Encyclopedia of the Exquisite

And while we're on the subject of fanciful things like Galantine of Duck-

Have you read Jessica Kerwin Jenkins' new book Encyclopedia of the Exquisite: An Anecdotal History of Elegant Delights yet? I just finished it, and it's one of the most charming books that I've read in quite some time. No, a galantine isn't included in Jessica's book, but other flights of fancy and examples of the exquisite are like blancmange, milk baths, origami, and poufs. If this all sounds a little confusing, it's not. Just think of the book as an encyclopedia and history of some of the more delightful and at times curious things in life like confetti, twilight, tea, and red lipstick. I think that that last example might be enough to encourage some of you to read it!

A William Kent Primer

So now let's look at William Kent, the 18th c. British painter, interior designer, and architect who was a major figure of Palladianism, a style that was based upon the designs of 16th c. Italian architect Andrea Palladio. Palladio's Classical architecture was strongly influenced by ancient Roman architecture and art. It was this Classicism and its motifs of shells, masks, and pediments that form the basis of Palladian design. In fact, if you look back at yesterday's photos of Kent style tables, you'll see these motifs featured prominently.

Kent's career shifted from painting to interiors and architecture after meeting Lord Burlington, one of the major champions of this British Classical style. It was Burlington who hired Kent to decorate both Chiswick House, Burlington's Palladian style villa outside of London, as well as his home in London, Burlington House. Under Burlington's patronage, Kent went on to design the exteriors and interiors of such houses as Kensington Palace, Houghton Hall, and Holkham Hall.

One aspect of Palladian design that I find so interesting is that while the exteriors of these Palladian homes reflected the restraint of classical architecture, the interiors tended to be ornately and richly decorated. Perhaps this is why I am so taken with Kent style tables and their elaborate carvings and reliefs. The ultimate might be to live in a house like that at 44 Berkeley Square, London, in which Kent served as architect. Barring that, though, I'd be just as happy owning anything in the style of William Kent.



A cabinet designed by William Kent and Horace Walpole, 1743, rosewood and ivory. The ivory medallions were collected by Walpole during his Grand Tour in Italy and France around 1740. (Collection of Victoria & Albert Museum)



The Long Library at Holkham Hall, designed by Kent.




One of the state bedrooms at Houghton Hall that still retains the original furnishings and decoration by Kent.





Another state bedroom at Houghton Hall, this one with Kent's famous green velvet bed that features a shell over the bed's head.




An illustration of Chiswick House, the Palladian villa of Lord Burlington.



A gilt pinewood and marble console table designed by Kent for Chiswick House, c. 1730. (Collection of Victoria & Albert Museum)



This pair of tables at Chiswick House were designed by Kent for Lord Burlington.



The ornate double staircase at 44 Berkeley Square, London. Kent was the architect of this house that was built in 1742.


Portrait at top of William Kent, William Aikman painter, c. 1723-25, collection of the National Portrait Gallery.

A Beauty of a Table

So what's today's "I want it. I need it. I have to have it."? Why, that would be a William Kent style table. A stretch, I know. I think that my desire for pleated lamp shades will be fulfilled long before that of a William Kent table. Still, one has to have those aspirational pieces on her wish list. After all, you gotta have something to work for.

So, who was William Kent and what did he have to do with tables? In a backward history lesson kind of way, that will be the focus of tomorrow's post. But in this post, I'll show a few examples of how these beauties are being used today.

See that photo at top? That's a William Kent table in the home of Oscar and Annette de la Renta. An elegant table for an elegant couple.



In the manner of William Kent, this eagle based console resides in the London home of Sue Stafford, former marketing director for David Hicks.



Alexa Hampton has this William Kent style table in her office.



I wonder if Alexa's table is the same one that her father, Mark Hampton, used at the Kips Bay Showhouse in 1997. Looks like it.



Mark Hampton also used a William Kent table in his Manhattan dining room.



Who could forget that Miles Redd used his William Kent style table to serve drinks?



A William Kent style table appears in another Redd project.



I'm not so sure about the red plush finish to this William Kent style console and mirror that was recently auctioned off at Christie's. That said, the carved eagle base is rather nice.

(Image #1: Vogue, 12/08, François Halard; #2 from House & Garden, October 2010, Sarah Hogan photographer; #3 from New York Social Diary, Jeff Hirsch photographer; #4 and #5 from Mark Hampton: An American Decorator by Duane Hampton; #6 from House & Garden, Paul Costello photographer; #6 from Elle Decor, Simon Upton photographer.)

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.)