Quantcast
Channel: The Peak of Chic®

Beaton on Reddish

0
0

"Everywhere we find that modern life is killing the goose that laid the golden egg. The golden egg was the stark beauty of individuality, and the goose was the social conditions that allowed for it." So wrote Cecil Beaton in his book, The Glass of Fashion, describing the modern (as in 1954) problem of the "failure of the personal".  Sixty-three years later, this observation seems just as canny, especially at a time when most people strive hard to behave like their peers, dress like their peers, and decorate their homes like their peers- the failure of the personal writ large. Could this be why, in an age of increasingly homogenized taste, so many of us find the homes of Cecil Beaton to be so refreshing?

Throughout his adult life, Beaton conjured up interiors that assumed any number of personalities, the most constant one being that of the Edwardian dandy.  His early efforts at decorating seemed, at times, trying too hard to impress with its originality, while his later homes feel more aesthetically self-assured and settled.  But no matter its style or success, a Beaton interior was more often than not singular and, subsequently, memorable.  His English country pile, Reddish House in Broad Chalke, was no exception, as you can see in these photos, shot by the homeowner himself sometime in the 1950s.  Although I have read much about Reddish (and I'm sure you have, too), I'm not familiar with some of these images, which I found in an old issue of Connaissance des Arts, although I believe they were originally published in Country Life.

Claret-colored velvet, floral-strewn chintz, and Edwardian light fixtures are just some of Reddish's more notable decorative flourishes.  None of it terribly popular with homeowners today, and that's just what makes these interiors noteworthy.  May individualism eventually win the day.











Spy Les Giacometti

0
0


Everyone has been buzzing about Christie's upcoming Diego Giacometti sale, which will take place in Paris on March 6. Titled Les Giacometti d'Hubert de Givenchy, the sale is particularly noteworthy because all of the sale's twenty-one lots are being offered by legendary French couturier Givenchy, a noted Giacometti collector and friend who, according to the book The Givenchy Style, owns sixty some pieces of the artist's work.

Known early in his career as the assistant to his older and more famous brother, artist and furniture-maker Alberto, Paris-based Diego Giacometti eventually established himself as an artist in his own right, producing metal animal-motif sculptures and furniture that became highly coveted by the likes of Bunny Mellon, Henri Samuel, and Givenchy.

Though admittedly sad to sell part of his collection, Givenchy initiated this Christie's sales as a tribute to his late friend, who died in 1986. The sale's lots, scant in number but significant in importance, consist of pieces made specifically for Givenchy, including three highly-recognizable octagonal tables, some (or possibly all of) which have been ensconced in the couturier's country estate, Le Jonchet. Additionally, it should be noted that one of the lots does feature a piece made by Diego's brother, Alberto.

After learning of the sale, I revisited The Givenchy Style to see Giacometti's work in situ.  Below, you'll find photos of both Le Jonchet and Le Clos, the designer's retreat in the South of France.  Look closely at these photos, and you'll spy a number of the sale's lots.  And do be sure to visit the Christie's website, where you'll be treated to additional information on the sale plus a video tour of Le Jonchet's interiors.


Grande Table Octagonale aux Caryatides et Atlantes, c. 1983. Estimate EUR 800,000-EUR 1,200,000

Ensemble de Quatre Tabourets en X, c. 1983. Estimate EUR 300,000 to EUR 500,000


Tourterelle, c. 1975. Estimate EUR 20,000 to EUR 30,000


Grande Table Octagonale aux Caryatides et Atlantes, c. 1983. Estimate EUR 800,000 to EUR 1,200,000



Paire de Photophores au Cerf, c. 1970. Estimate EUR 100,000 to EUR 150,000

Table, c. 1978. (Similar to the one featured in the Givenchy photo.) Estimate EUR 150,000 to EUR 200,000


Paire de Photophores aux Anneaux, c. 1970. (Similar to the one in the Givenchy photo.)  Estimate EUR 80,000 to EUR 120,000

Le Clos:


Deux Tables Basses à L'Oiseau et Coupelle, c. 1970. Estimate EUR 300,000 to EUR 500,000

The Party Planner for Cafe Society

0
0

Party planner or event designer? Frankly, neither title seems elegant enough for the late Jacques Frank, a Paris-based designer who conceived and decorated parties for the crème de la crème of café society, including Arturo and Patricia Lopez-Willshaw, Elsa Schiaparelli, Princess Chavchavadze, and Duc de Talleyrand.  A decorator who worked for decades at the prominent French design firm, Maison Ramsay, Frank was a conjurer of atmosphere, creating inspired settings that transported guests to other times and places.  A student of history, Frank seemed especially proficient in recreating eighteenth-century tableaux.  Based on the photos below (obtained from Connaissance des Arts, September 1957), it appears that a Frank-designed party could be part spectacle, but spectacle executed in a graceful, refined manner. 

I consulted my library to see if I could learn more about Frank, but sadly, the Baron de Redé makes no mention of Frank in his memoirs.  The same goes for both Prince Jean-Louis de Faucigny-Lucinge, who doesn't reference Frank in his highly-collectible book, Legendary Parties, 1922-1972, and Thierry Coudert, who penned the recently-published book, Beautiful People of the Café Society.  I did manage to scare up this tidbit online: it seems that Frank worked on these shores, too, designing Anne Ford's 1961 coming-out party at her parents' Grosse Pointe Farm, Michigan estate, according to a 1961 Time magazine article.

I have a feeling we might be more impressed by his work had these photos been published in color.  After all, what's a party without color?  But if you zoom-in on these images, you'll see that while Frank might have had grand visions for his clients' parties, the décor was never ostentatious.

A Frank-designed party at the Neuilly home of Arturo and Patricia Lopez-Willshaw.  According to an interview with Frank, the party décor was classically-inspired.  Note the reflection in the pool.


Another party hosted by the Lopez-Willshaws at their Neuilly residence, this time oriented, presumably, on the other side of the pool.  The party was a recreation of a 1766 fête given by the Prince de Conti in honor of the Duke of Brunswick.  Frank took his design cue from this Michel-Barthelemy Ollivier painting, which captured the 1766 party:





For client M. Carvalho y Silva, Frank transformed the swimming pool at Deligny (la piscine Deligny), which was located on the Seine, into an eighteenth-century Venetian scene.



 
A party at l'hôtel Lambert, which Frank designed in collaboration with Baron de Cabrol.


An outdoor arbor, strung with May flowers and candelabra, graced a party hosted by Alain de Rothschild and his wife. 

Inside l'hôtel de Rothschild, Frank covered the walls of a tented room in greenery. The lacquered panels at one end of the room were painted by José-Maria Sert.

The Maria Theresa L. Virata Collection at Christie's

0
0

A highlight of Christie's upcoming Asian Art Week is The Maria Theresa L. Virata Collection of Asian Art: A Family Legacy sale, which will take place in New York on March 16. The Virata family collection, assembled over the last fifty years under the guidance of the family's late matriarch, Maria Theresa, is notable for its range of Asian art and ceramics. But perhaps the most significant part of the collection are the singular examples of Chinese furniture, something which makes this auction particularly noteworthy.

For Maria Theresa Virata, or Bebe, as she was also known, her passion for collecting Asian art developed alongside her interest in archaeology and the history of her native Philippines. Aiding Virata in her collecting was the late Robert Hatfield Ellsworth, the highly-regarded Asian art dealer. Ellsworth's Fifth Avenue apartment was unique in that he displayed his Asian art alongside English furniture and European decorative arts.  It seems the apartment must have made an impression on Virata, who similarly lived with all three in her house in the Philippines.

Below, you'll see photos of the Virata family house, which is spectacular in its elegance and reserve.  But equally as compelling are the sale's eighty-plus lots, which include a rare pair of seventeenth-century Huanghuali armchairs (see below) as well as Chinese porcelain.  It should be noted that the sale's proceeds will benefit three charitable organizations: Child Protection Network; ICanServeFoundation, Inc.; and Cribs Foundation, Inc.

For more information on the sale, please visit the Christie's website.


QI BAISHI (1864-1957)
Sunrise over Water
Hanging scroll, ink and color on paper
51 ¼ x 20 ⅝ in. (130.2 x 52.3 cm.)
Inscribed and signed, with two seals of the artist
Dedicated to Jinqing
Estimate: $500,000-700,000





THE ‘ECKE CHAIRS’
A VERY RARE PAIR OF HUANGHUALI ARMCHAIRS, NANGUANMAOYI
17TH CENTURY
39 in. (99 cm.) high; 24 1/2 in. (62.2 cm.) Wide; 20 1/4 in. (51.4 cm.) deep (each) (2)
Estimate: USD 600,000-800,000



A FLAMBÉ-GLAZED VASE
QIANLONG SIX-CHARACTER INCISED SEAL MARK AND OF THE PERIOD (1736-1795)
8 3/4 in. (22.2 cm.) high
Estimate: $30,000-50,000


AN IMPORTANT ZITAN LUOHAN BED, LUOHANCHUANG
18TH CENTURY
29 1/4 in. (74.3 cm.) high; 87 in. (221 cm.) wide; 51 in. (129.5 cm) deep
Estimate: USD 2,000,000-3,000,000






Photo credits: Interior shots, @Visko Hatfield, 2017; all other images, Christie's Images, Ltd., 2017

Making a Hash of Things

0
0


Isn't odd how certain things that have never before been on your radar suddenly push their way into your consciousness thanks to their repetitive appearances in the most random places?  Take, for example, canned corned beef.  Strange that I came across mentions of this tinned meat product twice last week.  The first time was reading E.F. Benson's Miss Mapp (which, by the way, you should read, if you haven't already); in one particularly humorous scene, Miss Mapp, the title character, is discovered to be hoarding food in anticipation of a coal strike.  What gave her away?  A can of corned beef, which became dislodged from a shelf of a hidden closet, only to come crashing to the floor when one of Miss Mapp's guests accidentally opens the secret door.  OK, so maybe you need to have read the book to find this funny.

My second run-in with canned corned beef came a few days later, when my copy of Annabel's was delivered.  The book, now out-of-print, chronicles the history and the legend of this much-loved London nightclub, which, sadly, I have never had the opportunity to visit.  I was prompted to hunt down a copy of the book upon learning of Annabel's impending move to a new location close-by.  Anyway, while flipping through the book, I found Mark Birley's recipe for Corned Beef Hash, which is to be sumptuously served with a poached egg on top.  You'll find the recipe below.

I've eaten neither canned corned beef nor corned beef hash before, so their tastiness (or lack thereof) is a mystery to me.  Perhaps I'll take a stab at the recipe someday soon.  And to make up for this hash of a post, I'm also including photos of Annabel's interiors, taken from the book.  In surroundings such as these, how could food- even canned corned beef- taste anything but delicious?

Mark Birley's Corned Beef Hash

1 medium baking potato, about 200g
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for frying
340g can corned beef
1 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp English mustard
Sea salt and freshly ground white pepper

Steam the potato for about 20 minutes until just tender. When cool, peel and cut into 5mm dice. Tip into a big bowl.

Saute the onion gently in 1 tbsp. oil for about 5 minutes until softened. Add this to the diced potato.

Cut the corned beef into 5mm dice. Mix into the potatoes with the parsley, Worcestershire sauce, mustard, and seasoning to taste.

Heat a thin film of oil in a large frying pan. Cook the hash for 3-5 minutes, stirring once or twice, until lightly browned and crispy in parts. Serve immediately. Serves 2.






New Offerings from Jim Thompson and No. 9 Thompson

0
0

I recently spent a pleasant morning at the Jim Thompson showroom at ADAC, perusing the new collections from both Jim Thompson and No. 9 Thompson. Both collections featured such vibrant colors and pattern that I was aching to recover my furniture in anticipation of summer.

First up are two collections from Jim Thompson: Leo de Janeiro and Negresco, an outdoor fabric collection. Ou Baholyodhin, Jim Thompson's Creative Director for Home Furnishings, conceived Leo de Janeiro as a marriage of Chinese culture ("Leo" representing a Chinese lion) with the exotic, exuberant energy of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. One of my favorite introductions is Leo de Janeiro, the namesake of the new collection, which features a whimsical Chinese lion that is up to mischief. This particular fabric strikes me as the type that, no matter how long it's in use as curtains or upholstery, you'll continue to cherish it until the fabric is in tatters. Other favorites of mine include Ming Ming (especially the version in black), Heliconia Dreamin', a sumptuously embroidered fabric, and Cala, which is a fresh and colorful update of a traditional silk moire.  Equally as tempting is Belize, a bamboo print from the Negresco outdoor collection.  It looks like a fabric that might have been used in the home of Betsy Bloomingdale or at Sunnylands, the Annenbergs' Palm Springs estate.

Leo de Janeiro


Menagerie


Ming Ming

Marquise

Heliconia Dreamin'

Pomare

Cala

Harrow

Jim Thompson Negresco Collection of Outdoor Fabric:

Patron


Belize


No. 9 Thompson

For his new No. 9 Thompson collections, Colourfield and All Aboard (an outdoor range), designer Richard Smith cites inspiration ranging from painter Lucio Fontana's slash series and Matisse cut-outs to 1960's Pop Art and African textiles.  The mood of the collection is upbeat, which is an outlook that we could all use these days.  Prints such as Breton, Matelot, and In a Twist strike a nautical note, while Zig Zag seems like the kind of print that would have appealed to Albert Hadley.  The collection is fun, not too serious, and just right for the warmer weather ahead.  Of the selection I'm showing below, all are outdoor fabrics with the exception of In a Twist, Decoupage, and Areso.

For both the Jim Thompson and No. 9 Thompson collections, I'm only showing you a sampling of fabrics.  To see the full range, visit the Jim Thompson website or your local designer showroom.




Breton

Matelot


Zee Urchin

Diamond Life

In a Twist


All Aboard

Decoupage


Areso


All images courtesy of Jim Thompson

The Joy of Flowers

0
0


Spring is here, the flowers and trees are in bloom (and have been for quite some time here in the South), and that annual layer of yellow pollen covers everything, my dog's feet included. Irritants aside, Spring is the time of year when flowers, in all their vibrant glory, seem to especially command our attention, both in their natural habitats and indoors, where they add bright notes to our homes' interiors.

Today, many of us limit our houses to a vase or two of peonies, a potted orange tree, or even a ubiquitous fiddle-leaf fig, but back in the early part of last century, the enthusiasm for indoor plants and floral bouquets was unabashed, so much so that plants were often incorporated into interiors in inspired and splashy ways.  Take these 1933 House & Garden images, for example.  It was not uncommon for flowers to be the main decoration of a room- and this didn't only occur in expected spots like sunrooms.  Below, you'll find a living room where a floral chintz banquette was crowned by a generous number of potted plants and flowers, lacing a large bay window.  In another, a Chippendale-style bird cage and window boxes- so cheerful and gay, to use a popular phrase of the day- stand prominently in front of a window, which gazed out onto a rather stifling view of neighboring high-rises.  Even a dining room was made to feel like an indoor garden, this time with an imagined design of planters and trellis, built to flank a window.

In fact, flowers were such an important part of indoor decor that many homes had shelves built inside of windows, where plants had the luxury of basking in the sunshine, blurring the line between indoors and out.  And while I think these indoor window shelves look a little dated, I appreciate the way in which they allowed plants to command a room's attention.

As Dorothy Draper once said, "It isn't enough just to love flowers- you do them an injustice if you don't make the best possible use of their beauty"- a sentiment obviously shared by the owners of the houses seen here.  But beware of the predilection to decorate with a profusion of flowers, at least, according to the late decorator Michael Greer: "Too many flowers in a room imply the presence of a corpse and should be avoided unless there is one, and even then too many flowers can distress anyone of delicate taste."










Printed Fashions: Textiles for Clothing and Home

0
0

The DeWitt Wallace Decorative Arts Museum at Colonial Williamsburg debuted a new exhibit last week, one that should appeal to anyone with an interest in fashion, fabrics, or design. Organized by Linda Baumgarten, Colonial Williamsburg's Senior Curator of Textiles and Costumes,  Printed Fashions: Textiles for Clothing and Home presents an array of printed textiles, including an impressive selection of Indian Chintzes, that were made between 1700 and 1820.  With an emphasis on printed cottons and linens that were used for both apparel and furnishings, the exhibit includes dresses, such as the c. 1790 frock seen above, bed coverings, and curtains.

I was not able to find much about the exhibit on the museum's website, but I did manage to find a video on YouTube that featured Baumgarten discussing the show.  As the exhibit's textiles flashed onto my computer screen, I was reminded of how fashionable people of today continue this tradition of decorating their homes with printed fabrics, whose origins can be traced back to centuries-old chintzes.  Take, for example, this c. 1770-1790 Indian Palampore quilt, which is surely the star of the Williamsburg exhibit:



I'm sure that most of us immediately think of Braquenié's much-loved tree of life print, Le Grand Genois:


Perhaps used most famously by Givenchy, the fabric has also been used to great effect by Caroline Sieber at her home in London...:


...as well as by designer Alessandra Branca at the 2015 Kips Bay Showhouse, where the fabric was made into a throw for a sofa.:



Also part of the exhibit is this chintz curtain panel, which dates to sometime between 1750 and 1790:



The panel bears a striking resemblance to Ménars, a document print offered by Brunschwig & Fils...:


...which was memorably used for upholstery in Jayne Wrightsman's Palm Beach home, whose sumptuous interiors were assembled by Denning and Fourcade:






Any idea what the textile is below?  It's a c. 1750-1775 barber's apron, which gentlemen wore to protect their clothes while being shaved or having their wigs powdered:



The apron's red flowers, reminiscent of poppies, brought to mind Robert Kime's oft-used poppy prints, including Opium Poppy:


and Field Poppy,...:

...with which Dallas designer Cathy Kincaid swathed this room, using yards and yards of it:



And last, but certainly not least, the exhibit includes yet another example of stylish attire, a banyan, which was a dressing gown worn by a gentleman.  This example dates to the late eighteenth century or early nineteenth:


Again, my thoughts turned to Braquenié and its tree of life companion print:


which got the stamp of approval by designer and architect Daniel Romualdez, who enveloped his bedroom (located in the former Connecticut home of Bill Blass, no less) in both Braquenié prints:



As they say, everything old seems new again, especially when used in such stylish, classic ways.



Both the Sieber and Romualdez photos by Oberto Gili; Kincaid photo by Miguel Flores-Vianna.

Join Alex Papachristidis and Me at Design aDAC

0
0

I hope you'll join designer Alex Papachristidis and me at Design ADAC, where, on Tuesday, April 25th, we will be discussing "The Eye of the Collector".  An inveterate collector himself, Alex has much to say about the ins and outs of collecting, including how his collections and those of his clients have influenced his work.  Following the 1:00pm talk, there will be a reception at the new Cowtan & Tout showroom, where Alex will be signing copies of his book, The Age of Elegance.

For more information on Design ADAC, one of the design industry's premier events, please visit the ADAC website.  And to join Alex and me at our conversation, click here to register.  We hope to see you on April 25th!

A D.C. Delight

0
0

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.

The Bunny Williams Collection for Currey & Company

0
0

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.

Burleigh Pottery

0
0

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 Decorators Club, circa 1931

0
0

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.

Spring Book News

0
0
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; Rizzoli, 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.

Kirill Istomin and his World of Fantasy

0
0

One of my biggest complaints about social media is the sometimes deleterious effect it seems to have on creativity.  On the one hand, it could be argued that Instagram, Pinterest, and blogs have introduced people to a whole host of new images, new places, and new things, all of which, to some degree, have fostered a spirit of discovery.  On the other hand, the pitfall to a group of people looking at the same images is that too many people are drinking from the same well of inspiration, resulting in an uncomfortable amount of sameness in, for example, styles of dress and decorating.  Whichever opinion you prefer, I think we can all agree that seeking inspiration solely online is a recipe for dullness.  Now, more than ever, it's important to spend time away from our phones and find motivation in travel, art, film, books, or anywhere else that strikes one's fancy.

One designer who credits a range of sources for influencing his work is Kirill Istomin, a Moscow and New York-based designer whose interiors have been featured in numerous shelter magazines, both here in the United States and abroad.  Having trained at venerable Parish-Hadley, Istomin and his work are rooted in good, solid decorating.  But what makes Istomin stand out is that he has a particular love of fantasy, one which manifests itself in interiors that are highly decorative while remaining functional, too.  The designer credits film (Zeffirelli's La Traviata, especially), dance (George Balanchine's The Nutcracker), and even great designers from the past (namely Henri Samuel, John Fowler, Rose Cumming, Mario Buatta, Parish-Hadley, and Stephane Boudin) with inspiring his work.  But it's history that especially interests the designer, who cites 18th-century French and Russian history as particular areas of concentration.

Istomin's purpose for indulging in fantasy is that, "it takes us away from reality."  Below, you'll find images of Istomin's fantasy-infused work, including the inspiration behind some of the interiors.    I think you'll find that for the next few minutes, as you study these photos, you'll find yourself lost in a world of richly appointed and sumptuously pretty interiors.




For a lady's bathroom, above, Istomin based the idea of the wall's thin pilasters on those in the Porcelain Study of Catherine the Great at Tsarskoe Selo, outside of St. Petersburg:


Meanwhile, for the dressing room of the same lady client, the designer took his cue from Brighton Pavilion:


whose palm-motif columns inspired those surrounding the dressing-room shelving:




In fact, the spirit of 18th-century Russia pervades a number of Istomin-designed interiors, including this dining room below, which is located in a house in the Chinese Village, Tsarskoe Selo:


Here, the floor and door moldings are reminiscent of Catherine the Great's Chinese Study at Peterhof:


It's the historical inspiration that I find so interesting, but even without referencing the specific sources, Istomin's work is fascinating.  Take a look below, and I think you'll agree.  And if you happen to be attending Legends at La Cienega Design Quarter this week, be sure to swing by the Sherle Wagner showroom, where Istomin has designed a window vignette. I have a feeling it will be a real show-stopper and fantastical through and through.










All images courtesy of Kirill Istomin

Mario Times Two

0
0

And while we're on the subject of High Point, another favorite introduction of mine are the Mario Twins, a set of bunching tray tables designed by the great Mario Buatta.  Part of Kindel's Designer Artist Series, the tables have removable tray tops, meaning they're the perfect tables on which to serve tea or hors d'oeuvres or on which to enjoy a tray supper.  Available in any of Kindel's wood or painted lacquer finishes, the Mario Twins just might be my next furniture purchase.




Image courtesy of Kindel

The Return of the Canopy Bed

0
0

There were many highlights of last month's High Point Furniture Market, but one in particular made quite an impression on me: the gratifying appearance of canopied beds at a number of furniture showrooms. After playing second fiddle to upholstered headboards for years, it seems that the canopy bed is once again captivating furniture designers.

For Kindel's Dorothy Draper Collection, Carleton Varney debuted the Tuxedo Park Poster Bed, which was inspired by Draper's own bed at her Carlyle Hotel apartment.  Dressed in Fazenda Lily and Ballroom Satin fabrics, both from the Dorothy Draper fabric collection, the bed held court alongside the Pinwheel Chest in green painted lacquer and the Double Camellia Bench.  Like so many pieces in this collection, the Tuxedo Park bed is available in twenty-five painted lacquers and a number of wood finishes.  I think Draper would be very pleased.

Tuxedo Park Poster Bed photos courtesy of Kindel
 
 

A few examples of the bed that inspired Kindel's version.


Image courtesy of Bunny Williams Home
 

Like Varney, Bunny Williams also introduced a new canopied bed, this one notable for its aesthetically-pleasing Greek Key design.  Made of hammered metal, the Ellsworth Bed, part of the Bunny Williams Home collection, has a hand-applied, wrought iron finish.  For those with a more restrained sense of style, this is a canopy bed that seems sure to suit.

Image courtesy of Highland House's Facebook page

And finally, there is the Courtney Upholstered Bed, part of the Bungalow Classic collection for Highland House.  To be accurate, the bed debuted at High Point last fall, but at this Market, the bed remains a real show-stopper, not least of all because of its fabric canopy and upholstered bed posts.  Designed by the design and retail super-couple, Courtney and Randy Tilinski, their version of the canopy bed is unabashedly pretty.  It's awfully dreamy, too.

Speaking of dreamy, I'm including a few take-a-step-back-in-time photos of glorious canopy beds, including those slept in by Evangeline Bruce (the chintz-festooned version seen directly below) and Baron Philippe de Rothschild (the French-inflected bed with the ruffled pillows.)  These older versions, combined with the new introductions featured above, confirm that the canopy bed will never go out of style.  







I Need Your Help!

0
0
You may not hear from me frequently this summer as I’ve just started work on my next book, which I’m happy to announce will be published by Vendome Press and edited by Stephen Drucker. Commissioned by Kravet to celebrate its centennial anniversary, the book will profile the 100 most important designers of the past 100 years.

In order to write this book, I need your help. Who do you think is the most influential designer of the last century? Your answers will be used to compile the book’s list of designers, so please do let me know. You can submit your comment below, or, if you prefer, you may email your answers to me at Jennifer@thepeakofchic.com

What I've Been Up to Over the Past Year: Inspired Design

0
0


Goodness. It feels strange writing a blog post after a year-long hiatus. I was worried that I may have forgotten how to blog, but it seems that after eleven years of writing The Peak of Chic, blogging has become second nature. It feels good to be back.

As some of you know, I have spent the past year writing my latest book, Inspired Design: The 100 Most Important Interior Designers of the Past 100 Years (Vendome Press). I spent countless hours doing research (thank heavens for my library of design books and shelter magazines), writing, and selecting the photos that defined the careers of the featured 100 designers. In fact, I spent so much time working on this book while cloistered in my home, some of my neighbors assumed I had died or moved.

Now that the hard work is behind me, I can say that it was well worth it. The end result is a book that I feel honors a very diverse, influential, and talented group of individuals. The featured designers hail from around the world, including America, England, Yugoslavia, and even Iran. There are living designers who are currently at the heights of their careers, while others experienced their heydays back in the 1930s and '40s. A number of the designers can be classified as traditionalists, but for each of them, there is a designer whose work was, or is, at the cutting-edge. Some were known for their reserved personalities, while others aren't afraid to make statements with their appearances. Peter Marino, that would be you.

Did your favorite designer make the list? You'll have to wait until October 2, the book's publication date, to see the list in its entirety. In the meantime, we'll be releasing glimpses via my blog as well as on Instagram. For those who can't wait, visit the Vendome Press website today for a peek.

To pre-order the book, please visit Amazon.

I'll be embarking on my book tour later this fall, so I hope to see many of you soon!

Chez Princesse Ghislaine de Polignac

0
0


A friend recently gave me the most interesting book about Marie Antoinette: To The Scaffold, by Carolly Erickson. To borrow my friend's description of the book, it is gripping. Although I knew well the history of the French Revolution and Marie Antoinette's sad fate, I found myself on the edge of my seat as I turned each page. But one central figure that I had forgotten about until reading this book was Yolande de Polignac, one of Marie Antoinette's closest friends and confidantes. Polignac's close relationship to the Queen brought Yolande and a whole host of Polignacs great wealth and power, which in turn led to much resentment among both the nobility and the average Parisian. A controversial figure, Polignac eventually fled to Switzerland, escaping the wrath of the Revolution.

What a coincidence, then, that I found a 1978 Architectural Digest article about another Polignac: Princesse Ghislaine de Polignac (1918-2011). Like Yolande, Ghislaine courted controversy. While married to Prince Edmonde de Polignac, Ghislaine engaged in affairs, including one with Duff Cooper, who, at the time, was also involved with Gloria Rubio (later Guinness) and Louise de Vilmorin. Recalling a party given by Gloria, where all three girlfriends were present, Cooper likened it to a ball in Balzac: "Everyone looking at everyone in suspicion." Later, after Ghislaine divorced Prince Edmonde, she was befriended by the wealthy American socialite, Rosita Winston, who generously flew Ghislaine to New York, where Winston treated her to a new Dior wardrobe. The only glitch was that just prior to a party they were to attend, Winston walked in on Ghislaine in bed with her husband. Later, at the party, a furious Winston proceeded to tell everyone about her discovery, before putting Polignac on the next plane back to France. Naturally, a gleeful Cecil Beaton wasted no time spreading word of the scandal to everyone, including Lady Diana Cooper, who responded: "I'm awfully sorry for her. True, in 100,000,000 Americans she was foolish to pick Mr. Winston, but poor girl to have to crawl back to Rheims, tail gripped between those ungovernable legs. Humiliation."

Back in Paris, Polignac settled into an apartment at Hôtel Lambert and pursued a career in public relations for Galeries Lafayette and Revlon. Later, she moved into the apartment you see here. Decorated by her friend, Baron Fred de Cabrol, the apartment was a jewel-box, both in size and appearance. Intended as an elegant backdrop for entertaining, the apartment's salon was dramatically lavished in red, reminding the article's author, Philippe Jullian, of "a box at the Opera." Taking heed of her friend Christian Bérard's advice, "You must always be careful to mix many different shades of red," Polignac and her decorator selected velvets and tapestries in a range of reds to accompany those richly colored walls. By contrast, Polignac's bedroom had a much lighter and more feminine feel. Even this room was a testament to Polignac's energetic social life. In addition to the numerous invitations tucked into her mirror's frame, there were also framed seating arrangements for her many dinners, charmingly sketched by the hostess herself.




Describing Fred de Cabrol's skill at mixing Second Empire decorations with other periods in the Salon, Jullian wrote, "He is able to adapt the past to the contemporary scene...careful never to indulge in a purely period décor. Actually only serious collectors--or perhaps the nouveaux riches--will have rooms that are impeccable Louis XV or Empire."




Like the Salon, the Dining Room was enveloped in red.







Ghislaine de Polignac's bedroom with evidence of her active social life. Note the attendees to one of her dinners, which she commemorated with an illustrated seating chart seen above: The Prentice Hales, Robert de Balkany, Paul Louis Weiller, and Baron de Rédé.


All photos from Architectural Digest, January/February 1978, Pascal Hinous photographer.

What's New What's Next

0
0

I hope you'll join the Kravet team and me this week at What's New What's Next, where I will be interviewing three of my favorite designers, Alexa Hampton, Markham Roberts, and Tom Scheerer, on who and what inspires them. The day-long event at the New York Design Center features an outstanding line-up of panel discussions and receptions. For more information or to RSVP, please visit www.nydc.com/wnwn.

Kenneth Battelle at Home

0
0


"The top". "An institution". The "Secretary of Grooming". These were just some of the titles and accolades given to Kenneth, the legendary hairdresser who tended the locks of Jacqueline Kennedy, Lee Radziwill, Brooke Astor, Audrey Hepburn, and Marilyn Monroe, to name just a few of his high-profile clients. Although Kenneth did have a last name (it was Battelle), he became so famous that he was always referred to by his first name only. You'll recall that it was Billy Baldwin whom Kenneth hired in the early 1960s to decorate his Manhattan salon, a Brighton Pavilion fantasy of bamboo and tented rooms.  Baldwin once wrote, "I'm  told a woman will keep dentists and dinner dates waiting before she'll miss an appointment at Kenneth's." But for all of the glamour and celebrity surrounding his salon and his clientele, Kenneth never seemed to lose his head, saying, "What I do is only a shampoo away from being nothing."

His lack of pretension comes across in these photos of his East Side penthouse, which were published in the February 1989 issue of HG. (Incidentally, the following year brought Kenneth much grief when his salon burned to the ground; receiving no insurance money for his loss and unable to rebuild his salon, he moved his business to the Helmsley Palace Hotel first and later the Waldorf-Astoria.)  Although elegantly appointed, his home was neither grand nor overblown. I'm intrigued by Kenneth's curious blend of styles and furnishings. The apartment's finishes were sleek, modern, and very suited to the night: dark-brown walls in both the living room and bedroom; what appears to be a polished brass fireplace mantel; and a kitchen entirely sheathed in mirror and lit by track lighting. And yet, the apartment was furnished rather traditionally, too, with French chairs, displays of antique boxes, and a Brunschwig chintz used throughout the bedroom. It was an apartment of a man who had confidence in his taste.

The best shot of the entire feature, however, has to be that of Kenneth reading the morning paper in his garden and wearing a dressing gown, which kept his work attire, a suit, pristine. If that photo doesn't perfectly capture the immaculate ways of a bygone generation, I don't know what does.








All photos from HG, February 1989, Eric Boman photographer.

Join Flower Magazine and Me in High Point

0
0

If you happen to be in High Point this Sunday, I hope you'll join Paloma Contreras, Richard Keith Langham, Jeffrey Dungan, and me as we participate in a discussion on--what else?--design.  Sponsored by Flower Magazine and moderated by the magazine's Editor-in-Chief, Margot Shaw, the event is sure to be lively.  Details are above.  A book-signing will follow.  Hope to see you there!

Something Old, Something New

0
0


Ever since I first saw glimpses of photographer Victor Skrebneski's house in those Seventies and Eighties-era Estée Lauder ads (Skrebneski often used his Chicago home as a backdrop for the stylish ad campaign), I became intrigued by its pitch-perfect blend of minimalist architecture and formal, traditional furniture, a mix you still don't often see in America. Decorated with the assistance of interior designer Bruce Gregga (Gregga was once Skrebneski's assistant and, incidentally, happens to be one of the featured designers in my new book), the photographer's home is a Victorian-era coach house. But based on its interiors, you would never know it. Stripped of anything ornamental, the home's interior architecture is very modern and spare. Travertine floors, a concrete entry hall and staircase (see above), and glossy ceilings are as far removed from the Victorian style as they could possibly be.

But ensconced among the home's sleek walls is Skrebneski's carefully selected collection of twentieth-century art and eighteenth-century French antiques. In fact, the living room is almost entirely furnished with eighteenth-century pieces, including a Gobelins tapestry, a coromandel commode, Louis XVI gueridon, and a Louis XV giltwood sofa. Also prominent is modern art by Man Ray, the Giacomettis, Max Ernst, and Oskar Schlemmer. It's the best of both worlds--and the best of two centuries--together in one room.

Elsewhere in the house, there are not one, but two sitting rooms that, while perhaps more intimate than the living room, maintain the sense of grandeur established in the home's more public spaces.  Even the kitchen, with its zig-zag painted floor, is a modern shell that, once again, surrounds French furniture. The formula for this sublime marriage of the old and the new is not as complicated as it might seem. As Skrebneski simply puts it, "Any beautiful things work well together." 







The living room, as seen from three different angles.



The two images above show the sitting rooms.



The kitchen, which is lined with books.



The dapper photographer himself.


All images from Architectural Digest, March 2000, Victor Skrebneski photographer.

At Home, with Flowers

0
0

My, it's been a while since I last blogged.  Holidays, family commitments, and, most of all, a book tour have kept me away.  I'm going to try to get back into the swing of things, and what better way to do so than by featuring a couple of my favorite new book releases.

First up, John Richardson: At Home(Rizzoli New York), a memoir of the many homes inhabited over the years by art historian, writer, and Picasso biographer John Richardson.  I know that many of us have been waiting anxiously for the release of this book, and trust me when I say it was well worth the wait.  Over the years, I have saved any photograph I could find of Richardson's homes, but my tear-sheet file on the art historian and his homes was always paltry at best.  But now, to have photograph after photograph of Richardson's many residences compiled in one book, well, it is really more than I could ever have wished for.  His set at Albany, the Chateau de Castille in France (which he shared with his former partner, the art collector Douglas Cooper), and his two most recent homes, a Fifth Avenue loft and a Connecticut house, are all here, as well as a few others. Perhaps even more enticing is that the principal photography is by François Halard.

What made Richardson's homes so beguiling is that they were filled with art, antiques, and oddities, which he collected and amassed over many years.  Some things he purchased, while others were given to him by his famous friends, and although occasionally the visual effect was somewhat cluttered (or, as some might prefer to say, layered), the overall impression was really quite dazzling.  His homes were immensely personal and cultured, something that distinguishes these interiors from so much of what we see today.  If you do buy this book, be sure to read the text.  Written by Richardson himself, it is intelligent and witty.  Considering that Richardson died just a few weeks ago, this book is really a fitting tribute to a life well-lived in some very captivating homes.




John Richardson: At Home by John Richardson, © Rizzoli New York, 2019; principal photography by 

François Halard, including those images seen here



Every design library needs at least a few books that spark happiness, and Margot Shaw's debut book, Living Floral (Rizzoli New York), is one that did just that for me.  As the founder and editor in chief of Flower magazine, Margot has dedicated her publication to celebrating beauty in many forms: interiors, gardens, entertaining, and, of course, flowers.  It is a winning combination that has made the magazine a success and one that is the focus of her new book.

Each chapter profiles a talented individual, such as an architect, floral designer, interior designer, or creative type, and shows how that person incorporates flowers into their lives and their homes.  Some have chosen to be surrounded by floral prints on their walls and upholstery.  Others set charming tables laden with fresh flowers or floral-patterned china.  However these people choose to live with flowers, they all do so stylishly and graciously.

The book contains really delightful images of interiors, table settings, outdoor entertaining, and more than a few lucky dogs.  (As you can see below, I'm partial to those images featuring our four-legged friends.)  But what you won't find in this book is condescension.  The book's text never speaks down to readers, but rather thoughtfully encourages them to enjoy the beauty and perhaps adopt a few ideas and tips for themselves.  If you're looking for some inspiration and how-tos on decorating, floral arranging, and entertaining, this is the book for you.








by
Margot Shaw
,



Living Floral : Entertaining and Decorating with Flowers by Margot Shaw, © Rizzoli New York, 2019




Latest Images