Pleats Please

Boy, are there a lot of bad lampshades in this world. The problem is not so much the shapes (although there are a few shapes that I'm really sick of seeing), but rather the fabric. When you go to a shade shop, don't you feel as though you're swimming in a sea of cheap beige silk that is as dull as dishwater? Yes, I too shudder at the thought.

I suppose that the answer is custom shades, because so much of what I see in magazines is not in any store that I frequent. Thank goodness for black shades because you can buy those off the shelf, though the issue there is that they don't let a lot of light through. I'm liking the red and green silk pleated numbers that Miles Redd has been adding to lamps, sconces, and chandeliers, but again, they're not really easy to find.

The shades that have really caught my eye lately are most definitely custom ones. What I would love to have on my bedroom's swing arm lamps are pleated shades made from a patterned fabric. The shade that really triggered this idea was one that I saw in a booth at BRAFA back in January. It was made from an ethnic print fabric, and it looked really lovely with the light coming through the fabric. And I'm really taken with the pleated checked fabric shades in Tory Burch's Hamptons home. Oh, what about Robert Kime's pleated shades? (Check out the one in the top photo.) So much inspiration. Now I just need to figure out which fabric to choose!



The shade at BRAFA that started it all...



A softer, more feminine print for Tory Burch's pleated shades.



Robert Kime recently auctioned off part of his antiques collection, including these lamps fitted with Kime-designed custom shades.


More bespoke shades by Kime, this time using his prints Pea Pods White on Blue, Field Poppy, and Tian Ikat.



Miles Redd chose subtle stripes for the swing arm lamp and chandelier shades in the master bedroom of Glen and Danielle Rollins.

(Top photo from House & Garden, Oct 2010, Rachel Whiting photographer; BRAFA photo by Jennifer Boles. Tory Burch photo from Town & Country; 4th photo from House & Garden, Nov 2010; Kime shades courtesy of robertkime.com; Rollins shot from Town & Country, August 2010; Francesco Lagnese photographer.)

Put On Your Pearls, Girls

So what's up with the photos of everyone's favorite style icons wearing their pearls? I'm hoping to channel them tomorrow evening when I'll be attending a Dolma pearl jewelry trunk show held in conjunction with Clara Chambers Photography. For more information, see below.

I'm thinking I should go all out like Coco or Babe. What do you think?

Veranda Art of Design

Tomorrow is a big day at ADAC. It's Veranda's Art of Design event which includes a keynote presentation featuring Miles Redd, Gil Schafer, and Suzanne Kasler plus an inspiring documentary showing as well as events in various showrooms. I'll be there front row center as I don't want to miss a word that this talented bunch has to say. Hope to see you there!

For more information and details, please click here. Reservations are required.

It's as Simple as Black and White

When I was researching my château de Montgeoffroy post the other day, I came across this photo above. Not a terribly remarkable room. Located at a converted barn outside of Paris, the decor seems evocative of the era, in this case the 1960s. But it wasn't the green walls, nor the green curtains, nor that blue velvet sofa that caught my eye. Oh no. It was this:



A basket full of black and white wrapped packages, most of which are quite unusual in shape. I spy some Fauchon boxes, a few gifts wrapped in faux bois paper, and some zebra print packages too. And the red and yellow ribbon is quite chic too. Now this is my kinda gift wrapping.



Wouldn't you be excited to receive a gift in this Fauchon basket? Mais oui.



You can give black and white too with a classic Rigaud candle in the Cythère fragrance. You wouldn't even have to wrap it.



Of course, it's perfectly normal to buy something for yourself while holiday shopping for others...as long as it's not too extravagant. Why not a Rigaud travel candle in a black and white tin?

Zebra gift wrap, like this from The Container Store, would work, although I'd ditch that purple bow for red, green, coral, hot pink, or turquoise colored silk ribbon.

Worst case, you could deliver gifts in a Scalamandre bag. That's what Alfie plans to do this season.

(Top photo from THE FINEST ROOMS IN FRANCE)

Let's Chic It Up for the 1950s

Hands down one of the best conferences that I've ever attended was last year's Chic It Up! conference at Winterthur. Absolutely fascinating and well worth the trip up North. In fact, it was at last year's event (it focused on 1940s design) that I heard Pauline Metcalf speak about Syrie Maugham. It was after listening to her lecture that I knew her book on Maugham was going to be a winner...and it was.

This year's event, scheduled for Friday, November 12, will look at 1950s design. Speakers include Thomas Jayne (whose new book The Finest Rooms in America was just released), Donald Albrecht (he is an absolutely terrific speaker who will speak about Cecil Beaton and 1950s set design), and other decorative arts historians. And what could be better than to visit Winterthur as well?

If meetings didn't keep me in Atlanta, I would attend in a heartbeat. Poor me. Anyway, if you live in the area or plan to be close-by, I encourage you to make plans to attend. You will not be disappointed!

For more information, click here.

The More Things Stay the Same

When I was in San Fran, I picked up a copy of the latest The Magazine Antiques. That copper cookware (rows of it!) caught my eye and piqued my interest. The corresponding article is about château de Montgeoffroy, one of the best preserved of France's 18th century châteaux. Built in the 1770s by the marquis de Contades, it was one of the few châteaux to survive the Revolution. And amazingly enough, the château has remained in the same family since it was built with the current marquis de Contades and his wife residing there today.

So how well preserved is it? Much of the original furniture has survived and remains in the same rooms where it was placed in the 1770s. There are numerous late 18th c. chairs that were products of the Gourdin workshop, while commodes from cabinetmaker Pierre Garnier (1725-1800) are dotted throughout the house. And up until recently, much of the furniture wore its original fabric, cotton chintzes hand printed in India. The fabric has now been replaced by comparable Pierre Frey prints.

Funny enough, I felt that I had seen the kitchen before. Alas, I had, in my 1963 copy of Decoration . As you can see, little in the kitchen has changed. And you know, that's a very good thing.

château de Montgeoffroy



The Grand Salon



A bedroom with a lit á la duchesse.



A bedroom with reproduction Braquenie fabric.



Yet another charming bedroom.



The beautiful kitchen with that glorious cookware.



The kitchen as it appeared in 1963.

(All color images from The Magazine Antiques, Sept/Oct 2010, article by Joan DeJean, Daniel Kessler photographer. Last image from "Decoration", Pierre Levallois.)

By Invitation Only

Last week I was in San Francisco visiting my sister and attending the Antiques Show (I'll post about that later), and this week has been spent dealing with jet lag. Why I get jet lag after trips to the West Coast only, I haven't a clue. The long flight out there was made tolerable thanks to The Two Mrs. Grenvilles, Dominick Dunne's 1985 book based on the infamous Woodward murder case. I'll explain later why I was reading this book. Throw away the intrigue, sex, and murder, and you still have an interesting book thanks to Dunne's exploration of New York's old moneyed elite.

One custom, for lack of a better word, that Dunne mentions is displaying invitations on one's mantelpiece. The younger Mrs. Grenville, a former showgirl who hooked the wealthy young scion to the Grenville fortune, observes that her well-bred mother-in-law does this. "Engraved invitations, piled one upon the other, were propped against the mantelpiece." Later, the arriviste asks Mrs. Grenville senior "Is that what you do with invitations?... Pile them up like that on the mantelpiece? It looks very smart."

Well, you know, I never thought about this before, but the showgirl was right. It does look very smart. I only have one mantelpiece in my home, and it's in the living room. Piled up invitations wouldn't really work there as it might be a little too messy and a bit too personal for a public room. But in a sitting room or bedroom, it can add some pizzazz. It's cooler and a bit more nonchalant than a bulletin board, don't you think? The only problem today is that so many invitations are sent electronically. A print-out of an Evite just isn't the same as an engraved invitation.

And speaking of Dominick Dunne- as I was writing this post, I was informed that Stair Galleries will be auctioning off the estate of Dunne on November 20. Take a look at the website to view the lots as well as photos of his New York apartment and Connecticut house, including his living room with the La Portugaise fabric.




When I read Dunne's bit about invitations on the mantelpiece, I immediately thought of John Peixinho's Newport home. He too displays invitations on his mantel in his bedroom. Looks like he is quite popular!



Kenneth Jay Lane displays his social obligations on his bedroom mantel as well. Something tells me that Kenny's invites are to some pretty swell parties.




No bulletin board could hold the number of invitations that Nicky Haslam receives. After all, he is one of London's most popular guests. Here are his invitations in his former London flat.



And at his country home, the Hunting Lodge (and former home of John Fowler.)

(Top image from Tiffany's Palm Beach; Peixinho photos from House Beautiful, Don Freeman photographer. KJL photo from Private New York: Remarkable Residences; Haslam photos from Sheer Opulence)

The Finial Touch

Just like a good man, a decent finial is hard to find. (Only teasing.) Seriously, though, don't you agree that there are a lot of ugly finials out there? Fortunately, designer Hillary Thomas has remedied the situation with her new line of chic finials- "The Finial Touch"- that are Chinese and African inspired. Hillary will be debuting the line as part of her OKL Tastemaker Tag Sale tomorrow (Suzanne Tucker is also having a sale tomorrow as well.) I believe that it's time for me to update some of my lamps. Here are a few finials that I'm considering:





















(All images courtesy of Hillary Thomas Designs)