My Favorite Blue Room

I believe that most of us have blue on the brain. House Beautiful's current issue is dedicated to the color, which also makes an appearance on the cover of March's Elle Decor. That's certainly fine by me because I adore blue. I've got a blue living room, blue dining room, blue eyes, even blue champagne coupes. One of my very favorite blue rooms is one with which many of you are familiar: the London drawing room of the late Fleur Cowles.

Located at Albany, the room, originally a ballroom, dates back to 1780 when it was designed by the architect Sir William Chambers. From what I've read, the ceiling has ornate plasterwork which I imagine must be exquisite. For me though, it's all about that glorious shade of blue- descriptions range from sky blue to Wedgwood blue- which really intensifies the other colors in the room. The artwork, the potted geranium, even the mahogany library steps seem to perk up when placed against that blue. Really, it's no wonder that Cowles deemed her room "the most beautiful in London."

I don't know when this room was decorated (I can only assume it was many years ago), but to me this room is utterly timeless. It's comfortable, and yet it's also rather grand. Why don't we live and decorate this way anymore? It's such a shame, really, because this is the type of design that has staying power.

A few more tidbits. According to a 2003 New York Times article, Cowles and her husband often served dinner to their guests in this room. Dishes included deviled chicken and ice cream with caramel sauce. You see, the food was nothing fancy and yet people clamored to be invited to her home. We need to remember this next time we get stressed out about what to serve our guests.

And what I also learned while doing a little Fleur Cowles research this week is that she also designed china for Denby called Jardin de Fleurs. On a plate like this, I bet deviled chicken looked divine.

Lee Bailey's City Food

So now on to the late Lee Bailey. I'm not old enough to remember Bailey during his heyday in the 1970s and 80s. (It's been a while since I could honestly say I wasn't old enough for something!) It seems to me, though, that Bailey was unique in that the food, the practical side of cooking and hosting, and the look of the table all got equal billing- no easy feat, but one that Bailey seems to have pulled off with aplomb. It's like there was Bailey the cook, Bailey the instructor and hand-holder to nervous hosts and hostesses, and Bailey the aesthete. In fact, china, flatware, and crystal were so important to Bailey that he used to have a legendary shop that specialized in cooking and table accessories.

I have two favorite Lee Bailey cookbooks- Lee Bailey's City Food: Recipes for Good Food and Easy Living and Lee Bailey's Good Parties. The images here are from City Food. Perhaps a few of these images might seem a bit dated, but if you pull back and look at the atmosphere and mood, I think you might be inspired to host a dinner or throw a good party. At the very least, you might get a few ideas about setting your own stylish table or sideboard.

(If you have any suggestions for similar cookbooks from the 1980s, by all means do tell.)





A cozy setting, and I love that burlwood table.






OK, I'm going to throw this out there...I love a black kitchen, without the purple neon of course. Black kitchens are sexy.






(All images from Lee Bailey's City Food: Recipes for Good Food and Easy Living, Joshua Greene photographer.)

The 1980s and its Glorious Food

There are those people who cook from cookbooks and those who just read them. I fall somewhere in between. Lately, I've been obsessing over cookbooks from the 1980s and truth be told, I haven't read them nor cooked from them- yet. What I've taken delight in are the photos.

I think that those wonderful Tiffany books got me started on this kick a few years ago- Tiffany Taste, The New Tiffany Table Settings (a book that must be prized by others as one listing on Amazon has it selling for $99,999*), and The Tiffany Gourmet Cookbook. Then I moved on to Glorious Food upon the recommendation of Chris Spitzmiller who, by the way, is captivated by the cover photo (see above). More recently I've devoured Lee Bailey's City Food and Lee Bailey's Good Parties.

So why the fascination with these cookbooks? I think it's because their authors placed as much emphasis on the tables, the background, and the atmosphere as they did the food. The photos are so darn styled...and they look marvelous. When I look at these photos, they make me want to host a dinner or drinks party with the same look and feel. I do think that it's a relief that today we don't have to serve four courses to our guests, nor do our dishes have to be complicated. (I mean, aren't we all eternally grateful to Ina Garten that she made hosting a dinner party so easy?) I also believe, though, that we need to see more photos that go beyond a basic table setting or a closeup shot of the food- photos that get the creative juices flowing and that inspire us to want to entertain at home again.

Today I'll show some photos from Glorious Food, and tomorrow is reserved for Lee Bailey. And if you don't cook, not to worry. The decorating in these photos is really pretty good.


*I do realize that the $99,999 listing is a typo...or perhaps a joke. At least, I hope it is.















(All images from Glorious Food by Christopher Idone)

Detail Shots from Brussels

I'm not really your average tourist. Others take photos of famous sites, churches, panoramic views. Me, I take photos of architectural details. Actually, it gets even more specific than that. I take photos of iron railings.

Why? Beats me, because I'm certainly not an architect, nor am I planning to build my dream house anytime soon. I believe that it's the railings' motifs that catch my eye. When I take a photo, I'm always thinking how I might incorporate that particular design into my home. Perhaps one of the motifs might be the inspiration for a nailhead pattern on the bottom edge of a sofa or chair. Or, another might make for an interesting painted border on a wall. Maybe even a unique pattern for a pelmet.

As you can see, even on my trip to Brussels last week I still had design on the brain.








The best part about this one, above, is that it's located in a dry cleaners. The Carriage Cleaners that I go to certainly doesn't look like this.








I guess I broke rank here since this is actually gate. It's located at Pierre Berge & Associes.







Oh, the other thing that I like to take photos of is signs. Go figure.


I love this Jazz Age font.









(All images taken by Jennifer Boles)

Back from BRAFA

A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to visit Brussels thanks to a trip sponsored by the Belgian Tourist Office and BRAFA. BRAFA, for those who don't know (and I didn't know until quite recently), is the Brussels Antiques and Fine Arts Fair, a show that has been in existence for 55 years.

The show really was quite impressive. There was 20th c. furniture, 18th c. clocks, ancient African art, contemporary art, porcelain, and silver. There were booths with simple backdrops against which the art and antiques were the stars, while others were decorated like rooms- chic rooms, mind you. I'll stop talking now because words really can't do the show justice. You've just got to see the pieces for yourselves.



Unfortunately, I can't tell you anything about this beautiful chandelier. Still, it was too fetching not to show. (Mullendorf Antiques)


It's that metal buckled strap that absolutely makes this mirror. In this photo and the one below, you can see the gorgeous wooden paneled walls. These were made in the 1920s for a reception room of the "Compagnie Maritime Belge" and were inspired by the Congo. The frieze at the top is carved with African motifs. (Mullendorff Antiques)


I was so taken with the shape of these chairs, and that blue velvet looks fantastic next to those red nesting tables. (Mullendorf Antiques)




One of my favorite booths at the show, Gerald Watelet's (shown in the three photos above) is one that I think especially appeals to those with a design bent. The vignettes were meant to evoke a stylish woman's pied à terre.



I realize that the garden stool craze has run its course, but I was really tempted by these tasseled blue and white stools. I also think the planter in the second photo is pretty terrific.





Another favorite booth was that of Jacques Nève . Truth be told, I've never thought a great deal about antique clocks...until I saw these beauties. The first example, an au bon sauvage mantel clock, is "L'Amerique" (French, c. 1799-1803) and depicts America as a native woman with a feather headdress and skirt and a crocodile amongst her feet. Note too the palm tree. You should visit Mr. Nève's website because I think you'll become as smitten with these clocks as I.


I guess I should have taken notes because I can't remember the purpose of these acanthus leaves with cherub faces. I do know, though, that they were made of gleaming sterling silver.


A gold and gem encrusted statue by Johann Friedrich Kohler, Dresden, c. 1720


A vignette at Axel Vervoordt.


I think it was this console's snakeskin top that caught my eye. (Galerie Jean-Jacques Dutko)


At first glance I thought this was a screen, but then I noticed the ring pulls. This folding door is by Pierre Dunand, c. 1950. (Galerie Jean-Jacques Dutko)


I had to take a photo of this painting as it reminded me Billy Baldwin's famous dog painting.


A most unusual peacock chair.


The booth of Honourable Silver Objects was another that was decorated with vignettes. This shot makes me want to go tablescape something.

(For more information on BRAFA, please visit their website. To learn more about visiting Belgium, go to the Belgian Tourist Office's site.)

All photos by Jennifer Boles