Baber House

Baber House, Macon, Georgia

2nd Floor Stair Hall, 1936

Mad Men Style: Part 2

Roger Sterling's office... I love the classical marble statue. Completely unexpected.

The faux draped fabric wallpaper in Sal's home is fantastic...

The Drapers' formal living room pre-'redecoration'... I love the wall color and the pair of Asian chairs are wonderful

The 'redecorated' living room...

The wall color is the same and the drapes are suspiciously similar. However, the pair of chairs and the Asian inspired sofa are great.

The lobby of Conrad Hilton's hotel in Rome... I love the columns and the gold-leaf domed ceiling...

A detail of one of the mosaic columns... fabulous

Roger Sterling's new office... so completely chic then, and still as stylish today. I could do without the mushroom shaped lamp, but the Saarinen desk and the black and white art work are to die for...

Sterling's home... I love the juxtaposition of the antiques such as the harp and the wood paneling with the modern leather and chrome furniture.

I can't wait for the next season...

Mad Men Style: Part 1

After having to watch a few episodes of the latest season against my will a few months ago, I've finally become a Mad Men devotee. I was told you have to watch them from the start and so I have... obsessively pressing "Play Next Episode" on Netflix every few nights. The acting is superb and the subject matter is surprisingly interesting. However, my favorite part, as with any film or theatrical performance, is the set...

 

This zebra patterned wallpaper feels so fresh and modern...

 

I love this gilded wall with silhouetted bamboo...

 

Miss Menken's Manhattan apartment is decidedly chic. The sofa, table lamps, side tables, and coffee table are all fantastic...

 

The Draper residence is pretty conventional... almost boring. However, these taupe chairs edged in a monochromatic trim are a definite favorite...

 

Betty Draper's family home... the portrait of her mother above the mantle is amazing...

 

The barn Betty Draper rides at couldn't be much more idyllic... not to mention I love this guy's crimson jodhpurs...

"... what the eye demands."

 "It matters not if the connection between base and cornice be maintained by actual pilasters or moldings, or by their painted or woven imitations. The line, and not the substance, is what the eye demands."

The Decoration of Houses, 1897

Edith Wharton & Ogden Codman, Jr

 

The iconic Institut Guerlain, Paris, decorated by Christian Berard

 

Fromental's Berard wallcovering... I love the fractured baseboard

 

Villa Barbaro, trompe l'oeil frescoes by Paolo Verenese... my favorite details are the ceremonial flags in the corners

 

The Opera Garnier's curtain... this building is one of the most sybaritic works of architecture ever created

 

The trompe l'oeil dome of Sant'Ignazio di Loyola in Rome... the first time I saw this I couldn't actually believe it wasn't real until I walked around the church

 

I'm not sure Wharton or Codman was talking about over-scaled bird cages... 

 

or mid-century bars...

but my eye demands both.

Obsession

By now, I think we're all familiar with my obsession with wallpaper... so you can imagine how my heart started to race when I saw this three panel Zuber et Cie screen at my favorite local antiques mall, 17 South Antiques here in Charleston.

It's priced at 1,495, right under 500 a panel, which makes it almost irresistible... 

we'll see...

de Gournay

Feeling that all of my recent posts have lacked any color, I decided to explore the website of the inimitable de Gournay. These are my three favorites:

 

 Deco Monkeys in Terracotta

Recently saw this published and loved the pattern... all colorways are fantastic but I can't help but love the contrast between this terracotta orange and the black monkeys...

 

 Clematis in Casino

Love the metallic silver background and the grass green leaves...

 

Butterflies in Monarch

Traditional in feel, but remains surprisingly fresh and modern...

All photographs courtesy of de Gournay

To Die For

Zuber Grisaille wallpaper screen.

From here.

19th Century Wallpaper

 Today I'm working on my Bachelor's Essay and as I sift through books on mid 19th century curtains, carpets, and furniture, I find myself increasingly distracted by the wallpaper. I love the hand blocked prints and their irregular discoloration... I wish I could buy them already distressed, tattered, and hanging from my walls.

 

A flocked Rococo design from the V&A collection, c. 1760

 

An amazing panel of panoramic wallpaper... I love the juxtaposition of the paper with the 1940s portrait and its unceremonious setting...

 

A 19th century hat box covered in period wallpaper... I wish I could find a top hat with that print on it...

 

The object of my research... the Aiken Rhett House double parlors. Untouched since 1918 and retaining their original 1830s empire furniture and 1850s French wallpaper. The house is preserved as-is rather than being restored, making it even more haunting and romantic.

Fornasetti, an Obsession

 

 I've been lusting after this book for months now... when I finally purchase it I know I'm going to have to block out a solid week to stay in my apartment and read every page... also, the fact that it is covered in faux malachite doesn't hurt either.

 

I've been meaning to amass an umbrella collection so I have a legitimate excuse to purchase this "Ruins" umbrella stand...

 

...and I'm definitely going to need my entrance hall or bathroom covered in this Cole & Son faux malachite Fornasetti wallpaper.

 

Amazing... and if it couldn't get better...

 

...when I saw the "Panoplies" secretary I realized I'm missing part of my soul... I have to be united with this piece of furniture.

 

I absolutely love these panels...

 

...and a desk covered in guns and keys? So incredible.

 

 

As much as I love the "Ruins" umbrella stand... I'm starting to think I'd give my left hand for this one.

 

 My own meager collection... expansion in progress. 

Things I Need NOW

 I love this antique harp case from Jayson Home & Garden an amazing online home store with the greatest new and vintage furniture...

 and this awesome little black bird from 1st Dibs...

 and I can't really imagine a more amazing mirror than this Fornasetti faux malachite and Greek key mirror...

if I can't have a live peacock, then I could definitely learn to be happy with this taxidermied one instead...

 and I could always make room for a gilt serpent... especially when there are two in twined around a convex mirror...

 

and I still haven't recovered from Carolle Thibaut-Pomerantz's antique wallpapers... she had a similar grisaille panel in her WAS booth as this French 19th century panel made by J. Dufour that I found on this amazing blog.

The Park Avenue Winter Antiques Show

The Park Avenue Winter Antiques Show is one of my favorite events. It's worth visiting just to see some of the period Aesthetic Movement rooms. The building is in the process of being restored, but I love it as is.

The loan exhibition this year was done by Historic Charleston Foundation which included one of my favorite Charleston paintings:

Portrait of Mrs. Robert Gilmor, Jr by Thomas Sully, 1823 

 Most of the dealers are amazing, these three were my favorites:

	Antique photography from Hans P. Kraus, Jr. Fine Photographs These amazing vintage lamps from Liz O'Brien
	and my favorite dealer, Carolle Thibaut-Pomerantz with her amazing antique wallpaper.