Manceeeeeeep

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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Brandolini Family Portrait

by Horst

There are interiors that stay with you. Some give little reason to change. Perfection- it leaves nothing to be desired. Such is the case in the rooms of VISTORTA di SACILE that Renzo Mongiardino decorated for Conte and Contessa Brando Brandolini d'Adda. Horst photographed VISTORTA -the restored the family's 1830 estate outside Venice more than forty years ago for Vogue. In the article Conte Brando Brandolini said " I tried to capture the atmosphere of a country house in a story by Turgenev." Here with portraits from the period by Madame Vigee Le Brun.

THE LIBRARY

Princess Anna Sergeevna Stroganov, nee Princess Trubetskaya1793

trompe l'oeil Biedermeier bookcases, green felt panels framed in floral braid

Charles X

Countess Anna Ivanova Tolstoy, 1801

The Contessa, Cristiana, beauty, socialite, sister of Gianni Agnelli, is mother in law to designer Muriel Brandolini. Muriel comments of the collaboration between the Contessa and Mongiardino-"He was really at his best when he was working with my mother in law." She has been much inspired by the decorations of the pair.