Cautious Curtains

The trend lately has been to have very cautious curtains. Truthfully there are many times when a room calls for plain curtains. Take for example, a rustic cottage or a chalet in the mountains. A profusion of delicate passementerie there would feel unsuitable to the architecture and at odds with the honest charm of such spaces. 

Then there are all of the over-the-top treatments from the 1980s that ignored architecture and scale. To make matters worse, the styles of this decadent decade were often rendered in inappropriate materials and by less than masterful hands. The resulting imprint has been a vulgar one, which is a shame as it’s cast collective doubt over a centuries-old craft. 

But it’s not all doom and gloom. John Fowler (above photo) may have been the master of curtains, but there are many others carrying on his tradition or reviving the craft in new and unexpected ways. Let’s take a look:

Alex Papchristidis

Nicky Haslam

Howard Slatkin

Miles Redd

A Piece of Hambleden

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. 

Easton Gray House

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.

Marvelous Collaboration

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