Jim Thompson's Animal Menagerie

After a wild and woolly week, I needed something to put a smile on my face. Thanks to Jim Thompson, I found it. The fabric company enlisted Douglas Little to create fanciful windows for its Paris showroom. Using fabric from Jim Thompson's newest collections- The Rite of Spring, Curtain Calls, Opus, and Tony Duquette for Jim Thompson: Part II- Little conjured up exotic animals that appear to be making mischief. The damask lioness (don't you love her nailhead trim?) has made a mess of a down-filled pillow, while the colorful monkeys seem to be flitting around and are probably up to no good. Oh, and you know what? I really like the fabric too.














All images courtesy of Jim Thompson.

Fresh from Fromental

Leave it to Fromental to consistenly produce wallpaper that I just have to have. (And if I had more space in my home, I wouldn't have to resort to simply dreaming about the paper!) What first got me hooked was their stunning hand-painted silk Chinoiserie paper. Their rich colorways (check out Empire and Bubblegum Blue) and embroidered details make traditional Chinese paper seem exciting again. And I never knew that I liked monkeys until I saw their Singerie and Swinging Monkeys patterns. I'd love to use the latter in a closet or niche that has been converted to a bar.

So what's the latest Fromental innovation that has captured my fancy? This hand-embroidered Italian velvet wallpaper, above, that was introduced at last year's Decorex. Named Berard, the faux-paneled design was inspired by the work of artist Christian Bérard.

I'm so intrigued by the fact that the faux painted design is embroidered, and embroidered on velvet no less. It's so unexpected, and yet, that is exactly what I would expect from Fromental.

In this 1939 photo of the Institut Guerlain in Paris, you can see the inspiration behind Fromental's print. At the behest of Jean-Michel Frank, Christian Bérard painted trompe l'oeil architecture on yellow fabric.






Although these stage sets were not designed by Bérard, they reminded me of his work. Designed by Jean Hugo in 1925 for Jean Cocteau's play Orphee, the painted architectural features have a similar feel to the Fromental paper.


Fromental photos courtesy of the company. Guerlain photo from Jean-Michel Frank: The Strange and Subtle Luxury of the Parisian Haute-Monde in the Art Deco Period by Pierre-Emmanuel Martin-Vivier; Hugo photo from Chanel by Jean Leymarie.

Sherle-y You Jest!

I'm steeling myself for the comments on this post because a lot of you might think I've lost my marbles. Actually, I have lost my marbles over marble...Sherle Wagner marble and onyx that is. One of my secret likes- and it's not so secret anymore- are those old Sherle Wagner shell pedestal sinks. They bring to mind the champagne wishes and caviar dreams of the 1980s. But to me, they also are evocative of the 1930s; in fact, they look like something Cedric Gibbons might have used in a wildly glamorous film set.

If I bought a home with one of these sinks in it, I wouldn't dare get rid of it. Oh, no, no, no. I would embrace the Sherle Wagner shell and incorporate it into a really slick design scheme. The only catch is that you'd have to be careful about how you decorate the rest of the bathroom lest it end up looking like something out of the Carrington mansion. (You know, the Carringtons of Dynasty.)




A Sherle Wagner onyx shell pedestal sink with 24K gold plated hardware.






An ad from a September 1977 issue of Architectural Digest.







I found this black marble version on Ebay. This one just might be the best of the bunch.





A 1988 ad that I found on Ebay. And you know, nothing accompanies a Sherle Wagner shell sink better than marabou and Stubbs & Wootton.

Tantalizing Titles

I admit it. I judge my books by their covers...or at least I do when choosing the ones to place on top of cocktail and side tables. Why waste precious real estate with a banal book cover? But what about titles? Have you ever thought to display books with witty or naughty titles?

I admit that I never thought of doing so until I saw the above photo of London designer Richard Adams' bookcase. He very cleverly placed Snobs, Unsuitable Company, and Shocking! facing out on the ends of the glass shelves. I do have Shocking! in my home, and I really should place it on the top of a stack of books. Unfortunately, that might be the most Shocking! thing my home as seen.

After a quick search on the web, I found all kinds of books that would be perfect to display in a woman's home.




This Lonny photograph shows a stack of books in the home of New York designer Elizabeth Bauer. On top is the classic 1930s single gal primer Live Alone and Like It by Marjorie Hillis. I might have to get a copy for myself because I live alone, and guess what? I actually like it.




You could really be devilish and feature Maysie Greig's Men as Her Stepping Stones prominently in your home. (I have Nick Harvill to thank for introducing me to this book.) No, I'm not trying to make a statement nor a confession with this choice.





The feminist counterpoint to Greig's book might be Self Made Woman by Faith Baldwin. It might not be feminist, though, depending on how that woman became self made.




And last but not least, another Maysie Greig novel that is perfect for me: No Dowry for Jennifer. "His selfish love forced Jennifer into the arms of another man." And you thought all I did was write this blog!



Adams photo from English Eccentric Interiors by Miranda Harrison. Bauer photo from Lonny magazine, June/July 2010, Patrick Cline photographer.

Study Hall

Look at that glorious hallway above and tell me if it doesn't have Dorothy Draper's name written all over it. That at least was my immediate thought when I first saw this photo. In fact, old Dorothy had nothing to do with the design of this early 1960s Parisian hallway, although who knows, maybe her work inspired it. That dramatic looking surround with the columns, broken pediment, and urn scream her name to me as does that checkerboard floor. And that paneled door looks like something straight out of The Carlyle. I believe that you could easily duplicate this look by using architectural stencils from Stencil Library and painting columns and such around a door surround. Anyway, this hall and entryway is exactly the way mine looks in my Manhattan apartment. You know, the Manhattan apartment in my imagination.



So, a plaid hallway might be hard to pull off unless you're Tartanscot; he makes you want to swathe and swaddle everything with the stuff. Still, how cozy would a hallway be lined in wool plaid, especially in colder climes? Oh, you know who else this hallway might be perfect for? Robert Rufino. He's also a master at decorating with plaids, tartans, and other menswear fabrics.



Now this hallway is very me. Nice striped fabric. A portière framing the opening. And most importantly, that tented ceiling with the scalloped edging. Glorious! This is definitely not a DIY project, although something tells me that Nick Olsen could upholster a tented room in one weekend. But just think about how a small entryway or vestibule could be completely transformed into something quite magical.



I've always thought that trompe l'oeil hallways, entryways, bars, and alcoves are quite chic. This photo shows some serious trompe l'oeil for a serious house. For the rest of us, trompe l'oeil wallpaper might be the way to go.

Photos 1 through 3 from Decoration, Volume I (Connaissance des Arts Collection); #4 from Les reussites de la decoration francaise)

Corduroy Curtains Version 2.0

Remember my post from a few weeks back in which I featured these fetching corduroy curtains designed by Billy McCarty, the late designer who at one time worked for David Hicks? Well, Ashley Hicks was kind enough to comment on the post, writing that the curtains' borders have been reincarnated in some of Hicks' recent work. The curtains were to be thrown out by the new owners of the home seen above, but fortunately their decorator gave them a stay of execution and decided to keep them. She was kind enough to later give them to Ashley Hicks, who has used the trim on his "Lonely Guy" sofa and in his London bedroom. I recently read the Hicks article in the latest issue of World of Interiors, and I never made the connection between the decoration on the sofa and the McCarty designed curtains above. What a great way to recycle those curtains, don't you think?



In this image of Hicks' "Lonely Guy" sofa, you can get a good look at that geometric trim. It's nice to finally see the trim's color. (This photo, taken in Hicks' Oxfordshire home, is from his website.)

Simon Upton's photo from the January World of Interiors shows a different view of the sofa and trim.

Blind as a Slat

One of my all-time favorite fabrics is Venetian Blind, a trompe l'oeil chintz designed by the late, great John Fowler (see it above.) If you've read Martin Wood's book John Fowler: Prince of Decorators, you've seen the print; it makes appearances throughout the book as Fowler used it quite often in his projects. I've always wanted to make shades out of Venetian Blind ever since I saw Clarence House's version many years ago. Alas, Colefax & Fowler discontinued Fowler's original print years ago, and Clarence House's version is, yes, discontinued too. I think that's why Nicky Haslam's version was met with great fanfare when it was introduced last year.

Nicky's talented Creative Director Colette Van Den Thillart was kind enough to send me samples after I inquired about the fabric. Nicky's interpretation is printed on linen, and the various colorways are gorgeous! Dovecote Grey has my name written all over it. Now I just need to find some naked windows in my home that I can dress in this fabric. Or, I can do as Colette did and have an actual dress made from the fabric. (If you want to see Nicky, Colette, and the entire staff posed in front of the print, click here.)

Funny enough, on the same day that I received the samples, I happened to find a photo of a room designed by Madeleine Castaing in which the wallpaper looked Venetian blind-esque. It may not be a blind print per se, but you can see below that it somewhat resembles blinds. You know how I love design happenstance, so how could I not write a post on such a charming print?

Nicky Haslam's version is Shutter Stripe. Colors include Dovecote Grey, Moonlight Beige, Pomegranate Red, New Mown Green, Cloudy Lilac, and Unearthly Brown. For more information on Shutter Stripe, visit NH Design's website.




Here, Fowler used the fabric for shades in the home of Anthony Ayscought at 14 Gayfere Street, Westminster. Don't you love how you can see the sheen of the glazed cotton?




Venetian Blind also made an appearance as, what else, blinds in Fowler's early showroom at 292 Kings Road.




Here, the chintz was made into a roller shade at Yarty, a country home decorated by Fowler.




I wonder if this vignette was located in Castaing's Rue Bonaparte showroom? I'd love to know what this wallpaper's print actually is. Might it be Venetian blinds?




This Nobilis paper named "Les Jalousies" graced the entryway of the apartment of M. et Mme Yves Halard.

(All Fowler images from John Fowler: Prince of Decorators; Shutter Stripe samples photo by Jennifer Boles; Castaing photo from Decoration, Volume I (Connaissance des Arts Collection); Halard photo from Les Reussites de la Decoration Francaise, 1950-1960)

It's For The Birds

I visited the studio of my friend Ray Goins last Friday, and I found another book to add to my library. It's a 1967 work titled "Chinese Bird Paintings- Bird Paintings of the Ch'ien Lung Period, 1736-1796" with text written by J. Longridge. Ray had his copy so nicely displayed (see above) that I couldn't help but want one for myself. I had a heck of a time tracking down a copy of the book, but I finally managed to locate one in England, and as I write this post, it's in the hands of Royal Mail. The book is truly beautiful as it contains color plates of various painted birds including a Green Magpie and an Eclectus Parrot. And on a superficial note, the cover is also really striking, making it a nice addition to the stacks of books on my cocktail table.

The book also made me think of Ray's glorious hand painted screens that he did recently for the windows of Asprey. His work was featured last fall in both the New York and London stores. Each screen was a different color (green, gold, blue, red, etc.) and featured the tree of life motif replete with birds. Ray continued the tree theme by creating colorful miniature trees on which accessories were displayed. I certainly would not mind having one of these screens in my home...and perhaps one of those Asprey handbags as well.



Asprey London:






Asprey New York:








All images courtesy of Raymond Goins.