While the installation for this project is still several months away, I'm sharing a sneak peek of some pieces I've been bringing together for an upcoming project.
The first is an Edwardian-era Howard and Sons type armchair that's been refreshed and reupholstered in Dutch Stripe, from Jasper's Michael S. Smith collection. I couldn't be happier the way it turned out. It's headed to storage for the time being but I look forward to its arrival soon.
Fairs are one of the great pleasures of summertime and Masterpiece is one that shouldn’t be missed. One can’t help but be dazzled by the array of exquisite objects, ranging from artworks to jewelry to antiques. I hope some of you will take the opportunity to browse its range of exceptional pieces. Even if many of the pieces’ price tags have a digit too many to be within reach, the inspiration in abundance here costs no more than the entry admission. I always find that these sorts of venues are a terrific way to train one’s eye. Being particularly fascinated by pieces of the past, I love getting up close to furniture and studying colors, finishes, and patinas.
As a young designer I am constantly working on learning to see. Learning to see means not just spotting what’s trendy or what goes well with what. Rather, it’s about looking at visual properties, drawing connections and reading meaning. It’s about feeling the reason behind a sober neoclassical bookcase or being swept up in the exuberance of a gilded rococo console.
In our highly digital world where we live immersed in screens and remote connections, it’s critical to get out into the world, train your eye, grow your visual vocabulary, and truly see. So if you’re in London, get to Masterpiece and get inspired.
An 18th C. walnut sleeping chair having its original needlework, French c. 1760.
A George II painted carved pine open bookcase, c. 1735. Edward Hurst.
A Pair of George II Giltwood Armchairs in the Manner of Thomas Chippendale, c. 1755. Frank Partridge.
An Early 19th C. Lacquer Cabinet on Stand, China. Mallett.
An 18th C. Pine and Polychrome Lacquer Magot, Germany. Chiale Antiquariato.
One of a Pair of George II Giltwood Mirrors Atrributed to Benjamin Goodison, c. 1735. One of a pair of George III Chinese Lacquer Commodes Almost Certainly by John Cobb, c. 1765. Ronald Phillips.
If you want to take a look at or possibly even own a a small piece of a seminal designer's work, this is your week to do so.
More than any other project, this drawing room at Hambleden Manor shows the influence of Italy on John Fowler's work. In the 1950s Fowler went to Italy and toured several of Palladio's villas. After returning to England, John was able to pair his inspiration with a new client's heritage. John gained his first Italian client, Maria Carmela, Viscountess Hambleden in 1956. Together with Lady Hambleden, John created an Italian atmosphere in this Buckinghamshire manor.
Although not totally apparent from this photo, the room was initially painted quite a bright pink. Lady Hambleden found the color too strong and asked John to revise the scheme. Yet John refused, saying "If you start with such a pale shade it will fade to a terrible yellow." Lady Hambleden acquiesced and the room eventually faded to a lovely apricot as seen here.
Sadly, the room has now been dismantled and the contents will be sold. Colefax and Fowler, Then and Now is happening this coming Wednesday at Christie's in South Kensington and nearly all of the contents of this room are coming up on the auction block, including:
A set of three Italian giltwood armchairs, third quarter 18th C. Est. £5,000 – £8,000.
A Murano glass chandelier designed by John Fowler in 1955. Est. £10,000 – £20,000. Notice the faded apricot walls?
A pair of Regency giltwood, ebonised and bronzed large convex girandoles, circa 1810. Est. £20,000 – £40,000.
A near pair of green velvet banquettes. Est. £300 – £500. Sure, the upholstery is tired, but they're still wonderful. Images above from Christie's.
Top image from John Fowler: Prince of Decorators by Martin Wood.
This drawing room at Easton Gray House in Wiltshire is one of my favorite rooms by Tom Parr. There's a lot of subtlety and detail from the layered blues used on the walls to the stenciled floor. The black and white engravings of Rome look particularly striking against the wall color. Their frames are tied to the three black Japanned tables and fire screen without being too obviously coordinated. The vases above the pedimented door are a nice touch, adding dimensionality and interest.
Parr, who passed away last year, initially worked with David Hicks and later became a partner in Colefax and Fowler in 1960. He is largely credited with turning around the company's finances and he remained involved until his retirement in 1996. I hadn't seen a lot of his work previously as he has been somewhat overshadowed by his legendary predecessors. However, Parr struck his own tone and in his time contributed some truly impeccable rooms to the Colefax and Fowler portfolio.
Images from The House & Garden Book of Classic Rooms.
Today I'm continuing the small space theme and showing the work of Christopher Leach. Leach has a beautiful project in this month's British House and Garden but his own London flat is my favorite. There's so much to love in such a small space: the lacquered walls, the wing chair with its fringe trim, and the lampshades. I want to move in right now.
Images from World of Interiors, August 2010.
Perhaps because I live in a rather small rental, I was particularly intrigued by this West London drawing room, whose designer is unknown. The space is compact yet the scale of the pieces is anything but. A large portrait, substantial Asian porcelain pieces, and massive gilt candle sconces, all vie for attention. However, the result somehow feels balanced and proportioned. The blues throughout the room make the space feel thoughtful and designed rather than haphazard. For all of those who struggle with how to make a rental great, this space inspires: notice the plain wall color and simple window treatments, the former often off-limits to renters and the latter hard to invest in for a temporary stay. Great pieces and a sense of balance complete this room without the need for additional elements.
Image from Interiors by Min Hogg.
Today I bring you Faringdon House in Oxfordshire, a late-Georgian manor once owned by the eccentric Lord Berners. A modernist composer, Dadaist painter and writer, Lord Berners entertained an incredible crowd at Faringdon including Cecil Beaton, Dali, Fonteyn, H G Wells, Stravinsky, and Gertrude Stein.
I was drawn into the double drawing-room (below) with its contrasting dark and pale schemes. The contrast is unexpected and reflects the nature of the house where walls hung with Corots, Constables, and Matisses contrast with tongue-in-cheek phrases adorned the walls, such as one at the top of the stairs that reads "No dogs admitted."
As of 2001, the home was still in the hands of a relative of Berners, who at the time was renting the home for £8,000 per month. Read more about her here.
Images from English Elegance by Judy Brittain
As I embark here I hope to bring a unique and inspiring point of view on design, culture, and life. It's hard to say exactly where I will go on these pages but living in a world so full of amazing and beautiful spaces, atmospheres, and experiences, I hope to bring a small fraction here and start a dialogue.
So today I begin with a very famous room that looks as good today as when it was designed in the late 1950s: the Yellow Room at Avery Row in London. A collaboration between John Fowler and Nancy Lancaster, it showcased both of their talents perfectly. In reading Colefax and Fowler: the Best in English Decoration, I realized how much Nancy Lancaster advanced John Fowler's aesthetic and this room is a perfect example. While Fowler was responsible for the paint treatments including the swagged husks above the cornice and the incredible curtains, the basic concept including the composition and color scheme was that of Nancy Lancaster.
Beyond the confident and marvelously executed paint, curtains, and floor plan, the room had a wonderful balance between formality and comfort - a trademark of the firm's work. What I love is the warmth and depth of the space, which blended many shades of yellow to create a nuanced effect that keeps one's eye moving and interested. I've studied this room time and time again but I always notice something I hadn't before, making this room one of my favorites.
Enjoy.
Image from Colefax and Fowler: the Best in English Decoration by Chester Jones