Palazzo Fortuny

The Museo Fortuny is located in a 14th c palazzo in the San Marco District of Venice, it was the family  home of the Fortuny's from 1889 when the patriarch, Catalan painter Mariano Fortuny [1838-1874 aka Maria Fortuny i Marisal ] moved from Paris to Venice. You may be familiar with his more famous fashion designer son, also named Mariano  [ 1871-1949 ], who was also a very talented lighting engineer .  The museum was donated to the city of Venice in 1956 by Mariano's widow, Henriette.

The vast loft-like spaces on the second floor are entirely tented in glorious Fortuny fabrics http://www.fortuny.com/#/about  and preserve many items including paintings and sculptures from various periods. Other than the pre-Raphaelite feel, the most striking elements are long sofas based on original Ottoman Turk examples, simple cushions on simply skirted decks make for super chic seating. The table in front of the sofa is actually a 15thc carpet fragment.

On the same floor is a studio where 15th and 16th c models are kept.

The view from the top floor. Be sure to visit this museum if you're in Venice, in addition to the wonderful antiques, the ground and top floors have rotating exhibits of modern art. It's a real treasure.

Good Old 1033

I was going through some old files and I came across pictures of our old apartment in Philadelphia.

It's the old breakfast and dining rooms of a once grand townhouse and downstairs are the old kitchens, which we used as bedrooms and a garden. It was a dark apartment, but very beautiful and I can honestly say that it sparkled at night.

The front room, which was the breakfast room and which we used as a hallway/library/dining room. I made the walls a very dark Tudor Gray, with the crispy white as a foil and a mix of regency and mod pieces.....bookcases from Ikea.

The small hallway with kitchen and powder room to either side.

The living room, which was the original dining room. It retained much of it's original architectural decoration, so all we did was add our furniture. No art work required.

The main bedroom downstairs had walls upholstered in green wool and a collection of grand tour bronzes.

Wouldn't be be great if you could just pick a place up and bring it with you?

Versailles Historical and Contemporary Furniture

We were fortunate enough to visit Versailles last September to see the installation " The palace of Versailles and the Mobilier National". The exhibition was split into two sections the first devoted to historic furniture from the Garde-Mueble Royale, the Royal Furniture Store, under Louis XIV to the present.

The Hall of Mirrors

The Queen's Bedroom

The Dauphin's rooms furnished with choice Louis XV and XVI pieces along with contemporary furniture designed by Mobilier National whose primary task is furnishing the Republic's official buildings.

http://www.chateauversailles.fr/homepage

http://www.mobiliernational.culture.gouv.fr/fr/expositions/actualites

Henri Samuel

Henri Samuel was one of the world's great tastemakers. His clients ranged from the Rothschilds and the Aga Khan to Valentino as well as the French government in restorations of many important buildings. The pictures here are from Architectual Digest and House and Garden's Best in Decorating.

His own apartment pictured here shows how easily he mixed periods and styles. I especially love the sculptural furniture by Phillipe Hiquily.

For all of the talk today about 'the mix' no one has done it better. Considering that the apartment is part of an 18c house in Paris and is filled with antiques and was photographed in the 80's, I'd say that you could do these rooms today without changing one thing....now that's says everything you need to about great decoration.