My Dog-Eared Pages

Decorator + American Beauty

2012-01-28T16:13:00.046-05:00

Sara Gilbane {left} • Bedroom designed by Sara, fabric from Carlton V

I am just delighted to interview interior decorator, Sara Gilbane. I first discovered Sara's work searching for something on Google that led me to her blog—and, I quickly became a fan of her cozy, elegant rooms. After graduating from Brown, Sara studied interior design at RISD and blossomed as Celerie Kemble's assistant. Last year, she was named one of TradHome's Top 20 New Designers and House Beautiful previously named her as one of their Top 20 Next Wave Designers.

Darling kitchen breakfast nook perfectly accessorized in blue + white

The thing that is so good about Sara's work is that she understands how to accessorize. "I am a fanatic about details and I must admit that this is my favorite part of a project." She gets it! Each room looks naturally finished. Sara has great taste in fabrics and her details—from piping to pleats are indeed, impeccable. She also makes wonderful, bold wallpaper choices.

Powder Room wallpaper, Poppies by Lee Jofa

I love this combination of large navy paisley with yellow lattice wallpaper.

Headboard, Ralph Lauren St. Kitts, navy • Wallpaper, Carlton V

Settee, Zimmer + Rohde, Oak Leaf Blue • Blue chaise in Rogers + Goffigon, pillow from Turkey

Inlaid chaise in Robert Kime's Suzanni Yellow, pillow Chelsea Textiles • Ottoman, Stark Burlap

Headboard fabric, Brunschwig + Fils

NYC Living Room, antique oushak carpet, custom lucite table, and Natasha Law painting

American Beauty photographed by Vogue alumna, Claiborne Swanson Frank

In addition to being a super-talented designer, Sara is a quintessential American beauty! She is featured alongside winemaker, Michelle Ouelett and style virtuoso, Jenna Lyons in Assouline's upcoming book, American Beauty.

I am so happy to meet Sara and to ask her some fun questions:

Current obsession: Wallpapers and fabrics by Idarica Gazzoni
Last thing you bought: Erdem floral blouse and tan suede Proenza Schouler bag
Favorite vacation spot: St. Barth's is heaven to me

Inspiring artist: So difficult to choose but I love Hugo Grenville right now - his work is stunning and reminds me of Matisse.
Listening to: I am a music fanatic and am all over the place with what I listen to, it really depends on the day. So on any given day you might find me listening to: Broken Bells, Florence and the Machine, Black Keys, Bon Iver, Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Coldplay, Nicki Minaj, Beyonce, or Robyn.

Style icon: I look to a bevy of icons for inspiration: Lauren Hutton, Jackie Onassis, Ali MacGraw, Bianca Jagger as well as Diane Kruger, Gwyneth Paltrow, Cate Blanchett, and Kate Moss.

Can't live without: My husband Jay and my daughter Gin
Most precious belonging: My wedding ring and old family photos of my grandparents and parents

French 75 [recipe here]

Cocktail of the moment: French 75 - a glass of champagne with a splash of gin and lemon juice and a sugar cube to make it fizz. Delicious!!
Favorite shape: A cube
Color of the moment: Purple is always intriguing

Museum pick: The Frick in NYC and The Musée Marmottan in Paris
Most comfortable shoes: A pair of low-rise linen boots by Rag and Bone

Favorite time of day: First thing in the morning when my daughter climbs into bed with me smelling like sleep.
Thing about interior design you already knew at age 18: Layering is the key to warmth in a space, bring on the sisal, area rugs, and accessories!
Best design advice for readers: Go into the process with a strong idea of how you live and how you would like to live.

Thank you, Sara!

You can visit Sara here.
And, on Facebook.
You might like my interview with Tom Scheerer here.

A Holiday Walk | Greenfield Hill

2011-12-24T16:44:00.026-05:00

Greenfield Hill, Connecticut is a part of Fairfield that is filled with a wonderful blend of antique houses and houses built in the 1930s. Many of them are designed by architect, Cameron Clark. Clark lived in Greenfield Hill and had offices in Southport and Manhattan. He is well-known for his residential work and for his redesign in 1939, of the Fairfield Town Hall. Clark was married to Agnes Selkirk, a graduate of the Lowthorpe School of Landscape Architecture—a school for women founded in 1901, specializing in landscape architecture and horticulture—located in Groton, Massachusetts. Agnes worked for renowned landscape architect and teacher Ellen Biddle Shipman before opening her own Park Avenue office.

Not all of these houses were designed by Clark, but they are all gems that I wanted to share with you. I took these photographs on an afternoon walk last winter. The architectural details and stonewalls are timeless and elegant and truly Connecticut.

Everything looks particularly beautiful in late afternoon winter light.

Here is the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church that sits on the green. It's the church I got married in almost 14 years ago. In the month of May, there is a lovely Dogwood Festival here. It's been a tradition for 76 years. I hope you enjoyed our afternoon walk around Greenfield Hill. Wishing you glad tidings and all the best in the New Year!

Gifts + Charms + Wish-Lists

2011-12-17T12:36:00.116-05:00

A lovely reader of My Dog-Eared Pages wrote to ask me if I would please create another gift guide this year. I was extremely honored and delighted by her request. But I just couldn't find the time it takes to gather together a complete holiday gift guide as I have in the past—with ideas from baby to best friend [here + here]. So what I thought might be fun, would be to put together my own wish-list. My dream gift would be the perfect antique lady's writing desk from 1stdibs! But of course, what I would love more than any gifts at all, would be to gather with family and friends.

My extravagant wish-list. For almost seventeen years, my dear friend André gave me a scarf from Hermès for Christmas [though not my first, you can read about that here]. The year André passed away from cancer, my husband carried on the tradition. So, the first thing on my list is inspired by this beautiful friendship and this classic photograph of Jean Shrimpton. I don't have a solid-color scarf in my collection and I love this purple scarf called, Hermès-Sellier.

Hermès-Sellier Scarf in silk jacquard $395

Now remember... I said this was a wish-list! I currently do not own a pair of Roger Vivier shoes. And, I think these are absolute perfection. Such a divine color, with tortoise shell buckle.

Roger Vivier Belle de Nuit Suede Gommette Flats $590
[On right, a 1960s ad for shoes designed by Vivier for Christian Dior, Illustration by Rene Gruau]

I just discovered this sensible + chic Loupe from Vivre, made by the renowned French design house Perrin Paris 1893. It magnifies 5X with a 2.36" diameter lens on a 35.4" cord. Never worry about leaving your glasses behind!

Tortoise Loup by Perrin Paris $395 • And, they make amazing eyewear, too. $345

Also from Vivre, I spotted this Horn Cuff by Mariana Lopez Osornio. I think it might be best to wear two at a time. One on each wrist!

Horn Cuff made in Argentina from Vivre $150
[note: MLO Jewelry is a sustainable business; using recycled materials]

More treats for the cuff with these fabulous gloves from Anthropologie:
[perfect details, note the gold-tone leather in between the fingers!]

Cuffed Shearling Gloves by Maison Fabre $198

Don't head out into the cold without the perfect Lip Balm!

Rodin Olio Lusso blush-tone Lip Balm w/Jasmine + Orange Oil $28

Hmmm, it appears I am loving pink and coral at the moment!

I adore this Tangier Stripe Pillow from Heidi Merrick. $165

Crisp white Wendy Shirt with Cocktail Cuff by Thomas Pink $180 • Straw Stitched Sun Hat from Chance $325

And, since this just might be the year of the Charm Bracelet after the Christie's auction of Elizabeth Taylor's Jewelry Collection this week:

Oscar de la Renta Russian Charm Bracelet $225

Yummy Marimekko Lokki Blanket $245 • Tangle Lacquered Tray from Plantation Design $150 [you can never have too many trays or blankets!]

And, maybe something to read while cozy under the Lokki blanket. There are so many wonderful books that have been published recently. One that I would love to add to my library is, BALS: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century; that explores nine of the most exceptional private costume parties of the twentieth century. Published by Assouline.

BALS: Legendary Costume Balls of the Twentieth Century $175

And just one more, published by Rizzoli...

Oberto Gili: Home Sweet Home $85

Since the 1970s, Oberto Gili has been an editorial photographer traveling the world. His images of fashion and interiors have appeared in House & Garden, Town & Country, and Vogue. This collection of photography spans his career; and focuses on 'the extravagance of the bohemian.' The New York Social Diary interviewed Oberto Gili here.

And, there are also so many treats for your library at my favorite, Nick Harvill Libraries.

I would love numerous prints by artist, Jane Parkes. Her work is quickly being discovered by decorators; as seen in the June issue of House Beautiful.

Green Girl, Monotype
[see a lot more and inquire about pricing and availability here.]

A touch of RED with this votive from glassybaby in the color Happiness. 10% of the sale from each Happiness votive is donated to Gilda's Club in New York City. So far, glassybaby has donated $626,211.73 in sales given since November 2003. Their votives absolutely glow and come in amazing colors. These make great gifts for hostess, or anyone!

glassybaby Happiness votive $44

And, finally... who wouldn't adore an Ivan Terestchenko photograph from his series Interieurs Couture. [contact directly for availability: 30 x 40 cm $250 • 50 x 60 cm $400 • signed, dated and numbered • limited edition of 30 prints]

I would like to end by wishing you the most delightful holiday possible. And, to thank you for reading My Dog-Eared Pages. I greatly appreciate each and everyone of you who visits and comments.

Happy Holidays!!

Holly Boot: Andy Warhol for Tiffany & Co.

Fashion | A Return to Charm

2011-12-11T13:17:00.017-05:00

Gold and Multi-Gem Charm Bracelet, Estimate $25,000 - $35,000
[Price Realized at Auction: $326,500]

I think this just might be the year of the charm bracelet! The kick-off is the legendary sale at Christie's on December 13 and 14, of the Elizabeth Taylor Crown Jewels of Hollywood Collection. I am intrigued by the charm bracelets. As Town & Country magazine writes in their Invaluable column in the January issue... "Charm bracelets have always been a kind of jeweled autobiography, each dangling trinket a tangible remembrance of things past."

Gold and Multi-Gem Charm Bracelet, Estimate $4,000 - $6,000
[Price Realized at Auction: $194,500]

My godmother was a publishing friend of my father's. Her name was Yvonne Sayers. I only met her a few times as a child and was always mesmerized by the sound, the weight, and the meaning of each charm on her chunky, Mexican-sterling charm bracelet. When I was 25 and living in Boston, I received it in the mail. Yvonne had died and left it to me. All those years later, she dearly remembered how charmed I was by her bracelet. I promise to add it to this post when I can get around to photograph it [I just had foot surgery]. But for now, we can be mesmerized by Elizabeth Taylor's dangling trinkets and imagine the stories behind these one-of-a-kind charms.

Gold and Multi-Gem Charm Bracelet, Estimate $15,000 - $20,000
[Price Realized at Auction: $194,500]

Gold and Multi-Gem Charm Bracelet, Estimate $12,000 - $15,000
[Price Realized at Auction: $158,500]

Visit the sale at Christie's here.

Some charming facts via Wikipedia:

Charm bracelets have been the subject of several waves of trends:

The first charm bracelets were worn by Assyrians, Babylonians, Persians, and Hittites and began appearing from 600 – 400 BC. Queen Victoria wore charm bracelets that started a fashion among the European noble classes. She was instrumental to the popularity of charm bracelets, as she “loved to wear and give charm bracelets.

In 1889, Tiffany and Co. introduced their first charm bracelet — a link bracelet with a single heart dangling from it, a bracelet which is an iconic symbol for Tiffany today.

Gratitude + Divorce | Our First Thanksgiving Apart; Together

2011-11-24T11:38:00.040-05:00

During this time of giving thanks, I would like to extend my deepest gratitude to all of you for reading my blog. Quite a lot has happened recently and I feel like it's time to tell you a bit about that. My husband Eric and I got divorced back in March and as you can imagine, it was a difficult time. I spent the summer riding my bike, swimming in the ocean, hanging out with our dachshund, and trying to keep up with the demands of a social media/advertising business. It took everything I had to keep it going. I regret that My Dog-Eared Pages was a bit left in the dust of my summer sadness. But, you all kept visiting—over 125,000 visits just since March—and I thank you so much for that!

If there can be good news about a divorce, ours is that Eric and I are still great friends. In fact, he has moved back in for 6 weeks to help me out as I've just had foot surgery. I will be in a cast for 6 weeks—so needless to say—Eric is a gem to step-up and he deserves an abundance of my gratitude. There is nothing in the world that can prepare you for the emotional road a divorce takes you down. No matter what the circumstance—a divorce is the end of a dream—and, it's taken a while to discover who the new "us" is. We are still working on that. For Thanksgiving, we ordered 'take-out' from our local gourmet food store, so no grand table settings, or travel, or guests this year. I had fun this morning selecting items from 1st dibs [a sort of virtual table setting].

In an interview I read recently on The Style Saloniste, writer Diane Dorrans Saeks was talking with Bob Garcia [of the venerable Therien antiques galleries] about collecting today. Bob said something marvelous: "The focus is on the individual merits of each piece rather than the relationship of pieces to each other." Bob is always challenging old ways and looking in new directions—maybe that's what Eric and I are doing, too. And, it's certainly what I've attempted to do with my virtual Thanksgiving table setting from 1st dibs.

Wishing you a Thanksgiving filled with love and gratitude. And, my deepest thanks to each of you for taking the time to read My Dog-Eared Pages. oxo

1960s Mexicottons

2011-11-07T12:44:00.012-05:00

I just discovered these wonderful Mexicottons from máXimo design by Alexander Girard. As a textile designer, Girard is known particularly for the work he did for Herman Miller from 1952 to 1975. In the late 50's, Girard felt that the textile industry was lacking the zest of color he was looking for, so he designed these lively cottons that were woven at a 19th century textile mill in Morelia, Mexico. Today, máXimo is working with the same mill to re-issue these Mexicottons, which are hand-dyed and hand-woven exactly the way they were when Herman Miller first introduced the fabrics in 1961. These beautiful stripes are respectably priced at $65 per yard and $45.50 to the trade, with a 1-yard minimum. I'm planning to cover two chairs in the pink/red stripe, with stripes running horizontally.

blue/green

wide multi-stripe

red/blue

pink multi-stripe

blue/green multi-stripe

pink/red

tan/black

In 2000, máXimo partnered with the Girard family to bring Alexander Girard's extensive collection of work to the contemporary market by joining select companies like Flor, Maharam, Kate Spade, Herman Miller, Vitra and Chronicle Books. Products include accessories, home + office, pillows, fabrics and more.

A MAN WHO LOVED PUCCI IV

2011-09-05T12:26:00.010-04:00

When my friend André was in his early 20's and living in Paris, he fell in love. Madly in love. With his death in 2000, I inherited his writings. In the mix, there are many poems about heartbreak and love. This is poem IV of a series of André's earliest poems I've titled, A Man Who Loved Pucci:

Over There

Over there, three thousand miles away
I find myself looking out windows
Seeing autumn stealing in.
I'm there only a few minutes at a time
But I can see it all, nonetheless.
I can see the cafés putting up their glass panels
I can see the Prix-Unic selling more sweaters
And fewer bathing suits.
I can see the workmen drinking a little more wine
To keep warm.
I can see the church of St. Germain turning greyer
For the nine hundredth time...
Who says you can't be in two places at once?
I am.

by André de Riano

Read Poem I, here.
Read Poem II, here.
Read Poem III, here.
Our friendship.

Images: Collage of scarf/model created from Taschen's PUCCI book • André, private collection

EmersonMade | Caftan Delight

2011-08-16T11:38:00.031-04:00

I was delighted today when this hand-made cloth bag arrived in the mail. When opened, the entire room at once smelled of lavender and inside with my new divine Butterfly Caftan, there was also a thank you note. Yes, a thank you note! There was nothing this beautiful package from EmersonMade was lacking and the caftan inside [from the EM India Collection] is absolutely everything I expected it to be. Emerson and Ryan Fry—the darling husband and wife team behind EmersonMade—are everywhere lately, including this recent interview in The New York Times T Style Magazine. The company was founded in 2009 and aspires to this simple principle:

EmersonMade is a company that believes in celebrating the uniqueness of the individual, the joy of being alive and all the smallness that makes up the Big Beautiful.

And, everything about this charming Portsmouth, New Hampshire-based company is Big Beautiful. My pick for fall is the Emerson London Coat [modeled here by Emerson] and the Emerson Dude Loafers. Perfection.

Make sure to check-out EM Travel Blog and EM Journal. More Big Beautiful!

Royal Heritage Hotel in Jaipur, India | Ryan and Emerson in India

A MAN WHO LOVED PUCCI III

2011-07-13T09:37:00.002-04:00

When my friend André was in his early 20's and living in Paris, he fell in love. Madly in love. With his death in 2000, I inherited his writings. In the mix, there are many poems about heartbreak and love. This is poem III of a series of André's early poems I've titled, A Man Who Loved Pucci:

Sonnet

I awoke, and you slept still
Breathing quietly as you will
The morning after a night of love.
And in that pale grey morning light
I felt your skin, so soft, so white
And touched and kissed it as a dove
Would brush its wing against its mate.
Then you'd stir and then you'd wake
And with a sleep-drunk movement turn
And hold me close as in the night
And doze again, a happy sight;
Then would I, as you, to sleep return.

And thus, my love, I remember you
In those days which were too few.

by André de Riano

Read Poem I, here.
Read Poem II, here.
Our friendship.
Images: André and girl, private collection • Pucci scarf, 1969 from Taschen's PUCCI book

An Island Sanctuary | Greece

2011-07-07T10:45:00.038-04:00

Terrace with fragrant Nerium Oleander

Greece holds a certain spot in my heart. So it's no wonder that An Island Sanctuary - A House in Greece by John Stefanidis is one of the most treasured books in my library. It's the story of a house that John and the late Teddy Millington-Drake discovered on the island of Patmos in 1963. It's in the town of Chora which John describes... "has the possessed beauty of a de Chirico painting... sweeps of olive groves, titan rocks plunging into the sea, bays of pristine beauty with gently lapping waves... and everywhere the sea: aquamarine, turquoise, emerald green, deep purple." The house had been abandoned for twenty-five years. By 1964, they spent their first summer in the house. Perhaps, I am enchanted by Stefanidis' textiles because I too, am drawn to the Mediterranean. "What might be called the Mediterranean style," says Stefanidis, is "romanticism, sensuality, and practicality. Mediterranean style is a triumph of common sense. Whitewashed walls reflect light and heat; thick walls render rooms cool; cotton furnishings are fresher to the touch; Lattice allows air to circulate; shutters exclude glare; tile and marble are soothing to the bare foot."

Gardens stone and succulents

Whitewashed terraces, blue and white striped canvas and bougainvillea

Millington-Drake watercolor view of outdoor terrace

A relaxed English fish basket filled with Japanese parasols

Upper-floor terrace

Perfect, simple kitchen

A shaded terrace for breakfast or lunch

Bougainvillea pruned in displays of flame red and Udaipur pink

The Parlor with sky-blue cottons and Anatolian pattern kilim

A dreamy white bedroom and small library at the heart of the first floor

A traditional island sofa with mattress-style cushions covered in JS fabric "Flowers"

My favorite JS "Flowers" fabric

Millington-Drake painting from outdoor dining terrace

An early summer montage of the arid hills

Cool, blue cotton on terrace

Needlework cushions from Patmos, Rhodes, and Anatolia

Cozy room was Millington-Drake's former studio room

Indian miniatures on the wall of this bedroom are perhaps, Company Paintings

Rampant plumbago tumbles over the terrace wall

Taro plant with fragrant gardenia under the dappled shade of a pergola

Truly a must for your design library.
An Island Sanctuary feeds the soul and arouses the senses.

Images: Principal photography by Fritz von der Schulenberg.
An Island Sanctuary, published by Rizzoli
Visit John Stefanidis here

Horst | Summer Style

2011-06-30T08:03:00.010-04:00

Franco Zeffirelli veranda ~ Positano, 1970

Summer is here at last and so is lingering in summer spaces. The photography that Horst shot for Vogue and House & Garden in the 1960s, 70s and 80s has such enduring appeal. Right now, I'm drawn to spaces with summer-style. I hope you are finding time to linger in summer spaces, too.

Gloria Guinness "palapa" room ~ Acapulco, 1970

Antenor Patino summer house pool ~ Portugal, 1960

Oscar de la Renta house ~ Dominican Republic, 1970

Nonie & Thomas Schippers' conservatory ~ Cincinnati, 1970

Doris Duke swimming pool pavillion at Shangri-La ~ Hawaii, 1960

Images courtesy, Horst Interiors

A MAN WHO LOVED PUCCI II

2011-06-14T09:55:00.013-04:00

When my friend André was in his early 20's and living in Paris, he fell in love. Madly in love. With his death in 2000, I inherited his writings. In the mix, there are many poems about heartbreak and love. This is poem II of a series of André's early poems I've titled, A Man Who Loved Pucci:

Neptune's great-great granddaughter
As new as a moment of time
As bare as the beach that she runs on;

And stops on as she looks out to sea
Where she stops to look at the fronds
And the fruit of the glistening palms.

She is pink and she's blond and
She shines: the tight skin of youth
On her new, barely burgeoning form;

And, she's wise and she knows all her senses
Without actually knowing the words
Feeling more now than she'll ever know;

And she'll be gone in a wink and
The flash of a wave when the ancient
Who made her forgets.

When he nods in the sun
And the heat of the noon
When eighty years now again take their toll.

The criminal curve of the girl
Comes and goes with his chance
Memories, and his dreams turned to lies.

by André de Riano, 1961

Read Poem I, here.
Our friendship.
Images: André, private collection • Veruschka poses in Pucci in Brazil, photo by Henry Clarke/Condé Nast Archives/Corbis

Inspired | Vintage Costume Jewelry

2011-06-06T11:16:00.032-04:00

There wasn't much that captured my attention at the flea-market yesterday until I walked by this area chock-full of large, gaudy necklaces [I like to call Studio 54 jewelry] and I was totally inspired for about an hour. It's the kind of jewelry that bodes well against my favorite caftans, black tees and white man-tailored shirts. These bold, graphic shapes and glossy metals were de rigueur in the era of the Tutankhamen exhibition, which took The Met by storm in 1979.

As the 70's became the 80's, our peasant blouses and Mexican silver bangles were traded for silk blouses and chunky, Monet necklaces. Big and bold was THE look.

The necklace [just above] grabbed my attention because it reminded me of the necklace Jenna Lyons and team spotted at a Massachusetts flea-market recently and re-created for J. Crew [just above, right]. Maybe this was the inspiration! Madame Bijoux's jewelry [Annie Webster, proprietor] can be found at Brimfield [in the Pavilions], and also at Connecticut's popular Elephant's Trunk. She travels to quite a few shows in the summer and fall and then heads to Palm Beach in the winter. Her market is largest in Palm Beach with women between 40-95 "who love to wear these bold, vintage pieces."

Ms. Webster's collection is just incredible with one amazing piece after another. A collector from Essex, MA was busy buying Yves Saint Laurent and the more fancy [signed] vintage pieces.

Iris Apfel is reportedly a big customer and this did not surprise me because Webster's collection is rich in history, creativity and cultural icon-ness. She sells inspired pieces by Kenneth Jay Lane, Nina Ricci, Gucci, Guy LaRoche, Lanvin, Monet, Lacroix, Iradj Mioni, Chanel, and so many more!

I bought the necklace [below] which I love for its circular, graphic design and the fact that it moves as you lean forward. It reminded me of Alexander Calder.

I thoroughly enjoyed this hour of amazement and stroll down a big + bold memory lane.

Note: Ms. Webster does not sell online. If you are looking for something in particular, you can reach her here: 413-222-4041.

Aesthetics | From Blogger to Architect

2011-05-25T13:39:00.017-04:00

Images from Little Augury blog

I was taking part in my first tweet-chat hosted by @DesignTVchat on Twitter the other day, and we were asked which design blogs inspire us. There are so many wonderful blogs that I read regularly [see blog-roll on the right], but the blog Little Augury instantly came to mind. It's author [and decorator] Patricia Gaye Tapp touches on subjects that truly inspire—art, fashion, literature, décor and a pantheon of cultural/style icons. I cannot be inspired by one without the other. And, this is why Little Augury hits the mark in interior design blogs. For me, design inspiration comes from all things that are rooted aesthetically. When I peel away the layers of this inspiration, I return to the basics—light, color, texture, shape and scale. And, this is what matters to me in interior design.

I recently rediscovered these basic elements of design while reading my copy of Benjamin Baldwin: An Autobiography in Design. Benjamin Baldwin [who died in 1993] is the type of designer who inspires me. Louis Kahn called him the dean of "American interior designers." He studied architecture at Princeton then painting with Hans Hofmann—eventually returning to Princeton for a masters degree in Fine Arts—and then, on to the Cranbrook Academy of Art where he met and collaborated with Pei, Kahn and Saarinen!

Baldwin [at left] designed residential and office interiors, furniture and textiles, and beautiful gardens. He felt that gardens represented the ultimate form of creativity. In his concept-house of the future, Baldwin imagined... "floors would be friendly to bare-feet and sandals, furniture would be nondescript and inexpensive." As much as I love interiors that are full of lush, tactile beauty, the foundation of my design principles are aligned with Baldwin's philosophy.

Photographs [above] from Benjamin Baldwin: An Autobiography in Design, W.W. Norton

The spaces Baldwin created seem timeless because they are rooted in an architectural aesthetic of good taste and practical judgement. I find much the same sensibility in the work of my favorite American decorator, Tom Scheerer.

Scheerer [shown above in bare-feet with Saarinen table!] also has a degree in architecture. Tom carries on the tradition of a studied yet relaxed modernism by creating civilized and beautiful, yet unpretentious spaces. I am a huge fan. I can spend more time studying a Scheerer-designed room because of its foundation in design and abundance of aesthetics, and cozy common sense.

Tom Scheerer photos top: Paris Townhouse, Lyford Cay Club by Pieter Estersohn
photos bottom: by William Waldron

So, the circle of my wonderful tweet-chat brought me back to thinking about the fundamental elements and principles of good design and what inspires me—whether found in the architecture of an inspiring blog or a simple American interior.

Visit Little Augury here.
See my previous interview with Tom Scheerer here.
Learn about another student of Hans Hofmann here.
Visit @DesignTVchat on twitter.
Read about my grandfather, the architect here.

L'Amour Fou | Mad Love

2011-05-14T09:25:00.013-04:00

L'Amour Fou [Mad Love] opened in theaters nationwide yesterday. The documentary by Pierre Thoretton, focuses on the 2009 auction of the elaborate art collection amassed by Yves Saint Laurent and his partner [in business and in life] for a half-century, Pierre Bergé. In the film, Bergé reflects on the history of their personal relationship and the experience of the sale of their joint art collection at Christie's in 2009. From Yves Saint Laurent's 1958 debut for Dior to their houses in Paris, Marrakech, and Normandy, L'Amour Fou is a tribute to a shared life and the importance of the memories—and, not so much the objects that surround us—no matter how beautiful.

Note to blog email subscribers: Please click on photographs to view trailer.

George's Odhni | Cora Ginsburg

2011-05-11T09:33:00.030-04:00

The lessons I've learned from my godfather George continue, even two years after his death. This lovely textile of his recently sold at Cora Ginsburg—the notable New York City dealer of antique textiles + historic clothing. My godfather highly regarded the shop and [now] owner Titi Halle, lugging many pieces he collected over the years to Titi for her expert knowledge of textiles from all over the globe. This particular piece is an Odhni, a woman's veil-cloth or head covering. The intricately embroidered silk from India [Banni, Kutch region, Gujarat, circa 1900] was made perhaps, as part of a dowry. At the center of the design is a large diamond-shaped medallion of mitered stripes of branching triangles, worked in running stitch. Each corner is finished in a geometric embroidery studded with shimmering mirrors, and the entire textile is covered in minute, embroidered eyelets. The embroiderer limited the scheme to just four colors of silk thread: garnet red, dull gold, cream, and black. According to Halle, a similar example is in the Victoria & Albert Museum collection. A serious art collector, my godfather volunteered at the Metropolitan Museum in the European Sculpture and Decorative Arts Library from 1992 until months before his death at age 88, in 2009. He was a life-long scholar of the arts and luckily for me... a teacher, too.

Summer + Beach Days II

2011-05-04T08:10:00.011-04:00

I love spring in New England and scouting-out summer looks in anticipation of beach days. It's foggy at the moment and drizzling, but I can smell the ocean and hear the pounding surf—soothing reminders of summer days to-come!

Hat by Wavelengths • Tunic by LemLem • Sandals by Emilio Pucci

Indore | A Fabric's Life

2011-04-06T11:45:00.040-04:00

I love rooms that are chock full of fabric like this Ottoman-inspired drawing room created for Lee Radziwill by Renzo Mongiardino. The tented room also by Mongiardino, was created in part to correct the proportion of a ceiling that was too high. Tented rooms create an exotic air of wonder and divine coziness.

The only tented room I've known personally was quite small. It was on the second story of the original Country Shop in Ogunquit, Maine—the summer house of the shop's founder, Donald Berglund. In the days when Berglund owned the shop— you could always find something chic there—but this was not the case once he gave it up. He entertained a lot on the second floor with its sweeping, elegant terrace overlooking Perkins Cove. I will never forget meeting Mr. Berglund with his wide smile, cigarette holder and a dachshund [Maudie] tucked under his arm. There were framed photographs of Bette Davis who frequented Berglund's cocktail parties during summers when she had performed at The Ogunquit Playhouse, as well as photographs of Montgomery Clift and other movie stars. These photos lined the walls of a hall leading to a small, tented room. It is here that I discovered the wonderful cotton fabric labeled "Indore" that was printed exclusively for J.H. Thorp. I was always crazy about it and loved sitting under its tented glory on small steps that looked out a picture window over the cove. I never forgot about this fabric. And twenty years later... a friend rescued some of it for me. It was being thrown away for a re-decoration after Mr. Berglund had died.

"Indore" printed exclusively for J.H. Thorp

I love its indiennes-provencal motif and painted couples that are quite similar to those seen in the late 18th-century Company Paintings, depicting social castes and occupations. Below is an example of a Company painting from the V&A Museum.

Company Painting from V&A Museum

Company Paintings were produced by Indian artists for Europeans living and working in the Indian subcontinent, particularly for British employees of the East India Company. I would love to learn more about J.H. Thorp's Indore and have asked Courtney of Style Court if she might help with a little investigating! She has some great leads. I am also considering what to do with the fabric. I think I might have just enough to cover two gilt barrel-back bergère chairs. Indore is a fabric that happily continues to live on.

Photo Credits: Tented room designed by Renzo Mongiardino courtesy, Google Images
Lee Radziwill drawing room via Cote de Texas [see Joni's great Radziwill post there]
"Indore" fabric images by My Dog-Eared Pages
Company Painting courtesy, V&A Museum

A Tropical Treat

2011-03-31T20:22:00.012-04:00

I just love this adorable Pineapple Coin Purse from Kate Spade and couldn't resist posting it! This little tropical treat with kiss-lock closure and paisley lining might be just the right size for a credit card + lipstick.

Photographic Memories

2011-03-30T12:11:00.014-04:00

Mack on a summer morning

Em posing at The Grill

Em + teenage birthday braids

Mack as a supermodel

I recently came across these portraits that I took about 8 years ago of my nieces, Emily and Mackenzie. These images remind me of just how quickly the days fly by, and how important it is to slow down and see all of the beauty that surrounds us!

Summer Dreams

2011-03-26T13:15:00.006-04:00

Summer is just around the corner. You can see it both in the light and in the shade of blue in the sky. It's still a bit chilly here along the Massachusetts coast, but we are getting close to warmer days. For a little more daydreams of summer and summer light, see this post about my friend, plein air painter Simon Parkes.

Image: by French photographer and painter, Jacques Henri Lartigue {June 1894 - September 1986}

RIP | Elizabeth Taylor

2011-03-23T10:35:00.009-04:00

I call upon you to draw from the depths of your being — to prove that we are a human race, to prove that our love outweighs our need to hate, that our compassion is more compelling than our need to blame. ~ Elizabeth Taylor

Images: Google

Narrated by Paul Newman

Paris Days | George's Friends

2011-03-05T09:58:00.050-05:00

Model, Joan Olson

It will be two years on March 11th that I lost my godfather George. He had many interesting friends and was part of a circle of American expats in Paris after WWII—which included Tennessee Williams and many illustrious characters. Through his friend Jacques Rheims, my godfather met a beautiful young model, Joan Olson. I've been thinking about Joan during this Paris Fashion Week. But Joan's Paris was during the time of true haute couture, and her family thinks she would lament what has become of Dior, Balmain, Chanel and Balenciaga. Joan was with the Ford Modeling Agency, and made the cover of every women's and lifestyle magazine in the US except LIFE, according to her son and my friend Charles... "because MacArthur bumped her when he was fired by Truman in Korea."

Joan with Emilo Pucci, 1952
Joan was married to Charles Buchet Sr., the dashing French executive who brought the Citröen to the US. They met in Capri on vacation—she, after a shoot and he, there with Marzotto—the Italian textile company that at the time sold to all the important Parisian houses. Apparently, half of Paris was at their wedding and Jacques Fath was their best man. Fath sadly died of Leukemia just a year later. I asked my friend Charles what it was like being the child of a model during the 1950's and he said, "As a little kid in the 50's, I wasn't aware of anything extraordinary—certainly all boys believe their mother is the most beautiful woman in the world, except that we knew it for sure!" Joan continued working until the birth of her fourth son in 1959. Before that, the boys had a full-time nanny because Joan was working every day. Paris was her base in Europe but she also shot a great deal in Italy and Germany.

"I remember even in the late 50's when we would visit on vacation, a well-dressed woman really stood out. At least in the more down-to-earth neighborhoods of Paris—the cut, the colors, and an air of great confidence, especially wearing the New Look. This was the time most people consider the golden age of Paris fashion." ~ C.B.

Joan at Place Vendôme, 1952
As I learn more about my godfather George and his friends, I have an even greater appreciation of why he was such an arbiter of style. I miss the stories about his days in Paris, and all the parties and who was wearing what. He once draped a fabulous curtain around a friend who needed a dress for a party. Another time, he and a Dior model were invited to a party at the US ambassador's residence in Spain. His friend was wearing the true Dior {unbuttoned to her waist with Grecian sandals}, and their hostess was wearing a quite staid, off-the-rack version of the same dress! George got such a kick out of these stories and my, how I miss hearing them. He gave me a list of people to call in Europe when I went to London to study art in 1977. This is how I met Joan's son Charles. The list is priceless. Some day, I'll share some of it with you! If you are new to my blog, you can read more about my godfather here.

Photo from Joan Olson Ford Model Sheet

Thank you to my dear friend Charles Buchet, Jr., for his recollections!

Fashion Week Note: To see the Ready-to-Wear Collections from New York to London and from Milan to Paris Fashion Weeks, click here.

Photographs by: Regina Relang

C.Z. Guest & Weber | Oscar Chic

2011-02-28T12:34:00.006-05:00

The Oscar razzle-dazzle brought to mind this wonderful C.Z. Guest portrait by Bruce Weber, taken in Palm Beach in 1988. Somehow, Weber makes it all look so understated and chic. It's from one of my treasured books, A House is Not a Home.

Oscar Couture | Chanel & Givenchy

2011-02-28T11:58:00.007-05:00

And, the winners? Well, Cate Blanchett is such a star in Givenchy couture and Van Cleef & Arpels jewelry. Michelle Williams looks so fresh in Chanel couture with Harry Winston earrings highlighting her adorable pixie cut. They both had simple, chic hair and naturally glamorous make-up. Just beautiful!

Images: Getty/AP