(w)rapping
reading
an absolute treasure of a book-really a Must Have-if you don't already.
1st image from the pages of House and Garden.
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Showing posts with label HG. Show all posts
Showing posts with label HG. Show all posts
just tuck me in
.
Do you love a nap? Do you love this Bed?
Photographed by Jacques Dirand, this Paris townhouse decorated by Renzo Mongiardino and Claudio Briganti, is one of those spaces. You know by now what that means. One that I am enamored with- it has been 12 years since I first gazed on these rooms and I am still in love. It must be Real. Of all the stunning rooms here there are many-full of Lichtensteins, Yves Kleins, Dubuffets, the owner's children- my favourite is this MASTER BEDROOM. Full of 19th century chinoiserie from England, the walls are softened with a silk that appears to be a sort of faded violet. The walls are divided by borders perfectly placed for special pieces of collected art.
Here- a few things that would be perfect for a room reminiscent of this one and only Mongiardino.
& for fabric- No question- my beloved Dragon Empress-by Clarence House. There is a pale colorway with most of the colors shown in this one-with a celadon rather than the blue. The only one colorway I have not used in a house- so it seems right.
more here:
HG article- SERIOUS FUN from 1998 June, with William Norwich, Joy Hendricks, Delphine Pietri
read Mitchell Owens tribute to Renzo Mongiardino in the NY Times 1998 obituary HERE
little augury Dragon Empress posts HERE
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Do you love a nap? Do you love this Bed?
Photographed by Jacques Dirand, this Paris townhouse decorated by Renzo Mongiardino and Claudio Briganti, is one of those spaces. You know by now what that means. One that I am enamored with- it has been 12 years since I first gazed on these rooms and I am still in love. It must be Real. Of all the stunning rooms here there are many-full of Lichtensteins, Yves Kleins, Dubuffets, the owner's children- my favourite is this MASTER BEDROOM. Full of 19th century chinoiserie from England, the walls are softened with a silk that appears to be a sort of faded violet. The walls are divided by borders perfectly placed for special pieces of collected art.
Here- a few things that would be perfect for a room reminiscent of this one and only Mongiardino.
from 1st dibs -Melissa Levinson Antiques Parlor Suite in the Aesthetic taste consists of a settee and two side chairs. Each has a back bowed panel and seat with chinoiserie avian & floral accents raised on bamboo legs joined by x-form front stretchers.
& this special piece from Alan Moss, on 1st dibs-a bronze tiered table with chinoiserie black lacquered trays by Maison Jansen, French, late 19th century.
& I love this bed- from Linda Horn, at 1st dibs, but it is a bit heavy.
What do you think?
Should I keep looking?
This one is 19th century, English bamboo bed with inlaid parquetry perfectly outlined with thick fitted pieces of bamboo. Interior panels designed with thinner bamboo framing.
& for fabric- No question- my beloved Dragon Empress-by Clarence House. There is a pale colorway with most of the colors shown in this one-with a celadon rather than the blue. The only one colorway I have not used in a house- so it seems right.
It took Mongiardino & Briganti along with their clients 10 years to complete their opus.
... irregardless of what the design tv shows and instant makeover pages of the design magazines tell you-
ROOMS are not built in a day.
more here:
HG article- SERIOUS FUN from 1998 June, with William Norwich, Joy Hendricks, Delphine Pietri
read Mitchell Owens tribute to Renzo Mongiardino in the NY Times 1998 obituary HERE
little augury Dragon Empress posts HERE
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Love at first sight
.
& still, I love.
oh, how I love this fabric.
my first foray into the Dragon was in the colourway featured in this CH advert.
on a little slipper chair, it was the one got away when I was selling some of my beloveds.
(just look at that perfect job the upholsterer did with matching pattern)
read my DRAGON EMPRESS post here
.
oh, how I love this fabric.
my first foray into the Dragon was in the colourway featured in this CH advert.
on a little slipper chair, it was the one got away when I was selling some of my beloveds.
(just look at that perfect job the upholsterer did with matching pattern)
read my DRAGON EMPRESS post here
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a Stitch in Time IV
.
once again the Grandeur of Givenchy, 17th century silk embroidery on a Louis XIV chair.
House and Garden April 1987, photographed by Francois Halard
.
once again the Grandeur of Givenchy, 17th century silk embroidery on a Louis XIV chair.
House and Garden April 1987, photographed by Francois Halard
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The Power of a Magazine
.
I for one would love to see magazines with Content of the sort Little Augury posted from old House and Gardens & Vogues.. What do the few left standing have in store for us? Where are the wonderfully unique interiors,whether those of a celebrity or an unknown? Can a Cover grab our attention like these could? Can the Content keep our interests?
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I for one would love to see magazines with Content of the sort Little Augury posted from old House and Gardens & Vogues.. What do the few left standing have in store for us? Where are the wonderfully unique interiors,whether those of a celebrity or an unknown? Can a Cover grab our attention like these could? Can the Content keep our interests?
dreaming of a House and Garden Christmas
.
Every December I return to the House and Garden Holiday Issues-there is always something to become reacquainted with.
I'm dreaming of an HG Christmas
just like the ones I used to know
Where the Roehm Tree glistens
and Carolyne listens to hear Westies in the Snow
Oh-
I'm dreaming of an HG Christmas
with every Christmas Cover I sight
May your days be stylish and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white
I'm dreaming of an HG Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know
May your days be stylish and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white
and may all your Christmases be white
-apologies to Irving Berlin
So much for nostalgia- Since HG is gone with the slush and salt. Here's what some of the House and Gardens of OLDE had to say about the holiday:
from 1927 "We know, as surely as we know anything, that happiness which comes without effort, without sacrifice, without bother, without disturbing the even tenor of work and living, is rarely worth either the giving or the receiving. The Christmas that hasn't caused bills to mount up isn't worth celebrating. If it doesn't leave one tired out, it isn't worth remembering."
What? Obviously the date tells us it was written before the crash of 1929.
from 1936 HG puts "on its Christmas thinking cap and shows five ways of decorating your house without using conventional mistletoe or holly." Sadly in 1936 HG likely did not imagine the advent of silk wreaths, mistletoe and holly Ah! Those were the days. Get something LIVE for the house. Other ideas from making a new look in your Christmas decorations-Set up a creche in the fireplace(don't use the fireplace-Just a suggestion), tack up blue cellophane with silver stars in a window (Child's play) & finally hang a swag of pineapples and leaves over a mantel. That sounds lovely, like a load of work, possible runny sticky pineapple juice about the mantel-but if the colonials of Williamsburg could endure- It might be worth a try. Interestingly- Colonial Williamsburg as a preserved area had only begun in 1926 with Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, rector of Bruton Parish Church &philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr., being the city's historic building restoration patron saint.
from 1941 "Use a light touch with the holiday greens."
try "An UPSIDE down tree to save space in a small apartment."-Edward Steichen. The man lived to be 94 years old, he was 62 when he came up with this one- It may have been one of the firsts in this not attractive-idea.
from 1987- One of my favourite covers- a cat tea party by Setsuko, wife of Balthus. This December issue features Chalet Balthus in the Vaudois region of Switzerland & NOT ONE Christmas decorating idea. These were the loftier House and Garden days when editor in chief Louis Oliver Gropp was still producing serious(ly) beautiful stories, perhaps- upon reflection- in the vein of World of Interiors.
a beautiful Holiday edition-December 2007- House and Garden's last and many blogs are revisiting this season.
.
Every December I return to the House and Garden Holiday Issues-there is always something to become reacquainted with.
just like the ones I used to know
Where the Roehm Tree glistens
and Carolyne listens to hear Westies in the Snow
Oh-
I'm dreaming of an HG Christmas
with every Christmas Cover I sight
May your days be stylish and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white
I'm dreaming of an HG Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know
May your days be stylish and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white
and may all your Christmases be white
-apologies to Irving Berlin
So much for nostalgia- Since HG is gone with the slush and salt. Here's what some of the House and Gardens of OLDE had to say about the holiday:
from 1927 "We know, as surely as we know anything, that happiness which comes without effort, without sacrifice, without bother, without disturbing the even tenor of work and living, is rarely worth either the giving or the receiving. The Christmas that hasn't caused bills to mount up isn't worth celebrating. If it doesn't leave one tired out, it isn't worth remembering."
What? Obviously the date tells us it was written before the crash of 1929.
from 1936 HG puts "on its Christmas thinking cap and shows five ways of decorating your house without using conventional mistletoe or holly." Sadly in 1936 HG likely did not imagine the advent of silk wreaths, mistletoe and holly Ah! Those were the days. Get something LIVE for the house. Other ideas from making a new look in your Christmas decorations-Set up a creche in the fireplace(don't use the fireplace-Just a suggestion), tack up blue cellophane with silver stars in a window (Child's play) & finally hang a swag of pineapples and leaves over a mantel. That sounds lovely, like a load of work, possible runny sticky pineapple juice about the mantel-but if the colonials of Williamsburg could endure- It might be worth a try. Interestingly- Colonial Williamsburg as a preserved area had only begun in 1926 with Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, rector of Bruton Parish Church &philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr., being the city's historic building restoration patron saint.
from 1941 "Use a light touch with the holiday greens."
try "An UPSIDE down tree to save space in a small apartment."-Edward Steichen. The man lived to be 94 years old, he was 62 when he came up with this one- It may have been one of the firsts in this not attractive-idea.
a beautiful Holiday edition-December 2007- House and Garden's last and many blogs are revisiting this season.
where Magazines go to die
.
"A magazine is like a best friend.
One always keeps Learning from them &
One Loves them more with Age."
One always keeps Learning from them &
One Loves them more with Age."
I am a magazine hoarder. It is something I admit with a certain sort of Pride-though when dusting across the bookshelves-I say that in hushed tones. It's hard to toss them, always has been.
What would I do without them?
I never thought I'd have to really answer that question. I will never go without, as my stash goes back more years than I will admit. I honestly find many back issues more inspiring than the current issues I see staring back at me on a bench in my sitting room. Why?
What will the landscape of the magazine be in say-ten years, twenty, thirty?
The future looks bleak...
from my prized possession of all the now defunct NEST magazine issues
One of THE Absolute BEST EVER Magazines of its kind
(it was too good for this cruel world)
One of THE Absolute BEST EVER Magazines of its kind
(it was too good for this cruel world)
Magazines are emotional. No one NEEDS a magazine, (No, You really don't), but there is something about the beautifully laid out articles, the gloss, the text and the photography that a blog page can not do." As one veteran editor once explained to me, the best magazines make you feel like tearing open the plastic wrap the second that they arrive in your mailbox and curling up on the couch with them, ignoring whatever plans you had for the evening." (quote from Gabriel Sherman's article The Magazine Isn't Dying) This couldn't be more true- however less and less do I find a magazine that lures me in this way. Why?
What does the our style and design blogging community bring to the table?
Can it fill the gaps that the loss of magazines such as HOUSE & GARDEN, DOMINO, SOUTHERN ACCENTS ? These my dears represent only a tiny bite from the apple. I miss them- but there are so many more defunct reads-check out the site- Magazine Death Pool- sadly, but aptly named, chronicling the magazines demise. It is Truly astounding.
Domino- for me was the substitute magazine sent to fulfill my subscription when HG passed on to the Conde Nast scrap heap.I was angry with Domino for inserting itself into my post box- when I didn't ask for it I was missed my House and Garden. It was like losing a dear old companion-cat and immediately dropping a crazy little kitten at my door. It was darling,but I just wasn't ready. Out of Magazine LOVE, I grew quite fond of Domino though- and then what happens? Domino- does just that- it folds.
So what is next for design Magazines & Blogs ?
With still standing favorites, Elle Decor, World of Interiors- I find myself heading to the middle or back of the issue to read the content. I will admit- I always "read" them that way. Later I will go through the entire magazine and read regular features and columns, quickly skipping over the ADs- and therein lies the conundrum. Advertisers drive the magazine-It's why we continue to get these rare birds in the post.The magazine world has been glutted for a few years now with offspring- Vogue> Teen Vogue> Men's Vogue> Vogue Living. (Personally I think Vogue had something with Vogue Living but-). Booming economy & business, More advertising. Economic decline-advertisers pull ADs from magazines that do not have viable subscriber numbers. According to a number of online sources- This is the key to a particular magazine's demise.
What I love seeing- is an unstyled, lived in home. I love reading interviews with actual quotes from designers. I recently remember a blog post about designer ELIZABETH MARTIN from Lana Burroughs at Topsy Turvy. The post was an interview elaborating on the Elle Decor cover story about Ali Wentworth's home. The house was also featured in The Washington Post too. For me, the story came to life with the designer's interview from Lana Burroughs. The Elle Decor and the Post story emphasized the owner- front and center as decorator, the Topsy Turvy story focused on the designer. Why the print stories focus attention on much of the work as Wentworth's - I do not kn0w, But that is certainly another story? This example for the most part is a beautiful blending of three sources about one home. The photographs from the Post and Elle did not overlap- the content was unique in them all. (I've linked these three stories in this text).
If magazine articles are what drive a blog's content- extending the story should be a prerequisite when deciding to post magazine photographs lifted from its pages. Light content loaded with images does little to elevate an original story taken from any magazine. I ALSO enjoy the NYSD posts about Designers- it is an interview format with unstyled photographs. The NYTimes- T MAGAZINE is one top notch publication in every way. The most some of the most original content, perspective and photography anywhere. The MOMENT blog dovetails with it seamlessly.
What next? Interestingly enough- as I thought about this post and sought comments from respected friends- few responded. Maybe it is the unanswerable question. It is new territory for everyone.
One of my friends in the business did say this:
"Quite honestly I enjoy blogging (reading them) as much actual magazines, however, I can't imagine blogs replacing magazines entirely. I find that blogs are easier to get through in short amounts of time and you get a much broader array of opinions/outlooks. The one thing that I do especially enjoy is being able to rip out magazine pages to add to my ever growing files." Alex
I agree Alex. I do find magazines exciting, let's face it -It is THE original. Certainly every blogger aspires to write for one of the magazine's left on the stands today- Don't they?
..in a SWIDE interview Blogger Liberty London Girl gave her take on Print v. Web
"Although I get most of my news online, & think most front of book pages have been made pretty much redundant by the web, I still prefer to look at fashion editorial in print. There’s something about the smell & the tactile quality of paper, the saturation of the colour and the size of the pages. I do think we will see dramatic changes in the print world in the next five years as advertising revenues decline and audiences become more sophisticated."
SO the Question to pose is- "As the pool of magazines gets smaller and smaller, it will inevitably mean the interiors available to cover will become more competitively sought after. How many people who read style blogs would be willing to read about a full house online rather than in the pages of a magazine?"
Will the future of your favourite be ONLINE- ? or on your shelves labeled "Magazine Death Pool?"
What do you think?
Read More at the following sites:
Ad Age
Mr Magazine "New Launches"
Blog List from the MOMENT NYTIMES
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ELSIE DE WOLFE: Long May She Reign
In light of the recent travails of Elsie de Wolfe's Villa Trianon:
LONG MAY SHE REIGN
Scene from a Dining Room: Walls covered with mirrored panels done in the style of Jean Baptiste Pillement, with the mirror's backing cut away to reveal painted chinoiserie landscapes. This particular scene certainly appears to me-Chinoiserie Elsie on her throne with her subjects kneeling in reverence or in fear.
An Aesthete's Lament: Villa Trianon:The Dilapidation
An Aesthete's Lament: Requiescat en Pace:Villa Trianon
An Aesthete's Lament: Up Close: Villa Trianon
(image from Elsie de Wolfe's 1936 design in Beverly Hills for Countess Dorothy di Frasso. A 70 year secret treasure of her work photographed by SIMON WATSON for House & Garden in 2007, "Elsie in Amber" produced by Mayer Rus, written by Christy Hobart.)
Hutton Wilkinson, president of the Elsie de Wolfe Foundation called it "a lost gem" and a "complete surprise. It has all the bells and whistles of her work. It's absolutely extraordinary," The estate was handed over in 2008- for the sale of its contents and the residence. (read more here.)
This de Wolfe creation 70 years in situ-relegated to destruction. Little is appreciated in terms of the work by this legend. Whoa to the similar destruction of a great work of architecture- this is unlikely. Now it seems that Elsie de Wolfe's Villa Trianon will suffer the same fate.
if only...
"One must adapt to, even re-create,
an art de vivre for our times.
By that I mean that one prepares dinner
and serves it by oneself,
but on beautiful objects"
an art de vivre for our times.
By that I mean that one prepares dinner
and serves it by oneself,
but on beautiful objects"
muriel grateau
if only I had
a glorious "built in" for all good things. I certainly have the goods for it. Overflowing is Aunt Bettie's cupboard, along with the Kitchen cabinets and corner built in.
I have a pattern I never tire of- Marie Antoinette by Raynaud. I also bought another old white and gold pattern very similar to this one by Haviland to mix in. Remus-The cat- loves the little dessert plates.
One of the prettiest pieces of Marie Antoinette is the rimmed soup.
Wouldn't it be Good to have a built in FULL of white china?
The glorious concealed closet in this Living Room is the inspired design of MURIEL GRATEAU, fashion designer and owner of a boutique of the same name in Paris.
The shop stocks linens, glass, porcelains and her extraordinary jewelry.
Her house is perfection.
I would settle for the closet.
Grateau photograph from HG '97, by Alexandre Bailhache
Bunny love, An Affair with a Room
"A classic is classic not because it conforms to certain structural rules,
or fits certain definitions..
It is classic because of a certain eternal and irrepressible freshness."
Edith Wharton
Hands down, the BUNNY WILLIAMS KIPS BAY SHOW HOUSE LIVING ROOM has been THE most talked about room at the 2009 Kips Bay Charity Event-& likely for years past and years to come. From all the wonderful press I have read about Bunny Williams- I'm not sure if she would adhere to the old saying " I don't care what the newspapers say about me as long as they spell my name right"- but she definitely is the talk of the world of design and style blogs. Months after the room IS no longer, the photographs are taken-
the words "talk" on.
I hope to one day live in one perfect room. If it's perfect I only need one. This one could be a contender- I just need to decide where to put the bed.
THE ROOM
No doubt Bunny Williams is THE quintessential American Designer right now.
Yes, I admire her- in fact- in a blog story about Designer Dogs I said " I feel I know Bunny Williams." Maybe it is because of her own intense love for dogs and her perfectly designed interiors- custom built for style, comfort and intimacy-and for her client's eyes only. It doesn't matter that the entire design world wants to watch.
I love this little spot in Bunny's own home- it says everything I need to know-I already know about her love of dogs:
Books- Look at all those Books!
Flowers
Beloved Art
Color- that inspires, Mellow Wood that gleams
Knowledge of the Legendary Designers
photograph from New York Social Diary
All of these ELEMENTS are repeated in the KIPS BAY ROOMIf I could sit down and chat with anyone about the Bunny Williams room other than the designer or her mentor- is my favorite writer at ELLE DECOR- Mitchell Owens. Luckily I could- Well practically. Lucky for everyone, Mitchell Owens writes a blog for the magazine (go here to read his take on Bunny Williams room.)
From my take on his views- I'd say He loved it.
Her Latest Book- POINT OF VIEW
Three Decades of Decorating Elegant and Comfortable Houses
(take a look at the color palate here- familiar?)A book from Bunny Williams that I refer back to again and again.
I asked Heather Clawson of the blog Habitually Chic about the scale of the room. Unfortunately- I did not have the thrill of standing there and seeing it- and that can make all the difference. Heather said " I don't know the exact dimensions of the room but it was quite large." Heather wrote an enlightening post with details and photographs that are must reads. I went back and did it too- using some of her photographs in this post. The intimate shots of the room; notepads and pencils, flower presses, books, magazines, all- further show the room's scale, proportions, color and the light and shadow in the space.
photograph from NYSD
Judging from the photographs of Bunny Williams and Albert Hadley (above) that seems to be very much the case. In fact- though the two seem to me a bit larger than life- in proportion to the furniture-Not so. All the more extraordinary that the room feels down to earth!
SKY- EARTH- SUN
color
photograph from Habitually Chic's Heather ClawsonAnother wonderful photograph of Bunny Williams from a beautifully written article from NYSD. You will want to read it- great insights into Bunny Williams- really so down to earth.
from NYSDWhat's great about this photograph in terms of the Kips Bay room, is the COLOR. Check out the BLUE, OLIVE, BROWNS, GOLDS. Though the colors do not appear in the same strengths or surfaces -they are SKY, EARTH, SUN.
HOW TO LIVE
another photograph from Habitually ChicSometimes when looking at published rooms- try one out- imagine your things in the room. Where would I put this OR How could I use this space? It might help you understand your own needs in a room and also help you begin understanding how the design of your favourite magazine room works.
I love- the Dining Area in the Bunny Williams room. I can see all of my design books spread about, laptop and an occasional pile of work on it and the tele tuned in to the cable news or an old movie running- sound down- but flashing inspiring visuals. For my use-I would consider this the Library. Though I don't have children- I could see them with studies on the table and laptops that could easily be monitored in the heart of a house.
& Yes- I think, importantly, the room is child friendly. A huge desire of many clients, " Kids" children, young adults, grandchildren are highly considered when it comes to practicality and performance in a room.
photograph from Habitually ChicThe large sofas, comfortable, and the JACOBSEN chair would be favourites of the young and the young at heart. In this case is not a CLIENT- but I am sure Ms. Williams would have learned a thing or two about what a room must be in order to be livable- and that RED chair- in a reality setting -could be THE thing the client insisted on- but more about that later!
photograph from House Beautiful
Voila! a perfect setting for dinner parties- an Indian sari draping the table.
photograph from HB
Now I know the room is one I could happily live in when Mitchell Owens sums up the room's "end result" as "fresh but a little funky, bohemian but well-bred." from his Elle Decor stylemonger blog.
another View of the Room-
Essentials, note pads, pencils, great lighting,
umbrella stand, drink table
Essentials, note pads, pencils, great lighting,
umbrella stand, drink table
photograph from Habitually ChicOne of the most wonderful things about this room is the thought that went in to it- A Bunny Williams signature? No- It is the mark of many great designers. Each client tells a different story, has a different set of requirements, wants something uniquely them. The art of "A Bunny Williams" is that her clients get the room they've imagined - with her unique brand -without stamping it ROOM BY BUNNY WILLIAMS. The SAME advice she generously shared with the readers of "bunny's beat" in the Elle Decor" November 2002 issue-"the greatest rooms" - are the same rules she applies to this Show House room or any room she creates.
BUNNY RULES
or
"GOOD BONES"
BUNNY RULES
or
"GOOD BONES"
from the Elle Decor article by Bunny Williams entitled "the greatest rooms"
"4 simple rules to remember when creating a great room of your own:
1
Play with scale.
Do not be timid.
Dramatic, oversize furnishings can amplify a room's exuberance.
Tall pieces visually expand a room whose ceiling height is less that ideal.
2
Create excitement. Combine different periods of furniture.
Mix unusual colors, textures, and moods.
Juxtapose grand and simple.
3
Cultivate a sense of place.
You should know where you are -
city address, urban attitude;
country house, bucolic decor.
4
"4 simple rules to remember when creating a great room of your own:
1
Play with scale.
Do not be timid.
Dramatic, oversize furnishings can amplify a room's exuberance.
Tall pieces visually expand a room whose ceiling height is less that ideal.
2
Create excitement. Combine different periods of furniture.
Mix unusual colors, textures, and moods.
Juxtapose grand and simple.
3
Cultivate a sense of place.
You should know where you are -
city address, urban attitude;
country house, bucolic decor.
4
Maintain and update your space.
A room must sparkle, shine,
and smell delicious
(subtle lighting helps,too.)
and smell delicious
(subtle lighting helps,too.)
the RULES are written right from this room-it would appear- 7 years later.
I am so glad I archived this article- below is the photograph that accompanied the piece about memorable rooms. All with" the perfect alchemy of scale, color, comfort, individuality. (BW)
Her FIRST:
Her FIRST:
Nancy Lancaster's Drawing Room-London
Bunny recalls in the article having tea with Nancy Lancaster in the room in her 20's.
She said of the room- "Everything was big.
The color, considered shocking in England in the 1950's, was a bold lemon yellow.
Most notable was the room's soul-elegant and warm, feminine yet strong willed." (BW)
She said of the room- "Everything was big.
The color, considered shocking in England in the 1950's, was a bold lemon yellow.
Most notable was the room's soul-elegant and warm, feminine yet strong willed." (BW)
Elle Decor photograph accompanying the Bunny Williams article
and an Elle Decor cover below of Albert Hadley's home.
Bunny Williams room has echos of the Hadley room above. All of THE RULES apply. Williams studied with Hadley- master of fusion with modern furniture, antiques and interior design. The wall color- shades of BUNNY? or HADLEY?
Speaking to this idea of good bones in a room: This from "Toby Worthington", a favourite with blog writers- bringing his adroit comments to the world of design and style blogs.
"There is an extensive interview with Bunny Williams in an issue of The Classicist where she discusses her work for Peter and Leni May. (see Point of View frontispiece, etc) That was in 1995 and I recall being bowled over by the depth of her comments, the intelligence and the plain good sense, the careful thought that went into her designs and her innate feeling for the mood of a place."
ELEMENTS OF A ROOM
A gorgeous Sofa
(from The BeeLine facebook page-become a fan!)
A gorgeous Sofa
(from The BeeLine facebook page-become a fan!)
about the sofa...
A Leather Ottoman with inset tray-in production for BeeLine Home
(according to the BeeLine Home facebook page
advance orders are being taken (this posted July 15)
(according to the BeeLine Home facebook page
advance orders are being taken (this posted July 15)
Sisal Rug with painted details
Mitchell Owens said " I want to copy the sisal carpet, which Williams had painted with a boldly graphic border of white squares enclosing a field of dark brown stars."Textiles
Though there is no great photograph of the curtains in the room, they are made from Indian bedspreads. I always like bringing "found textiles" into a room. Their presence gives a less studied, over thought, over wrought appearance. I adore this wonderful "hand embroidered and knotted Indian-style throw on pale, Dupioni Silk ground with olive ribbon technique encasing ottoman silk appliqué reserves and openwork."
It is a limited edition item from Williams BEELINE HOME Collection. The painted chairs in the room had their backs covered in a vintage silk Ikat. I will never tire of Textiles in rooms, be they suzani- as this one is reminiscent of- or the Indian Sari (see the dining table in the room). I will always want to live with them and they are no passing fad. Think about the wonderful Renzo Mongiardino rooms that are swathed in textiles and a recent Elle Decor feature story about designer Lisa Fine's rooms in Paris.
These pillows are from the line too.
"the designs derive from Italian, Indian and French inspiration"
(quote and photograph from the BeeLine Home site)
One of the pieces in the line that I would love to have is the "Naughty Miss Bunny" throw made of French Tissavel faux rabbit fur with choice of "decorative crimson or black grosgrain box pleated trim border." The box pleated border detail one rarely gets in pieces made on the market today. Leave it to "Miss Bunny" not to compromise on the touches that make an accessory standout. The throw appears on the red Jacobsen chair by the fireplace.
The Walls
A Garden Panel60 x 60
"Hand-carved Javanese mango wood, applied in a little village outside of Semarang, near the Java Sea. This bas relief mural depicts a stylized garden reminiscent of the plaster work of the 1930’s. Available in an antique white chalky finish over gesso ground." (description from the BeeLine Home website (here)
( photograph from the BW office space from the pages of HG.)to Albert,
from Bunny
Albert Hadley
(from NYSD)
(from NYSD)
Bunny Williams imparted subtle yet suitable touches that pay " homage" to her mentor Albert Hadley in the room. Again, Toby Worthington said " Bunny's room was the only one that honored the theme to any great extent. The stars in the carpet, the note de rouge of the egg chair, etc, were subtle quotes from Albert Hadley's repertoire." Heather Clawson," habitually chic" blogger, said the red Egg Chair eludes to Hadley's beloved red signatures in many rooms and is also a part of his own personal fashion sense. "The chair is also an unexpected design element in the room that his interiors are known for. He has a modern red zigzag table in his own apartment that is also unexpected. The design on the area rug are stars that are the same that he has used in his wallpaper designs."
Hadley Home
(Photograph from Habitually Chic)& DV talks about red:
"I can't imagine becoming bored with RED-
It would be like becoming bored with the person you love."
Peaking out of the corner is the revved up red ARNE JACOBSEN EGG CHAIR.
(Habitually Chic photograph)Hadley and his trademark RED, He's gotta love this Room!
additional articles to read about Bunny Williams
the NYTIMES
" Can Taste Be Taught?" READ THIS by Joyce Walder hilarious and delightful
"The Inner Sactum" by Carol Vogel
