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).

The second exhibit, The World of Duncan Phyfe-The Arts of New York, 1800-1847  is a multimedia exhibit that opens Thursday, December 15, at the Hirschl and Adler Galleries and runs through February 17. Curated by gallery owners Stuart and Elizabeth Feld, it’s comprised of work made by Phyfe and his contemporaries in New York City, and shown alongside the work of other artisans of the time in wood, silver, porcelain, and metal. The show offers an unusual opportunity to buy museum quality work. Hirschl and Adler Galleries co-owner Elizabeth Feld says of the two exhibits, “For someone who loves design, it’s a field day,” says. Here’s an example of an early piece on display at the galleries:

Attributed to Duncan Phyfe, New York
The Ogden Family Work Table, about 1810-15
Satinwood and burl satinwood, partially ebonized, and mahogany, with gilt-brass paw toe caps and castors and drawer pulls, baize writing surface, and mirror plate
31 in. high, 21 ≤ in. wide, 14 π in. deep
Photo by the Helga Photo Studio

Says Feld, “Basically the word ‘Phyfe’ has become a very generic way of saying neoclassical, like Kleenex is a way to describe tissue. His name became the moniker for the aesthetic. Neoclassical keeps reinventing itself. He helped create an indigenous New York form of classicism, and because he was so successful, his name became attached to the style. Our show uses the nearly five-decade span when Phyfe was working in New York (he had emigrated from Scotland before 1800) to take a look at what was happening in the way of design and aesthetics in New York during that period. Phyfe was a tastemaker, and really helped to define the New York ‘brand’ of neoclassicism which developed around him. Our show includes furniture (by Phyfe and some of his direct competitors), porcelain, glass, silver, and lighting all made in New York or abroad for an American clientele. This is an area that our gallery specializes in and has done several other major exhibitions and books on over the years. This was a natural way to expand our outreach on this subject matter to those interested in the era. We are also including fine arts (paintings, prints, works on paper, sculpture) to help paint a portrait of this moment (albeit a long and changing one).”

Here’s a example of a Phyfe table from his middle years:

MIDDLE YEARS
Attributed to Duncan Phyfe, New York
Pier Table, about 1817-22
Rosewood, with poplar feet, gilded and painted verde antique, and an unidentified wood, with die-stamped brass inlay inset with rosewood, ormolu mounts, white marble, black-and-gold marble, and mirror plate
36 9/16 in. high, 42 in. wide, 20 π in. deep
Photo by Joshua Nefsky

Phyfe worked for 50 years, and during that time his style evolved, Feld says, from a light early style to a middle period of more florid neoclassicism (the phantasmagorical period my grandmother loved), infusing pieces with gryphons and lions, and ending with a period where he made form-based pieces that were very sculptural — their only added decor was the application of incredible tropical woods as veneers. The two pieces above are from the early and middle years, and the piece below from the late years, show that progression:

LATE CAREER
Attributed to Duncan Phyfe and Sons, New York
Center Table in the Restauration Taste, about 1837-40
Mahogany, with brass hardware and castors, 28 1/8 in. high, 36 in. diameter
Private collection
Photo by Joshua Nefsky

The exhibit at the Hirschl and Aldler Galleries is free and open to the public from Tuesday through Friday from 9:30 am to 5:30 pm, and on Saturdays from 9:30 am to 5:00 pm, and by appointment on Mondays at The Crown Building, 730 Fifth Avenue, 4th Floor (57th Street), New York, NY 10019, 212-535-8810.

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.

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

Czech Rhino Stamp Lamp by Monica Burke

The lamps are handmade of sturdy cotton with archival grade ink. I first saw Monica’s work when my daughter — who loves handmade things and likes to support emerging artists and craftswomen — gave one of her lamps as a wedding gift. The “Appearing Quote Typewriter” Lamp looks like an old typewriter with a fresh sheet of paper in it when unlit. When turned on, a quote appears — and you can pick the quote. She’ll customize it.

Monica Burke’s Appearing Quote Typewriter Lamp

The lamps are $48 at The Daily Grommet (http://bit.ly/vGUc0Q), and you can also find her work at etsy.com.

]]> http://www.traditionalhome.com/blogs/companion/2011/11/03/modern-shape-vintage-images-%e2%80%94-intriguing-handmade-lamps-at-a-reasonable-price/feed/ 0 http://www.traditionalhome.com/blogs/companion/2011/05/09/the-great-estate/ http://www.traditionalhome.com/blogs/companion/2011/05/09/the-great-estate/#comments Mon, 09 May 2011 20:05:11 +0000 Amy Bleier Long http://blogs.mydevstaging.com/blogs/companion/?p=2291

Last week, the Stately Homes by the Sea Designer Show House opened at Holly Hill, a Georgian colonial estate built in 1934 and located near Red Bank, New Jersey. All proceeds from the house benefit the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Jersey’s home care, hospice and community-based programs and services. Traditional Home is honored to sponsor this show house, where the talent of 42 designers and landscapers from New York and New Jersey is on display until June 12, 2011.

Visit hollyhillestate.com for a little more history behind the house and images of the house as it looked before the show house designers came in and worked their magic. And visit statelyhomesbythesea.com for ticket prices, dates and times of operation, and directions to the house.

And now, for a sneak peek of just some of the rooms on display at this year’s show house:

*all photographs by Stacy Kunstel

Usually attributed to trendy stores and hipster subculture, “pop-up shops” conjure images of impossibly long-lines, cooler-than-thou gadgets, and frenetic teenagers swooning over the latest iPhone case. One certainly doesn’t equate that kind of tchotchke-filled hut with the elegance of bespoke furniture and a venerable name. Check your preconceived notions at the door as the father-son duo that make up the legendary establishment F.P. Victoria & Son have turned that idea on its head and done just that–married the pop-up shop and handcrafted, classically inspired furniture for a first-rate, luxury shopping experience, to be sure.

What began in 1933 as an antique shop specializing in museum-quality English and Continental furniture, F.P. Victoria & Son quickly expanded into a full-fledged custom furniture manufacturing business when high-profile decorators and clients commissioned bespoke pieces based on the antiques they admired in Mr. Victoria’s inventory. Instead of red they wanted blue, instead of wood they wanted plaster, instead of tooled leather they wanted honed marble.  Serge Roche, Syrie Maugham, the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, and Elsie de Wolfe, are just a few of the dazzling names that top the roster of clients who requested custom pieces.  Mr. Victoria quietly grew both arms of the business and eventually his son, Tony Victoria, took the reins.

When the youngest of the Victoria men, Freddie Victoria, segued into the family business, there were warehouses full of rendering, drawings, sketches, and prototypes. The father-son team knew they were sitting atop a gold mine of beautifully imagined pieces and decided to curate what is now The F.P. Victoria & Son Collection.

Elegant grandeur reigns supreme with everything from life-size Maccassar wood and beveled mirror obelisks to shocking blue lacquer Pagoda-shaped etageres. Subtle beauty abounds when contemporary mirrors are treated with a dose of the age-old Venetian glass-cutting techniques historically employed on girly-girl dressing mirrors (think Marie Antoinette meets Jean Michel Frank). Customization continues as their specialty. Been longing for one of Billy Baldwin’s iconic brass étagères but want it with an oxidized nickel-plated finish?  No problem. Dreaming about a 19th-century hairdresser’s chair with a heart-shaped back? Too easy. This line of bespoke furniture was intended for the designer and the consumer who won’t settle for off-the-rack pedestrian pieces but yearn for special and one-of-a-kind show-stoppers.  They’ve even expanded their line to include more contemporary silhouettes like ebonized maple stacking chairs that are reminiscent of the 50’s Danish modern aesthetic.

And while this esteemed 3-generation business will be around as they have for the past 78 years, their tasteful version of a pop-up shop will only be in action for a hot, New York minute. If you’re lucky enough to be in NYC from May 3 through May 15, stop by The Silver Peacock on Park Avenue and 90th Street for a peek inside a treasure chest of exquisitely crafted furniture and bespoke finery.

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!

A powerful terra-cotta Mastiff, circa 1850, from Clinton Howell, the fair’s organizer and president of the League.

Never has the Armory looked more alive!

Helena Rubenstein's glow-in-the-dark Lucite sleigh bed (c. 1935) at Roger Prigent/1st Dibs

Do you even remember what shopping was like before 1^st Dibs?  Still, we miss the random encounter with a bold antique that suddenly crosses your path. Now you can have it both ways. The online powerhouse 1^st Dibs, which connects shoppers to 1,000 art and antiques dealers around the country (as well as Canada, Paris and London), just opened a loft-like pavilion at the New York Design Center (200 Lexington).  No longer confined to cyberspace, design devotee can now cruise the merch of some 50-plus dealers spread out across 33,000 square feet. The selection is tightly edited by  Michael Bruno and only the boldest, most beautiful objets make the cut.  This is a collection of art, antiques and furnishings with a point of view.

What’s different is that you get a real sense of a dealer’s style walking around their room-size booths. We fell in love with special exhibition curated by Roger Prigent of Malmaison. Does anyone not love the over-the-top, glow-in-the-dark Lucite sleigh bed that once belonged to makeup diva Helena Rubenstein? Mr. Prigent’s large shell mirror by Renzo Mongiardino is killer too. Love the lavender walls, sparkling Jansen chandelier and Palm tables by Serge Roche (1898-1988). The mood was very romantic and somehow exotic.FOUR STARS

The monochromatic black assemblages by Philadelphia artist Maria Nevelson are just the kind of random encounter that will keep you coming back for more. “She’s the granddaughter of Louise Nevelson,” explained dealer Eve Kelly Herman of Highland Park. Who knew? Check out the steampunk style furnishings at Get Back Inc.

What did you find?

Large shell mirror by Renzo Mongiardino and Jansen commode at Roger Prigent/1st Dibs

Bronze lobster wall clock, circa 1900 (Ophir Gallery)

Opalescent Murano glass chandelier, circa 1970/ Stellar Union booth

Josef Frank floral cabinet, 1940s/See Hostler Burrows booth

Italian chairs, 1940s

tell us where to find this Jansen mirror-top dining table