How the Stars Really Lived

Articles about how the stars live at home have always helped to sell magazines. Not only has the roster of popular actors and actresses changed through the years, but so too have the decorative styles with which they choose to live. In the 1930s, more than a few actresses resided in homes that bore striking resemblances to the glamorous movie sets of the era. But, by 1940, some of that Hollywood pastiche seemed to give way to more established styles like French Provincial or even Early American.

The homes featured here appeared in the November 1940 issue of House & Garden. It seems that designer William Haines had a lock on the Hollywood movie community as five out of the six homes shown were of his doing. The sixth home was designed by Tom Douglas. While some rooms bear the mark of drama that you might expect from the likes of Ann Sothern and George Cukor (who of course was a director rather than actor), others seemed to evoke a sense of East Coast propriety. That bedroom of the Richard Wallaces looks like a room in which one of Katherine Hepburn's characters might slumber.




The dressing table of Ann Sothern which, according to the magazine, was planned by Sothern herself. Helen Conway of William Haines decorated the room.



The Richard Wallaces' bedroom designed by William Haines. A rose chintz covered the walls, windows, and the headboard.



"Constance Bennett likes a formal setting", or so said House & Garden. William Haines, decorator.



"Chinese elegance" in the William Haines' designed living room of George Cukor.



One of the only houses in this article that was not designed by Haines. The home of Wayne Morris was the handiwork of decorator Tom Douglas.



Tropical flowers abound in actor Sam Jaffe's entrance hall. William Haines, decorator.


All photos from House & Garden, November 1940

Isabel O'Neil Studio Holiday Sale

Mark it on your calendars: the Isabel O'Neil Studio Holiday Sale will take place this Thursday, December 1 in New York. More than a few people have told me that this annual sale is an amazing opportunity to purchase exquisite and unique decorative painted objects.

To be held at Lighthouse International, the Patron Preview is from 5 to 6pm (tickets to that are $125), while the general entrance is from 6 to 9pm (these tickets are $50.) There will also be a raffle; a preview of some of the raffle prizes is below. (That malachite fabric lap quilt was donated by Edward Schaefer whose work I featured in a previous post.)

This is sure to be a great way to take care of your holiday shopping. For more information, click here.

The Roman Spring of Mr. Gendel

I was not familiar with Milton Gendel until I read the November issue of Vanity Fair. Gendel, an American who has lived in Rome for close to sixty years, decamped to Italy following World War II, working as a cultural and public relations consultant at Olivetti and later at Alitalia. In addition, he has been a correspondent at ArtNews since 1954. But what Gendel is really noted for- and what earned him an article in Vanity Fair- are his photographs of his friends. Having traveled in rarefied circles for decades, Gendel's friends have included the likes of Queen Elizabeth and Princess Margaret, the Cushing Sisters, Lady Diana Cooper, and Stavros Niarchos. Needless to say, these are no ordinary photographs of ordinary friends.

The 92 year old certainly seems to be having a "moment" what with two concurrent retrospectives of his photographs. The American Academy in Rome is currently exhibiting "Milton Gendel: Portraits" through the end of this month, while a second show at Museo Carlo Bilotti runs until January 8, 2012. Gendel also recently moved to a new apartment after having lived in some fabulous apartments in various Roman palazzos. Coincidentally, I just found a 1992 House & Garden article on his former apartment in a Renaissance palazzo. For those of you who recently read the Vanity Fair article, I thought it would be interesting to show the 1992 apartment photos here.



The master bedroom.



Gendel's study.



The library.



A detail shot of the sitting room's ceiling. The 17th century polychrome ceiling depicts an array of birds, including a turkey from the New World. A shot of the sitting room itself is at the very top of the post.



Another shot of the sitting room.


All photos from the November 1992 issue of House & Garden, Oberto Gili photographer.

Holiday Elixir

During the holidays, stories of family strife abound. Inevitably, there is one relative who makes you wish that you were sitting in a dentist's chair getting a root canal rather than at the dining table eating turkey and dressing with your family. I'm very fortunate because I actually get along with my family, and because I do have such a small family, the likelihood of there being fisticuffs on Thanksgiving Day is nil.

However, if you're stuck this Thursday with that person who literally drives you to drink, may I suggest a Martini (or two) to help get you through the day? To the left of this page, I'm including a classic recipe for a dry Martini courtesy of Henry McNulty's book Vogue Cocktails. (If you're reading this post by email, click here to be taken to the homepage.)

Of course, a Martini is a very personal thing. Some like it with gin while others prefer vodka. Some drinkers like theirs with a few olives, while to others, only a twist will do. I think that what we can all agree upon, though, is that a Martini does indeed have magical powers that might make you forget about being stuck at the table next to an insufferable relation.

But remember, Martini moderation is key. As Dorothy Parker once wrote, "I like to have a Martini, two at the very most; three, I'm under the table, four I'm under the host!"

Military Might

Every few years, the military look makes an appearance in fashion. Sometimes it's the cut of a jacket or coat that is reminiscent of a soldier's uniform, while in other seasons it might be a far more literal interpretation with clothes adorned with epaulets, braiding, and other embellishments. Peacoats I can do, but if a jacket has military gewgaws all over it, then that's a trend that I usually don't partake in.

But what about the military look in furnishings? Again, I'm on the fence on this one. Campaign furniture and tented rooms? A wholehearted "yes" and "yes". Embroidery and braiding on furniture and soft furnishings? Well, maybe. I guess it's the embellishments that trip me up. But I'm reconsidering my opinion after reading an August 2004 World of Interiors article. In it, furniture was upholstered with various military style details like metallic embroidery and trimmings that look like an officer's uniform. Take the sofa at top, for example. It's quite different from the average sofa, and it wouldn't look out of my place in my study. And while some of the more intricate embroidery is too grand for my own home, it might be a nice finishing touch in the right surroundings.

While I might not go as far as saying "I love a chair in a uniform" (with apologies to Gang of Four and their early 1980s hit of a similar title), I think that I could be coming around to regimental details. You just won't catch me wearing epaulets anytime soon.




Metallic embroidery by Layla Moussa.



The back of this chair is reminiscent of an old military waistcoat.



Don't you think that the design of the sofa throw pillow resembles a military medal?




The metallic braided embroidery on both the bed canopy and the bed spread reminded me of military details. This bed is at Hatfield House in Hertfordshire.




Again, this bed's embroidery is evocative of military uniform embellishment. At Château de Haroué.




One would expect military, Empire style details in Josephine's bedroom at Malmaison. The intricate embroidery on the chairs is stunning.




Curtains and bed hangings in Napoleon's bedroom at Château de Compiègne.




I've shown this photo before; the braided trim on these curtains by Billy McCarty looks like something you might see on a solider's shoulder.


First three photos from World of Interiors, August 2004, Tobias Harvey photographer; #4 from The Finest Houses Of Paris; #5 from Interiors by Minn Hogg; #6 from Private Splendor: Great Families at Home; #7 and #8 from Empire Splendor: French Taste in the Age of Napoleon; #9 from David Hicks on Decoration--With Fabrics..

Champagne Wishes and Caviar Dreams

As a child, I loved Saturday morning television. Unlike most children, I didn't watch cartoons; they always got on my nerves. My Saturday morning TV viewing started with Style with Elsa Klensch, truly the best show that has ever aired on CNN. Nobody can pronounce "Thierry Mugler" and "Yohji Yamamoto" with as much flair as Elsa. After Elsa was over, I believe that I had an hour's break before my other favorite show aired. Can you guess what it was? It was that guilty pleasure of the 1980s, Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous.

Now I admit that the show could be a little cheesy at times, but I have to say that it made for good entertainment. How else were you going to see the homes and yachts of your favorite television (or better yet daytime television) star? I actually don't think that I ever really liked the decor of any of the homes featured, but that was beside the point. And really, if that show doesn't sum up the 1980s, then I don't know what does.

My sweet friend Jean just gave me her copy of The Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous Cookbook, published in 1992. Let me tell you, this cookbook is a real treasure. All kinds of rich and famous people are featured as are their favorite recipes. As you might expect, Elizabeth Taylor and Larry Fortensky are in there as are Tova and Ernest Borgnine. (Come on, you know you love Tova and Ernie.) But others like Valentino, Marylou Whitney, and Alain Ducasse are also featured. I have not yet tested any of the recipes, but they actually look quite good. Cold Avocado Soup, Hot Pepper Jelly Cheese Puffs, and Poached Salmon on Saffron Sauce are all on my list to try.

Who knows? This cookbook just might get me one step closer to champagne wishes and caviar dreams.



I guess it comes as no surprise that Dina Merrill's table is my favorite, what with the Porthault linen and the lettuceware.



Barbara Taylor Bradford serving up Veal Casserole.



The late Eva Gabor who was quoted as saying "Dahling, you can have anything you want in life. I am the living proof." Gabor's specialties included Chicken Paprikash and Hungarian Goulash.



Do you remember Jean LeClerc, the soap star? He seemed to be on the show all of the time! Here, he is taste testing some berries and creme fraiche.



That's Gary Collins and Mary Ann Mobley eating some of Marylou Whitney's famous chicken sandwiches.



Yet another goulash! I actually like Ivana's silver basket serving dishes.




Sally Jessy Raphael...because I couldn't resist.



A table set by Anoushka Hempel.



A young Alain Ducasse in Monaco.



And last but certainly not least, Joan Collins in her kitchen preparing Scottish Salmon and melon. Her other favorite dish is Spaghetti Bolognese.

A Surprise from Ned Marshall

One of the things that I love most about old magazines is that they are full of surprises. You might discover the work of a "new" decorator with whom you are not familiar. Perhaps you might find photos of your favorite fashion icon's home. Or maybe, you'll come across an old project done by a friend, a project that you have never seen before. That's precisely what happened to me last week. Imagine my delight when I saw the December 1990 issue of House & Garden, only to discover that my friend Ned Marshall's project was not only featured in the magazine but on the cover too.

Now based in New Orleans, Ned is a wonderful designer who once lived in New York. Some of you are probably familiar with Ned's New Orleans house that appeared in House Beautiful, March 2009. The design blogosphere lit up over his deft use of bold colors like ultramarine and shocking pink. Just in case you don't remember it, click here to see the article; it's definitely worth revisiting.

But let's go back to the 1990 H&G article. The featured project was an impressive Park Avenue duplex owned by Ned's longtime friends. The decor is somewhat formal and entirely appropriate for the clients' collection of fine antiques. And yet, if you look at the rooms, they appear to be quite comfortable too. It seems that the homeowners' dog agreed as he was photographed in almost every room looking quite content.

What I think is really interesting to note is the attention that Ned gave to the decorative details. Look at those curtains in the dining room, below; that took skill to both design them and to construct them. I know that elaborate curtains have fallen out of favor with today's designers and clients, and that's really a shame because there is a real art to curtain making. Ned also had the dining room's metallic paper glazed to make it less shiny. When interviewed for the article, Ned commented that it could use another coat of glaze to make it look aged. And what about the photo which shows an Adam-style faux marbre painted floor, a door frame painted with an Vitruvian wave motif, and a trompe l'oeil painting of a cow above the door? This type of decorating took time, energy, and loads of creativity; a quickie job this was not.

Now I do realize that much has changed in twenty one years, and formal living isn't quite so formal anymore. If you look at Ned's New Orleans house, you'll see that Ned's style of decorating has kept up with the times; his look is classic and yet current too. But what struck me while reading both articles is that regardless of one's style or desire for comfort, all rooms greatly benefit from thoughtful details.




















All images from House & Garden, December 1990; William Waldron photographer.