Veere Grenney's Folly

Designer Veere Grenney's Palladian temple folly has garnered a great deal of print and online coverage, and with good reason. Simply put, it's splendid. Built in 1760 and once inhabited by David Hicks, the folly is modestly-sized: one room deep and made up of two floors. The bottom floor consists of a kitchen and bedroom, but head upstairs to the second floor and one will find a spacious drawing room that belies the folly's compact size. As Grenney once said, "I live in a cottage and a palace at the same time. Downstairs is like a cottage-my bedroom lies off the kitchen- and upstairs is like a palace."

The most recently published version of Grenney's folly shows a drawing room that is decorated in soft putty-tones and solid fabrics. But in the version that you see here, and which was published in the January 1998 issue of British House & Garden, the drawing room's walls were painted candy pink. The choice of wall color was a bold one, especially considering that candy pink can go all bubble-gum and sweet sixteen quickly. And yet, in Grenney's deft hands, this shade of pink flatters the room, making it a sophisticated yet colorful companion to the room's impressive (and somewhat mannish) interior architecture. Grenney also struck a balance between those pretty, ornate balloon shades (which are still present in the room today) and the furnishings, which were comprised of modern pieces and elegant antiques.

If you want to compare the two versions, click here to see the temple's current incarnation on Veere Grenney's website.


Image at top: The folly's setting is equally as captivating.  Flanked by two hedges (which were planted by Hicks upon the recommendation of John Fowler,) the temple looks out upon a canal and parkland.

The three images above show the stately drawing room and the view from within.

The kitchen table and chairs were covered in a check-print fabric by Colefax & Fowler.

The guest-house bedroom.


All photos from British House & Garden, January 1998, Jeremy Young photographer.

ADAC in Bloom

I hope that you'll join me next Wednesday, July 16 for ADAC in Bloom, which is hosted by flower magazine and ADAC.  The day-long event will begin with a panel discussion that I will moderate; joining me will be special guests Alexa Hampton, Ben Page, and Matthew Robbins.  Throughout the day, each guest will give individual presentations, which will be followed by book signings.  I will be signing copies of my book, In with the Old, alongside Alexa Hampton following her presentation.

ADAC in Bloom is always a highlight of the Atlanta summer season, and this year's event will be no exception.  For more information, please visit flower's website; to register for the event, please visit adacatlanta.com/events.

Virginia Robinson Gardens

When I was visiting Los Angeles last March, I had the opportunity to tour the beautiful Virginia Robinson Gardens.  Built in 1911 and commissioned by Harry and Virginia Robinson (of Robinson department stores,) the gardens and house are considered to be the first luxury estate built in Beverly Hills, thus earning the Gardens a place on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Robinsons' house, whose decor has been left intact since Virginia Robinson died in 1977, is like taking a step back in time.  Mrs. Robinson, who was widowed in 1932, was considered to be one of Los Angeles's leading hostesses and philanthropists- dual roles that required her to entertain frequently in her elegant yet comfortable home.  The house has "good flow", as we say today, which must have made the house an ideal location for parties.  And yet, the house isn't a behemoth like so many of the estates being built today.  How refreshing.

But it is the estate's gardens that are truly unforgettable.  Some are formal, while others, such as the Palm Forest, are downright exotic and tropical.  When touring the gardens, it is hard to believe that you are in the middle of bustling Beverly Hills.  The estate is like a quiet, elegant refuge from the glitz and glamour of close-by Rodeo Drive.

The estate is open Tuesday through Friday for docent-led tours, but please keep in mind that you must make a reservation ahead of time in order to participate in the tours.  For more information, please visit the estate's website.

The Door to Gracious Living

I recently bought the 1932 book, The Door to Gracious Living, based solely on its cover.  The book turned out to be a compilation of articles that had been published in the old Delineator magazine.  Some of the articles, especially those written by designer Joseph Platt, were interesting, while others, such as the one about how to deal with children who lie, didn't quite strike my fancy.  No matter, though, because it's the book's cover design that delights me.  The stately door with its fanlight and sidelights and those neatly-clipped potted trees conjure up fantasies of the archetypal dream house with its front door that warmly implies, "Welcome Home".

Dorothy Draper was a firm believer that the front door said much about the home behind it and was an opportunity to make a good first impression.  In Entertaining is Fun!, Draper wrote, "Your home's welcome begins right at the front door."  In the book's photo, below, you'll see that Draper advocated showy architecture, a glossy painted door, a laurel wreath, a big, brass knocker, potted plants, and a friendly-looking Dalmatian.  I'm with Draper.  A front door should have a good paint job, some kind of tailored potted plants or trees, and rich-looking hardware.  Of course, a dog is a must-have, too.

I found a few other photos of front doors that captured the essence of gracious living.  Wouldn't you like to be welcomed by such snazzy front doors?

Front doors were important to Dorothy Draper, as evidenced by both the photo and the illustration that appeared in Entertaining is Fun!

The façade of the Pavillon de la Reine in Paris.

Not a door to a home, but rather, to a hotel: the Saint Vincent in Paris.

The door to Alex Hitz's Beverly Hills home (photo courtesy of House Beautiful)

This front door appeared on the cover of Sybil Connolly's In an Irish House.

Much like the rest of Furlow Gatewood's houses, the front door of his pigeon house is a study in unstudied elegance.


Draper photos from Entertaining is Fun!; Paris hotel photos from Parisian Hideaways; Irish front door from In an Irish House by Sybil Connolly; Furlow Gatewood's pigeon house from One Man's Folly: The Exceptional Houses of Furlow Gatewood.

Paris Match

I must have read Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery's The Finest Houses in Paris dozens of time, and yet, I failed to make the connection that the Paris house that I featured on my blog last Monday, and which first appeared in the October 1999 issue of House & Garden, is also featured in the de Nicolay-Mazery book.

As you may recall, the house in question was once a garage that had been beautifully transformed into an elegant hôtel particulier. The House & Garden article captured the home's interiors bathed in sunny light, which helped to spotlight the interior's Neoclassical details. But in the de Nicolay-Mazery book, it is the home's Russian flourishes that are profiled, with the author noting that, "in the main salon, a visitor is transported deep into Russia." (The chapter's title is even Russian-inflected: "The Spirit of Saint Petersburg".) I must admit that when I wrote last week's blog post about the house, I didn't detect a Russian feel to the house. However, after looking at this book's photos with their dreamy and rather brooding light, I guess that the house does conjure up Russian fantasies...well, somewhat.

I still believe that the house has a much stronger Neoclassical style to it than a Slavic one, although I do think that the intricately-stained wooden floors and the sumptuous fabrics could pass for Russian.  It doesn't really matter, because the house looks splendid in both publications.  It's just interesting to see the house through the lens of a different photographer.

*If you're looking for a beautiful book about Paris interiors, I highly recommend The Finest Houses in Paris. It is truly one of my favorite books.  It is out of print, but copies are available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble.

All photos from The Finest Houses in Paris by Christiane de Nicolay-Mazery, Jean-Bernard Naudin photographer.

Porcelain Kick #2: TheHighBoy

If the rooms that have been featured on my blog this week have intrigued you to the point where you want to start your own porcelain collection, then you might want to visit the recently-launched antiques website, TheHighBoy. I met the founders of the site, Douglas Scott and Olga Granda-Scott, at the Nashville Antiques Show earlier this year, and what impressed me most about them is both their knowledge of and their enthusiasm for antiques. It's also worth nothing that the couple is young. I only add that because I think that their youthful, technological savvy coupled with their passion for antiques will be a winning combination in today's high-tech world.

If you're not familiar with the site, it is an online antiques marketplace that is made up of a carefully-selected group of dealers. Their offerings include furniture, fine art, textiles, antiquities, and porcelain.  It's their porcelain section, which has a little something for everyone, that kept me glued to my screen for a good hour the other day.  Chinese porcelain and Chinoiserie-style pieces, always popular with collectors, are present on the site, as is Delftware.  There are pieces that are very lady-like, such as the Dresden ink well set.  And then there is my favorite type of porcelain: lettuceware.

I asked Douglas to share with me his thoughts on porcelain.  He said, "I think what's really compelling about porcelain is that it's not just for plates or vessels, as many might quickly guess.  Porcelain was often used in light fixtures, candelabra, washstands, dolls, drawer handles, etc.  It is a very diverse material."  And Olga added, "Porcelain speaks to me because of the high level of quality and craftsmanship that goes into each piece. Accessorizing your home or table with one-of-a-kind, rare accessories—such as porcelain—gives an added personal dimension to any decor."  I couldn't agree more.

For more examples of porcelain and other antique furnishings (or to learn about their designer-only Concierge Service), please visit TheHighBoy.com.

A pair of late 19th-century Chinese figures

18th-century pair of Delft vases

Antique Dresden ink well set

Set of eight Wedgwood Lettuce plates

A 19th-century Meiji Period Satsuma bowl

Chinese Rose Mandarin cups and saucers, 19th century

Old Paris Porcelain veilleuse, c. 1830

Porcelain Kick #1

I almost started this post by writing, "Please forgive me, for I am on a porcelain kick this week." And then I realized that it was a stupid comment, because why does anyone need forgiveness for going on a porcelain jag?  I mean, what's so bad about it?

Two people whose porcelain kick resulted in something quite spectacular were Patrick and Josephine Frémontier, who owned both the Paris home featured here (originally featured in House & Garden, October 1999) as well as an antiques shop in the same building.  When I look at these photos, I can't stop marveling over the sheer volume of blue and white porcelain in the couple's salon.  The Chinese vases and medallions, which practically envelop the room's lacquered-panel walls, were salvaged from a 17th-century shipwreck and then sent off to auction, where M. Frémontier "bought a substantial amount." According to the homeowner, the porcelain had been ordered for the Dutch market, which explains the Dutch-style motifs that adorn the porcelain.  With their cache of Chinese porcelain in hand, the Frémontiers set about displaying the pieces in carved wall panels, a decorative arrangement that had originally developed in seventeenth-century Holland.  The decorative scheme is certainly cohesive-looking, and if you study the photo below, you'll notice that even the undersides of the wall brackets are embellished with what appear to be porcelain lids.

There is more porcelain to come in Friday's blog post, but in the meantime, savor what House & Garden referred to as a "rare blend."

All photos from House & Garden, October 1999; Pascal Chevallier photographer

A Lot of Pretty Things

One of the highest compliments that I can pay someone who has an attractively-decorated house is, "She (or he) has a lot of pretty things." It's not an especially deep or erudite compliment, but it does aptly describe someone who has a home filled with beautiful fabrics, collections, and furniture.

Take, for example, the homeowner whose Paris house is featured here. The anonymous woman converted a former garage into a house that was a repository for her pretty things. There were fetching fabrics (mostly Madeleine Castaing prints), dignified antique furniture, porcelain, and books, all of which lent an air of sophistication to the home's interiors. And yet, the prettiness of the rooms was tempered by Neoclassical-style pieces and motifs, which means that perhaps I should modify my compliment to read, "a lot of pretty and handsome things."

Finally, it's worth noting the year that these photos were shot: 1999. Now that's not ancient history or anything, but fifteen years is a long time in the world of interior design.  And fifteen years from now, this house will likely look just as chic as it did when first decorated in 1999.

All photos from House & Garden, October 1999, Pieter Estersohn photographer.