fabrics

Eloise Would Have Loved This Madcap Powder Room

Written on January 16, 2012 at 4:04 pm
By Rebecca Christian

Monkeys swinging from chandeliers and scarlet drapes with gold tassels—the decorating scheme of this powder room is “rawther fancy,” as Eloise, the little girl who lives in the Plaza Hotel, would put it.  The powder room—in the lovely Long Island home of Traditional Home reader Christina Merrill—has a delightful Eloise connection: Its murals on canvas were painted by Hilary Knight. Thereby hangs both a tail (a monkey’s) and a tale.

 

Powder Room Mural by Hilary Knight

 

Hilary Knight’s name may sound familiar, especially if you were ever a little girl or have ever read stories to one, because Knight is the illustrator of the beloved children’s book series, Eloise, by Kay Thompson. Like all the greats, Knight made it look easy. His fluid, whimsical illustrations—which are so spontaneous-looking you’d swear they were dashed off on a napkin—capture Eloise’s youthful insouciance. They also portray the bemusement of the hotel guests and staff as she confounds her guardians and orders from room service “one roast-beef bone, one raisin, and seven soup spoons.” (I love Eloise because at five, she was Not Pretty but was already a Person.)

 

 

Hilary Knight’s photo from the back over of the first Eloise book

Knight was only 29 when the first Eloise book came out, and the powder room murals, Christina Merrill believes, were painted even before then, probably in the late forties or early fifties. Currently adorning her own home in Long Island, they were originally painted for the powder room of the Manhattan apartment where she lived as a baby. Christina’s father, Joe Buhskin, was a jazz pianist who co-wrote Frank Sinatra’s first hit, “Look At Me Now,” and  played with Tommy Dorsey, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Bing Crosby, and other greats. (Go here for his rousing version of “I Love a Piano” — as the song’s lyrics say, he knew a fine way to treat a Steinway: http://bit.ly/zeShOj ). As a young man about town just out of the Navy (where his painting was confined to literally painting ships) Knight frequented clubs where Bushkin played, and the two suave gents became fast friends.

 

 

Joel Bushkin

 

The effervescent quality of the murals captures the nightclubby, martiniesque mood of mid-century Manhattan, where Knight painted them as a gift in the Bushkin apartment in River House on 52nd St., which is still an apartment house. The Bushkin family moved to California when Christina was young, but she met Knight on several occasions. “My three sisters and I loved going to the Plaza, and we were thrilled when he signed our copies of the Eloise books,” she says.

When her parents’ apartment was sold, an adult Christina loved the powder room so much she recreated it in her classic Long Island home, out of what had been a telephone room.  Her friend, interior designer Meg Braff, whose work we have featured in Traditional Home, designed the powder room with Christina’s input—and the artist’s. Christina had restoration specialists painstakingly remove Knight’s canvas murals from the Manhattan apartment and bring them to her Long Island home. She sent a town car to the city to fetch Knight for his input. (Knight was born in 1926 and is very much alive: hilaryknight.com). “I had hired an artist to help, and together they worked out how he wanted it to be. He was so gracious and friendly, and so glad that I had gone the extra mile with the murals,” she says. Designer Braff discovered some vintage Scalamandre gold tassels that look just like the tassels in the mural to tie back the new powder room’s scarlet drapes, a perfect touch for this powder room extraordinaire.

 

 

 

Powder Room Mural by Hilary Knight

 

By the way, Christina was one of the winners of our annual Classic Woman Awards last year for her work as founder of The Bone Marrow Foundation (bonemarrow.corg). She is also the mastermind behind Town Togs, which makes ties for boys and men, with a percentage of profits going to her charity (towntogs.com). The name comes from the idea of dressing up for trips into town, just as she and her sisters did as little girls and just as her three sons do today . Meanwhile, the Eloise legacy lives on at the Plaza, where you can visit the Eloise shop or throw an Eloise birthday party (theplaza.com).

Bid On Great Designer Before and After Items (And It’s For A Great Cause)!

Written on November 28, 2011 at 3:45 pm
By Rebecca Christian

Recently at our Classic Woman Awards luncheon in New York, I had the pleasure of  catching up with designer Jennifer Flanders (whose drop-dead gorgeous Manhattan apartment that she shares with two darling daughters we memorably featured in our magazine: http://bit.ly/tmP5fF).

Jennifer Flanders

 

I was pleased to discover that at our Classic Woman awards program a couple of years ago, Jennifer became so inspired by Classic Woman honoree Susan Fredman’s Designs for Dignity organization in Chicago that she decided to establish the same organization in New York. Designs for Dignity uses pro bono designer services, materials and finishes donated by manufacturers, vendors, clients and showrooms to create beautiful, healing spaces for nonprofits and residences that serve people in need (http://bit.ly/w1l6uS ). Its philosophy is that everyone has the right to live in a home they can be proud of, regardless of financial or social status.

For the New York branch’s project, Jennifer had the clever idea of challenging ten top designers to find old pieces of furniture to redesign, with the idea of auctioning them off at a charity event in New York December 1. (You don’t have to be there to bid on an item; in fact, you can do it online: http://bit.ly/rM2RJC). Here is a chair Jennifer herself redesigned with Amy Statuto.

 

BEFORE

 

AFTER

Jennifer says, “We felt this was an apropos way to raise funds because part of what Designs for Dignity does is take advantage of all the waste and excess in the design industry. We are using the fundraiser to show ways in which old pieces of furniture can be given new life and re-used rather than thrown away.  We have a wonderful group of designers donating both their time and resources to this event, and we are hopeful that not only will this effort raise funds to help our NY chapter get off the ground, but it will also raise awareness in the NY design community.”

 

Laura Bohn Associates designed the two-drawer chest below:

 

BEFORE

AFTER

The event, a cocktail reception and auction where the upcycled items can be viewed, is Thursday evening, December 1, from 6 to 9 p.m at Newel’s new showroom at 425 E. 53rd St. Tickets are available online for $75 and at the door for $90.  It’s sponsored by VandM, which sells vintage furniture, antiques,  fine art and jewelry from around the world online (vandm.com). Designers represented are Bradley Stephens, Kevin Walz, Laura Bohn Design Associates, Drew McGukin, Christopher Coleman, Etienne Coffinier and Ed Ku of Coffinier Ku Design, Jim Aman and John Meeks, Jennifer Flanders and Amy Statuto, and Doug and Gene Meyer.

 

101 Things I Hate About Your House

Written on November 11, 2011 at 4:02 pm
By Rebecca Christian

That headline caught your attention, didn’t it? Me, too. It’s also the clever title of a witty and useful new book by designer Jim Swan, who promises readers he’ll take them on a room to room tour to transform their homes from faux pas to fabulous. He delivers.

Between the comatose houseplants, the blinding entryway light  meant to discourage bad guys from wandering up to my vestibule from the nearby freeway but more suitable for interrogating prisoners than welcoming guests, the stack of catalogs on (where else?) the dining room table, the furniture pushed up against the wall like redneck mothers, the faint and to me, a dog lover, not necessarily unpleasant whiff of canine I don’t always remember to temper with a candle scented with what a chemist for Walmart thinks orange blossoms smell like, I saw myself on almost every page.

The books is full of fun color illustrations, like this dowager’s beringed hand in desperate search for a coaster on which to lay her ‘tini.

Swan writes, “Often to be pitied is the guest who approaches, sweaty glass in hand, clearly intending to perch on a pouf and join in the riotous conversation. Perching complete, she looks for that small but monumentally important 3 1/2 inch shield with which she can honor her host and aid in protecting the costly table top on which her dripping drink wants to be placed….It’s fair trade, in my opinion if the French polish on that walnut-marquetry candlestand becomes ghosted and ringed with water spots.”

He also rails against too-high piles of pillows that become kitty jungle gyms. (Um, do they still call them “jungle gyms?” That is my phrase, not the author’s).

The book would make a fun gift for a friend who wants to improve the look of his or her home (and isn’t so thin-skinned they’ll take it as a hint instead of a present.) Or you might want to get it for yourself — Swan’s commonsensical advice tells you what you already know but tend to forget as the detitrus of life piles up around you and the force of habit makes you blind to your own surroundings. I, for one, am going to do something about my graveyard for dead appliances. Order the book ((HCI) for about $13 from amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Things-About-House-Room-Room/dp/0757315674

You also might want to check out the book’s quirky Facebook page. http://www.facebook.com/pages/James-Swan-and-101-Things-I-Hate-About-Your-House/374081828267

Design on a Dime!

Written on May 5, 2011 at 2:13 pm
By Amy Bleier Long

We are proud to again sponsor Design on a Dime, a fantastic fundraiser benefitting Housing Works, which is an organization working to end AIDS and homelessness. More than 50 top designers have created vignettes and every item in the vignettes – including new housewares, furniture, and linens – are for sale at 50-70% off retail prices. Proceeds of sales benefit a new housing project in Brooklyn which will provide a home for previously homeless adults living with HIV/AIDS.

Suysel de Pedro Cunningham and Anne Maxwell Foster of Tilton Fenwick (one of our 20 New Traditionals) designed a vignette for us (sneak peek above).

The opening reception tonight is completely sold out, which is great because the event is a fundraiser, and the largest crowd ever is expected. But the sale will be open to the public, for free, through Saturday night:

Friday, May 06, 2011 – Saturday, May 07, 2011  10am-6pm

Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 W. 18th St. (btwn. 6th & 7th Ave.) New York, NY

If you’re in Manhattan this weekend, shop these spectacular rooms and support a wonderful cause!

Dedar cushion launch

Written on October 5, 2010 at 4:56 pm
By Amy Bleier Long

Sometimes we get to put down our pens, notepads, and cameras and celebrate a new product or collaboration. Italian textile house Dedar hosted a colorful evening at their Bergdorf Goodman installation to officially launch their new, first-ever retail product line.

Owners, and siblings, Caterina and Raffaele Fabrizio celebrate their new venture.

I previously provided a tiny sneak peek of Dedar’s new cushions on Facebook, but I love the bright, saturated colors of the mix-and-match pillows. They are made from 100% cotton satin Tabularasa fabric with a variety of available trim options. Available only at Bergdorf Goodman, the cushions range from $250 for a 10″ by 16″ lumbar to $375 for a 20″ square.

 

We’ve featured Dedar’s to-the-trade fabrics and trim in the past, but I like that these are an easy way to accessorize on your own, still using high quality fabric. And I think I’m not the only one. Another fan:

 

Movin’ on up to the East Side: 38th annual Kips Bay Decorator Show House

Written on August 19, 2010 at 6:43 pm
By Amy Bleier Long

This week, we received the wonderful news that the Kips Bay Decorator Show House has found a home for 2010 and is underway. Normally presented in the spring, this year’s previously-secured property fell through because someone purchased the townhouse and wanted to move in right away, forcing the project to be postponed.

The new house marks the 38th year of the event and fundraiser, which garners about $1 million each year for the Kips Bay Boys & Girls Club, and receives 20,000 visitors over a four-week period. The non-profit Boys & Girls Club serves more than 13,000 children by providing after-school and enrichment programs at 10 locations in the Bronx.

A recently-renovated 17-room mansion at 106 E. 71st St in Manhattan was selected and will feature the work of designers such as Vicente Wolf, Katie Ridder, and Sherrill Canet (a full list of designers is at the Show House’s website). I can’t wait to tour it and see each designer’s inspiring ideas and applications.

The house is open to the public starting October 14 and remains open until November 11. Tickets are $30 and include the journal and sourcebook.
 
Here are a few highlights from recent past Kips Bay houses:

For those of you who said you like mixing modern art into your decor, this room from Jed Johnson Home (2007, photo: John M. Hall Photography) is one of my all-time favorites.

 
 

A beautiful feminine bedroom from Charlotte Moss, 2008 (photo: Francis Smith)

 
 

In Philip Gorrivan‘s tailored bedroom, art doubles as a compelling headboard (2008)

 
 

Looking from the living room into the dining room, both designed by Stephen Miller Siegel (2008)

 
 

A dramatic chandelier captures attention in this 2006 room by Larry Laslo. (photo: Evan Joseph/Alex Barrymore)

 
 

Another example of Jamie Drake‘s phenomenal command of color (2007, photo: Nick Johnson).

designer visions

Written on July 28, 2010 at 1:15 pm
By Amy Bleier Long

The proliferation of the Internet, social media, apps, and online collaboration has prompted a handful of interior designers to offer their expertise online at discounted rates, the caveat being that you do the measuring and the shopping. But that means you can set the budget and timeline, and have a little fun!

So far I haven’t come across a service that is as much of a bargain as Designer at Home. And if you haven’t yet used an interior designer—or are on a budget—this might be for you.

Read more

bon anniversaire!

Written on May 14, 2010 at 1:16 pm
By Amy Bleier Long

This week, Sabine and I visited Pierre Frey for a presentation honoring the family-owned company’s 75th anniversary.

“Exhibition 1935-1955: Inspiration & Realism of Fabrics” celebrates the whimsy of Pierre Frey’s early years and brings to New York a curated collection of textiles, drawings, and paintings usually held in their Parisian archives. The beautiful patterns are lively, and feel as fresh now as ever.

Read more

SPRING FORWARD: MAYA ROMANOFF at BERGDORF GOODMAN

Written on March 16, 2010 at 2:09 pm
By Sabine Rothman

Speaking of psychedelic—we were, weren’t we?—you just have about a week left to visit Amy Lau’s installation for Maya Romanoff on the 7^th floor of Bergdorf Goodman, a venerable NYC department store that often delivers avant-garde goods—and the best venue for lunching ladies.

Read more

How Color-Confident Are You?—Lessons from the Old World

Written on February 9, 2010 at 1:00 pm
By Candace Ord Manroe

I’ve always admired the Europeans for their bold confidence with color. (Eighteenth-century English country houses equal sunshine-yellow walls, right?) Fast forward to today’s offerings of raspberry, fuchsia, acid green—nothing meek about these hues, yet  Europeans love them. And not the way we do in America. For example, the French, English, Italians, and Spanish don’t confine these fresh-to-brazen palettes to their teens’ rooms or to modern-only spaces. Or even to a single space in need for a swift kick of coomph, as we Americans tend to do.

That’s what so great about how the Old World embraces color. They have no problem upholstering an 18th-century French settee in an up-to-the-minute fuchsia or grape.

Read more