Night (and Day) at the Museum

By any chance, do you remember the December 2004 House & Garden article that featured this lovely table, seen above? The table was set with pieces purchased from the online gift shops of various museums, whose locales included Sweden, France, and Massachusetts.  It was such a memorable article, not to mention photo, because the table accessories were absolutely gorgeous.  (The pink cloth and flowers didn't hurt, either.)  If you didn't know better, you might think the china and crystal were purchased at auction or from an antiques shop.

I thought about trying to recreate the article's concept, but unfortunately, I don't have the time or budget to go on a freewheeling shopping expedition.  But, an online perusal of museum gift shops did yield some really interesting finds for the home, from furniture to tea towels to candlesticks.  Although a real-life trip to a museum is best, the next best thing might just be a virtual visit to their gift shops. 

2014 Versailles Calendar Tea Towel

A copy of Napoleon's folding stool

Reproduction of an 18th century Delftware candlestick- Rijksmuseum

Outdoor folding chairs from Musée de la Toile du Jouy

Reproduction Sandwich glass cobalt dolphin candlestick- Sandwich Glass Museum

Lion decanter from the Hermitage Museum.

Sèvres Gold and Turquoise Tin Plate from The Wallace Collection

Tiles from Museu Nacional do Azulejo, Portugal

Zodiac plates, based on illuminations from a 15th c. Italian Book of Hours, available at The Morgan Library and Museum.

Pillows based on the elaborately decorated Red Bedroom of the Herrenchiemsee Palace, the Bavarian palace that was modeled after Versailles.  Available from the Bavarian Palace Department shop.

Velvety Soft

Something tells me that velvet-covered furniture is an acquired taste. Or, put another way, you either love it or hate it. Personally, I think that velvet upholstered tables and bookcases can be quite sumptuous, but I will admit that velvet furniture can go from tasteful to trashy in the blink of an eye.

First, the velvet that is used can't look too shiny or, even worse, too crushed.  Also, its color needs to be sophisticated rather than garish, so certain shades of red, green, and blue seem to work best.  And finally, embellishment, if used, should be kept to a minimum.  I'm not crazy about most velvet covered tables from the late 19th century because they were usually finished in fringe. (I included an example below just for comparison's sake.)

Of course, the current king of velvet furniture is British designer Alidad, whose signature velvet console table, above, was a hit about six or seven years ago.  Alidad has branched out into velvet enrobed bookcases and occasional tables, too.  But the piece that got this whole blog post rolling is the green velvet bookcase below, which was designed by the great French decorator, Henri Samuel.  Is that a masterpiece or what?!

Green silk velvet covered bookcase, designed by Henri Samuel and sold at Christie's New York, 2001.

A pair of velvet occasional tables, 20th century, sold at Christie's Amsterdam, 2011.

A pair of crimson silk-velvet end tables, sold at Christie's London, 2008.

Gaius bookcase by Alidad

A Napoleon III table, 19th century, part of the Yves Saint Laurent- Pierre Berge collection, sold at Christie's Paris, 2009

Have You Noticed?

Have you noticed that geraniums seem to bloom profusely inside many a charming English country house? They certainly did at Daylesford, the John Fowler-decorated house of Lord Rothermere, seen above.

And at Deene Park, Northamptonshire.

Nancy Lancaster had some scraggly ones at the Coach House.

More lush were those at Bentley in Sussex.

There were some tucked away near the bookshelves at Wellingham House.

Nicky Haslam has a basket full of them at his Hunting Lodge...

...while Lady Caroline Somerset chose a terracotta pot for her fiery crimson specimen.

David Hicks supercharged his Britwell House dining room with bold crimson walls and curtains and bright pink geraniums placed directly on the floor.

But what has to be one of the most charming displays of geraniums is seen in this bedroom, which was decorated by David Mlinaric.  The chintz? Colefax & Fowler's " Climbing Geranium", sadly discontinued.

Revisiting a Buckhead Classic

I hope you'll get a chance to read this month's issue of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.  I had the opportunity to write the cover article, which features a Buckhead house decorated by Margaret Bosbyshell and Clary Bosbyshell Froeba of Margaux Interiors.  Think the house looks familiar?  That might be because it was featured once before in the magazine, when the house was occupied by the previous owners.  The twist to the story is that both sets of homeowners hired Margaux Interiors to decorate the home.

To see additional photos and to read the story, click here to visit the Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles website, or, if you're in Atlanta, visit your local newsstand.



Article photos are copyright of Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles, Erica George Dines photographer.

I Spy...

I really enjoy decorator and writer Annie Kelly's entire Rooms to Inspire series of books, but I have to say that my favorite is probably Rooms to Inspire in the City.  And some of my favorite photos in this book (shot, of course, by Kelly's photographer husband, Tim Street-Porter) have to be those of decorator Russell Bush's home/ office on Park Avenue. (See above.)

What I would do to spend one day in that room, peeking around the book shelves and stacks, searching for titles that I might need to add to my own library.  Of course, the room's other furnishings are quite attractive too, making them the icing on the cake.  Actually, now that I look at these photos, I think that my day in Russell Bush's apartment would need to begin late afternoon on a winter's day just as dark sets in, then lingering well into the evening.  I say this because it seems this room is an ideal nighttime room, all warm light and coziness.  Well, a girl can dream, can't she?

Because I have studied these photos at length, I can share with you a few titles that I spied...just in case you want to add some new titles to your book wish list.  I know that I did, and now my wish list is up to 555 titles.  (Seriously.)  How I'm ever going to whittle this list down, I haven't a clue, especially considering that anytime I see photos of rooms filled with books, I inevitably add quite a few new titles to the list.

The Great Houses of Paris by Claude Fregnac and Wayne Andrews. (Available via Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

Italian Splendor: Great Castles, Palaces, and Villas by Roberto Schezen. (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBooks)

English Interiors 1790-1848: The Quest for Comfort by John Cornforth. (Amazon)

Paul Poiret by Yvonne Deslandres. (Amazon and Barnes & Noble)

The Early Work of Aubrey Beardsley by Aubrey Beardsley (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound)

A History of Valentines by Ruth Webb Lee (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and IndieBound)


Photos of Russell Bush's apartment featured in Rooms to Inspire in the City by Annie Kelly, Tim Street-Porter photographer.

Star and Nicky Haslam

In his 2009 memoir, Redeeming Features, designer Nicky Haslam devoted an entire chapter to his time spent in Arizona, where he lived on Black Canyon Ranch with his former partner, Jimmy Davison.  A gifted writer, Haslam wrote at length about the ranch, detailing the ranch's decor as well as its staff, which included a Hopi Indian cook by the name of Star.  Haslam recounted that when Star arrived at the ranch, he knew little about fine food.  But, after a little instruction by Haslam, Star went on to become "a genius in the kitchen within a fortnight", according to Haslam.

Funny enough, I found an August, 1971 article in House & Garden that had been photographed and produced by Haslam.  Titled "An American Summer Cook Book", the article featured Star Duwyenie and his son, Tarquin, picking fresh watercress and foraging for fresh herbs and vegetables.  According to the story, Star found his culinary inspiration from cook books, especially those by Elizabeth David and Lady Sysonby. I assume that Star was introduced to Lady Sysonby's 1948 cookery book by Haslam.

The article's summer menu suggestions, compiled by Haslam, were rather extensive and included such classic yet elegant dishes as Lobster in Melon, Cold Duck Salad, Quail with Oranges, Mrs. Beeton's Roast Chicken, Prune Souffle, and Iced Cheese.  Also included is Jimmy's Pasta Dish, a macaroni and cheese recipe that had to have been named after Davison. I include the recipe below, just in case you want a taste of what Haslam's life was like on a stylish Arizona ranch.

Jimmy's Pasta Dish

2 tbsp butter
2 tbsp flour
Salt, freshly ground black pepper, cayenne
1 cup heavy cream
1 cup milk
8 oz. package cream cheese
1 1/2 cups grated Cheddar cheese
4 oz jar pimientos
Nutmeg
1 pound elbow macaroni, cooked
Paprika

Melt butter in top of double boiler and slowly add flour, stirring constantly. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne. Add cream, milk, and the cream cheese and stir until smooth. Add 1 cup of the grated Cheddar and the pimientos. Check seasoning and stir in a sprinkling of nutmeg.

Combine sauce with macaroni, cover with remaining Cheddar, sprinkle with paprika, and bake in a 400 degree oven for about 30 minutes. Serves 6.

Star picking fresh herbs.

Shrimp and Eggs

Grilled Bass garnished with lemon and dill

Star's Heart of Cream, which is a Coeur à la Creme with Strawberry Sauce

Chocolate Mousse with a sign of the times dusted on top.