See You Very Soon

I'm leaving today for a short vacation in Napa, and boy am I looking forward to getting away from everything. I'm hoping that my trip will be one long Calgon moment, one filled with good food and good wine.

So, until I return late next week, take care and stay cool. But don't have too much fun without me!

Entertaining the Rothschild Way

I found an intriguing article in The Best in European Decoration (1963) on the Baron and Baroness Philippe de Rothschild (the Baroness being Pauline de Rothschild) and their style of entertaining at Château Mouton Rothschild. As sumptuous as the meals might have been, the preparation that went into entertaining guests seemed quite methodical. The choice of table linen, china, and flowers, not to mention the room in which the meal was to be served, was done with the utmost care. I have copied both the text and the captions of the article because really there is no improving upon what was originally written. And you know, I don't think that there is any improving upon the way in which the Baroness set a table, either.

"Not only the grapes are famous at Château Mouton Rothschild (near Bordeaux). Baron and Baroness Philippe de Rothschild provide their guests with food and wine so legendary that awed guests are apt to surreptitiously slip their menu card into their pocket. But besides the delicate succulence of the fare, the table itself invariably engenders a small shock of delighted surprise.

For every meal, the decoration is completely renewed. Always the centrepiece- and this might extend in drifts of leaves or flowers or berries eddying out towards the edge of the table- consists of imaginative clusters of vegetation held by flower-holders placed directly on the tablecloth. These bases are concealed by leaves or moss. The season and what is available in the garden or the park suggest the elements used; shown here are seven tables set for a winter meal. While two include orchids from the chateau's greenhouses, equally sumptuous effects are achieved by simple cabbage leaves or massed pine needles.

Adding to the gaiety are the tablecloths made for Baroness Rothschild. While for town she prefers white, for Mouton she chooses solid colours in delectable shades of orange, coral, yellow, lavender, or hand-blocked printed small designs.

'When one lives in the country', the Baron says, 'variety is essential'. Carrying out this maxim, the table is set in any of several rooms of the château's two houses: a large salon over the vines, a small, intimate sitting room, a library, a corner of the terrace in fine weather, or the regular dining room.

Part of the amusement is provided by some 180 sets of 19th century Creil plates with printed pictures, acquired over the years from all over France before these became collectors' items. A plate from each series has been photographed, given a number and pasted in a notebook. To order the table settings for the next day, the Baroness simply looks in the book, and jots down the selected numbers for her staff. Even the most long-staying guest has never seen the same series come around a second time."



"A forest of catkins, dried ferns and oak leaves spill over a mauve and white hand-blocked cloth. Polychrome Creil plates with hunting scenes. Vermeil, silver and horn knives and forks, the latter shaped like pistol handles. Emerging out of the vegetation are black metal candlesticks painted with a Japanese design. This photograph was taken in the dining room of the original house built by the present owner's grandfather. The walls are lined with linen printed in white and red. Green and gilt Napoleon III chairs."




"A pink cloth sets off decorative cabbage leaves. Sèvres pâte tendre plates decorated during the Revolution and silver tableware."




"Another printed tablecloth, this one heaped with pine cones and needles and, almost invisible here, pots of flowers. This series of Creil plates tells the story of the capture of Orléans by the Duc de Berry. Vermeil and silver tableware."




"Orchids are mixed with heather and moss to create a miniature glade down the centre of this yellow cloth. The plates were made in the 19th century for the family and bear the Rothschild monogram."




"More orchids on another printed tablecloth. The napkins to accompany these printed cloths are white with a monogram embroidered in a matching shade. Baroness Rothschild likes long tablecloths that swirl on the ground like trains."




"Here in a glow of orange: tawny tablecloth bearing seed-pods and orange and blue English stoneware plates decorated for the English trade in Japan. The knives and forks mingle ivory, vermeil and silver."


Image at top: "A small table by a window in the long salon overlooking the vines. Clumps of narcissi, their pots hidden by moss, rise from the centre of a yellow cloth. The plates are Chantilly pâte tendre "décor de brindille". The 19th century knives, forks and spoons, of silver and of vermeil, with hunting scenes, were made in England for Philippe de Rothschild's grandfather. 18th century painted Italian chairs, and Italian consoles on either side of the window holding objects brought back from travels. The sphere by the window is a bronze and ivory 19th century clock that climbs up and down a chain to indicate the time. Around the table, a glimpse of the handsome floor made of large pink and blue rectangles of ceramic squares set in stone."

All images and all text from The Best in European Decoration by Georges and Rosamond Bernier.

Reflections on Iced Tea

Day after day after day the temperature here in Atlanta has reached well above 90 degrees, and all I can say for myself is that I've been drinking about as much iced tea as Don Meredith. On rare occasions I drink it plain, although usually I prefer it sweetened. I never order sweet tea at a restaurant as I never know what I'm going to get; I doctor mine up with Splenda instead. At the risk of being run out of town, there is nothing more sickening than sickeningly sweet tea. Arnold Palmers are okay, but I'm more of a purist. And I'm not a snob either when it comes to the brand of tea I brew. Luzianne or Lipton is fine by me.


Tiffany & Co. Chrysanthemum Iced Tea Spoon

A little bit like the Japanese tea ritual, serving iced tea can be done so with a few fancy flourishes. Of course there are sterling iced tea spoons, made long enough to stir the sugar crystals that accumulate at the bottom of a tall glass of tea.




There are also those silver sipper spoons that many people collect. I think they're cute, but I also think that they're not appropriate for all social occasions. It just seems silly to offer your 90 year old grandmother a glass of iced tea with a silver straw.



Wiliam Yeoward "Fern" pitcher

A nice heavy crystal or glass pitcher is nice to have on hand for serving iced tea and looks especially pretty when the tea is flecked with mint leaves.



Edwardian Antique Silver Punch Bowl from Daniel Bexfield Antiques


But for a party, a shower, or a luncheon, you have to go all out with your tea. You've got to mix it with all kinds of fruit juices and such to make it extra special. And by all means, it must be served in a pretty punch bowl with slices of fruit floating at the top. (I know this might sound awfully fruity to some of you, but hey, it's tradition!) Even C.Z. Guest served her guests her special Party Tea. In case you're interested:


C. Z. Guest Party Tea
6 tea bags
2 quarts water
1/4 cup superfine sugar
1 cup orange juice
6 mint sprigs
1/2 lemon
1 orange
cloves

Make the tea: either steep the tea bags in boiling water for three minutes or set them in jars in the sun or in the refrigerator for several hours. Chill tea. Before serving, add the sugar, orange juice, and mint sprigs. Slice the lemon and orange and stick each slice with 3-4 cloves. Float fruit slices on top in a punch bowl.

Makes 10 cups.

Image at top from Martha Stewart.com; click here to see all of her iced tea recipes.

Christopher Spitzmiller Seconds Sale

It's that time again...the Seconds Sale at Christopher Spitzmiller. This is the one time during the year that Chris sells those lamps with slight imperfections at over half off the retail price. This year, over 50 pairs of lamps are already assembled and are ready to be shipped immediately, while other lamps will be finished with the base of your choice (lead time for those is up to 8 weeks.) If you have questions about the specific shapes and colors that will be available through the sale, you can contact info@christopherspitzmiller.com ; emails will be responded to promptly.

I have purchased all kinds of Chris' lamps through this annual sale, and to me, they look just as good as my "perfect" Christopher Spitzmiller lamps. By the way, see the smaller purple pair of lamps in the foreground? Those are the Hadley lamps. I bought one a few years ago in the clear crackle finish and it's one of my very favorite lamps. Someone needs to scoop that lavender pair up!

Life at Chateau du Grand-Lucé

I've always been intrigued by the notion of owning a chateau in the French countryside. You read in various publications about Americans who escape the day to day grind of their busy lives by hopping on a plane bound for their chateau getaway. It really sounds dreamy, does it not? But forgive me if I sound like a complete rube, because I have always wondered what life is like during these jaunts to one's chateau. Is it relaxing? Complicated? Busy? Laid back? My dream has always been to own a pied à terre at The Carlyle, so owning a chateau seems like shooting for the moon. So, to set me straight, I thought I would ask Los Angeles based designer Timothy Corrigan what it's like to own a chateau.

Timothy is the proud owner of the Chateau du Grand-Lucé, a c. 1760-64 chateau in the Loire Valley. Built by the man responsible for governing the Eastern part of France under Louis XV, the chateau has been deemed "one of the most precious elements of architecture of the French Enlightenment" by the French Historical Monument. While many grand homes were ransacked during the French Revolution, Grand-Lucé was spared the ravages of this turbulent period and in fact retains all of its original wood paneled walls and fireplaces.


The Grand Salon as it appeared when Timothy purchased Grand-Lucé



And the Grand Salon as it looks today after Timothy worked his magic



Timothy's French adventure goes back to his time living in Paris in the early 1990s. Falling in love with the French countryside, he went on to own three different chateaux at various times. In 2003, the French government decided to sell Grand-Lucé, and after a lengthy application process, officials chose to sell it to Timothy because of his plans to restore the chateau back into a private home. Once the chateau became his, Timothy embarked on a major restoration to return Grand-Lucé to its former grandeur (when he bought it, the chateau had no working electricity, no bathrooms, and no kitchen in the main chateau), all the while making sure that the house was comfortable and livable too.



Chateau living does at times include ironing as Timothy seems to be doing so competently




The lake's swans that Timothy likes to feed



So what is life like at the chateau? When not entertaining guests, Timothy loves to putter around the house and the gardens (sometimes puttering includes ironing, as seen above!), recharge his battery (he recently spent time there designing new additions to the Timothy Corrigan Home line), and walking through the property's woods and feeding the swans, geese and ducks that reside in the lake.




The Formal Garden



The Kitchen Garden



Speaking of the outdoors, the gardens of Grand-Lucé are simply stunning, having been laid out in a series of decreasing formality as one moves away from the chateau. The formal parterre and green rooms are reminiscent of Le Notre's gardens at Versailles. Beyond the parterre is an exotic garden that originally held plants considered to be exotic and unique in 18th c. France. Today, the garden holds herbaceous flowering plants. This is also where the orangery, two green houses, and a swimming pool hold court. The potager, hidden from view from the chateau, is planted with fruit trees, vegetables, herbs, and flowers. A Landscape Garden and 42 acres of wooded forest round out the property. Curious as to what Timothy's favorite plantings were, he responded that the flowering Horse Chestnut trees and the flowering cabbages are among his favorites.




Timothy visiting a local flea market with fellow designers including Vicente Wolf and Frank Pennino


While Timothy's alone time there is quite relaxing, entertaining friends and family is equally as relaxed. Timothy says that no one wears a watch while there and no one is on a schedule. Time is spent conversing with one another (something that is unfortunately becoming a lost art), dining, and walking the property. For those guests who might prefer something a bit more active, Timothy plans outings to the local flea markets, visits to other chateaux in the region, driving go-carts at the Le Mans race track, hot air balloon rides, and cooking classes. (Sounds like heaven to me!) In August, the Concours de Hippique, one of the oldest horse shows in France, is held on the grounds of Grand-Lucé. Now it is becoming clear to me why people want to own a chateau!




Radishes and Strawberries from Timothy's garden


I asked Timothy about how he likes to entertain while at the chateau. When he dines alone, he admits that his meal usually consists of something from the freezer section of the local supermarket. But when guests are at the chateau, meals are a bit more elaborate and usually consist of fresh vegetables from his garden and local fresh fish. He also likes to visit the weekly farmers market that is located outside of the gates to his chateau where he buys local honey, chevre, and wild strawberries. Meals that Timothy typically serves to guests includes Lotte fish, quiches, salads, cheeses, strawberry souffles, apple tarts, and profiteroles- typical French dishes that Timothy lightens up for his American friends.



Lunch in the Garden



A Formal Dinner



A winning centerpiece


Daytime meals at Grand-Lucé are more casual and are set up outside in the garden. Dinner is usually more formal (though not stuffy) and is served in one of two dining rooms. Oftentimes during the day, Timothy divides his guests into teams and leads them out into the garden and woods with the challenge of finding natural decorations for the table. The winners usually win something tasty like a bottle of champagne. When a dinner party really calls for something special, Timothy likes to entertain in the orangery where candlelight dinners are served.




Timothy serving drinks


Of course, seeing that Grand-Lucé is in the Loire Valley, wine is also an important part of any meal at Grand-Lucé. Champagne and local Loire Valley wines are often served. In order to break the ice at the start of a house party weekend, strong cocktails are the order of the day. Recently, Timothy and his guests concocted the "Tim-tini" made of vodka, lime juice, cucumber puree, simple syrup and mint. I like the sound of that cocktail so much that I might commandeer this cocktail recipe for myself and christen it the "Jen-tini"- if Timothy doesn't mind, of course.




A July 4th Celebration at Grand-Lucé


Finally, I asked Timothy for his tips on creating a comfortable home- whether it's a chateau, a Stateside house, or even a small apartment. He said something that really struck a chord with me: "Comfort is about more than just how something feels- it is also a state of mind." Timothy likes to have music playing in all rooms of his chateau and candles burning throughout the house. Scent is so important to a house that Timothy created his own line of candles. There are three different scents in the line, each one creating a different mood when burned: L'air de Californie; La Vie de Chateau; and Maison en Ville. (Click the links to read the descriptions of each scent; I think they all sound heavenly.) And of course, books. Timothy has piles of books everywhere and encourages guests to read them at their leisure.

So now I have an answer to my question as to how one lives at one's chateau. Life at Grand-Lucé seems to be relaxing, comfortable, gracious, and a lot of fun.


All images courtesy of Timothy Corrigan

This One's For Choppy

I could write post after post about how much I respect the work of Markham Roberts. In fact, I have written about him numerous times in the past. His sense of color, the way he blends the old and the new, his understanding of comfort and suitability...well, like I said, I could go on and on. But this post isn't really about Markham. Rather, let's focus on Choppy, Markham's poodle. You know Choppy. She has made quite a few appearances in photographs of Markham's projects. Choppy seems to prefer being perched on a settee, usually one located in an entrance hall. (Perhaps she's very social and likes to await guests.) That is, of course, unless she's photographed with Daddy Markham, in which case she relaxes in her father's lap. Choppy is obviously an engaged and engaging dog, oftentimes locking eyes with the camera. Whether a treat is being dangled behind the photographer, I do not know. In one shot, Choppy appears to be looking out a window, giving us a look at his striking profile. Choppy is one subject who doesn't seem to have a bad angle- much like the work of her father.




House Beautiful, May 2011, Thomas Loof photgrapher.




House Beautiful, November 2009, Christopher Baker photographer.



House Beautiful, October 2008, Francesco Lagnese photographer.


Image at top: Domino, Dec/Jan 2009, Paul Costello photographer.

Lindsey Harper and her Library

Have you checked out the iPad app called Book Crawler? It allows you to electronically catalogue your library of books, but the really neat thing is that you can add the books automatically by scanning the book's barcode using your iPad camera. No typing needed! I have spent days walking around my apartment scanning my books. During this endeavor, I realized that I have a lot of books and still want many more to add my growing library. In fact, I just added a few titles to my wish list thanks to the July issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles. There is a great article on the New York apartment of designer Lindsey Harper (she hails from Cartersville, Georgia). Clearly an advocate of the more is more theory, Lindsey has cleverly carved out space for entertaining, living and sleeping within the confines of a studio apartment. And, she managed to find space for her book collection, never an easy feat in a small space. I whipped out the old magnifying glass to see what books Lindsey had and found some new titles that I think I need for my library. (See what I plan to buy below.)

To see more photos of Lindsey's apartment, visit Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles website.

And here are a few titles that I spied in Lindsey's apartment:



The Making of the Royal Pavilion, Brighton: Design and Drawings by John Morley




Ready-Made Miracle: The Story of American Fashion for the Millions by Jessica Daves





Complete Home Decorating edited by Connie Dodds





Illustrated Dictionary of Historic Architecture (Dover Books on Architecture) edited by Cyril M. Harris

Image of Lindsey Harper apartment courtesy of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, July 2011, Quentin Bacon photographer. Image printed with permission from Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.

Living Large in Small Spaces

I borrowed the title of my post from the cover of the July/August issue of House Beautiful, although I might also add "Small Spaces Reign Supreme!"...or at least they do this month. Some of my favorite designers and architects- Maureen Footer, Nick Olsen, and Richard Bories and James Shearron- all have projects featured, and I am wowed by how each of them managed to make these small apartments both stylish and livable, all in very clever ways. Because as many of us know, living in a small home requires a lot of planning and design smarts.

Added bonus: check out Nick's video tour of the Brooklyn apartment that he decorated. Both Nick and the apartment look as good on video as they do in print!

Pool Party

I am probably one of the few people who did not spend the 4th outdoors. Thanks to a nasty summer cold, I was holed up inside watching the Royal Wedding which left me with much to ponder. First, what is up with this marriage? Seriously, you could cut the tension between Albert and Charlene with a knife. And secondly, don't you think that Karl Lagerfeld is in need of some Albert V05 to control his frizzies?

Yes, this was my weekend, so I needed to find some rays of sunshine somewhere. I think that I found it in these 1968 photos of the pool pavilion at Anne Cox Chambers' Atlanta estate. Designed by architect Henri Jova, the Regency and Chinese Chippendale hybrid was built to complement the main house, a Regency style home designed by Philip Shutze.

The structure is rather simple in layout. There is both a women's and men's dressing room at the back, each one with an adjoining bath. The front of the pavilion consists of a loggia with two seating areas and a bar. But the wow factor really lies in both the trellis and that roof. The interior is equally as jazzy thanks to the chartreuse dressing rooms doors and the bar backdrop, visible in the head on shot below. Yes, the colors and the fabrics scream late 60s, but you have to admit that they're lively and fun. And really, isn't that the whole point of having a pool pavilion? A serious and austere pool house seems like such a killjoy...much like that wedding in Monaco over the weekend.




A nighttime shot of the pavilion.




Facing one end of the loggia. The floor was covered in blue, green, and white ceramic tile.




The interior of one of the dressing rooms was also painted green. It looks like the ceiling (barely visible in the corner) was papered in a floral paper.


All images from House Beautiful, July 1968.

Happy Independence Day

What? You don't decorate like this for July 4th? Well, not to worry because I don't either. These particular arrangements decorated the Southampton home of the Milton Petries during a Fourth of July dinner, one attended by none other than Aileen Mehle. Let's just say that if Suzy came to one of my parties, I too would have lots of exuberant centerpieces.

Speaking of the holiday, I will never forget that mid-1980s July 4th celebration that my family and I attended at the Beach Club at the Cloister. There was a big dinner by the pool, and while we were all eating, in walks Kenny Rogers and his entourage. Kenny was dressed in a mauve polyester Sansabelt suit! Needless to say, it was a far cry from the seersucker and madras jackets and bow-ties that the other men were wearing.

That's the beauty of living in this country. We have the freedom to vote the way we want, decorate the way we like, and even dress in Sansabelt suits. So, however and wherever you celebrate the 4th, have a Happy Independence Day.


All images from Tiffany Parties.