Spring Book News

In between visits to the Southeastern Designer Showhouse, High Point, and Design ADAC, I have managed to carve out some time to enjoy Spring's bumper crop of new book releases. Below are a few of the highlights from my stack of nightly reading.

Veranda Entertaining by Clinton Smith; Hearst Books, 2017

Veranda Editor-in-Chief Clinton Smith has done it again, writing a book that you will no doubt want to add to your library. Smith's latest effort focuses on entertaining and includes copious photos of table settings, flowers, dining rooms, and outdoor spaces that have been featured in the magazine. As expected, the photos are gorgeous, but the real draw here is Smith's commentary about the art of entertaining. Organized alphabetically, the book espouses nuggets of wisdom on all aspects of entertaining, from candlelight to glassware and place settings. And because the text is informative but concise, you can dip into the book as you wish, reading it from cover to cover or, if you prefer, a few chapters a night. Even if you consider yourself an armchair host or hostess, by the time you finish reading this book, you will want to become a prolific party-thrower.

Creating Home: Design for Living by Keith Summerour; Rizzoli 2017

One of the South's most respected architects, Atlanta-based Keith Summerour returns with his latest tome, one that features nine of his residential projects in such locales as Atlanta, Blackberry Farm, and Greenwich, Connecticut. An architect whose work is classically rooted, Summerour taps into his Southern heritage, creating houses that are both soulful and respectful of the land on which they sit. Whether located in the city or the country, a Summerour-designed house is not just dreamy to look at, it's a lesson in how to live comfortably, too.

Daily Life by Gert Voorjans; Lannoo Publishers, 2016

You may not be familiar with Belgian designer Gert Voorjans, and neither was I until recently.  But what a pleasant discovery his work has been.  Voorjans is no Johnny-come-lately to the world of design.  A protégé of Axel Vervoordt, the Antwerp-based designer opened his own firm in 1996 and has been decorating around the world ever since.  To be sure, Voorjans' work can be eccentric, but that's what makes it so very interesting.  I've made one pass through the book thus far and look forward to diving into it again soon.  Unique and personal, this book will likely hold your interest well into the future.

The Decorated Home: Living with Style and Joy by Meg Braff; Rizzoli 2017

Though now based on Long Island, New York, designer Meg Braff remains a Southern girl at heart, one who has maintained a very Southern love affair with bright, clear color. In her debut book, Braff shares with readers her upbeat design work that brims with color, pattern, charm, whimsy, and joie de vivre. While reading her book, I kept thinking how much of an "old-school" decorator Braff is, a term that I use as a compliment. There is nothing weird or outré about Braff's work. What is in evidence is Braff's enthusiasm for fabrics, furniture, and other tools of her craft, all of which she so obviously enjoys working with.

Entertaining in the Country: Love Where You Eat by Joan Osofsky and Abby Adams

When I received a review copy of this book, I was completely unfamiliar with the authors, one of whom owns Hammertown Barn, a lifestyle store with locations in Hudson Valley and the Berkshires. I gather that they are a big deal in that area, and I can see why. Their latest effort, a guide to casual entertaining, is brimming with recipes for the kind of food we all enjoy eating: chicken pot pie; corn and tomato salad; gazpacho; and berry cobbler. With recipes for simple yet fulfilling dishes and photos of pared down but stylish table settings, the book captures the joys of down-to-earth entertaining.

The New Chic: French Style from Today's Leading Interior Designers by Marie Kalt and the Editors of Architectural Digest France; Rizzoli 2017

Don't get the wrong idea. I haven't gone contemporary on you. Although I remain a traditionalist at heart, I do try to stay on top of what's happening in the world of modern design, which is why I chose to review this book. Considering that some of the best contemporary interiors being produced today are being executed by French designers, it seems fitting that the work of twelve leading French designers is the focus of this new book, one that was produced by the editors of Architectural Digest France. Even if modern-looking interiors aren't your thing, I think you'll appreciate the caliber of these designers' work, which, if nothing else, should serve as a lesson in the importance of quality and elegance.

The Art of Elegance: Classic Interiors by Marshall Watson; Rizzoli 2017

And last but not least, designer Marshall Watson's new monograph, a deserved one for a designer who has worked in the business for over thirty years.  What struck me about Watson's work is its confidence.  Watson eschews the gimmicks, choosing instead to give his clients' homes interiors that are comfortable, attractive, livable, and normal.  How refreshing.







Image credits:
© Veranda Entertaining by Clinton Smith, Hearst Books, 2017. © Creating Home: Design for Living by Keith Summerour, Rizzoli New York, 2017; photos © Andrew and Gemma Ingalls. © Daily Life by Gert Voorjans, Lannoo Publishers, 2017; photos by Tim van de Velde. © The Decorated Homes: Living with Style and Joy by Meg Braff, Rizzoli New York, 2017. © Entertaining in the Country by Joan Osofsky and Abby Adams, Rizzoli New York, 2017; photos © John Gruen. © The New Chic by Marie Kalt, Rizzoli New York, 2017; #1 photo © Gonzalo Machado, #2 © Jerome Galland, #3 © Gonzalo Machado. © The Art of Elegance by Marshall Watson, Rizzoli New York, 2017.

The Decorators Club, circa 1931

The Decorators Club is one of the design industry's most storied organizations. Established in 1914, the group, which is made up of female designers, architects, educators, and other members of the New York Metropolitan design community, has long worked to promote design education and industry standards and foster a sense of community among designers.  Even more impressive is the caliber of membership, which, over the years, has included Rose Cumming, Betty Sherrill, and Nancy McClelland.

Because a number of club members read my blog, I thought it would be interesting to show these 1931 photos of interiors done by then-members.  Appearing in the publication, Arts & Decoration, these photos, accompanied by an article titled "The Decoration Charm of Entrance Halls...by members of the Decorators Club of New York", show spaces that capture the propriety of early Thirties-era traditional décor.  Antique furniture, pictures, and tapestries added notes of gentility, while trompe l'oeil wallpaper and murals introduced some dash into these small spaces. 

With the exception of Miss Gheen, a decorator whose work was published frequently in the 1920s and 30s, I'm not familiar with such featured names as Emma B. Hopkins or Violet E. Grosvenor.  No matter, because if they were members of The Decorators Club, they were likely leading lights of design.


Image at top: Hallway by Emma B. Hopkins. The blue and sea-green mural was by Lascari and modeled after a Frascatti painting.

An entrance hall by Evelyn Rosenfeld. The chairs were covered in red damask, while the rug featured unnamed "bright colors".

Ethel A. Reeve was the decorator of this small foyer. Trompe l'oeil wallpaper gave the effect of panels and pilasters. The floor was black marbleized tile, presumably made of linoleum.

This apartment hall, found in the home of Mrs. William Loucks, was decorated by Violet E. Grosvenor. Here, again, the architecture was trompe l'oeil, although the magazine doesn't mention whether the walls were papered or painted.

If you collect magazines from the 1920s and 30s, you're likely familiar with Miss Gheen, Inc., a decorating firm whose work, including this New York hall, was featured frequently.

Asian notes in the form of lacquer screen, rosewood Chinese chair, and antique Chinese root tile mounted as a lamp set the tone in this dramatic-looking hall, which was the work of Coleman-Meerkerk, Inc.


All images from Arts & Decoration, March 1931.

Burleigh Pottery

Since I started my blog ten years ago, Tiffany & Co. discontinued most of its china as well as its much-loved Bamboo sterling flatware, Steuben went out of business (although the Corning Museum of Glass is now reproducing Steuben's designs), and Wedgwood faced an uncertain future. Needless to say, times have been tough for heritage tableware brands, so when a manufacturer succeeds in today's world, it's news worth sharing.

Take hand-crafted Burleighware, for example. The famed English pottery, produced in Stoke-on-Trent for over 160 years, has been collected by generations, and thanks to its charming patterns, its popularity shows no signs of abating. Blue-and-white pottery has been part of the Burleigh repertoire for years, but the firm recently introduced one new pattern and a new color option that seem sure to appeal to traditionalists and modernists alike.

Black Regal Peacock, striking in black and white, is an update of Blue Regal Peacock, a pattern created in 1913 and presented to HM Queen Mary.  But this was no mere pattern update facilitated by a computer.  Rather, Burleigh went the old-fashioned and tried-and-true route, creating a new hand-engraved copper roller to produce this black pattern.  It's nice to see a company staying true to its roots.

Also recently introduced is Burleigh's Dove Grey colorway, available in their Calico, Felicity, and Pantry patterns.  I realize that for a number of you, gray is a color that does not always resonate, but I think that Burleigh's new color option is a sensitive update, one that maintains the charm of classic Burleighware.

Below, you'll see a few pieces from both introductions, but be sure to visit the Burleigh website to see the full range.  I've also included a video at the end that shows the Black Regal Peacock pottery being crafted by Burleigh artisans.  And, if you're so inclined, purchase a piece or two of Burleighware.  After all, it's up to us to ensure that Burleigh exists for another 160 years.


Black Regal Peacock:

Dove Grey Pieces:

All images and film courtesy of Burleigh Pottery

The Bunny Williams Collection for Currey & Company

The are a number of major launches scheduled for High Point Spring Market, including the already much buzzed-about debut of the Bunny Williams Collection for Currey & Company.  Masterful at creating rooms that are warm and welcoming, Williams recognizes the need to light rooms using a variety of sources: table lamps, wall sconces, and ceiling lights, all of which help to create an attractive glow.  Williams' table lamps, part of her popular private-label Bunny Williams Home collection, continue to be much in demand.  And now, partnering exclusively with Currey & Company, she is branching out into ceiling and wall fixtures.

The new collection's inspiration comes from antique and vintage fixtures that Williams has purchased and collected over the years.  The Malvasia Wall Sconce, perhaps my favorite piece in the collection, was based on antique fixture that Williams found at Scott Antiques in Atlanta.  Of vintage origins is the plaster and gold leaf Weslyn Wall Sconce, which takes its cue from a 1930s Italian model, as well as the Biddulph ceiling lamp, which is reminiscent of a 1940s Neoclassical fixture.

If you plan to attend High Point next week, be sure to visit the Currey & Company showroom (IHFC#M110) to see the new collection in person.  Or, visit the Currey & Company website or the Bunny Williams Home website for more information.

Wagner Wall Sconce, Antique Brass

One of my favorite designs from the new collection, the Malvasia Wall Sconce in Vintage Brass

Weslyn Wall Sconce in Gesso White/Contemporary Gold Leaf

Westley Wall Sconce in Verdigris with Antique Gold Leaf Accent

The Bentley Chandelier in Antique Green/Gold Leaf/Silver Leaf

Biddulph Semi-Flush Mount in Gold Leaf/White


All images courtesy of Currey & Co.

A D.C. Delight

To me, some of the most memorable homes featured on the pages of Architectural Digest are those Seventies and Eighties-era nighttime apartments. I call them nighttime apartments, because not only were they presumably photographed at night with curtains usually drawn and interior lights blazing, but also because it's obvious that these apartments were decorated to look their best at night, when the homeowners were either relaxing after a long day's work or entertaining guests. And although these apartments were usually minimal in size, they were impactful in style.  In these sophisticated dwellings, pretty much everything was top-notch, including art, fabrics, and furniture.

I've written about many of these apartments in the past, and to the mix I add this one, which appeared in the March 1983 issue of AD.  The home of designer John Irelan, the apartment was located in one of Washington, D.C.'s "grandest beaux arts buildings."  Here, choice antiques and traditional furnishings were updated by clean, almost restrained backdrops in some rooms and richly-colored walls in others. Neoclassical-style chairs and Asian antiques rubbed shoulders with modern upholstery and contemporary art, while patterned fabrics, used skillfully as accents, were not allowed to run riot over their more subdued compatriots.  On the whole, the effect is one of balance and harmony, made all the more interesting thanks to a few dramatic flourishes of color and light.  What more could you ask for in a nighttime apartment?

Photos from Architectural Digest, March 1983, Peter Vitale photographer.