown wicker chair lend coziness to the room.  And then compare it to the current version in rich chocolate brown.  The same pieces are in the room, but the mood is so very different.  It used to be Grace Kelly, but it became Liz Taylor.


Stephen also mentioned that painting a room black is one of the most daring things you can do (design wise, of course).  I'm dying to try my hand at this.  When I think of black rooms, this one comes to mind:

A room designed by Mark Hampton in the early 1970s. I love the crisp white molding against those black walls. Can you imagine the way this room must have looked at night??  Smashing!  (Speaking of Mark Hampton, I am so excited about Duane Hampton's upcoming book on her genius late husband, Mark Hampton: An American Decorator, to be published by Rizzoli in Spring 2010.  This is the book I have been waiting for!!)

(Photo of kitchen: House Beautiful 9/09, Victoria Pearson photographer;  entrway: House Beautiful 9/09, Victoria Pearson photographer.  Giles' den, light version, from Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, September, 2007, Erica George Dines photographer; dark version via Giles' website, Emily Followill photographer.  Hampton room from House & Garden, September 1971)

Don't Forget!

Big design events happening in Atlanta this Thursday....

House Beautiful will be hosting its Color Institute Event at ADAC this Thursday, September 17.  The Keynote Presentation will take place at 10am and will be led by Editor in Chief Stephen Drucker.  Panelists include Suzanne Kasler and Eric Cohler.  Afterwards, showrooms will be hosting colorful events throughout the day.  RSVP is required; please email HouseBeautifulRSVP@hearst.com for more information, or visit their website.

Later that afternoon, you can meet designer Jamie Drake at a 3pm presentation at The Madison Gallery (ADAC Suite 226) followed by a reception at Deadwyler Antiques (ADAC Suite 322).  The event is a benefit for DIFFA; admission is a minimum $50 charitable contribution to DIFFA.  For more information and to RSVP for this event, please contact meganbell@madisongallery.com or call 404-816-4033.  Reservations are required no later than September 14.

George Barbier: The Birth of Art Deco

Are you familiar with George Barbier, shown above? I was vaguely aware of his name and knew that he was an illustrator during the Art Deco period. But beyond that...nothing else. Evidently, I'm not alone.

Barbier was one of the leading figures of the Art Deco era, enjoying fame and notoriety with fellow artists Léon Bakst, Erté, and Aubrey Beardsley. Much of Barbier's work centered around fashion illustration (including very stylish works for Cartier), although book and magazine illustrations and theater designs (set and costume) rounded out his oeuvre. His illustrations were so very evocative of the Deco era; they were lavish, stylized, and at times erotic. They captured the modernity and frivolity of that time.

Unfortunately, Barbier's name has been obscured with time. Bakst and Erté's stars continued to shine bright through the years, while Barbier was relegated to the annals of time. And amazingly enough, no exhibitions of his work had been staged since 1932 until this year when the Fortuny Museum in Venice held a retrospective of Barbier's work. An accompanying book was recently published entitled George Barbier: The Birth of Art Deco, edited by curator Barbara Martorelli (distributed in the U.S. by Rizzoli New York).  The book is a fascinating study of the man who helped define the Deco aesthetic.  There are numerous color plates of Barbier's work, and I think you'll be charmed by them.  (I know that I was, especially by his theater designs.)  The text is informative and concise, but the book really is all about Barbier's illustrations.

If you have an interest in illustration, in fashion, or in the Deco period, I highly recommend this well researched book.  After reading it, I think you might agree that it's high time more people are familiar with George Barbier.

(Those of you in New York might be interested in an upcoming lecture by the author on November 17 at the Art Deco Society.  Sponsored by the American Association of University Women, the event will take place from 6-8pm, $20 for ADSNY members and $25 for guests & non-members.  For more information, please call 212-679-3326)

Mademoiselle Spinelly chez elle, 1921 from Le Bonheur du Jour ou les Grâces à la Mode, 1924

Mademoiselle Sorel en grand habit, 1921 from Le Bonheur du Jour ou les Grâces à la Mode, 1924

Costume Study, Chinese Dancer, c. 1920

La Fontaine de coquillages, from Gazette du Bon Ton, March 1914

Falbalas et Fanfreluches, almanach des Modes présentes, passées et futures, 1924

The Romance of Perfume, 1928; a promotional book for Richard Hudnut and Richard le Gallienne.

(All images copyrighted George Barbier: The Birth of Art Deco edited by Barbara Martorelli, Marsilio, 2009)

Garrow Kedigian

Time wasn't on my side yesterday so I wasn't able to prepare a post for today.  I do want to encourage you to visit New York Social Diary over the weekend and read the interview with designer Garrow Kedigian.  Garrow's room at this year's Kips Bay was one of my favorites, and now his Manhattan apartment has become another favorite of mine. Truly, his home makes me want to banish all color in my home and embrace a neutral color scheme.  And for those of you who know me, that's really saying something!

(Image at top: Garrow's room for Kips Bay. Image from his website.)

A Fun Evening with the Skirted Round Table

A few evenings ago I had the opportunity to chat with three of my favorite bloggers- Joni, Linda, and Megan- for broadcast on their fantastic blog The Skirted Round Table. We had more fun talking about blogging, paint colors, and House Beautiful. Be sure to visit their website to listen to the podcast. And thanks to them for letting me be a part of the conversation!

The Private World of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Bergé

It's my favorite time of year...the time when all of the fabulous design books are released! One of the books that I can't stop raving out (and one that I'm sure my friends wish I would stop crowing about) is The Private World of Yves Saint Laurent and Pierre Berge by Robert Murphy with photographs by Ivan Terestchenko. Now, I realize that some of you might be thinking "Yet another book on Yves Saint Laurent?", but trust me, if you're a fan of YSL, you will want this book for your library.


Focusing on the homes and collections of YSL and Pierre Bergé, the book features the eight residences that they had between them, including Rue de Babylone and Avenue de Breteuil (YSL residences), Rue Bonaparte (Bergé), and the pair's homes in Deauville, Tangier, and Marrakech.  Some of the interiors are quite opulent in that European kind of way, while others reflect the exoticism of their locales.  But the real appeal of this book is the photographs by Terestchenko.  The photos make you feel as though you are actually in the homes, perhaps as a guest of the late designer and his partner.  Thank goodness Terestchenko was able to capture the interiors before they were disassembled for auction.


Unfortunately, I'm only able to show you a few photos from the book, so treat this post as a sneak peek.  I think that when you get your copies, you'll agree that this is a book with which you will be enchanted.  And if a little of that YSL flair rubs off on us, all the better.


Saint Laurent's sunny bedroom in Marrakech.


The library at Bergé's Rue Bonaparte home, designed by the homeowner and Francois-Joseph Graf. This room is one of the most pared down in the residence.


The entrance hall in Marrakech.

(All photos by Ivan Terestchenko, courtesy of Vendome Press)

I Survived the Party

Remember my frantic decorating in anticipation of the party I was hosting for my sister? Well, said party took place a few weeks ago, and it seemed a good time was had by all...including the hostess. (And believe it or not, my good time was had without any wine. You have to stay sharp while hostessing.) Before the party, there was the mad rush to get my powder room finished. My poor sister made that valance the week of the party. She's refusing to come home for Christmas unless I promise that I won't cook up another project for her.

Now I must admit that I had some anxiety before the party because my dining room really isn't finished yet. I don't yet have a rug in there because I'm looking for the perfect rug. There is one wall that is completely bare and will be until I find the perfect piece of art. So, while I'm waiting for perfection, the dining room remains a bit incomplete. I started to wonder what the guests would think about the bare floor, the bare wall. But then I thought about Dorothy Draper and what she might say about my dilemma. I feel confident that she would have said to get over the will to be dreary and have the party. And you know what? Once the guests were in place and the room was bathed in candlelight, I don't think anyone really noticed the bare spots!

When I entertain, I don't have a theme per se. This time, however, I chose a color theme for the party: fuchsia with hints of silver, black, and white. I covered the dining table in a hot pink tablecloth which was inspired by those gorgeous fuchsia table linens that Mathilde Agostinelli had in her Jacques Grange designed dining room. I stuck with silver trays for a dash of glimmer, and pink and white ikat votives added another punch of pink. Oh, and I went with bright pink hydrangeas for tight little arrangements in the center of the table.


That's me shortly before the party wringing my hands over the bare floor.




I hired Cafe Lapin to cater the party. Mattie Hines, the proprietor who also happens to be a major design devotee like the rest of us, did a fabulous job helping me come up with a menu which included:

Ham and Gruyère Biscuits
Fig, Prosciutto, and Arugula Crepes
Asparagus on Puffed Pastry
Parmesan Shortbread Stars with Caramelized Onion Marmalade
Chicken Satay
Billionaire's Bacon


You know we like our bacon here in the South. The sugared bacon on skewers were a hit.



On the other side of the dining room, I set up a dessert table with macaroons in pink, brown, and cream (had they made black macaroons that would have been perfect!) and a tray of petits fours.






I kept with the color theme on the dessert table by using fuchsia cocktail napkins and pink butter mints. Yes, I realize that the mints were a rather old school touch, but they looked good on the table.


I made tiny arrangements of dark purple calla lilies and white fancy tulips. I love nothing more than a floral arrangement that looks black and white- so graphic.



And I couldn't neglect the balcony. The fuchsia lanterns looked great for all of five minutes, but then a thunderstorm hit and the wind ripped them down. And to think that my poor father was up on a ladder for half an hour before the party in the sweltering heat hanging the darn things!

What about the bar you say? I set that up in the living room, as seen in the top two photos. It's not easy trying to make room for the liquor, the wine, the beer, the mixers, and all of the other accoutrements. The lack of space on the bar, though, did not seem to deter anyone from partaking in the libations. One thing that really came in handy was my Dash and Albert outdoor rug (full disclosure: a number of bloggers were given the opportunity to select a small rug of their choosing from the Dash & Albert website). I was trying to figure out where to use it when I realized that it would be perfect under the temporary bar. It protected the hardwood floor from spills, which meant one less thing for this harried hostess to worry about!

So when is the next party? I'm thinking Christmas. And hopefully I will have a rug and some art by that time!

(To contact Mattie at Cafe Lapin, the telephone number is (404) 812-9171. I highly recommend them!)

The Office Where Love Bloomed

Fess up. How many of you were Judith Krantz fans back in the 80s? There was that summer before my junior year in high school when I read the Brontë Sisters by day...and Judith Krantz by night. Let me tell you- you can get quite an education from Princess Daisy and Scruples, although I don't think it was the kind of education that my parents envisioned for me. When my father expressed his dismay over my choice of literature, I told him that at least I wasn't reading Jackie Collins. Now her stuff was really trashy. Or so I've heard.

I'm guessing that Judith's romance writing days are over as I haven't heard about her in a while. But back twenty years ago, she was huge. A 1992 House & Garden article featured Krantz's California home office, or what she called her workroom. And whether you like her type of fiction or not, I think her work space will be of interest to bloggers and writers. After all, don't the words flow a little more freely in a space that is both inspiring and comforting?

First, she made sure that her workroom looked out onto a garden because it comforted her to know that the outdoors were not far from her desk. She also noted that she didn't think she could write in a high rise. I can write in my high rise condo, but I get what she's saying. You do get a little stir crazy while writing with your head in the clouds.



Krantz said that other than her computer, you'd never know that this room was her office. The walls were covered in a Provençal print, and there were needlepoint rugs on the floor. Krantz accessorized her room with her collection of framed needlework as well as ivory jars and boxes. She surrounded herself with things that would serve as "food for my fidgets." Any of you who write can relate to this; how many times do you get up to rearrange bookshelves or tableaux while you're trying to crank out a post or an article?



While the room is a bit frou for me, what I do like is that it looks nothing like an office, and that's a breath of fresh air. I don't have the luxury of space, so I don't want to devote an entire room to a utilitarian looking office. Instead, it has to do double duty as a living space. But the beauty of being a writer or blogger is that you don't need much more than books, a laptop, a sharp mind, and an attractive workroom to get the creative juices flowing. Oh, and an active imagination with which to dream up the trials and tribulations of Princess Daisy and that evil half brother of hers Ram!



(All images from House & Garden, Aug 1992)