The Hearst Design Group and Inside Design

Hearst Design Group will present Inside Design next Wednesday, June 19 and Thursday, June 20 at ADAC in Atlanta.  In addition to talks by Amy Preiser of Elle Decor and Leslie Newsom Rascoe of Veranda, Newell Turner, Editorial Director of Hearst Design Group, will give a keynote speech that explores how scrapbooks, journals, Pinterest, and other visual mediums help us to make sense of our lives.

You can see the full schedule on the invitation above.  For more information, or to register for these events, please visit the ADAC website.  I hope to see you there.

A Bedtime Story

The June issue of British House & Garden is a good one, but what especially caught my attention was the article about the Wiltshire house of Diane and John Nutting.  Not only is the house bright and airy, but it is filled with beautiful porcelains, antique furniture, and chintzes, all of which are arranged in a tidy fashion.  But the real show-stopper of the house, to me anyway, has to be that beautiful bed, seen above.  I'm not sure which part of the bed I like the most: the carved, gilded tester, or the bed curtains made from a now-discontinued Colefax & Fowler chintz.  The bedroom's seating area, also above, is quite fetching, too.

If you think you've seen this bed before, you probably have. It, along with most of the other furnishings ensconced in the Nuttings' home, once stood proudly in the couple's former house, the regal, early 18th c. Chicheley Hall. I found photos of the Chicheley Hall bedroom in Chester Jones's Colefax and Fowler: The Best in English Interior Decoration. According to this book, the late Tom Parr of Colefax & Fowler was responsible for Chicheley's redecoration, including the fabric chosen for the bed (which, according to the book, is Colefax & Fowler's "Charlotte" chintz.)  You can see this book's photos of the Nuttings' former bedroom below, including the fireplace seating area which was more or less recreated in the new home. You'll also notice that the Colefax & Fowler carpet that was chosen for the Chicheley Hall bedroom was also selected for the Nuttings' current bedroom.

And funny enough, the bed also made an appearance in one of my favorite books, The English Dog at Home by Felicity Wigan. Mrs. Nutting was photographed on her lovely bed alongside Scotties Matthew and Mollie.  (Little dogs seem to have a nose for fine bed linen.  I know that Alfie does.) 

You can see photos of Chicheley Hall below.  And if you have not already done so, I do urge you to take a look at the June issue of H&G to see the Nuttings' current house in all its lovely splendor.

Photos at top: British House & Garden, June 2013; Simon Brown photographer.

Food For Thought

Whatever happened to porcelain-handled flatware, earthenware tureens, table centerpieces of flowering plants in wicker baskets, cabbageware plates, faience, floral print cloths and napkins, and all of the other traditional, charming table accessories that one used to see so often?  Not that any of this tableware is obsolete.  In fact, I am sure that many of you set your tables with one (or most) of the aforementioned items.  It's just that the current vogue for spare, minimal tableware seems to relegate the old and the jolly to the annals of yesteryear's tablesetting books or, even worse, to the backs of kitchen cabinets.

Look at the 1980s-era table setting above.  At Hélène Bouilloux-Lafont's house in France, a table was set for a casual breakfast.  Blue and white china, a strawberry teapot, and cabbageware dishes filled with fruit were considered fashionable for dining in the country.  But today, tables in the country are set much as they are in town.  The china is monochromatic as is the table linen.  Glassware is bereft of any ornamentation.  (Sometimes it is even bereft of stems!)  Flatware is little more than tines, blades, and bowls attached to plain metal sticks.  It's all so serious.  Where is the fun?  Where is the imagination?  Where is the strawberry teapot?

As much as I understand the practicality of plain tableware, I am also pretty certain that a beige colored plate won't enliven your table, or your mood, the same way a cabbageware tureen does.

Before we get to the table, let's discuss this room.  I think it is perfection, although the blackamoor vase is a little incongruous considering the room's decor.  This was the Essex home of Peter Coats, who I am assuming is the same Peter Coats, a noted landscape designer, who was involved in a relationship with Henry "Chips" Channon.  Anyway, looking at the table, you'll see there is not much more than a cabbage tureen, plates, simple stemware, and a bottle of Rosé.  So simple, and yet, so chic.

See?  Flowers in wicker baskets.  Very charming.  But what makes this table so very pretty is that floral cloth and napkins.  The blue and white check fabric in the room doesn't hurt, either. (At Château de Saint-André-d'Hébertot in Deauville, France.)

Jacqueline Hagnauer set this table in her home in Provence. The cloth was an Indian print, upon which small slipware plates and "Pont-aux-Choux" place plates were placed. Pink, green, and clear glasses were positioned at each setting. Note those Lilliputian-sized cabbageware salt cellars or mustard jars, as well as the trompe l'oeil basket of cherries.

A Tiffany tablesetting created by Mrs. Angier Biddle Duke.  The "Blue Canton" china looks smashing against the orange chintz cloth.  And that basket, filled with chrysanthemums and cornflowers, helps to tone down any formality at a "Country Supper on the Back Porch".

A Frisky Feline

Without a doubt, this has to be one of the most fantastical bars ever created.  Designed by François-Xavier Lalanne, this chat polymorphe was purchased by architect Émile Aillaud in 1968.  Although at first glance it looks like a feline Trojan Horse made of repoussé brass, the bar has curious appendages that make it seem more akin to some mythological creature- namely, a fish tail and birds' wings that reveal the contents inside.  It's certainly imaginative, not to mention impossibly chic, too.

The photo you see here shows the bar in the Paris home of Charlotte Aillaud, widow of Émile. Charlotte used the bar to hold her treasured collection of Venetian glassware and eighteenth-century Portuguese glasses. I use the past tense as it seems Charlotte sold her cat at a 2002 Christie's auction. The cat's hammer price was $197,125- appropriate, I suppose, considering that the cat bar was one of only two made by Lalanne:

Although I seriously doubt that Charlotte Aillaud used her cat to mix complicated cocktails, I do think this cat needs a signature drink. Should it be a Tiger's Tail? Or better yet, what about the Pussyfoot?


Pussyfoot

A non-alcoholic cocktail, the Pussyfoot is a Jazz Age drink that was first concocted at the Embassy Club in London.  According to some, it cures hangovers...


1 fluid ounce lime juice
1 fluid ounce lemon juice
1 fluid ounce orange juice
Grenadine to taste
Maraschino Cherry for garnish

Mix in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into a glass.

A Room with Some View

Look at this photo and tell me that you wouldn't kill for that view of the Arc de Triomphe.  I know that I would.  It's a good thing that the bureau plat and chair were placed with their backs to the window, because had it been otherwise, I doubt any work would have been accomplished.

I love to find photos of interiors that boast amazing views.  Whether it's a Paris monument, a bucolic vista, or even a simple but majestic tree, a good view almost manages to make a room's interior play second fiddle.  In these situations, attractive interiors are simply the icing on the cake...or perhaps it's the view that is the cherry on top.  Well, whatever.  A killer view and a lovely room from which to view it truly are beautiful sights to behold.

The view at designer Veere Grenney's home is of the River Thames and what I believe to be the Peace Pagoda at Battersea Park. (U.K. readers, is that correct?)

This Paris rooftop garden had a great view of the Eiffel Tower, which could be enjoyed while sitting in butterfly chairs.  The grass, by the way, was plastic.

Madame Ralli's Paris rooftop garden boasted this view of the Hôtel des Invalides. The Vicomte de Noailles advised Ralli on her urban oasis, which also featured plastic grass. I can only conclude that plastic grass must have been the dernier cri at the time.

Evidently, quite a few chic people lived with stunning views of the Hôtel des Invalides, including the late Walter Lees, who was so inspired by the scenery outside of his window that he had napkins embroidered with the landmark's motif.

Author Gordon Merrick posing in front of his view of the Hôtel des Invalides.

The riverside pavilion at Syon boasts a view of the Thames, too. This photo from the 1960s shows interiors that were the work of R A P Pinckney.

A majestic tree stands beyond the window at Villa Agnelli in Turin, Italy.

An arched doorway frames this view of a fountain at château de Fléchères.

Fornasetti Still Fascinates

Cole & Son recently debuted their new Fornasetti II collection of wallcoverings, and I think it's a breath of fresh air...or maybe that should be flair.  Available in the U.S. through Lee Jofa, the collection features all kinds of eccentric designs such as pen nibs, umbrellas, walking sticks, and trompe l'oeil architectural niches. Rather than seeming silly, though, these designs are quintessential Fornasetti, dashing in appearance and plucky in attitude.

Take, for example, Magia Domestica, seen above.  It's a classic trompe l'oeil design with its open door, suit of armour, bookshelves, and drawn curtains.  On the other hand, Nuvolette, a white and black cloud design paper, is probably more versatile and suitable for those who prefer subtlety.  Regardless of whether you're a design renegade or someone who can tolerate just a hint of humor, you should take a look at the new collection.  Fornasetti's designs are truly unlike any other.

Teatro has to be one of my favorite prints from the collection, and it would be so appropriate for a home theater. In fact, it reminds me of this old Lancome ad, which also beguiled me when I first saw it:

I would paper the walls of a small foyer or coat closet with Promenade.  Or, perhaps the dressing room of a dandy?

Recently, I have seen Nuvolette used in two different showhouses, and both times, the paper was used to stylish effect.  I also think this print might be the most versatile of the collection.

I believe that I like Uccelli's border almost as much as its menagerie of colorful birds.

Pennini has masterpiece written all over it.

This print comes with monkeys (Procuratie E Scimmie)...

...or without (simply Procuratie). The zebras peeping through are not part of the new collection.


All images courtesy of Lee Jofa/ Cole & Son.

J'adore Dior

This year, we're seeing a Christian Dior revival. Not that the famous couturier was ever really far removed from our radars. We still invoke his name as one of the twentieth century's great tastemakers (that term is overused today, but Dior was a tastemaker in the truest sense of the word), and photos of his fashions still abound in books, magazines, and, of course, the internet. But, this year, Dior's work and legacy are more front and center than they usually are.

There is the exhibition, Impressions Dior, which is currently installed at Musée Christian Dior in Granville, France. The show explores Dior's work through the prism of Impressionist art, asserting that the couturier was influenced by nature (especially his garden), light, and reflections, just as Impressionist painters were. The show runs through September 22, but for those of us who might not have the opportunity to visit it in person, there is a soon-to-be-published book, Dior Impressions: The Inspiration and Influence of Impressionism at the House of Dior, that accompanies this exhibition.

This year's other notable Dior book, which will be published this fall, is Dior Glamour: 1952-1962, and it features fashion photographer Mark Shaw's photos of both the couturier as well as his frocks.  Shaw shot some wonderful photos of that era's models outfitted in Dior, and he captured the models in some really sublime settings (including Dior's Paris Winter Garden, which is featured on the cover of this book.)

So, in honor of all things Dior, I am featuring photos of Dior's Paris l'hotel particulier.  Dior's home featured the work of designers Georges Geffroy and Victor Grandpierre, both the ne plus ultra of French decorators.  I think you'll agree that M. Dior's home was as elegant, and well appointed, as the clothes which made him a legend.

(You can pre-order both books via Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or IndieBound.)

The entrance hall to Dior's l'hotel particulier. Note the emerald green shantung that was used for both undercurtains as well as hangings along the stair rail.

Le Salon. Decorated by Geffroy, the room featured an antique Aubusson rug and a Sèvres jardinière.

Dior's Winter Garden which also served as a fumoir.

The drawing room was decorated by Victor Grandpierre.

Dior's Louis XVI bed with baldachin.

Also in the bedroom was this Louis XVI bureau plat.

This hall led to the bath. The doors were painted in the faux bois style.

Dior's bathtub was painted to mimic green marble. The curtains that framed the tub alcove were made of emerald-colored faille.

Revisiting Henri Samuel

Did you read the April issue of French AD? If so, you probably saw the article about the late French designer Henri Samuel. Samuel was one of the all-time design greats, having created interiors that were, and still are, the epitome of French chic. Although some of his work could be described as grand (his work for the Gutfreunds, for example, was notable for its tasteful splendor,) not all of Samuel's work was quite so lavish. His own home, seen here, was supremely sophisticated and yet, a tad bit more relaxed than what one might expect.  Perhaps you could liken Samuel's casual decorative gestures to a blue blazer, Hermès pocket square, neatly pressed blue jeans, and loafers rather than a hoodie, sweatpants, and flip-flops, an outfit which is, unfortunately, most people's definition of casual.

While Samuel could craft some purely traditional interiors, he was equally drawn to contemporary furniture, as is evidenced by the modern pieces with which he lived. Samuel was very adept at mixing, say, Guy de Rougemont-designed furniture (like that brass cloud table, below) with antiques and refined accessories in such a way that these super-sleek pieces were elevated to the sublime.  I hate to say it, but in lesser hands, this type of contemporary furniture is often used in ways that ultimately look a little seedy, and seedy is a word that will never describe Samuel or his work.

If you missed the article, take a look below.  Although some of these photos have appeared in a few design books, it's important to revisit them again.  This is the work of a true master.

The salon of Samuel's apartment on Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré, Paris.

Another view of the salon...

...and another.

This snazzy Philippe Hiquily table resided in a Munich apartment decorated by Samuel.

A Plexiglas and chrome Mouchoir table by François Arnal and two upholstered gondola-style chairs once decorated Samuel's library.

All photos appeared in the April 2013 issue of French AD.