On a Different Note: A Fantasy Interior

Greetings All,

I have a different type of project for you all to take a peek at, it's a fantasy apartment on Park Ave, it's an entire floor. Now as you all know I am rather a bit of a control freak when it comes to design. I like having things done a certain way, my way, but this time around I was asked to help only with the soft furnishings. All of the background decoration, the moldings and anything on the walls was handled by the architect on the job. The clients wanted a really elaborate backdrop, so my suggestion for the furniture was to keep it as quiet and elegant as possible. the centerpiece of the room is an 16' long sofa, back to back and side to side. There is only one color for the seating, crimson red, it's an updated version of what one might have found in 19thc France. The carpet is a huge 18th c Aubusson owned by the clients.

The sofa was so large that it had to be made in 9 pieces and assembled onsite. Here's Bill trying it out at the shop.

The clients wanted a pair of extreme wing chairs so we developed these from 18thc forms. The same velvet was gaufraged with a damask pattern and silk brush fring was used instead of cord. I painted the legs Farrow and Ball Ballet Slipper White so they wouldn't be too heavy looking. These were also made in pieces so we could maneuver them thru the service corridor.

This is a view of the Living room installed. The clients are very happy and I must say my furniture is lovely and remarkably comfortable.

That's all I have for today.

L

What I'm Looking At Today: A Mini World

 I'm in interior decoration and for the last several years I've been working on pretty large houses around the country and trying to make the world a better place one room at a time. I recently reconnected with an old friend, he's passionate about design and while not a decorator, he's spending a good deal of time thinking about design and creating a beautiful little world....and so now I've been introduced to the world of miniatures.......and I'm hooked.

I had known about the famous Quenn Mary's dolls house and the few other English 18thc houses with wonderful interiors, but there's an entire dolly world of grand palaces and sumptuous interiors.

Below are a few examples that I found while shopping for furniture. Now, I don't have much room in my tiny apartment in NYC, but I've started shopping for furniture.....just in case....

Three views of a grand Adam style ballroom by Ron Hubble in the Taiwan Museum

There are these wonderful makers, each specializing in their own type of interior, varying in quality, but never in scale.....these are in effect scale models 1:12...and there are countless obsessed individuals who make all their own furniture as well....now that's amazing.

Above is a paneled room by Robert Dawson

 Above is the Salon, part of the ballroom suite in the Taiwan Miniature Museum

Room Box by Ron Hubble

http://www.ronhubble.com/commissions.html

http://swanhousediy.com/site/index.php?main_page=index&manufacturers_id=20

Below are a few links of what people are doing......amazing

http://miniatureenthusiast.blogspot.com/2012/02/dining-room-fireplace.html

http://objetsdecharmeminiatures.blogspot.com/

What I'm Looking At Today: More Napoleon III Chairs

As you all may know, I love odd chairs and while I almost always use new custom upholstery for my main pieces, I do like to use antique or antique inspired frames for my secondary seating. Came across a few nice examples which I've posted below....some nice fabrics and these could go in almost any room.

Because life is too short to have the same boring furniture as everyone else.

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.

Giverny: Show me the Monet

The gardens of Giverny are justly famous both for the actual flowers and for the paintings done in the 19c by Mr. Monet. But the house is quite special too.

The Entrance Hall has wonderful Japanese prints.

The kitchen with it's great cast iron stove and blue and white tiles. State of the art for the time.

The Dining Room is painted yellow.....bright sunlight yellow with a collection of blue and white. The dishes can still be purchased from Limoges.

The famous water lilies and the japanese footbridge.