Odds and Ends

My blog posting is going to be spotty this week as I'm wrapping up a few projects. I almost feel as though I'm back in school, furiously finishing up my work before summer vacation. Although nowadays, summer vacation is a rare thing for me.

I do want to remind all of you Atlantans to please join me tomorrow for my lecture, "The Best Seller List: Books that No Designer Should Be Without", at ADAC. My talk begins at 10am, with a light lunch to follow at the fabulous new Porcelanosa showroom. For more information, visit the ADAC website. Registration is recommended.

And for you North Carolina readers, I invite you to join me for another talk, this one on "Timeless Interiors". I will be speaking at the 18th Annual Romance of the Home & Garden Tour in Hickory, NC on Saturday, May 19 at 8:30am. For more information, please visit their website.

How Does Your Garden Room Grow?

You'll be excited to know that my experiment with growing fruit on my balcony has proven, yes, fruitful! Okay, so you may not be all that excited about it, but I am. My strawberry plant has produced two berries so far. Now that I've become an urban gardener (wink, wink), I've taken a new shining to both gardening and garden room decor.

A dear friend recently gave me a 1998 copy of Garden Room Style by Peter Marston of Marston & Langinger fame. Marston & Langinger, as you probably know, are known for their highly coveted garden conservatories and orangeries. (Check out their website to see them. They are truly stunning.)

The book is filled with all kinds of beautiful photos of garden rooms, conservatories, and outdoor spaces that were designed for living. These were not merely spaces in which to grow plants. The book got me thinking about how I might decorate my own garden room or conservatory. Below, you can see some of the things which you might find in my garden room- if I had one, of course. There would be places to nap or read and of course a table at which to take lunch or cocktails. The decor would be very traditional. For me, I just can't see a modern, stark, nor glamorous garden room. It's got to be traditional, cozy, and quaint.

Scattered amongst my selections, you'll also see photos of various garden rooms that were featured in Garden Room Style.

So, what would you select for your garden room?

I would probably have some type of outdoor bench and chairs in my garden room, with lots of cushions on them, of course. This set is from Munder-Skiles, a wonderful source for garden and outdoor furniture.





The Gelati Bistro Set from Charleston Gardens is reminiscent of Frances Elkins' Loop Chair. I think this set would be charming on a patio, balcony, or by a pool. It also comes in other colors as well.




From Garden Room Style




The Wrought Iron Bow Knot Bench from A Rustic Garden might add a vintage feel to a conservatory or patio.




I feel that wicker is a must for an indoor garden room. This Ripple Circular Table from Soane is both quirky and quaint.




A place to store garden books and garden related ephemera is necessary. Why not this Hollyhock Reproduction English Regency two part bookcase with grisaille finish?





Garden Room Style




How great is the Funghi Uplighter from Soane? So clever. I actually think it would look smashing in non-garden rooms as well. What about putting a pair in a garden library?




Garden Room Style




Garden room dining begs for bamboo or wooden handled flatware and floral motif china, much like this Twig Dinner Plate from Treillage.




Garden Room Style




You have to have something growing in your garden room. A fern or something wispy would look nice in this Faux Bamboo cachepot from Treillage.




Garden Room Style



Serenite from Pierre Frey, an embroidered fabric, would be a nice choice for a chair, settee, or even a tablecloth.



You see? There really is a small strawberry growing in my balcony garden.


All garden room photos are from Garden Room Style by Peter Marston, Rizzoli, 1998.

Don't Forget

"Don't Forget"

...as Albert Hadley's famous notepads read. This Saturday, May 5, at 11am EST, One Kings Lane will be hosting a very special sale of items from Mr. Hadley's estate. There will actually be four concurrent sales focused on Mr. Hadley's sketches, items from his New York apartment, items from his Southport, Connecticut home, and then books from the Parish-Hadley library. While it might seem bittersweet, the sale is a nice opportunity for people outside of New York to have access to some of the Albert Hadley magic.

I also want to share the photo, above, of a clipped quotation that Mr. Hadley kept on his desk. The photo was taken by Christopher Spitzmiller. They're words of wisdom and ones that we should keep in mind when decorating.

Atelier Safrane Cortambert

I wish that I could say my introduction to Atelier Safrane Cortambert, a French embroidery house whose needlework has graced the collections of Dior, Chanel, and Balenciaga, was thanks to a couture frock hanging in my closet. Regretfully, that's not the case. In fact, it was while surfing the web that I stumbled upon their website. But no matter how I learned of Safrane Cortambert, I'm glad that I did. I find it both refreshing and reassuring to know that there are still workshops where the art of needlework is alive and well and hopefully flourishing.

As beautiful as the website's photos are, I'm sure that they don't do their work justice. Embroidery like this is best appreciated up close where it can be both seen and touched. Below you can see some examples of their work, including photos of chairs that have been embroidered by the atelier. And not that I've ever not appreciated couture clothing, but the work of Safrane Cortambert certainly gives me new insight into the artistry and technical skill that defines couture.
































All photos courtesy of Atelier Safrane Cortambert

Autobiography of a Fashion Designer Ralph Rucci

I've always admired the work of fashion designer Ralph Rucci, though sadly I don't own any of his clothing. His creations appeal to me because of their clean lines and architectural shapes, something that I think looks especially flattering on tall, thin women. But it's the details that Rucci uses to embellish his clothing that is equally as impressive, though perhaps embellish isn't the best word to use. The embroidery that appears on Rucci's clothing, for example, is done in such a way that it becomes part of the soul of the design rather than a mere decorative embellishment.

I first got a glimpse of the recently published book Autobiography of a Fashion Designer: Ralph Rucci on New York Social Diary. The idea of a book that explored both Rucci's home as well as his design atelier intrigued me. After all, having almost every facet of one's home photographed is really rather personal. Needless to say, when I was offered a review copy, I said yes. I'm so glad that I did, too, as the book is one of the more unique and captivating books that I've seen.

The first half of the book explores Rucci's home, what he calls his "sanctuary." The photos of his bookshelves, kitchen shelves, and artwork goes a long way in capturing both Rucci's sense of aesthetics as well as his intellectual side. Rucci seems to take a very artistic and philosophical approach to both collecting and decorating, something that can also be seen in his fashion collection as well.

But what the book's photos also do is to give the reader a sense of who Rucci is as a person. After reading the book, I know that he is devoted to his bulldog, Twombly, and that he is an ardent fan of Elsa Peretti's work. He has a passion not just for fashion, but for interior design as well, something that is evidenced by his impressive (and I really mean impressive) collection of design books. And I have to admit that I even got a little excited to see a shot inside one of his kitchen drawers where a set of Ricci Bamboo stainless flatware was stored, the same flatware that I use on a daily basis. What can I say? It's a bit of a thrill to know that someone like Ralph Rucci dines with the same flatware pattern that I do.

I've scanned a few photos of the book including some from the second half of the book that focuses on his design studio. As you can see, it's a unique book, one that is entirely fitting for a designer who has forged his own path in the fashion business. And if you have the opportunity to buy a copy for yourself, I highly recommend doing so. I have a feeling that I will be referring to this book time and time again.




Twombly bounding through the hall of Rucci's home.




A page of images from Rucci's kitchen, including the Ricci Bamboo flatware. (I've had it listed on my Amazon store for a while, so if you want to take another look at it, click here to visit my store.)




Books, books, books.




Detail shots of Rucci's designs show the incredible workmanship and artistry for which Rucci and his team are known.



An inspiration board in Rucci's office.



All photos from Autobiography of a Fashion Designer: Ralph Rucci, Bauer and Dean Publishers, 2011; Baldomero Fernandez photographer.

Let's Talk Books

I want to invite all of you to join me in Atlanta for a talk that I'll be giving in May, "The Best Seller List: Books That No Designer Should Be Without". I will be speaking about the most inspiring design, architecture, entertaining, and lifestyle books that should be part of one's library. Is it any surprise to you that I chose books to be my topic?

Part of ADAC's annual Design Defined event, the talk will take place on Tuesday, May 8 at 10am in ADAC's Presentation Room. There will be a light lunch to follow at the new Porcelanosa showroom.

Click here more information or to register for the event. I do hope to see you there!

A Cool Garden Stool

I've always liked those ceramic cushion garden stools (or garden seats, if you prefer), but I never thought too much about them until a few months ago when I came across a photo of one in Tatler magazine. What especially caught my eye was the stool's gray color, something that is unique for this type of garden stool. As it turns out, the stool featured in Tatler is part of the Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam collection. You can see their white version, above. The stool, which retails for £950, is Italian made and can be ordered in a variety of colors as well as your choice of a shiny or matte finish. Pretty nifty, huh?

I had a devil of a time trying to find photos of interiors where this kind of garden seat was used and only managed to come up with a few photos. It seems that Madeleine Castaing was a fan of these garden stools as they appear in a few different photos of her work. By the way, the garden stool, which does double duty as a sturdy side table, works well both outdoors and inside the home as well. In fact, Paolo Moschino and Philip Vergeylen like to use them in their clients' bathrooms where I can imagine they get put to good use by holding towels, candles, or other bathroom necessities.

For more information on the stool above, please visit the Paolo Moschino for Nicholas Haslam website or email sales@nicholashaslam.com.




An exuberant late 1960s interior with a pair of what appears to be plaid ceramic cushion garden stools.



Madeleine Castaing used a blue and white version at the foot of the guest bed at her home, Lèves.



An Alexandre Serebriakoff rendering of Castaing's stand at the 1948 Salon des Antiquaires. You can see the cushion garden stool at the right.


1960s interior photo from HOUSE & GARDEN'S COMPLETE GUIDE TO INTERIOR DECORATION - SEVENTH EDITION; the Castaing images from The World of Madeleine Castaing.

The Houses of Veranda

It's hard to believe that Veranda magazine is twenty five years old. For many of those years, Veranda was a Southern magazine based in Atlanta. Before too long, though, word spread beyond the region about the elegant magazine, and people from outside of the South fell captive to its charm just as we had. Veranda began to feature homes from all over the country and overseas as well. Who doesn't remember those glorious homes in France, Belgium, and Sweden that have graced the pages of Veranda? While Veranda has changed through the years, one thing has remained constant: the kindness and graciousness of founder and former editor-in-chief Lisa Newsom. Lisa really is as nice as they come, something which makes her well-earned success that much more deserving.

As many of you probably know, Lisa recently finished her book, The Houses of Veranda, set to be released on May 1. I received my review copy last week, and reading it brought back so many nice memories of both old and more recent issues of the magazine. The book profiles some of the more memorable homes that have been featured in the magazine, though as Lisa mentions in the book's introduction, narrowing down the selection was difficult. The book is divided into chapters on classic houses, modern houses, romantic houses, and artful retreats. I'm sure you'll remember many of the selected homes including those designed by Axel Vervoordt, Dan Carithers, Babs Watkins, and John Saladino.

The book is a wonderful tribute to the first twenty five years of the magazine's history as well as to the hard work of Lisa Newsom and her team of editors. And now under the editorship of Dara Caponigro, Veranda is poised for twenty five more years of beautiful interiors.



The Belgian castle of Axel and May Vervoordt




A house designed Mary Douglas Drysdale




Piero Castellin Baldissera's Tuscan farmhouse.




A Park Avenue apartment designed by David Kleinberg and architect Peter Pennoyer.




The North Carolina mountain house of Hal Ainsworth and Winton Noah.


All photos from The Houses of Veranda by Lisa Newsom; Hearst Books, 2012.