William Hodgins, Town and Country

A reader recently suggested that I write about Boston designer William Hodgins, whose work has been woefully absent on my blog until today. Hodgins is, in a way, like designer Dan Carithers. Both men eschewed New York for Boston and Atlanta, respectively, and yet, despite not living in the epicenter of the design world, managed to forge high-profile careers and earn their places in the annals of American design.

A good introduction to the work of Hodgins might be this early-1990's House Beautiful article, which featured both his gracious Back Bay apartment and his country house.  In both homes, Hodgins has seamlessly blended elegance with comfort, traditional antiques with modern furniture, and American down-to-earth-ness with Continental sophistication, all underpinned by a neutral color palette and Hodgins's rigorous editing.

Also worth pointing out is the seemingly superb quality of both home's furnishings.  There are no junky accessories or random-looking pieces of furniture.  Everything seems to have been chosen with the utmost care.  Then again, that neutral color palette requires superb furnishings, because those neutral tones just don't have the ability to mask inferior furniture and fabrics like robust colors do.

If you wish to see more of Hodgins's work, you might want to read William Hodgins Interiors by Stephen Salny. Although I have not read the book, it appears to be a monograph worth checking out.


In the City:

...and in the country:

An Elegant Christmas Dinner

After publishing my December 1 blog post, which featured a London house that was decorated for Christmas, I received a number of emails from readers requesting that I publish more photos of traditional holiday décor. I've looked through some old December issues of various design magazines, and I've found a number of photos that will hopefully get you in the holiday spirit and give you a few ideas for your own home.

First up, this 1993 Christmas dinner in the home of Marjorie Reed Gordon and her husband, Ellery.  Gordon is an expert on entertaining, having written a few books on the subject, including Marjorie Reed's Party Book: Entertaining with More Style Than Money, which was published in 1981.  (I must get my hands on a copy of this book, because you know how I love those Eighties-era books on entertaining.)

Here, the Gordons set a table fit for the season, laden with silver, crystal, pomanders, and white Amaryllis, all resting upon a red silk cloth.  The menu consisted of Mignonettes of Lobster with Asparagus and Artichokes, Seared Venison Chops, Swiss Chard Timbales, and a Brandied Tangerine Tart.  (I bet this menu did not appear in her More Style Than Money book, but then again, this was Christmas, a time when most of us blow it out.)  And then there was that side table, decked in pots of evergreens and paper whites.  It's so festive-looking, the perfect perch for that tangerine tart.

On the Newsstands This Month...

When you're looking through the Dec/Jan issue of House Beautiful and the Winter issue of Atlanta Magazine's Home, I'll hope you'll take the time to read two articles that I recently penned.

For House Beautiful, I wrote a piece about the Atlanta home of Dan Carithers, which was designed by Judy Bentley.  (You'll find one of the article's photos below.)  It's a heart-warming story, and one which I think you'll enjoy. 

And in the Winter issue of Atlanta Magazine's Home, you can find my recommendations for design books that no library should be without.  Included are both out-of-print titles and recently published tomes.

In the Bedroom of Carolina Herrera

Today, there are few women as elegant as Carolina Herrera. Her uniform of crisp, white button-down shirts worn with black pants or skirt is so simple, and yet, it makes such a confident, not to mention chic, statement. People might expect her sartorial minimalism to extend to her home, but in fact, the opposite is true. For example, I've seen photos of her home that show a living room swathed in red damask.  It's tastefully lavish and exudes worldly flair, fitting for a woman of her immense style.

Recently, I found these photos of her Manhattan bedroom, circa 1993.  Again, decoratively speaking, the room is rather the opposite of a plain white shirt.  Herrera said that she wanted to create a garden in her bedroom, one which would make up for her lack of a real garden.  There are layers of cheerful floral chintzes spread throughout the space, given room to breathe by those neutral-colored walls and rug.  And then there's her closet, a sumptuous tented space swathed in rose-and-white toile.  It's not surprising to learn that Herrera sometimes hosts dinner parties in her closet.  Wouldn't you if your home had such a space?

But for all of their apparent differences, Herrera's home has much in common with her well-documented wardrobe.  Both reflect the designer's elegance, eye for quality, and impeccable taste.

All photos from House Beautiful, April 1993, Thibault Jeanson photographer.

A Traditional Christmas

Today is December 1, which means that the holiday season has begun. (It also means that I get to open the first gift in my beauty advent calendar, but I digress.) I spent my Thanksgiving holiday decorating my apartment with garlands, wreaths, red ribbon, and my blanc-de-chine crèche. So, with Christmas on the brain, I find these photos, which appeared in a recent issue of The English Home, to be especially inspiring.

The Edwardian-era, North London home you see here belongs to Helen Cormack, textile maven and founder of Tissus d'Hélène, and her historian husband, Andrew.  The home is a traditionalist's dream, filled with antique furniture, Toiles de Jouy, and old pictures and engravings.  Add to this some holiday greenery, colorfully-wrapped gifts, and an elegantly-set table, and the result is a setting stylishly steeped in the holiday spirit.

All photos from The English Home, Jody Stewart photographer.

A Few Book Recommendations, for Your Holiday Enjoyment or Gift-Giving

At Home in the Garden by Carolyne Roehm (Potter Style. Images © Carolyne Roehm)

I feel fairly certain that by now, you're quite familiar with Roehm's latest book, which has received accolades the blogosphere over.  Nevertheless, I'd like to add my voice to the chorus so that I, too, can sing this book's praises.  With dreamy photos of Roehm's extensive property, its lush and colorful flowers, and the well-set tables that often grace it, this is the kind of book in which one revels.  Reading it is bliss, a chance to lose oneself in a landscape that this high-rise dweller finds enviable.  And having recently attended two of Roehm's speaking engagements, I can say that the author is just as engaging as her books.

Once Upon a Pillow by Rebecca Vizard (Pointed Leaf Press. Photos by Antoine Bootz.)

This book was such a treat for me to read, partially because I know Becky Vizard and admire her and her work immensely.  But even if you don't know Vizard, or if you're not familiar with her exquisitely designed pillows that feature antique textile embellishments, I think you'll find her story and her work fascinating.  The book takes the reader on a journey to Vizard's home in rural Louisiana.  That alone is something that many readers might be surprised to learn, likely expecting this textile-collector and pillow-designer to live somewhere more cosmopolitan.  But as we Southerners know, sophistication and creativity often thrive in some unexpected places in the South- and that's what makes Becky's story, and this book, so compelling.  (It also explains why Becky is such a nice, down-to-earth person.) 

Once Upon a Pillow features numerous photos of Becky's home and the poetic landscape that surrounds it, but the heart of this book is the antique textiles that fuel Becky's creativity.  You'll find interesting chapters on the various categories of textiles that make up Becky's working collection, including Ecclesiastical needlework, Suzanis, and Fortuny fabrics.  The book's added bonus is the photos of Vizard's pillows as they appear in the homes of her ardent fans, which include a number of well-respected designers.

Decorating with Carpets: A Fine Foundation by Ashley Stark Kenner and Chad Stark with Heather Smith MacIsaac (The Vendome Press; Photo credits: #1 and #3 Eric Piasecki/OTTO; #2 Christopher Sturman/ Trunk Archive)

Typically, I'm not a fan of books that feature previously-published photos.  However, I gladly make an exception for this tome, whose photos capture a range of delectably-decorated interiors, all done by top-notch designers.  Perhaps these photos feel new to me because the emphasis here is, naturally, the rooms' Stark carpets.  The authors make a strong case for the versatility of their floor coverings, showing the reader how they can beautifully transform both contemporary and traditional interiors.  And if you're like me and appreciate Stark for its notable history, then you will likely find this book a worthy addition to your library.

The House of Thurn und Taxis (© House of Thurn und Taxis, Skira Rizzoli, 2015. Images © Todd Eberle.)

I was first introduced to Princess Gloria Thurn und Taxis by W Magazine, whose 1980s-era issues (which, as a teenager, I read religiously) were filled with the exploits of the party princess, then known as Princess TNT. Times have changed, and Thurn und Taxis has calmed down considerably, now devoting much of her attention to the Catholic Church. But that's beside the point, because this lavish book focuses not so much on the princess herself, but rather her late husband's family home, Regensberg Palace of St. Emmeram, Germany. What makes Schloss St. Emmeram so memorable is its glorious architecture, which includes examples of the Romanesque-Gothic, Rococo, and Baroque styles.  But what many laud is Thurn und Taxis' contemporary art collection, which provides a striking-to-some contrast to the palace's regal architecture.  I'm not a fan of much this art collection, but that does not diminish my enthusiasm for this book.  The photos of the myriad rooms of St. Emmeram are gorgeous, making this book a dazzling read.