Masterpiece Fair 2014

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.

Godson & Coles

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.

The Rothschilds at Hôtel Lambert

Built in the mid-17th Century, Hôtel Lambert is a spectacular mansion on the tip of the Île Saint-Louis. The mansion has an incredible history and been home to a string of notable residents, including Voltaire. More recently, the home has been home to the late Baron and Baroness Guy de Rothschild, who acquired the property in 1975 and worked with Renzo Mongiardino to refresh the interior spaces. The images above date to their days here.

The property's current owner, Sheikh Abdullah bin Khalifa Al Thani of Qatar, now wants to overhaul the structure including the addition of lifts, air conditioning, and an underground car park. Conservationists, neighbors, and former residents are all over this one, but what a shame. It's hard to imagine anything more perfect than the hôtel in the images below.

Images from Private Paris by Marie-France Boyer. 

Jacques Garcia at Home

A legend in the world of design, Jacques Garcia is perhaps best known for his contemporary interiors. So today I bring another masterpiece of his, but a much more historically-oriented one: his Paris residence as it was in the late 1980s following an extensive rehabilitation of the historic structure.

Located at 28 Rue des Tournelles, Hôtel de Sagonne was designed by Jules Hardouin Mansart (1645-1708), chief architect to Louis XIV, when he was just 28 years old. The mansion's construction commenced in 1674 but didn't complete until 1685 as Mansart was simultaneously working on other masterpieces including the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. When Jacques Garcia took hold of the property he performed extensive restorations to uncover the original ceilings and reinstate the boiseries and floorboards in a way that did justice to the original.

There are so many things I love about this space, beyond just the exquisite French antiques, many of which were royal pieces dispersed during the French revolution.

This former office of Mansart is intimate but also incredibly elegant with its original boiseries. The lit d'alcove looks like such a nice spot to do some reading, sheltered by the curtains and a warm space full of books.

The kitchen also serves as a dining room and features the original Delft tiles. This space is such a refreshing counterpoint to the enormous industrial kitchens so in vogue today, where everything looks as if it belongs in a car manufacturing plant. No enormous island. No stainless steel appliances. I'm really not sure where the refrigerator and range live and I rather like it that way.

Images from Private Paris by Marie-France Boyer.

Chateau de Montgeoffroy

Chateau de Montgeoffroy is located in the Loire Valley and dates to the 1770s when it was built for Marquis de Contades. The oval dining room was the first of its sort to be built in France and signaled a shift away from the mainstream preference of the French to dine in their salons. Notice the width of the Louis XV chair seats - these were designed to accommodate ladies' skirts, which were quite large at the time. It is speculated that this table may have been the first at which pâté de foie gras was served as the delicacy was invented by the Marquis' chef. I'm not particularly enamored with pâté de foie gras but this room is another story altogether.

Top image from Interiors by Min Hogg. Exterior images by Manfred Heyde.