Autobiographical Cabinet

Cabinet doors used as inspiration boards are nothing new. Usually, though, this is done on craft room cupboards or more utilitarian office cabinets. But architect Piero Castellini Baldissera opted to get creative with a chic, Chinese-red cabinet prominently on view in his Tuscan living room.

Ribbons tacked to the doors hold personal photos and sketches. Adding to the effortless Old World glamour is the collection of beautifully bound vintage issues of Country Life nestled in with more pictures and collected objects. Placed on top are are old architectural instruments.

This cabinet is featured in Caroline Clifton-Mogg's Decorating with Antiques.


You may remember from a past post that Charlotte Moss has her collection of Vogue magazines hand-bound in red leather. Photo via New York Social Diary.

All The Pretty Horses

There was a phase there when my hair stylist became a little bored with the clipped magazine pictures of Kelly Klein that I repeatedly brought into the salon. But there's something about her effortless style that I've always admired.


Of course she is also a talented photographer, author, and accomplished horsewoman. Recently she curated a collection of vintage and contemporary photographs of her favorite animal for a new book, Horse, due out fall 2008.

Apart from the fact that the stunning book will no doubt be on many chic coffee tables seen in Elle Decor in 2009, the title has nothing to do with interior design. However as an admirer, I couldn't resist sharing a sneak peek. All proceeds will benefit Equestrian Aid Foundation.

Click here to see my past post on Kelly's Famous Pearls.

Images one through three © Horse by Kelly Klein, Rizzoli New York, 2008.

Southern Cosmopolitan

Sorbonne-educated gallery owner Timothy Tew seems to be one of those fascinating guys who is equally at home in Paris or Georgia. Case in point: his 90s apartment on Myrtle Street, a four-room residence inside a languid looking old circa 1910 clapboard, located within walking distance of Atlanta's dynamic High Museum.




If I had not mentioned the decade, could you date his interiors? With a mix of hand-me-down antiques, vintage finds, and of course salon-style groupings of art, they look rather timeless to me.

In her book, Atlanta at Home design journalist Frances Schultz quotes Tew as saying, "The South gave me an appreciation for gentility and beautiful things. There is a certain aesthetic here, and an appreciation for tradition, that I respect without being restricted by. And then living in Paris influenced me a great deal..."

What strikes me is the graceful quality of all his pieces -- from the mid-century desk to the antique sofa to the kitschy ceramic lamps. The art and upholstery add the spice, and can be rotated, but the core furniture is forever. (Click images to better see the details.)

All images are from Atlanta at Home, Wyrick & Company, 1994.

Junkin'

Thomas over at Antiques Du Monde currently has in store the ultimate Father's Day gift for a nautical dad: a 1940s handcarved Chinese-style junk with three bentwood sails. When I saw it, for some reason I was reminded of a past post about the Ca Mau shipwreck and Sotheby's 2007 auction of fine 18th-century porcelain recovered from the South China Seas. Click here for video about the recovery effort and the wares that were found.

See also Sultan's Lost Treasure.

Portrait on mirror glass and image of stacked china copyright Sotheby's. Shown at top, Pan Qiguan, head of the most successful family business in the history of the Canton junk trade.

Learn From My Blunder

Before anyone sat in these newly recovered chairs, they looked great. Now there's a distinct imprint from the last person to take a seat. And it's not one of those cool imprints that says "I have all-down upholstery." These seats are meant to be tight.

A professional upholsterer can usually determine immediately if a chair needs new webbing or fresh "stuffing." Anxious to use my Rubie Green fabric as soon as it arrived in the mail, I hastily recovered the pop-out, horsehair-filled seats with a staple gun DIY. And I still think this is a perfectly pragmatic route for small projects like dining chairs (see Michelle Adams' how-to link here) but I should have looked more closely at the condition of the ancient, sagging horsehair.


Luckily with small surfaces like this it is not too costly to remedy the situation. The pattern is so chic, I think it steals the focus anyway. Just thought I'd share the tip for anyone planning to do some weekend recovering.

Regency Design

[Above and below, Savannah's Owens-Thomas House, considered by architectural historians to be the finest example of English Regency architecture in America. From the top, a detail of iron work courtesy of Christopher Levy; second view is courtesy Joel Abroad; third image is courtesy John Wilmot.]


If Hollywood Regency is a trendier look that has swung in and out of favor since the 1930s, "original Regency" is a constant. The chairs, chests, tables -- and architecture -- associated with England from 1790 to 1840 never really go out of style. Named for the flamboyant Prince Regent, the period was highly eclectic.



This was Jane Austen's era. Styles most closely linked with English Regency -- Neoclassical, chinoiserie -- reflect a time of new archaeological discoveries and British colonial outposts in alluring "exotic" locals including China and India.



[Images © Mira Nair, Vanity Fair: Bringing Thackeray's Timeless Novel to the Screen, Newmarket Press, 2004 .]

In her Regency-era film, Vanity Fair, Mira Nair emphasized the English taste for all things Eastern with rich sumptuous colors and patterns.


But to really grasp Regency style, try John Morley's 1993 volume, Regency Design. It's out of print, and I still don't own a copy, but the book is supposed to be the most comprehensive edition out there. (The illustration above, the round saloon at Brighton, is from Morley's book.)


This Asian-inspired red chandelier, recently spotted at the chic shop Max & Company, has a decidedly Regency feel.

The period English Regency breakfast table above is available through Joe Nye and the smaller painted pedestal table is from Deadwyler.

The Last Garden

With photography by Francois Halard and text by garden expert Christian Duvernois, Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles looks like a must-add to the 2008 holiday gift list. The book is reported to be a refreshing departure from usual coverage of the queen, focusing on her private realm and passion for horticulture. Scheduled release is October, just in time for giving. Here's a sneak peek.




Photography copyright Francois Halard, Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden by Christian Duvernois, Rizzoli New York, 2008.

Speaking of Designers' Scrapbooks ...

Just in at Paris Hotel Boutique: a first edition of Cecil Beaton's The Face of the World: An International Scrapbook of People and Places. Included are his portraits, sketches and photo-documentary images of numerous legends -- Audrey Hepburn, Karen Blixen, Camus, Sartre, Picasso -- and of his home Ashcombe.

For years I've seen Beaton books in the background whenever Lynn von Kersting's home is photographed. The "Scrapbook" is definitely on my wishlist.

Second image from Chris Casson Madden's New American Living Rooms

The Unseen Talent

Michael Bruno has assembled quite a talented team to publish his addictive, savvy weekly, Introspective. Editors Patricia Dobashi and Stacey Donovan, graphic designer Manu Sachdeva, and exuberant design journalist Marcia Sherrill are a few members I recently had the privilege of getting to know while being profiled for 1stdibs.

Coming from a family of antiques enthusiasts, it is of course a thrill to be mentioned over at Bruno's place. Gifted Steve Pomberg made the process of being photographed a little less painless. (Pomberg has a studio right here in Atlanta's Grant Park and he frequently snaps Marcia Sherrill for her columns in Atlanta Homes and Lifestyles.)


One thing I regret not mentioning in the interview is that my grandparents met studying classical music in Nashville, and I've been wondering lately if their paths ever crossed with Albert Hadley at Peabody. It's a longshot because Mr. Hadley is actually younger than they would be today. Still, imagine the potential blog posts.

Thanks everyone for the adventure!

Carithers and Wearstler in the Same Room

Dan Carithers is often described as the elder statesman of Southern interior design. Elegant antique-filled homes are his domain, and punching up warm neutrals (think Bill Blass chocolate-brown) with one strong color such as red or yellow is his signature.


Kelly Wearstler of course is the queen of unexpected modern glamour. Her fabric line for Schumacher is incredibly versatile, always popping up in widely varied interiors. Still, I never expected to see aspects of Wearstler's style in a Carither's room.


But today I saw the two Southern-born design legends meet, so to speak, in the master sitting room of Southern Accents Spring Showhouse, at Regents Park. Carithers opted to upholster the room -- another of his trademarks -- with that "most-blogged" Wearstler linen, "Imperial Trellis."

Wearstler's trellis is based on centuries-old Asian fretwork, so it's really the perfect compliment to the chinoiserie and antiques favored by Carithers here.


Carson's favorite china, Herend's Chinese Bouquet, made appearences throughout the townhouse too.

In the master bedroom I spotted some rich Aptware or Terre Melee.


Regents Park, a restrained collection of townhouses and flats, is located pretty much at the center of my world on Peachtree Street. On daily Starbucks runs I watched it being built from the ground up -- as did Millie. So it was a treat to finally tour the Regency London-inspired property. (Pak Heydt & Associates are part of the project team.)

Here I've just quickly shared some tiny details. More will probably follow. But in the meantime there is gorgeous full coverage in Southern Accents May issue, as well as video coverage.

The Showhouse continues through May and proceeds from ticket sales benefit Hands on Atlanta. All of that beautiful furniture will be available for sale too. Be sure and take the tour if you can.

For The Dogs

Many of you know that Lee Kleinhelter is a true dog enthusiast. (Teddy, her beloved golden retriever, is her constant companion.) So in Teddy's honor, this Saturday, May 17 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., all canines are welcome inside Lee's shop Pieces. Dog-friendly treats and water will be provided. And pet owners will find chic dog accessories marked down 40 percent.

Image of Teddy and Lee by Tim Street-Porter for Cottage Living

Layers of Meaning

One summer I began a sort of scrapbook or photo journal, mixing images of friends and family with my favorite things. When my little niece saw it, she said "Hmm...you sure do like chairs." I cringed. My objective wasn't to create a book that said I loved my possessions as much as people.


But now after pouring over Lulu for several days, I'm newly inspired to put together something more abstract; collages of meaningful patterns, prints, flora and people. David Hicks was another designer who enthusiastically kept scrapbooks. His collages are shown here.



Journals from Kate's Paperie. All other images are from David Hicks: Designer.

Kashgar

George Michell's The Majesty of Mughal Decoration was one of my favorite releases in 2007. So I'm eagerly awaiting his next book, Kashgar: Oasis City on China's Old Silk Road.

Today Kashgar, located in China's remote western area, is the site of what some call the best Sunday market in the world. Historically it was a pivotal spot along the the famed Silk Route. Click here to learn more.

A New House to Love

Fans of Emma Pilkington, Madeline Weinrib, and Raoul Textiles are in for a treat. Christina Cuomo's lovely weekend house, featured in the June Elle Decor, is positively brimming with pattern and color, including Weinrib's signature "Luce" ikat.



Those ever-popular Jacqui cocktail tables by Bungalow 5, seen in other Pilkington projects, return too. All in all it's a great summer issue.



Years ago Christina's Upper West Side apartment was featured in Elle Decor. Above I think you will notice some furnishings that appear again in her current weekend house.

Image at top photographed by Roger Davies for Elle Decor

Hank's Finds

There's a stylish guy named Hank who has been bringing to his antique market stall some very cool out-of-print books. This weekend I couldn't resist nabbing Vogue's Book of Etiquette, from 1969. I thought it could serve as a conversation piece -- maybe be the source of some laughs. But actually most of the 700-plus pages are filled with timeless tips. In short, always put the feelings of others first.

It wouldn't be so bad if everyone added this to their summer reading list.


I also picked up 1964's The Finest Rooms (Jennifer has mentioned this title before). A host of design legends contributed essays: Sister Parish, Billy Baldwin, Michael Taylor, Rose Cumming. And the iconic White House yellow Oval Room -- as decorated by Parish and Jacqueline Kennedy -- was chosen for the book's cover.

While doing the initial flip through, this Michael Taylor-designed room grabbed my attention. It appears he used with wild abandon a one-color-and-white bird print.


Likely the same Scalamandre linen floral Jonathan Adler selected some 40 years later for Jane Wagman's apartment, as seen in Elle Decor, May 2005. Photography by Sang An.

Michael Taylor is often dubbed the father of the California look: classic-meets-casual with liberal doses of white. But in the bedroom above he is quick to credit his predecessor, the 1920s queen of the all-white room, Syrie Maugham. Here Taylor used copies of antiques from the Maugham collection -- English chinoiserie bed and bench in pickled pine along with buttoned and bowed chairs.

Reading Julia

The images of rooms I've torn from magazines perhaps now number in the thousands, but I can count on one hand the essays about domestic life that I've saved. Two that have become quite dogeared are by Julia Reed: Worlds Apart and Southern Charm.


In both, with her signature humor and sensitivity, she shares memories of her Nashville grandmother's home decorated by Albert Hadley's boss, legendary A. Herbert Rodgers, as well as her own adventures in decorating. Naturally Reed's tales of working with a collection of inherited furniture resonate with me. (Direct links to the full stories posted on the site of her friend and decorator, Thomas Jayne, are included here above.)


But Reed's accounts of living in New Orleans fascinate me most. So I'm thrilled about her upcoming release, The House on First Street: My New Orleans Story. The critical reviews so far are glowing.


Also scheduled to be released this summer, Ham Biscuits, Hostess Gowns, and Other Southern Specialties: An Entertaining Life (with Recipes).

Raising Free Thinkers

In her new book Lulu DK explains how her mom sparked her curiosity and creativity, always encouraging the DK kids to be original and expressive. So I asked Lulu about some of the art and activities she hopes to share with her own sons.

Is there an artist who will be introduced early on? Lulu says, "Yes! I am a huge fan of Henri Rousseau. I love the dreamy jungle life and animal stories that he creates. And of course the colors and textures that draw you into the painting."

Above, Henri Rousseau's Tropical Forest with Monkeys, 1910. Image courtesy National Gallery of Art.

Hands-on arts and crafts? "Yes, yes and yes!" she replied, "I loved finger painting -- mushy, messy colors squishing between my fingers and the paper. Thought it was the best (really not so different from what I am doing now with the collages). I am sure I will have them participate in the collages too. I am also a huge fan of using nature to create things -- windchimes or sculptures, or paper-weights -- so I will definitely bring them to the beach and gardens to start collecting."


First books? Lulu says, "I found Dr. Seuss' books to be a bit scary when I was little, but My Many Colored Days is about brightly colored animals. It is really fun and rhymes ( I am a big fan of rhyming) and the Giving Tree is also a great book. I actually love children's books and wrote one a few years ago which was never published...perhaps I will test the book's credibility on the boys and see how it passes."


Surroundings? "I have only ever been able to look at all our baby things from afar and now I can actually use them, so I am very excited." (Lulu's new line for Matouk just launched.) And she adds, "David Netto very kindly gave me as a wedding present two of his amazing cribs. I think the two boys will be starting off their lives with a bang!"


Travel? "I'm a true believer in family roots," she says, "so I want them to be aware of and close to all the places that impacted my husband and me as children: Bahamas, the Hamptons and Italy."

Luggage image via J Crew.

Top image is from Lulu, published by Ammo 2008.

Buy Two?

Remember back when we talked about Steven Gambrel's bathroom papered entirely with pages from Taschen's Cabinet of Natural Curiosities? I think the designer told Elle Decor that he bought two copies of the book. One to keep and one to take apart.


Well, word on the street is that artist and textile designer Lulu de Kwiatkowski's book, Lulu, is the new lavish volume decorators are secretly aching to use in a similar way. There are whispers of "buy two copies and frame some of the gorgeous pages."



I've only had the book in my hands a few hours -- it will take days to pour over all the details and layers of meaning. But it was definitely worth the wait. And I have to confess, I'm more impressed than I expected to be.



I knew the illustrations would be as sumptuous as the press releases promised. The happy surprise is the highly personal text from Lulu. Her goal is to take us on a voyage of passion, and she does. Some of the stops along the way include Africa, Southeast Asia, Paris, the American East Coast, and the 1970s.

Personally, I'll look at her textiles with deeper understanding from now on. Lulu (the woman) is gorgeous in person and refreshingly easy-going. (Today Jennifer, Millie and I had the fun of meeting the designer in person, hosted by the gracious team at Max & Company.)

Since Lulu has twin boys on the way, I asked about her ideas for the nursery. She said she's been experimenting with blue-and-white -- a mix of her own fabrics and other people's. But when her sons are older she will no doubt let them make their own color choices. That's what her mom did, and clearly Lulu grew up with a well-nourished soul.

A portion of proceeds from the book go to I See Maasai.

For more visit Ammo Books. Gambrel photo by William Waldron for Elle Decor, June/July 2004.

A New Obsession

Pedestal tables are my latest focus.


I have a pair of old klismos-style chairs, newly upholstered in Rubie Green's earth-friendly fabric, flanking a nice round antique table that was passed down to me. But something with a little more flair, something like Chapman Radcliff's new interpretation of a stately old octagonal English piece, shown at top, is very enticing.

Anglo-Indian tables with lovely inlay appeal to me too. This example belongs to Lynn von Kersting, and the entire vignette (a multi-tasking, part library, part dining table set by a large window within a living room) is what I'm after.

Soon I hope to have time to style a more striking image of the chairs recovered with Rubie Green. Just wanted everyone to know the fabric is incredibly easy to work with -- a nice weight but not overly thick.

Lynn von Kersting image courtesy of the oh-so-generous Mrs. Blandings.

Terre Melee

When my aunt was earning her M.F.A., her focus was paper and she created many contemporary interpretations of those swirly traditional marbleized European papers. Ever since then I've been drawn to swirls -- in ceramics, in malachite, or on paper. And according to the May domino, Carolina Irving loves this design too.


Sylvie Saint-Andre Perrin currently produces Terre Melee, marbled pottery that originated in Apt, France. More than fifty rich color mixes are available; Cameroun (red, white, dark green and black) is shown at top. The Grand Tour sells theses wares and styled the tabletop image above.




An Atlanta source for these ceramics is BD Jeffries.

Those Signature Curves

As noted the other day, graceful curves were architect Paul Williams' thing: elegant curved staircases, smooth curved walls and curved bay windows such as the one above. This Los Angeles home, a Williams classic, has been decorated by Lynn von Kersting. Her passion for layered textiles as well as French and Moroccan accessories is clear.


Here Williams' refined architectural details are a backdrop for more of Lynn von Kersting's lively mix of patterns. Unfortunately at some point a Starbucks cup landed on my tear sheet, but hopefully you can still see the details (click to enlarge).

Images are from Traditional Home, March 2003


Speaking of Lynn von Kersting, another California designer, Vanessa De Vargas, just completed a Lynn-inspired Bohemian Chic dining room as part of her E-Decorating service. Be sure to see some of Vanessa's budget-friendly alternatives.

Egyptomania

Napoleon's wife Josephine loved to collect. She was especially drawn to Egyptian styles and when her husband was emperor she became France's leading tastemaker, bringing prestige to him through her patronage of the arts. Currently in Atlanta, Empress Josephine's taste, influence and possessions are the focus of an exhibition, The Eye of Josephine, closing May 18.