The Devoted Classicist

A Kips Bay Show House room by Robert K. Lewis
featured in an ad for F.J. Hakimian.
Architectural Digest, January 1990.

In the days prior to internet exposure, decorator showhouse rooms were often an ephemeral commodity. Although a popular venue such as the Kips Bay Decorator Show House in Manhattan would have several thousand visitors a day during the 3 to 4 weeks duration, a photo record of the rooms was not guaranteed to be otherwise circulated. Sometimes, a newspaper would photograph a room or two, but that usually would not extend to out-of-town editions. In the 1990s, vendors who had supplied their products for these rooms might place a glossy advertisement in a national magazine, however, that featured the room and its designer. The rug vendors were particularly helpful in promoting these showhouse rooms that might otherwise have not been seen across the country. One of most appreciated series of these advertisements were those done by the firm F.J. Hakimian who headlined their ads with "Who chose the Hakimian?".

The Kips Bay Show House room by Juan Pablo Molyeux
also featured a ceiling commissioned from
Anne Harris Painting Studio loosely based on
Michelangelo's "Last Judgement"
that depicted the decorator's face on an angel.

Typically, the Kips Bay Decorator Show House is located in an Upper East Side townhouse that is on the market for sale. (There have been instances, however, that such a property was not available). Usually there are at least a few rooms that already have architectural interest, but the others depend entirely on the décor for success. In any case, the foundation of any decorating scheme can always benefit from a terrific floor covering. Both Robert K. Lewis and Juan Pablo Molyneux benefited from their rooms have good 'bones' as well.

A Kips Bay Show House room by Mario Buatta
featured in an ad for Stark Carpet.
Architectural Digest, June 1991.

Mario Buatta does his best work when he is his own client; his show house rooms are never a disappointment, and often the most memorable of the year. This room, pictured, also benefited from good, existing architectural detailing, but the real spark came from the talent of the decorator, putting all the furnishings together to create an attractive room. Here Stark Carpet was the patron who featured the room in an advertisement. First with the addition of Old World Weavers fabrics, and now including Lelievre, Fonthill and Grey Watkins fabrics among others, the conglomerate known as Stark has become an even more prestigious To-The-Trade source, and promoter of show house designers.

A Kips Bay Show House room by Arthur E. Smith
featured in an ad for Stark Carpet.
Architectural Digest, November 1992.

The room decorated by Arthur E. Smith was in the same 1992 show house at 32 East 70th Street, New York City, as Molyneux's drawing room, but located on the fifth floor. A former protégé and business partner of legendary decorator Billy Baldwin who took over the office at the elder's retirement, only the use of sisal and kraft paper lampshades give a nod to his mentor. The late Mr. Smith, who also had an especially stylish antiques shop, was a well-respected talent in the NY area, but not particularly well known across the country (until his connection with gallery owner and accused killer Andrew Crispo was publicized).

A Kips Bay Show House room by Michael LaRocca
featured in an ad for F.J. Hakimian.
Architectural Digest, June 1993.

A gothic revival library was decorated by Michael LaRocca for the 1991 Kips Bay Show House at 121 East 73rd Street. The 1908 Federal Revival townhouse is located across the street from a John Tackett Design project at 128 East 73rd Street which held his field office for almost two years, coincidently, so this writer was very familiar with the house. (Additionally, assistance was provided to Mariette Himes Gomez who decorated the dining room for the same show house: a photo from a previous post may be seen here.)

A Kips Bay Show House room by Justin Baxter
featured in an ad for Stark.
Architectural Digest, December, 1993.

Despite the prestigious neighborhood, the 1993 Kips Bay Show House at 813 Park Avenue was in an awful apartment building consisting of a maze of rooms. The renovated spaces were all poorly proportioned and some had ceilings less than eight feet high. Justin Baxter had one of these less-than-desirable rooms, but did an admirable job of pulling it together with the use of striped wallpaper and mirrors.

A room by Bennet & Judie Weinstock
featured in an ad for Stark.
Architectural Digest, April 1994.

Based in Philadelphia, the husband-wife team of Bennet & Judie Weinstock have been regular participants in the Kips Bay Decorator Show Houses over the years. This writer does not happen to remember this particular room, however, although it is assumed to have been a show house presentation.

A Kips Bay Show House room by Dennis Rolland
featured in an ad for Stark.
Architectural Digest, September 1996.

This sitting room by Dennis Rolland was remembered, however, and thought to have been featured in the 1994 Kips Bay Show House which was a double Georgian Revival townhouse designed by architect Charles Platt for Sara Delano Roosevelt and built 1907-08. In addition to the large red-pencil drawings that decorated the room, another notable feature was the soft gray ceiling which was reportedly colored with graphite.

A Kips Bay Show House room by Kenneth Alpert
featured in an ad for Stark.
Architectural Digest, March 1997.

The sitting room by Kenneth Alpert is another that, sadly, this writer cannot identify by year or address. But it featured a whole range of Stark products, most notably the popular carpet pattern of leopard spots and roses designed by Mrs. Stark, herself.

A Kips Bay Show House room by Scott Salvator
featured in an ad for Stark.
Southern Accents, March/April 2001.

Scott Salvator is another Kips Bay regular and this writer is not sure of the date or address of this decorator show house. Notably, Mr. Salvator has also designed showrooms and offices for the Stark Carpet group.

A note of appreciation goes to both Hakimian and Stark for showcasing these interesting rooms and their designers in their advertisements over the years.

A double-height Drawing Room
decorated by Mark Hampton.
Photo by Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

Having worked with a number of 'name' interior designers, I am often asked if there are formulas for decorating. Yes and no. There are some themes that are often used in developing an interior décor and one is what I have termed the Single Fabric Scheme. Popular for years and still used today by both professionals and amateurs alike, the concept is based on choosing one particular fabric for a room and then using it on just about everything. Success largely depends, as you might imagine, on the fabric. Also, all of the furnishings and the architecture of the room must be able to be compatible with the unyielding effect of the material. An example of the Single Fabric Scheme may be seen in this project decorated by Mark Hampton.

The Drawing Room of a townhouse
decorated by Mark Hampton.
Photo by Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

Featured in the April, 1983, issue of Architectural Digest, this Beekman Place, New York City, townhouse belongs to Dr. and Mrs. Lorenzo Mendoza of Caracas, bought by his parents in the 1940s. Blessed with a big, double-height Drawing Room, the article said the house served as a family meeting place for the six children who were in school in the U.S. Following the Sister Parish practice of providing three seating groups - themes of furniture arrangement will follow in future posts - a sofa faces the fireplace while two others flank the chimney breast.

The seating group opposite the fireplace
in the Drawing Room.
Photo by Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

The same silk damask from Brunschwig & Fils covers two of the sofas, two upholstered club chairs, a set of four slipper chairs, a pair of folding screens, a tufted pouf, the walls above the chair rail, and the swagged curtains of an enormous window. Welcome relief is provided by a suite of nineteenth-century, gilded, Louis XVI style chairs and canapé covered in Aubusson tapestry. Silk of a creamy pink color is used for a pair of round, draped tables and fringed accent cushions. A rug made from multi-colored, patterned Stark carpeting also offers some variation in the scheme.

The Library of the Beekman Place townhouse
decorated by Mark Hampton.
Photo by Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

The Library overlooking the Drawing Room has walls painted with a glazed lacquer effect in dark green to match the linen velvet upholstery. This would be considered a variation of the Single Fabric Scheme. A patterned Stark carpet in dark green and cream also coordinates with the cream painted millwork and cabinetry. Hampton's associate Lino Correia was credited in assisting in the additions and changes to architectural details.

The Master Bedroom decorated by Mark Hampton.
Photo by Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

The Master Bedroom is another variation of the scheme. Although the same floral chintz is used for all the upholstery and bedspread, another fabric - a subtle strie - was used for the curtains.

The Dining Room decorated by Mark Hampton.
Photo by Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

It appears that the same bedroom curtain fabric was used for curtains in the Dining Room. And it also appears that the same carpet from the Library was used again here. Although the text makes no mention of the wall decoration, The Devoted Classicist guesses that it is the work of noted decorative painter Robert Jackson. The elements of the fretwork pattern work out too perfectly not to have been custom painted for the room.

The Entrance Hall painted by Robert Jackson.
Photo by Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

The text does reveal that Robert Jackson painted the walls of the Entrance Hall with the Chinese-inspired design. Robert was one of this country's best decorative painters in the second half of the century, and his work is always a delight to see. (For a look at a room painted by Robert Jackson for two of my own projects, click here and here).

Is the Single Fabric Scheme a good approach to interior decoration? As seen here, it cannot be carried through a whole house or apartment without at least some variation, room after room, but it can be an effective solution for one space in a residence. The advantages of this approach are many; it is relatively easy, and if the designer's fee is based on a mark-up, bolts of an expensive fabric rack up a big commission fast. But whether it is the best approach is a matter of preference.

Alec Cobbe in the room now used as a Library
at Hatchlands Park, his home in Surrey, England.
Photo by Simon Brown for Architectural Digest.

Pick up just about any design/shelter magazine and it is clear that the art of picture hanging is just that -- an art, not to mention a talent that is often under appreciated. But a great master in the arrangement of pictures is Alec Cobbe, a painter-designer-musician who lives at Hatchlands Park, a National Trust property in Surrey, England.

Hatchlands Park.
Photo by Simon Brown for Architectural Digest.

Cobbe sees both the paintings and the furniture as integral to the whole interior decoration scheme. He has been a pioneer in the revival of awareness of how paintings have been hung in the past. He contends that in any collection there are stars, and levels of quality down from that. It is important to put the best pictures in prominent locations and then group the others to benefit. "Quality, size and subject matter are all important," Cobbe was quoted to say in an interview for the March 1996 issue of Architectural Digest. "It's no use having an ideal hang in mind, then lamenting that the collection doesn't fit the glove. It's a question of manufacturing a glove that fits."

The Salon at Hatchlands Park as it appears
in the March 1996 issue of Architectural Digest.
Note the medallion heads of the pins holding the picture wires.

Alec Cobbe also said, "In a room of architectural merit, you can't ignore the volume, the dimensions. Rehanging pictures can change your entire perception of a space. Until 1900 it was considered normal to hang densely -- three, even four tiers deep -- something architects must have had in mind when they designed tall rooms. The twentieth-century reaction to Victorian clutter has encouraged us to hang pictures in isolation. They may gain clarity and be seen in better light that way, but they do lose their original architectural role."

Originally the dining room but now called the Salon.
The chimneypiece was carved 1758-60 from
a design by Robert Adam.
A.E. Henson photo from Country Life magazine, 01/10/1953.

The red walls of the Salon came to be when Cobbe learned that the red silk in one of the galleries of the Wallace Collection was being replaced and he could have it if he took it away immediately. Red is the traditional background for old-master paintings. The ceiling of the Salon had already painted and gilded, but Cobbe introduced dark blue paint into the frieze to give it the visual weight that was needed. It was not a historical judgment, but rather an aesthetic one.

The bay window of the room now called the Salon.
A.E.Henson photo from Country Life magazine, 01/10/1953.

Although the original owner, Admiral Edward Boscowen had hired Robert Adam for the interiors, some elements were never realized and others were changed in the nineteenth century. So Cobbe did not treat the interiors as a late eighteenth-century Adam restoration. Originally the dining room, the red Salon features a 1758-60 Adam chimneypiece.

The Dining Room at Hatchlands Park as it appears
in the March 1996 issue of Architectural Digest.

In the Dining Room, Cobbe designed arabesque panels which he painted with the help of his assistants. Cobbe explained, "The sources of the scheme include Girard's work for the prince regent at Carlton House."

The Drawing Room of Hatchlands Park as it appears
in the March 1996 issue of Architectural Digest.

Cobbe chose light gray and gold for the walls of the Drawing Room to give it a slightly French feel. The details of the paneling are very fine and the Erard pianoforte made for Marie Antoinette is there, adjacent to the fireplace. Note that the larger paintings are hung from chains suspended from brass rods. Art lighting here and in the Salon is from wall-mounted, goose-neck picture lights with shades of a shell motif.

The walls of the Library are green, Cobbe says, because "that's a good color for a room where one would want to sit, read, and drink coffee," he says. "And I never do one flat color, but endless washes of thin color until the depth is right."

The Library, originally the drawing room,
as published in Country Life magazine, 01/10/1953.

Part of Cobbe's collection of paintings, watercolors, and drawings that he had done himself over the years is displayed in the Hall.

Art by Alec Cobbe is displayed in the Hall
of Hatchlands Park.
Photographed by Simon Brown for Architectural Digest.

I met Alec Cobbe when our Attingham class visited the house. After Hatchlands Park had been presented as a gift, largely unfurnished, to Britain's National Trust, a deal was made with Cobbe, known from projects he had worked on for the National Trust, to become a tenant and refurbish the interiors for his studio, design offices, and residence. The grand rooms of the main floor are open to the public on a limited basis and house his collection of about forty historic keyboard instruments in a domestic museum setting. Cobbe played many of the instruments for my class, including pianos that had belonged to Mahler, Bach, and Chopin, music that was composed on the very keyboards in some instances.

The Music Room at Hatchlands Park
photographed by Simon Brown for Architectural Digest.

Concerts are sometimes given in the Music Room by Cobbe and other musicians. The domed space was a1902 addition designed by architect Reginald Blomfield who also designed the organ case.

As a footnote, Devoted Readers will appreciate that David Mees, former assistant to Alec Cobbe, has a most interesting blog, Mad About Interiors.

Andrée Putman.
Photo via tumblr.com

Some other issues in the life of The Devoted Classicist last January prevented the mention of the passing of design legend Andrée Putman at age 87. A current web-article in 1st Dibs Introspective offered a tribute to Madame, leaving a reminder that mention here was long-overdue.

Andrée Putman.
Photo via DeZeen.

I had the great pleasure of first meeting Andrée Putman in 1980 when I was an employee of Beyer-Blinder-Belle Architects & Planners in New York City. The firm had been hired by Phyllis & Fred Pressman (of the store Barney's) to renovate a beach house in Southampton, Long Island, they had just bought. The office was set up as a team format and I was assigned to contribute as the historic preservation component. It was a 1920s Norman style cottage with the most charming potential, sited directly on the dunes. Sadly, it was that location that proved to do its undoing, and long-story-short, the house was demolished before much design development to renovate the existing house was accomplished. But, fortunately, I was on the team long enough to meet the Parisian interior designer that the Pressmans hired for the project, Andrée Putman. Her concept was to decorate the house, not in the French provincial style, but with classic modern furnishings from the 1920s and 30s, and a monochromatic color scheme in only black, white, and grays. My friend Peter DeWitt was project architect and he designed a new house that was a larger, somewhat post-modern version of the original house and it was furnished as planned by Putman. (Although Fred Pressman died in 1996, Phyllis Pressman, who remarried, still owns the house to my understanding).

Ecart's 'Satellite Mirror' by Eileen Gray, 1927.
Photo via Ecart, Ralph Pucci.

Andrée Putman did not become well-known in the U.S., however, until the 1984 success of Morgans Hotel in New York City. It opened to great fanfare at the forefront of the rise in the trend of boutique hotels in this country and helped make Putman a 'name' in the U.S. design media.

Ecart's 'Bergere' by Jean-Michel Frank, 1930.
Photo via Ecart, Ralph Pucci.

Andrée Putman's fame in hotel decoration followed with acclaim for other prestigious interior design projects, including the interior scheme for Air France's Concorde. But Putman's greatest influence in twentieth-century design was through her furniture company Ecart, available in the U.S. through Ralph Pucci. As well as producing some of Putman's own designs, Ecart ("trace" spelled backwards) re-issued some of the great designs of the 1920s and 30s by Jean-Michel Frank, Eileen Gray, Robert Mallet-Stevens, and others, making them available after decades out of production. Studio Putman has been headed by daughter Olivia Putman since her mother's retirement several years ago.

More about Andrée Putman may be found in books available for purchase at discount from The Devoted Classicist Library. The 2005 book by Stephane Gerschel, PUTMAN STYLE, gives biographical information as well as examples of her work. The 2009 book ANDREE PUTMAN: COMPLETE WORKS by Donald Albrecht, curator of architecture and design at the Museum of the City of New York, is a monograph of the grand dame's work from 1980.

Those reading The Devoted Classicist by email subscription may visit the full website to leave comments (Anonymous submittals cannot be published), search the blog for labels, and browse the archive of past posts.

Broadlands.
Photo by Derry Moore for Architectural Digest.

Broadlands is a handsome house in Hampshire near Romsey that is best known as the residence of the late Earl and Countess Mountbatten of Burma. But it also earned a footnote as the early destination of two royal honeymoons: Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip in 1947, and the Prince and Princess of Wales in 1981. However, Devoted Readers will know it as once the location of a particularly lovely set of panels painted by Rex Whistler; the previous post of The Devoted Classicist about these panels may be read here.

Broadlands, Hampshire.
Photo by Derry Moore for Architectural Digest.

Before the Dissolution of the Monasteries by Henry VIII, the original manor belonged to Romsey Abbey, pre-dating the Norman Conquest of the 11th century. In 1547, Broadlands was sold to Sir Francis Fleming whose daughter married into the St. Barbe family, who lived on the manor for the next 117 years. Henry Temple, 1st Viscount Palmerston, bought Broadlands in 1736 and started, with the advice of William Kent, to deformalize the gardens from the house to the river. Kent changed the course of the river Test to sweep towards the house and created a slight slope down to the river, the broad-lands. Lancelot "Capability" Brown, the famed architect and landscape designer, was brought in to refine the transformation in 1767, and his vision of making the Tudor and Jacobean manor house into a symmetrical, creamy brick Palladian mansion was completed by architect Henry Holland.

The river Test with farmlands beyond.
The first settlements in this valley date from
the fifth century when Saxons sailed up the river.
Photo by Derry Moore for Architectural Digest.

Edwina Mountbatten (who was briefly profiled in the earlier post for commissioning the Whistler decoration) inherited Broadlands in 1939, during World War II, and the house was adapted for use as a hospital. After returning from India where Lord Louis Mountbatten was the last viceroy, then governor general, the house was refurbished. The twenty-seven room Victorian "bachelor wing" was pulled down and the Georgian architecture and décor was highlighted. Entertaining resumed with lavish weekend house parties attended by high-society guests, much like the grand style of the 1930s, with only small concessions to a reduction of staff. The Mountbattens had two daughters, Patricia and Pamela, who married famed decorator David Hicks. (Patricia and Pamela, by the way, are first cousins to the husband of Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh).

Lord Louis Mountbatten, 79, was assassinated in 1979 when the Irish Republican Army blew up his boat in Donegal Bay, Ireland. Also killed were a young boatsman, Mountbatten's 14 year old grandson Nicholas and the boy's grandmother, Dowager Lady Brabourne. Patricia Mountbatten Knatchbull succeeded as The Countess Mountbatten of Burma, and her son who inherited Broadlands, was known with his wife as Lord and Lady Romsey, a courtesy title; after the 2005 death of Patricia's husband, the Romseys took the subsidiary title of Lord and Lady Brabourne.

The Romseys at Broadlands, circa 1983.
Photo via Daily Mail.

David Hicks was glad to be asked to help with the house's decoration when it was inherited by his wife's nephew. In an April, 1983, article in Architectural Digest, Hicks says, "I've been longing to get my hands on those rooms for twenty-two years." These photos show the Hicks arrangements of the rooms at that time. "Pale colors," Hicks said, "are what Lady Romsey wanted, and what better for a pretty blonde in an eighteenth-century house?"

The ornamented plaster paneling in the Saloon by Joseph Rose dates from 1767, during Lord Palmerston's residency. Adamesque gilt sofas and chairs of the same period are grouped around the fireplace and an Aubusson rug on strips of neutral velvet-pile carpeting sized to the room. Bookcases now house Lord Mountbatten's collection of Sevres and Meissen that had been arranged by his brother-in-law, King Gustav of Sweden, a porcelain expert.

The Drawing Room at Broadlands, circa 1983.
Photo by Derry Moore for Architectural Digest.

Palmerston family portraits flank the fireplace in the Drawing Room. Note the placement of picture lights and the table-top lamps for the lower paintings. It is a tradition for pots of azaleas to decorate the room each spring.

The Dining Room at Broadlands, circa 1983.
Photo by Derry Moore for Architectural Digest.

David Hicks chose a vibrant yellow for the walls of the Dining Room to compliment four portraits by van Dyck. This room shows the influence of Hicks the most, with the blue and yellow carpet of classical motifs and the set of ten armchairs at the table. The bulk of the silver collection shown here consists of pieces given to the Mountbattens as gifts during their stay in India.

The Wedgwood Room at Broadlands, circa 1983.
Photo by Derry Moore for Architectural Digest.

Afternoon tea is served in the Wedgwood Room with a suite of Empire seating pulled up to a round table in front of the fireplace. Sir Peter Lely painted the portraits of Barbara Villiers and Lady Annabella Howe. Henry Holland the Younger designed the room in 1788.

The Portico Room at Broadlands, circa 1983.
Photo by Derry Moore for Architectural Digest.

The Bedroom known as the Portico Room uses chintz that had been ordered in 1854 for the royal yacht, the first named the Victoria and Albert (later renamed the Osborne). Broadlands is open to the public late June to early September; see the Broadland Estates website here.

Lord Braburne, right, with his son Nicholas, 2012.
Photo via Daily Mail.

Lord Braburne left Broadlands for the Bahamas in 2010, leaving his wife Penny for his mistress, according to the British tabloids. He now lives in the Belgravia section of London, according to reports. After a period of addiction to crack cocaine and heroin, son Nicholas (named for his uncle killed by the IRA) is now clean according to the Daily Mail, and on track to eventually become the Earl Mountbatten, inheriting Broadlands and the associated fortune.

The Sitting Room of a Parisian apartment
decorated by Alidad.
Photo by Simon Upton for House & Garden.

The London furniture and fabric designer known as Alidad is also an interior designer. (The firm was mentioned in a previous post of The Devoted Classicist in reference to furniture designed by Thomas Messel that may be read here). A relatively small but richly layered apartment overlooking Paris' Place des Vosges decorated for a client was featured in the October, 2007, issue of House & Garden magazine.

Details of the Sitting Room decorated by Alidad.
Photo by Simon Upton for House & Garden.

The sunny Sitting Room is dominated by a wall-size Aubusson Louis XV tapestry, one of the designer's trademarks. The walls are covered with a modern damask fabric the color of topazes to emphasize the jewel tone theme. A concealed door replaces the conventional doorway so that the expanse of wall is unbroken. The tufted gold velvet sofa is trimmed with a bullion fringe overlaid with braided tassels. A side table is covered with fabric Alidad designed for Pierre Frey. Strips of gold metal trim give the effect of hiding seams, as done when damask was woven on narrow looms. The 1920s sconce is by Baguès.

The Chinese Boudoir decorated by Alidad.
Photo by Simon Upton for House & Garden.

The daybed designed by Alidad for
the Chinese Boudoir.
Photo by Simon Upton for House & Garden.

A Chinese Boudoir was created with paneling decorated in imitation of red lacquer with motifs in white gold and yellow gold. The custom made daybed is adorned with cushions made from a seventeenth-century needlepoint tapestry valance. Panes of antiqued mirrored glass are interspersed to reflect the candlelight and give an expansive effect.

The Dining Room decorated by Alidad.
Photo by Simon Upton for House & Garden.

Vintage velvet covers the chairs with golden trim in the Dining Room with the table covered in red silk damask. The effect of a 16th-17th century coffered ceiling is given by the trompe l'oeil painting from which a Louis XIV Genoese gilt-wood chandelier hangs.

Details of the Dining Room's leather wallcovering.
Photo by Simon Upton for House & Garden.

Candlelight is used in the Dining Room to further the effect of the Old World mood. Leather wallcovering with the tree of life motif stamped in foil and hand-painted pink flowers and green leaves against a blue background adds another rich layer.

Details of the Passage to the Dining Room.
Photo by Simon Upton for House & Garden.

A Passage outside the Dining Room is lined with cupboards to store dishes and glasses behind concealed doors. The parquetry effect is actually trompe l'oeil painting, by the same (unidentified) artist who decorated the floors and ceilings.

Alidad at the Sitting Room window.
Photo by Simon Upton for House & Garden.

A new book on the work of Alidad will be released October 15, 2013. Featuring apartments in London and Paris, villas in Beirut and Kuwait, and seaside homes in Sardinia and Cornwall, ALIDAD, THE TIMELESS HOME may be ordered at a discounted price with the option of free shipping here.

ALIDAD, THE TIMELESS HOME

Bonnie Dune, 376 Gin Lane, Southampton.
As it appeared when it was the beachfront
residence of the Carl Spielvogels.
Photo by Billy Cunningham for Architectural Digest.

For Devoted Readers at the beach -- or those longing to be there -- cedar shingles have been the material of choice to clad the houses of the Hamptons from the Colonial days. In the third quarter of the nineteenth-century the shingles were often stained gray, green, russet or dull red until white became popular after the Colonial- and Neoclassical-Revivals. Left-bare-to-weather-silver is the trend today, even for the Post-Modern villas and new Mega-Mansions. A wonderful example of the Golden Age of the shingled beach house is Bonnie Dune at 376 Gin Lane, Southampton, Long Island, New York.

The Entrance Hall of Bonnie Dune.
Photo by Billy Cunningham, Jed Johnson Associates.

Constructed in 1888 by the Robert Olyphants, of an old New York family with a fortune made in railroads, the house was originally named Eden Cottage. A number of changes came with the next owners, the Elijah Kennedys, president of an insurance firm and an author, during a 1898 to 1902 period of construction; they renamed the house Bonnie Dune. The next owner, Anson McCook Beard, Sr., reverted to the original name of the house, however. Local lore has some of the rooms of the house being used for the filming of several scenes in Woody Allen's 1978 film "Interiors" and it was still referred to as Eden Cottage. By the time it was bought by the Carl Spielvogels around 1990, it was due a major renovation in addition to reverting back to the name Bonnie Dune. Mr. Spielvogel is known for his success in the business of marketing and served eight months with a recess appointment by President Clinton as United States ambassador to the Slovak Republic. Mrs. Spielvogel is also known as Barbaralee Diamondstein, advocate for architecture and the arts and author.

A Sitting Room at Bonnie Dune.
Photo by Billy Cunningham, Jed Johnson Associates.

Although essentially rebuilt by the Spielvogels, Bonnie Dune still reflects the original design philosophy that skillfully combined elements of the Shingle Style with Arts & Crafts and the Colonial Revival. Real estate agents notoriously attribute houses like this to architect Stanford White, but great-grandson architect Samuel White suggests that it might have been designed by Bruce Price instead. Sam White, who had worked with the owners on a previous project, over-saw the restoration/rebuilding along with interior designer Jed Johnson. (Tragically, Johnson's career was cut short with the explosion of TWA Flight 800 in 1996). Bonnie Dune was featured in the August, 1995, issue of Architectural Digest in an article by noted architectural critic Paul Goldberger.

The Stair Landing at Bonnie Dune.
The light fixtures were commissioned from Dale Chilhuly.
Photo by Billy Cunningham, Jed Johnson Associates.

Dramatically built on the dunes, the ecologically unsound placement would not be allowed for new construction today. From the road, an expanse of flat, green lawn ends at the backdrop of the façade which is mostly roof pierced by huge con-joined twin gable dormers, all giving the effect of being held down by big chimneys of white-painted brick. Crispness is provided by white trim and glossy black shutters. The window placement was given a more orderly arrangement in the renovation. Guests do not get a view of the ocean until entering the house and ascending the staircase to the main floor.

The Powder Room at Bonnie Dune.
Photo by Billy Cunningham for Architectural Digest.

The Powder Room is decorated as a grotto folly lined with thousands of shells laid to form architectural decoration. "It was my idea, and I intended to put the shells in myself," Mrs. Spielvogel was quoted to say. "I did, until my fingers started to stick together and I realized that I had to admit that I needed help."

The Living Room at Bonnie Dune.
Photo by Billy Cunningham, Jed Johnson Associates.

All eleven fireplaces in Bonnie Dune have Fulper Tile facings. Fulper Pottery was a noted pottery studio in the early twentieth-century; with the increase in appreciation of the Arts & Crafts movement in the mid-1980s, descendants of the founder revived the business to produce a line of high-quality architectural tiles. Starting at about $25 for each tile and going up to about $300, operation ceased in 2001. Stephen T. Anderson was commissioned to create the large hand-hooked rugs.

The Dining Room at Bonnie Dune.
Photo by Billy Cunningham for Architectural Digest.

A round, pedestal dining table seats twelve on George II sidechairs. A Swedish hanging light fixture with a shell motif reinforces the marine theme. Johnson, with associate Arthur Dunham (now design director of Jed Johnson Associates), introduced many marine-themed decorative motifs in the added architectural details, hardware, and light fixtures throughout the house.

The new Master Bedroom at Bonnie Dune.
Photo by Billy Cunningham for Architectural Digest.

A new Master Bedroom was created from several rooms on two floors. The furnishings are intentionally spare so as not to distract from the view to the ocean, the article said.

Porches overlooking the ocean that had been enclosed
over the years were reopened in the renovation.
Photo by Billy Cunningham for Architectural Digest.

The Spielvogels sold Bonnie Dune in May, 1998 for $11,700,000 and moved to a larger estate nearby. (Their current house is listed for sale however).

The ocean side of Bonnie Dune.
Photo by Billy Cunningham for Architectural Digest.

Project architect Samuel White and his wife Elizabeth White have written a wonderful 2008 book about the work of his great grandfather STANFORD WHITE, ARCHITECT. Interiors by Jed Johnson are recorded in the 2008 book Jed Johnson: Opulent Restraint. Barbaralee Diamonstein-Spielvogel's best known book is THE LANDMARKS OF NEW YORK: AN ILLUSTRATED RECORD OF THE CITY'S HISTORIC BUILDINGS. All three books are available through The Devoted Classicist Library by clicking on the title.

Kensington Palace from the southeast.
The wing containing Apartment No. 1A
overlooks a private garden to the south.

With the anticipation of the birth of an heir to the British throne, an up-grade in accommodations at Kensington Palace was granted William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Soon improvements will be complete on the largest of the private apartments at Kensington Palace, No. 1A. This is a reversal of policy from a few years a go that royal residency at Kensington Palace would be phased out. No. 1A was last occupied by Princess Margaret who died in 2002.

An aerial view of Kensington Palace
via mail.co.uk

This is a near repeat of about fifty years ago when the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret, married Antony Armstrong-Jones in 1960 and received a relatively minor apartment in Kensington Palace. But when Margaret informed the Queen of her pregnancy, No. 1A was assigned to the young family. The apartment occupies a section of the clock tower wing designed by Sir Christopher Wren for King William and Queen Mary in the 17th century. It had been occupied by Queen Victoria's daughter, Princess Louise, until her death in 1939, then by Victoria's grandson, the Marquess of Carisbrooke.

Apartment No. 1A is to the right (south)
of the Clock Court.

No. 1A is essentially a four-story attached house, what would be called a terrace house in England. Most sources cite it as having 20 rooms but others list it as having 57 rooms, which seems to be counting the service rooms such as the linen storeroom, the luggage room, a drying room, a pantry just for crystal, and a photographic studio.

The entrance to the Clock Court in the 1920s.

An 18 month renovation for the Snowdons was provided through an allotment of GBP 85,000 plus a matching amount (largely used for furnishings) from their private income, minus a gift of GBP 20,000 provided by the Queen.

A vintage view of the Entrance Hall of No. 1A.
Photo via Royal Dish blog.

The main reception rooms are on the ground floor with the Entrance Hall acting as a spine along the inner courtyard, running the entire length of the wing. There's an elegant Drawing Room, a Dining Room, a Study used by Lord Snowdon, a Conservatory, and a Guest Cloak Room (which we would call a Powder Room).

Princess Margaret in her Drawing Room, circa 1981,
Apartment No. 1A, Kensington Palace.
Photo via Easy Branches blog.

Lord Snowdon's uncle, Oliver Messel, advised on the décor, as did Snowden's lifelong friend, Carl Toms, a set designer. The Regency Style Drawing Room had walls of kingfisher blue with a custom made neo-classical rug designed by Toms.

The Dining Room, in a photo believed to be taken for
a function after Princess Margaret's occupation.
Photo via Royal Dish blog.

During their courtship, Tony would prepare meals for just the two of them in his rented room and she would clean up afterwards. So the concept of a Family Kitchen was an important feature and the first for a royal palace.

The Snowdons' Kitchen.
Photo via Royal Dish blog.

The Kitchen was 350 square feet with modern cabinets of white and teak-patterned plastic laminate with stainless steel countertops and a sculptural exhaust hood. In addition to a 100 square foot larder, it contained all the modern conveniences of the time: a large refrigerator, a deep freezer, and a garbage disposal.

Princess Margaret in her wedding tiara
in a photo by Lord Snowdon.
Image via www.edur.it

As customary, Princess Margaret and Lord Snowdon each had their own bedroom and bathroom. Hers was fitted with white marble and, as her specific request, an orchid-color sink. But a departure from tradition was having the rooms for Viscount Linley on the same floor as his parents. The baby had a night nursery and a day nursery, plus his own kitchen and bathroom. Additionally, there were three more principal bedrooms and dressing rooms, nine staff bedrooms, four staff bathrooms, two staff kitchens, and two staff sittings rooms. (Apparently the distinction between the staff rooms was due to a hierarchy among the servants). Lord Snowdon, who had studied architecture before becoming a popular photographer, insisted on some modern features such as flush doors and what we in the US would call Danish Modern detailing for his Study; in addition, he wanted some electric devices that did not meet the approval of the Ministry of Works, according to sources. What may or may not have been a coincidence, a fire delayed the Snowdons moving in.

The Third Floor of Kensington Palace.
Image via Royal Dish blog.

In this color-coded floor plan, the pink rooms are the State Apartment maintained by Historic Royal Palaces that may be visited as a museum. The violet rooms are one of four floors of Apt No. 1A. The tan rooms are Apt 1, now occupied by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester (Prince Richard); formerly it was the home of his mother, Princess Alice, and the home of Princess Marina before that. The green rooms are Apt 8/9, formerly the apartment of Diana, Princess of Wales; part (or all) of it is now used as The Prince's Drawing School. The golden rooms are the apartment of Prince and Princess Michael of Kent.

A proposal to improve the public entrance,
with the architectural changes not realized.
Image via Historic Royal Palaces.

The current renovation of No. 1A underway for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge is reportedly costing approximately $1.52 million. Some news sources are guessing that the interior design is being carried out by antiques dealer & designer Annabel Elliot, the sister of Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, William's stepmother. However, the media had seen Catherine shopping at up-scale speciality retail shops for nursery items and there has been speculation that Kelly Hoppen has contributed to that room at least.

An alternate new public entrance to Kensington Palace.
This design, with a few changes, was built.
Image by John Simpson Architects via London Evening Standard.

Kensington Palace has also been in the news for the GBP 12 million refurbishment in honor of the Queen's Jubilee. It is unique that it is the only British royal palace where the general public can visit the garden and the ground floor of the State Apartments wing free of charge. John Simpson Architects, one of Prince Charles' favorites, designed the new ticket court and the new public entrance, the latter being controversial for its design. (After the first design for the entrance was rejected, an alternate that was lower and not attached to the building was submitted as a compromise). A new garden approach was designed by Todd Longstaffe-Gowan. A previous post of The Devoted Classicist about Todd and his work at Kensington Palace may be read here. A post on Todd's London home, Malplaquet House, may be read here.

Landscape architect Todd Longstaffe-Gowan
at the base of the statue of Queen Victoria
in the garden he designed at Kensington Palace.
Photo via www.tlg-landscape.co.uk/

The cottage is seen from the added porch
of the main house as furnished by Thomas Jayne.
Photo by Pieter Estershohn.

Decorator Thomas Jayne approached a project for a young couple with an 18th century house and adjacent 1920s cottage in Garrison, New York, like conserving a painting rather than restoring it. Thomas saw the solution more in terms of "pulling together" rather than decorating as most would think of the term.

The interior of the one room cottage
with Morris chairs from Sarah Latham Kearns.
Photo by Pieter Estersohn.

"Every room has its own character, but we avoided the red room/blue room syndrome," Thomas was quoted in an article written by Suzanne Slesin that appeared in the June, 1997, issue of House & Garden magazine (when it was edited by Dominique Browning).

The living room.
Photo by Pieter Estersohn.

In the living room, the Clarence House 'Tree Peonies' linen fabric used for the Roman shades and accent cushions provided the color palette for the whole house. "If something didn't look good with the fabric, it just didn't get into the house."

The dining room.
Photo by Pieter Estersohn.

Delft tiles were added to the facing of the fireplace in the dining room which is always candle-lit. A set of 19th century Windsor chairs surround the table on a seagrass rug.

The flower room.
Photo by Pieter Estersohn.

All the flowers in the shots, it must be noted, are 'lady of the house' arrangements, as they are when the house is not being professionally photographed. (The issue of flower arrangements created for photo shoots is a subject for a whole essay in the future for The Devoted Classicist).

The master bedroom.
Photo by Pieter Estersohn.

A bathroom.
Photo by Pieter Estersohn.

A view into the sleeping porch.
Photo by Pieter Estershohn.

The whole range of Thomas Jayne's decorating talent is presented in the monograph of his work, AMERICAN DECORATION: A SENSE OF PLACE. (See a previous post of The Devoted Classicist about the book here). In celebration of the book's critical and popular success, one of Thomas' biggest fans, Stephanie Jones of the blog me & mrs jones, is hosting a book-signing reception at her delightful shop/studio in Memphis this Saturday afternoon, March 30, 2013, between the hours of 4 to 6. All are invited to stop by and meet Thomas.

A General Note About Comments

The Devoted Classicist usually reads the posts of fellow Bloggers on his mobile phone and finds the verification process particularly troublesome, sometimes requiring two (or more) tries to duplicate the security code. Since the comments are moderated, this process has been eliminated for those wanting to comment on this site in an effort to streamline the process of creating an informative and friendly conversation. While those who leave a comment are a tiny fraction of the total who read The Devoted Classicist, the comments are a very welcome part of the whole process of Blogging. The security software of Blogger prevents adding a link in the comments so that another reader cannot inadvertingly click on a site that will contain spyware or other dangerous viruses, but that does not stop Spammers from trying. Efforts to promote these links have grown to more than twenty a day, and contain comments, for the most part, that make no sense at all, much less be pertinent to the subject of the essay. Although there is a standard option given to submit Anonymous comments, it is the policy of The Devoted Classicist to prohibit these comments from being published; it just adds to confusion for those who enjoy reading the comments (which can sometime be very, very interesting indeed). So the security verification process will remain unactivated for the time being, but remember to choose an identity other than Anonymous. And understand that comments with pleas such as "be sure to check out my site for my shop of underwater basketweaving" cannot be published.

The Living Room of the Plaine Monceau apartment
of Madame Antenor Patino as decorated by Francois Catroux.
Photo by Marina Faust for Architectural Digest.

The series of posts of The Devoted Classicist under the heading of Notable Homes showcases the furnishings and architecture of residences whose former owners had a particularly strong interest in classically inspired decorative arts. Although this pied-à-terre in the neighborhood of Paris known as the Plaine Monceau was not without architectural details, printed fabric was used to play a significant role in the décor and create a cohesive theme. Fabric from the French firm Bracquenié (sold in the U.S. through Pierre Frey) was used extensively, but not mentioned in the Architectural Digest article that was the source of these photos by Marina Faust; perhaps it was because the fabric company did not advertise in the magazine. After the owner Beatriz Patino's death in 2009, many of the furnishings were sold in an auction by Sotheby's Paris on September 22, 2010; photos and information from the sale catalog appear here to provide more insight into the decoration of the apartment.

The giltwood mirror above the chimneypiece is one
of a pair, Italian, mid-18th century.
Note that Sotheby's shows it reversed.
Sold: $152,919.
All prices are the hammer price plus buyer's premium.

The two female Chinese porcelain figures are 37 2/3 inches high
and date from the Qing dynasty, 19th century.
Sold: $39,379.

A pair of giltwood brackets in the Louis XV style.
Sold: $3,332.

A pair of tables of ebony, Boulle marquetry, and bronze doré
Louis XVI style, first half of the 19th century.
Sold: $52,173.

A pair of gilt bronze candelabra in the form of a
satyr and a nymph, after Van Clere,
1st half of the 19th century. Now mounted as lamps.
Sold: $15,825.

Hercules and the Centaur bronze group, Italian,
after the models by Giamolonga and Ferdinando Tacca,
19th century. 26 in. high, 20 in. wide.
Sold: $28,185.

Pair of gilt bronze wall lights with three arms
from the crown of a satyr's mask. Louis XIV.
Sold: $48,974.

The area was farmland around the village of Monceau until the late 19th century when it began to be developed with mansions and upscale apartment houses, so it was decided that this apartment in a landmark building overlooking Parc Monceau would be decorated to show an influence of the Belle Epoque.

Another view of the Living Room.
The bookcase cabinet, purchased for the apartment,
once belonged to Lord Nelson;
moldings are carved to look like ship's riggings.
Photo by Marina Faust,
published in Architectural Digest, 1989.

Beatriz Patino, was the widow of art collector Antenor Patino. (The eldest son of "the King of Tin," the Bolivian tycoon Antenor Patino might be best known to the general public as the developer of the Mexican resort Las Hadas which was used as a location in the Bo Derek film "10"). The previous Patino residences on the avenue Foch (to be featured in the following post) and the rue d'Andigné were decorated in a sumptuous eighteenth century manner. But interior designer Francois Catroux, who had worked on several other Patino residences, projected that the furniture from Versailles and other palatial-scaled pieces would appear out of place in the new apartment; he sent the historic furnishings to be auctioned at Sotheby's and kept only the "slighter" pieces.

A pair of overdoor panels by Jacques-Charles Oudry,
each depicting a hunting scene, oil on canvas.
Sold: $272,854.

In the January, 1989, issue of Architectural Digest, Mme. Patino admitted, "I'd become accustomed to the eighteenth century, which was a somewhat tyrannical era in interior decoration. The Victorian period is fairly new to me, but I like it very much. I picked up a few pretty English pieces, but I also kept my 'old things,' the things I love best: a very handsome eighteenth-century bronze, the large vases I like so much, some beautiful corner cabinets and the overdoor panels that were painted by Oudry."

Circular table of mahogany and giltwood, early 19th century.
Restorations. 35 in. dia, 29.5 in. high.
Sold: $9,995.

Portrait of a lady wearing a blue dress,
attributed to Jean-Francois Garneray.
Sold: $58,569.

A pair of rare Consulat chairs, 1798,
with legs in the form of lion legs,
stamped C. Sene.
Sold: $45,776.

A view of the Living Room
as it appeared in the Sotheby's catalog.

By the time of the photography for the 2010 auction catalog, the off-white wall-to-wall carpeting that had covered the floors as a foundation for antique rugs had been replaced by a multi-colored patterned carpet. In addition, the primary upholstery in the Living Room had also been replaced, not just recovered but new seating models. The 8.5 ft long, curved sofa in raspberry cotton was estimated at the equivalent of $3,998 to $5,331, and sold for $26,586. (All the prices reflect an conversion from Euros to U.S. Dollars).

The Dining Room of the Patino apartment.
Photo by Marina Faust for Architectural Digest.

A patinated and giltwood chandelier, probably Italian
or Austrian, in the neoclassical taste, late 18th or
early 19th century. Re-gilded. 37.75 in. dia.
Sold: $36,181.

A suite of eight chairs, ebonized and giltwood, Italy.
Six from the late 18th century, two of a later date.
Sold: $36,181.

Mme. Patino was quoted to also say, "I still have a small painting that I gave to the Louvre but which they're letting me keep for a while. And the floral still lifes I already had go so well with the fabric Francois chose for the dining room that the décor seems to have happened all by itself." Devoted Readers will appreciate the decorative attention given the dining room bookcases with the shelves covered in the same damask as the walls and the lower cabinets with concealed doors faced with false book spines.

The Library of the Patino apartment.
Photo by Marina Faust for Architectural Digest.

A pair of stoneware vases, French,
now mounted as table lamps.
Sold: $4,998.

A gilt bronze wall light, Italian, late 18th century,
after a drawing by Giocondo Albertolli,
with a copy of a later date.
Estimate: $26,653 to $39,979.
Sold: $200,895.

The Library as it appeared in the Sotheby's catalog
with the wallcovering and carpeting replaced.
The 19th century, red and gold lacquer low table
sold for $2, 499.
The Catroux-designed daybed and two chairs
upholstered in Bracquenié fabric
sold for $6,350.
The portrait of a seated woman with the signature
F. Gerard 1809
sold for $19,990.

An engraved silver box with the lid fitted with a
watercolor by Catherine Sérébriakoff dated 1969,
Sold: $34,582.

"I don't immerse myself in flowered fabrics for every occasion," continues Mme. Patino. "My New York apartment, except for my bedroom, is done completely differently. It's as though the vocation of the Paris apartment is to be a place apart, with a particular style that befits the building it's in. I find it very attractive. I don't hold big parties there, but I often give small dinners, two tables for ten at most. It's a style of entertaining that goes well with the intimate character of the rooms."

The Master Bedroom of the Patino apartment.
Photo by Marina Faust for Architectural Digest.

The bed with hangings as shown
sold for $10,828.

"Make no mistake," Francois Catroux warned. "More premeditation and complexity go into a décor like this than go into planning a period apartment. Each detail has to be worked out with all the others to create an impression. As in painting, you have to proceed stroke by stroke. I wanted to avoid pomposity and give Mme. Patino a feeling of comfort and delicacy. Just because pretentiousness is absent doesn't mean discipline is absent too."

Interior designer Francois Catroux in the Patino apartment.
Photo by Marina Faust for Architectural Digest.

The Sotheby's catalog also showed another room that appears to be a spacious Entrance Hall. Although there is the same multi-colored carpet that was used as a replacement in the adjacent Living Room, the other furnishings would appear to date from the original Catroux decorating scheme.

The modern banquette upholstered in raspberry cotton
sold for $7,996.
The pair of giltwood guéridons porte-torchéres in the Louis XV style
sold for $8,329.
The swags/jabots and Austrian shade
sold for $500.

A giltwood center table, Régence.
Sold: $36,181.

A Régence giltwood mirror, altered.
Sold: $7,996.

A hanging lantern of cut green glass,
probably Swedish, 19th century.
Sold: $31,384.

The Patino apartment is an interesting example of "down-sizing," illustrating that the term is relative.

Other essays in the Notable Homes series have featured Cragwood, the residence of Jane and Charles Engelhard decorated by Parish-Hadley, here and here;La Fiorentina, the residence of Mary and Harding Lawrence decorated by Billy Baldwin, here,here, and here; the apartment at 2 East 67th Street, New York City, of Mildred and Charles Allen, Jr., decorated by Stephane Boudin of Maison Jansen, here and here; and Mercer House, the Savannah, Georgia, residence of infamous antiques dealer Jim Williams, here and here.

The principal elevation of the mansion known as the
hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency.
Image: private collection.

The previous post of The Devoted Classicist was a presentation of the last Paris apartment of the late Beatriz Patino, a pied-a-terre overlooking Parc Monceau. Mention was made of the previous residences that she and her husband Antenor, the oldest son of the Bolivian "Tin King," shared in Paris. Their previous mansion on the rue d'Andigné became the Iraqi Embassy. The hotel particuleur on the stylish avenue Foch is believed to now be residence of the ambassador to France from the United Arab Emirates (according to Parisian public records).

The hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency
at 34 avenue Foch, Paris.
Image: Wikipedia.

A few years ago, the house, also known as Palais Montmorency, was offered for sale by Christie's International Realty for Euro 100 million (about U.S.$136 million). The listing has since been removed from the Christie's site, but it had been mentioned on most of the real estate blogs as the second most expensive residential property in the world for sale at the time. Some photos can still be seen on the blog, Homes of the Rich.

The secondary elevation of the hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency
along rue Le Sueur.
Image: private collection.

There were only a few photos still available to view despite the highly publicized real estate offering. But a great cache of images came just minutes after an inquiry to one of my Devoted Readers, T.B., and I am happy to share these now.

The Ground Floor Plan
of the hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency.
Image: private collection.

Completed in 1900 to plans by architect Henri Paul Nénot, these early twentieth-century houses are not as appreciated today as their surviving eighteenth-century counterparts. But there is a lot to be said of these scholarly Louis XVI Revival residences. (See the earlier post on the Camondo, now a decorative arts museum). Although over one hundred years old, there is still a validity in the formal reception spaces for functions today, and the classical proportions of the architecture and logical layout of the floor plans make such a house suitable for adaptation for modern use.

The convenient porte-cochere is
labeled descente a couvert on the plan.
Image: Christie's International Realty.

The architect Nénot worked for various architects in Paris including Charles Garnier before opening his own practice. Although he is best known for his design for the new Sorbonne, he was also the architect of a number of well-regarded public buildings and residences.

The ground floor Vestibule of the former home of
Beatriz and Antenor Patino, hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency.
Image: private collection.

The concept behind avenue Foch was conceived by Baron Haussmann during the reign of Emperor Napoleon III to connect Place de l'Étoile (the junction of avenues in star form at the Arc de Triomphe now called the Place Charles de Gaulle) with the Bois de Boulogne, a new public park. Jean-Charles Alphand enlarged upon the original design to make the avenue 120 meters wide, the widest in Paris. Lined with chestnut trees and flanked with sidewalks and horse paths, there were ornamental lawns and flower beds, creating an extension of the Bois de Boulogne which Alphand also designed, along with Parc Monceau and the other Napoleon III parks.

The plan of the principal floor,
known as the first floor in France.
Image: private collection.

When it opened in 1854, it was named avenue de l'Impératrice after Eugenie, the wife of Napoleon III. After the reign ended, the name changed in 1870 to avenue du Général-Uhrich and in 1875, to avenue du Bois de Boulogne. In 1929, the name was changed again to avenue Foch, after the Marechal Ferdinand Foch, a World War I hero who died that year. During the Nazi Occupation, the Gestapo and the counter-intelligence branch of the SS commandeered some of the mansions for office use. But the name avenue Foch in the twentieth-century was generally synonymous with great wealth style, and culture.

The Stair Hall of the hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency.
Image: private collection.

Ferdinand Blumenthal was the first owner of the house with his wife Cecilia, of the socially prominent New York City Ulman family. Blumenthal had come to the U.S. from his native Frankfurt-am-Main around 1875 to establish a New York City office of his family business, F. Blumenthal & Co., leather merchants. He retired early and maintained his home at 19 Spruce Street in NYC as well as his showplace at 34 avenue du Bois de Boulogne.

The Gallery of the hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency.
Image: private collection.

Famous as a collector of art and antiques, the Paris mansion was filled with paintings of the Barbizon School, including a number by Carot. Blumenthal was made a Chevalier of the Legion of Honor for his contributions to French art. He died in 1914 aboard a steamship from Naples to New York City, leaving Cecilia a widow at age 51.

One of several salons at the hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency.
Image: private collection.

Three years after her husband's death, Cecilia Blumenthal married Louis, 2nd Duc de Montmorency, aged 48. The wagging tongues of Paris then referred to her as the "Duchess of Montmorenthal." Today, three Corots and one Delacroix from the Blumenthal collection are now in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.

The ceiling of the Dining Room of the hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency
was reputedly painted by Henri Rousseau.
Image: Christie's International Realty.

Beatriz and Antenor Patino were great collectors of art and antiques as well, with this hotel particuleur undoubtedly being a splendid base in Paris for their opulent lifestyle. The Patinos were often referred to as major donors to the restoration of the Palace of Versailles. A 1986 article in the New York Times at the time of Mme Patino's selling a number antiques in preparation for the move to the relatively small apartment presented in the previous post stated, "A room at Versailles is furnished with seven of their finest pieces - a pair of armchairs, a pair of corner cabinets, a commode, a chaise and an armoire."

The Second Floor Plan of the
hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency.
Image: private collection.

The Third Floor of the
hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency.
Image: private collection.

Thanks again to T.B. for the rare, vintage images of hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency.

Aline, Countess of Romanones,
at her desk in her New York City
apartment, circa 1988.
Photo: Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

Devoted Readers always enjoy a comparison of similar concepts for interiors, sort of a decorating version of "Who Wore It Best?" Of course there is no way of knowing if the two women or the two interior designers were actually influenced by the other's apartment, but it is an interesting similarity of general concept for both the New York City apartment of Aline, Countess of Romanones, and the Paris apartment of Beatriz Patino, presented in a recent post of The Devoted Classicist here.

The Living Room in the NYC apartment
of the Countess of Romanones.
Photo: Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

Featured in the April, 1989, issue of Architectural Digest the article was written by the countess, the American-born widow of a Spanish grandee. The countess wrote that she and her husband had bought the apartment 8 years previous; she had a son with two small children in the U.S. and she had since used it as a base for her speaking tours on the subject of her books based on experiences as a spy during World War II. (Some critics have been skeptical about her adventures being entirely true, however). Her late husband, Luis, Count of Romanones, is credited with putting the apartment together with the help of designer Vincent Fourcade.

Another view of the Living Room of the
Romanones apartment in NYC.
Photo: Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

Like in the Patino apartment, the Romanones' Living Room has walls covered in a bold printed fabric paired with a bright raspberry red damask for the seating. Here, the magazine credits Brunschwig & Fils for the wall fabric and Scalamandré for the fabric used for all the upholstery and the curtains; both vendors are regular advertisers, by the way. A Spanish-made Savonnerie-inspired rug covers the floor. The late count was a painter and his interpretation of a portrait by Goya hangs over the sofa. Although some of their belongings could be taken out of Spain without permission, the more important art and antiques could not be exported; additional "fill-in" pieces were bought in New York as needed.

The sitting area of the Master Bedroom
of the Romanones apartment in NYC.
Photo: Peter Vitale for Architectural Digest.

In the Master Bedroom, a Stroheim and Roman fabric covers both the walls and the sofa with a Brunschwig & Fils stripe used for the curtains. "Living in reduced quarters for the first time became a game," the countess wrote, "and we tackled it much as if it were a small boat, finding tricks to make closets hold more and to make rooms serve multiple purposes. Books line closets and are stored under tables and beds. Everything is near and handy, but what I like most about the apartment is that the décor has a Spanish atmosphere and flavor."

A selection of books by Aline, Countess of Romanones, (previously the Countess Quintanilla, previously Aline Griffith) is available with prices starting at just one cent (plus shipping) from The Devoted Classicist Library by clicking here.

William Kent's design for the Great Dining Hall
at Houghton Hall, Isaac Ware, draughtsman, 1743.
Plate 38 from the book
'The Designs of Inigo Jones and others.'
Image: Victoria & Albert Museum.

"William Kent: Designing Georgian Britain" is a landmark, new exhibition opening in the Gallery of the Bard Graduate Center, NYC, on September 20, 2013. A collaboration with the Victoria & Albert Museum in London, where it will be on view next year, this is the first major exhibition on the man who was probably the most influential designer in Britain in the eighteenth-century.

William Aikman's portrait of William Kent,
circa 1723 to 25. National Portrait Gallery, London.
Image via BGC.

Almost 200 examples of William Kent's work will be on display ranging from his drawings for architecture, gardens, & sculpture to furniture, silver, and paintings, plus his book illustrations. William Kent, like Robert Adam a generation later, is identified with an entire stylistic period, not just his own work. Kent developed a style that catered to the rich patrons and collectors, all who had been on the Grand Tour and appreciated his interpretive recreations of Roman palazzi.

The Gallery at Chiswick Villa
in a 1828 watercolor by William Henry Hunt.
Devonshire Collection, Chatsworth.
Image via BGC.

The style known as 'Kentian' features palatial Italianate interiors with walls covered in silk damask or velvet, and richly painted ceilings to showcase gilded architectural tables & mirrors, and Old Master paintings. Appreciated as a house guest of his patrons, he was affectionately known as 'Kentino.'

A console table, one of a pair, designed by Kent
and carved by John Boson, 1732.
Intended for the Sculpture Gallery at Chiswick,
they were recorded in the 1770 inventory as
being in Lady Burlington's bedroom.
With the other furniture at Chiswick, they passed by
descent to the Dukes of Devonshire, and were moved
to Devonshire House and then to
Chatsworth where the mate remains.
Image: Victoria & Albert Museum.

The exhibition is divided into sections with parts focusing on country houses such as Houghton Hall, London houses such as Devonshire House (see previous post here), and royal work such as the Cupola Room at Kensington Palace. Another section is devoted entirely to Holkham Hall, considered to be the finest example of the Palladian revival style in Britain. The final section focuses on Kent's contributions to the history of landscape and garden design.

A Chinoiserie Garden Temple
designed and drawn by William Kent,
made circa 1730 to 1735.
Image: Victoria & Albert Museum.

Co-curated by Susan Weber of BGC and Julius Bryant of V&A, the exhibit will continue at the Bard until February 9, 2014, before going on to London, March 22 to July 13, 2014. Susan Weber's book WILLIAM KENT: DESIGNING GEORGIAN BRITAIN may be ordered at substantial savings here. For more information on all the programs and exhibitions on Decorative Arts, Design History, and Material Cultures, see the BGC website.

A detail of a drawing by William Kent for a bracket
to display a bust, made circa 1730 to 1735.
Image: Victoria & Albert Museum.

"Uncle Charles' Library"
Image by John J. Tackett.

Despite all the dismal news in recent years projecting the end of glossy coffee table books, the bountiful new selections available this fall disprove that. Perhaps it is the lower costs of digital publishing and the acceptance of designer/authors to shoulder the up-front expenses, but there are many new interior design and architecture books that certainly show great promise. It must be pointed out that The Devoted Classicist has not actually seen these new books, however, and whether the potential is realized is ultimately up to the reader to determine. (But these books are sold here through Amazon.com and qualify for their standard 30 day return policy; see their customer service policies before ordering). Just click on the title for more information and an offer to order or pre-order at substantial savings.

Released September 1, 2013.

REFLECTIONS ON SWEDISH INTERIORS Authors Rhonda Eleish and Edie van Breems are owners of Eleish van Breems, Ltd., an antiques shop in scenic Washington Depot, Connecticut, that also offers design services. The Devoted Classicist regrets that it is unknown whether this book presents only classical and/or antiques-filled interiors, but the cover does indeed look promising.

To be released September 17, 2013.

CLASSICAL INVENTION: THE ARCHITECTURE OF JOHN B. MURRAY One of my co-workers at Parish-Hadley, John Murray's new book showcases eighteen of his projects, both apartments and country houses. Utilizing the Beaux-Arts drawing format "analytique" which shows various elements of the architecture in a unified, artistic presentation, the studies are accompanied by photographs of each home as well.

To be released October 8, 2013.

THE DETAILED INTERIOR: DECORATING UP CLOSE WITH CULLMAN & KRAVIS Although not necessarily well-known nationwide, the firm of Cullman & Kravis is highly regarded in the New York City area. (John Tackett Design is proud to have worked with them on projects in the past). Co-founder Hedi Kravis has passed, but Ellie Cullman and associate Tracey Pruzon show how the well-considered details add up to make a room a stunning tapestry of ideas. It should be noted that their previous book DECORATING MASTER CLASS is one of the best of its type and highly recommended.

To be released October 1, 2013

ALLAN GREENBERG: CLASSICAL ARCHITECT Author/teacher/architect Allan Greenberg, who has offices in Greenwich, CT, New York City, and Washington, DC, presents a monograph of his firm's work, showing new residences, university buildings, and civic buildings all designed in the classic style.

To be released October 8, 2013.

MARIO BUATTA: FIFTY YEARS OF AMERICAN INTERIOR DECORATION The much-anticipated monograph of the work of interior designer Mario Buatta is being published without a dust cover, I understand, but rather with the end boards printed to give the effect of a journal or scrapbook. Buatta is known for his quips and jokes so the text is expected to be very anecdotal. Blogger Emily Evans Eerdmans, an accomplished author in her own right, is credited as co-author and can be counted on to keep things on track. Mario Buatta, who still has a NYC practice, was one of the most famous decorators in this country during the 1980s and 90s, so expect big-budget American versions of classic English Country House Style. (John Tackett Design is proud to have worked with him on projects in the past, as well).

To be released October 15, 2013.

FIFTH AVENUE STYLE: A DESIGNER'S NEW YORK APARTMENT Howard Slatkin, co-founder of the home fragrance enterprise Slatkin & Co., presents his first book which showcases just one residence, his own lavish Fifth Avenue apartment. Combining two Pre-War apartments, apparently no expense was spared to reconfigure the high-rise space complete with opulent finishes inspired by various palaces. The book promises to be an enjoyable survey of a man's fantasy home realized.

To be released October 15, 2013.

ALIDAD: THE TIMELESS HOME Photographer James McDonald presents the work of the London-based, Persian-born interior designer Alidad. (Devoted Readers will recall the post featuring his design for a Paris pied-a-terre here). Richly furnished projects, including apartments in London and Paris, villas in Beirut and Kuwait, and seaside homes in Sardinia and Cornwall, are presented as a tapestry with color on color and texture on texture. The text is provided by Sarah Stewart-Smith who is a London interior designer and writer.

To be released October 22, 2013.

STEPHEN SILLS: DECORATION This is the first book to showcase the solo career of interior designer Stephen Sills, formerly in partnership with Ralph Jones and then James 'Ford' Huniford. All previously published works -- for glamorous clients such as Tina Turner and Anna Wintour -- was in partnership so there is great anticipation in the Big Reveal of this designer's own decorative visions. Sixteen homes, all photographed by Francois Halard, are presented.

To be released October 22, 2013.

IN WITH THE OLD: CLASSIC DECOR FROM A TO Z My friend and fellow blogger Jennifer Boles of The Peak of Chic has compiled an encyclopedia of sorts to present 100 stylish decorating details from the twentieth-century with each entry including anecdotes and advice along with the facts. What could be more delightful? Surely this would make a most appreciated gift to anyone interested in interior design.

To be released November 5, 2013.

LUMINOUS INTERIORS Another former co-worker from Parish-Hadley, designer Brian J. McCarthy brings a unique and refreshing interpretation of classic interiors. Nine of his favorite projects from around the country are presented with Brian offering insight to his inspiration and revealing the design decisions that led to the finished product. Brian has become very well known in the New York City area and this new book will ensure that proof of his talent will spread across the country.

To be released November 5, 2013.

DECORATING IN DETAIL Designer Alexa Hampton, who continues her late father's legendary decorating firm Mark Hampton LLC, uses her second book to share her process to decorate eight homes across the country, selecting fabrics and furniture. It is intended as a "how-to" book to develop an understanding of the development of the interior design of a residence.

To be released November 12, 2013.

RENZO MONGIARDINO: RENAISSANCE MASTER OF STYLE Italian architect, theatrical designer and interior designer, Renzo Mongiardino, 1916 to 1998, has been a great influence in the career of The Devoted Classicist, inspiring his own interpretations with a version of classic, eye-pleasing detailing. Will author Laure Verchere offer anything new about the great designer's work? Scant preview images from publisher Assouline offer no promises. But newbies will certainly be impressed by the genius of one of the truly great designers of the twentieth-century.

To be released December 2, 2013.

WILLIAM HODGINS INTERIORS Although long established in his own practice in Boston before my tenure, Bill Hodgins is another very successful decorator to have come from Parish-Hadley, a great influence in his design DNA. Baltimore author Stephen M. Salny writes the text to accompany the photos, almost guaranteed to show Hodgin's trademark neutral palatte, often with Swedish neo-classical furnishings, and always with a tailored, architectural sensibility.

To be released March 4, 2014.

JACQUES GARCIA: TWENTY YEARS OF PASSION: CHATEAU DU CHAMP DE BATAILLE Drawing on his experiences from his work furnishing rooms of Versailles and the Louvre, the interior designer Garcia employed many of these same principles in restoring and decorating his own home, Chateau du Champ de Bataille, over a period of twenty years. In addition to his collection of seventeenth- and eighteenth-century furniture, porcelain, etc., the gardens have also been restored in a period style.

To be released April 1, 2014.

GEORGE STACEY AND THE CREATION OF AMERICAN CHIC Interior designer Maureen Footer, who worked at McMillen Inc. and Molyneux before establishing her own firm, has written a much-deserved book on the great decorator of the 1930s, 40s, and 50s, George Stacey. Greatly influential, he brought a modern aesthetic to the classic French taste. His Victorian-inspired interior for Babe and Bill Paley's country house at Kiluna Farm with hand-screened canvas walls served as a background for their exemplary French Modern pictures all of which figured importantly in a photo-shoot of Babe for Vogue in 1950; the famous photo ignited a new-found enthusiasm for Old School comfort. For the uninitiated in the history of 20th century design, this book should prove to be an eye-opener. A "tease" for the book, including the John Rawlings photo of Mrs. Paley in a Charles James gown, can be seen at the Little Augury blog post here.

Remember that The Devoted Classicist has not laid eyes on any of these books, but they all show great promise of being very interesting. Devoted Readers are among the most savvy in the whole blogosphere, so it is hoped they will come back and leave a brief comment after they have had the opportunity to take a look at one of these books.

The Yellow Salon in the London apartment
of Naguib Abd Allah, overlooking Eaton Square.
Photo by Derry Moore for Architectural Digest.

These Derry Moore photos are from the January, 1995, issue of Architectural Digest showing the apartment of Naguib Abd Allah decorated by London interior designer Francis Roos. "What with my Italian and French fabrics, things from several other houses and pieces from an Egyptian palace, I arrived in London with enough to fill a whole furniture store." He added, "Francis Roos has helped me enormously."

The Boulle-marquetry-and-lacquer cabinet
once belonged to Coco Chanel.
Photo by Derry Moore.

Gold plays an important role in the décor, not just in the color of the fabrics, but also with the use of gold leaf and ormolu. Abd Allah asked for a "yellow salon," the text revealed, to create a jewel box to house his objets d'art, paintings and silver. This is undoubtedly an effective scheme in the often-gloomy climate. For added light reflection, an off-white velvet-pile carpet appears to cover all the floors with small antique rugs added for interest.

A detail of a corner of the Yellow Salon.
Photo by Derry Moore.

In the Yellow Salon, the same gold silk damask is used for the walls, primary curtains, and two sofas, with gold velvet used for the other seating, and a paler gold used for the under-curtains. Note that the largest sofa is placed against the chimney breast (with the fireplace apparently covered over), creating a seating group with a similar sofa opposite and another with a Boulle-style frame; it is an unconventional furniture plan for a traditional townhouse, but it works to facilitate conversations.

The Lion's Room.
Photo by Derry Moore.

A smaller sitting room, the Lion's Room, is a more intimate space. "The walls are ornamented with small trompe-l'oeil marble panels (painted by Mark Ram) framed by mouldings. Bands of 'carved' stone, which in fact were stenciled, act as friezes around the large fresco-like painted panels."

Another view of the Lion's Room.
Photo by Derry Moore.

In relating the design process, Roos explained, "We had thought of a space entirely in faux-marbre, but that seemed slightly over the top. The creation of a stenciled stone frieze added the necessary softening element."

The Library-Dining Room.
Photo by Derry Moore.

"My primary aim in decorating the apartment has been to maintain the ideal of grandeur I absorbed in the homes of my childhood, " Abd Allah was quoted. Roos designed the Library to also be used as a dining room for to accommodate twelve.

A late-Victorian English gilt door knocker
and ormolu candlesticks are reflected in an
18th-century French silver mirror.
Photo by Derry Moore.

"I have friends all over the world, and my wish is to keep a permanently open house here in London, where visitors can turn up and stay for a time, just as they still do in Egypt," Abd Allah related in the article by Charlotte Aillaud.

The Master Bedroom.
Photo by Derry Moore.

A four-poster bed was requested by the client, but the designer made it largely of upholstery for a softer visual effect than the rest of the apartment. The retour d'Egypte stools covered in tiger velvet are 19th century French.

The Master Bath.
Photo by Derry Moore.

Another client request was to have a Victorian style bath. Faux bois gives the effect of rich paneling and the wallcovering was printed with 19th century wood blocks giving the effect of damask. The last sentence of the article sums it up, "For Naguib Abd Allah is a man who is deeply respectful of the past yet completely frank in his appreciation of the present."

Naguib Abd Allah's Egyptian villa on the edge of the Nile, a home very different from his London apartment, may be seen on photographer Ivan Terestchko's blog, Visual Diary, here and here.

If Devoted Readers are familiar with the name of Naguib Abd Allah, it may be because of the very public relationship he once had with Mrs. Pierre Schlumberger, the wife of the billionaire oil industry tycoon. (More about the decorating tastes of Sao Schumberger will be featured in a future post of The Devoted Classicist, but the back story on the lady and her loves may be read in Bob Colacello's article "The Wow of Sao" from the September, 2010, issue of Vanity Fair here).

A vintage view of the former East River dock
at River House, New York City.
Image: nyc-architecture.com

Devoted Readers know that the New York City cooperative apartment building River House (see the earlier post here) is one of Manhattan's most desirable residential addresses. A separate feature of the building is the exclusive River Club which had its own entrance on East 52nd Street (although it could also be entered from the River House lobby, and until FDR Drive was built in 1934, it could be also be entering from a river landing). As a sign of rising expenses (including real estate taxes), part of that space is being offered for sale as a private residence.

A partial view of the private entrance
on East 52nd Street.
Image: nyc-architecture.com

With 62,000 square feet, the listed price of $130 million is not unrealistic, but the caveat is that the space is "as is" or "raw" in real estate terms. Design suggestions are included in the price, however, with computer renderings and possible floor plans created with the help of antiques dealer and interior designer Tony Ingrao.

Tony Ingrao at the opening of the
2003 Hampton Designer Showhouse.
Image: Greg Kessler for NYSD.

East 52nd Street is a cul-de-sac, so traffic is not such an issue, but two of the most desirable features of River House are the off-street entrance court and the impressive lobby. In the suggested floor plan, the Kitchen opens to this court, but the only access to the lobby is through the service entrance.

The Entrance/Living Level.
Plan Tony Ingrao via www.businessinsider.com

The suggested Kitchen looks out towards the building's entrance court with the rendering showing exposed structural vaulting for the ceiling.

A suggestion for the Kitchen.
Computer rendering Tony Ingrao via businessinsider.com

The main rooms could have ceilings twenty feet high, with views across the East River. The Living Room also has access to the building's terrace overlooking the river.

A vintage view of the building's terrace.
Photo from nyc-architecture.com

A possible scheme for the Living Room.
Computer rendering: Tony Ingrao via businessinsider.com

A suggestion for the Library places it
at the desirable southeast corner
offering views down river.
Computer rendering: Tony Ingrao via businessinsider.com

A Bedroom Level is 15,000 sq. ft. with a large area devoted to the Master Suite with a large sitting room plus large His and Her dressing rooms and bathrooms.

The Bedroom Level.
Plan: Tony Ingrao via businessinder.com

The Leisure Level is 27,500 sq. ft. and includes an indoor tennis court, wine cellar, spa, and a 62 feet long indoor swimming pool.

The Leisure Level.
Plan: Tony Ingrao via businessinsider.com

A suggestion for an indoor pool with garden
access and views to the East River.
Computer rendering: Tony Ingrao via businessinsider.com

The Entertainment Level (above the Leisure Level) features a Game Room and an IMAX screening room.

The Entertainment Level.
Plan: Tony Ingrao via businessinsider.com

The Staff Level (above the Entrance Level) has three staff rooms with their own baths plus a staff lounge & kitchen and an office with a bathroom.

The Staff Level.
Plan: Tony Ingrao via businessinsider.com

There is a bit of cryptic message in the Brown Harris Stevens listing about special rules enacted for the "disposition, renovation, and utilization" which is presumed to mean that this apartment is not under the same strict control as the other shares in the building. In other words, it would probably be more independent like a townhouse than an apartment. It is truly a unique opportunity. We will see, hopefully, how it comes to be realized, if ever.

The real estate offering is a legitimate one, authorized by the building's co-op Board of Directors who have the power to do that, a shareholder told me. It came about after they hired Georgetown Co. to study the best use for the space if the River Club did not renew its long term lease. But the decision to market it (all or part) as an expensive single private residence is controversial among the shareholders; a special meeting of the shareholders (co-op owners) has been called to discuss the issue. It is the general consensus, The Devoted Classicist is told, that the River Club should survive in some fashion, at least, perhaps as a dining club without the guest and athletic facilities. The purpose of this post, in part, is to provide a record of the proposal when the offering has been withdrawn (for whatever reason). In any case, it is a fascinating study -- with pros and cons -- of adaptive use, is it not?

The Mellon-White townhouse
entrance from the sidewalk
125 East 70th Street
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

The most popular of all the posts of The Devoted Classicist is a selection of fabulous New York City private residences titled Landmark Manhattan Townhouses For Sale. This post is a sequel, one might say, presenting one of the most remarkable townhouses for sale, highly suitable for anyone wanting "a little place in the city."

The Mellon-White townhouse
at 125 East 70th Street
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

Long one of this writer's favorite townhouses, 125 East 70th Street, is the dream home for the most discerning traditionalist city dweller. Completed in 1966 for the philanthropist, art collector and banking heir Paul Mellon and his second wife, Rachel "Bunny" Lambert Mellon, a noted gardener and philanthropist in her own right, still alive at this writing at age 103, the French style townhouse was an instant landmark. It was their pied a terre in Manhattan, their main residence being a 4,000 acre estate in Upperville, Virginia where Mrs. Mellon still lives (to be featured in a future post). Architect H. Page Cross designed the house that replaced two typical late 19th-century brownstones. It was an usual project at the time when affluent families were relocating to the fashionable suburbs. "Storm" shutters were concealed within the thickness of the exterior walls, pulling down inside the coquina stone trim around the French doors and casement windows; a steel plate can automatically slide to block the front door to make it difficult to penetrate the urban fortress.

The Basement, Ground Floor and Second Floor
Plans as they appear in the 2013 real estate
offering by Sotheby's International Realty.

One of the distinctive features is the wall along the sidewalk that creates a south-facing garden at the entrance, as seen in the first image. A second gate is the service entrance, originally tended by a concierge that also served as a security guard (with quarters marked Guest/Staff Bedroom on the plan).

View to the Entrance Foyer
of the Mellon-White townhouse
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo: World of Interiors.

The scale and architectural detailing, along with the original decoration, is exceptional, providing the "quiet quality" that the Mellons desired. For example, that the wood floors are painted to resemble stone is an artistic statement rather than a budget compromise.

The lattice covered vestibule leading to
the rear garden, as it appeared in 2013.
Photo: Private Collection.

A more distant view to the Entrance Foyer,
from a lattice covered vestibule.
The cove lighting is not illuminated.
Photo: World of Interiors.

Treillage is used as an effective wallcovering to establish a mood, here as a transition to the rear garden. Lattice also currently covers some of the walls in the basement.

A Powder Room on the Ground Floor
retains its original painted fretwork decoration.
Photo: World of Interiors.

The Library at 125 E 70th Street
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

What might appear to be a peculiar detail today was originally intended as a special consideration to show the Mellons' magnificent art collection to full advantage, but in an understated way seldom seen in new residential installations now. Note the absence of recessed spotlights or other specialty art lighting, for example. The lighted bookcases were added by the current owners.

The rear garden of the Mellon-White
townhouse in 2013.
The lily pool was added by the current owners.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

The wide rear garden is an unusual treat in Manhattan. The Library, Drawing Room, and His Bedroom are among the rooms that benefit from the outdoor space.

The Main Staircase at 125 E 70th Street
as it appears in 2013.
Photo: World of Interiors.

According to the November, 2013, issue of World of Interiors, the wrought iron stair balustrade of the main staircase was copied from a Jack Lemmon film. Four Bonnard paintings once hung on the walls now covered with toile de jouy.

The Kitchen/Breakfast Room in 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

The whole second floor was originally dedicated to service and staff areas. This floor appears to have been completely renovated by the current owners, making it more family-friendly.

The Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth
Floor Plans as they appear in the 2013
offering by Sotheby's International Realty.

The Third Floor is luxuriously devoted to two principal rooms and a large south-facing terrace.

The Third Floor Gallery in 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

From the stairs or the elevator, when arriving at the Third Floor, one first enters an enchanting Gallery. acting as an orienting space before entering the Drawing Room, Terrace or anteroom to the Dining Room. The wood floor painted as faux marbre is exceptional as are the walls painted as trompe l'oeil boiserie. Note the frieze of tassels painted below the cornice.

The Drawing Room of 125 E 70th Street
as it appeared in 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

The Drawing Room overlooks the rear garden to the north and the Terrace with the Gallery seen on the right in the photo above. Although the original decoration was done in consultation with legendary designer John Fowler of Colefax and Fowler, many Devoted Readers will know that Fowler never visited the United States. Instead, the Mellons sent painters Paul Leonard and William Strom to London for two weeks of training, the magazine article states, and the decorating was carried out by mail. Although the yellow walls of the Drawing Room are an homage to Nancy Lancaster's famous room at 22 Avery Row, the glazed walls as they appear here were done as specified by the current owners, the article also says. A long list of decorators had a hand in the designs for the Mellons over the years with the last being Bruce Budd. (Some might object that the townhouse lacks one critical amenity, a garage. This was not really a problem for the Mellons who owned a handsome old limestone-fronted carriage house nearby that had the capacity for 12 cars. Budd had a chic apartment above, making him available for decorating consultation as needed. Designed by architect C.P.H. Gilbert, the East 70th Street carriage house sold for $13.5 in 2009; read more about it here).

The wood floor in the Anteroom
of the Mellon-White townhouse
at 125 East 70th Street in 2013.
Photo: Private Collection.

One of the most charming of these wood floors painted by Paul Leonard is in the Anteroom leading into the Dining Room. Note that the pattern follows the joints of the planks in the length with scored lines across the width to give the effect of tiles. It is an excellent example of appropriate scale, pattern and color to link the adjacent Gallery and Dining Room.

The Dining Room as it appears in 2013.
Mellon-White townhouse.
Photo: World of Interiors.

When the real estate photos of the townhouse starting appearing in the blogs a few weeks ago, there was speculation about many things, especially the walls and floor of the Dining Room. Being somewhat familiar with the house and the contributions of Colefax & Fowler and Paul Leonard, The Devoted Classicist offered some factual information, only to later receive notice that speculators thoroughly disputed my comments on the other blogs; so much for trying to educate the "experts." In any case, the floor is indeed painted to resemble marble as is the baseboard and dado (difficult to see in this photo). The walls are painted with a blue cross-hatched glaze that was formulated to compliment the major painting by Homer that the Mellons owned. Legendary decorator Billy Baldwin added the sheets of beveled mirrors. An adjacent pantry acts as a serving kitchen and a small staircase gives access to the main kitchen below.

The Front Master Bedroom
of the Mellon-White townhouse in 2013.
Photo: World of Interiors.

There are two Master Bedrooms on the Fourth Floor with the front assumed to have been used by Mrs. Mellon. The walls are lined with painted wood paneling in the transitional Louis XV/XVI style and the floor has a Colefax & Fowler carpet, a replacement of the same during the Mellon occupancy according to the article. An east-facing balcony overlooks the terrace below with the lattice on the common wall extending to filter the view beyond.

The view in 2013 from the balcony down to the
Third Floor Terrace of 125 E 70th Street.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

Fortunately, the current owners kept many of the bathrooms intact. This, assumed to have been Mrs. Mellon's, is exceedingly charming. Of special note are the antique Delft tiles facing the bathtub. The walls, including concealed doors, are covered with printed fabric especially hand-blocked in Wales for Colefax & Fowler, according to the WoI article.

Views in 2013 of the bathroom assumed to have
originally been used by Mrs. Mellon
at 125 East 70th Street.
Photo: World of Interiors.

The bedroom on the rear of the Fourth Floor, then, was assumed to have been used by Mr. Mellon. It is a handsome space with a coved ceiling and a fireplace (not shown) opposite the bed.

The Rear Bedroom on the Fourth Floor
of the Mellon-White townhouse, 2013.
Photo: Sotheby's International Realty.

According to various on-line reports, Stribling & Associates listed the Mellons' townhouse for sale for $26.5 million in August 2005 and it sold early in 2006 for $24.5 million or $22.5 million with reports varying. The buyers were Clare and Tony White. The Whites had bought their townhouse across the street at 118 East 70th Street in 1998 for $6.05 million and sold it in 2006 for $25.6 million to actor/director Woody Allen. Mr. White is an Irish businessman who founded Abacus Direct, a consumer data company that he sold for $1.7 billion. The Whites hope to repeat their success in real estate by selling their present home at 125 East 70th Street for $46 million. The listing through Sotheby's International Realty, including more photos and a video, may be viewed here.

One of the most talked about features of Architectural Digest magazine is their annual "Before & After" issue. Some of the articles in these past issues have been real "eye-rollers" with the only difference, it would seem, in the photos being that one photo was taken before furniture -- perhaps with a large cardboard box and a ladder as props -- and the other photo taken after the furniture had been installed. Other projects were truly interesting transformations, however, showing great design insight and inspirational style.

In the November, 2013 issue, Mitchell Owens takes a look back at ten of the best in the article "Second Chances." (Click the title for the on-line version of the article). While it is no secret that I praise Mitch as one of today's best design writers, when I saw that title I thought to myself that he would be crazy if he had overlooked my architectural project decorated by Bunny Williams that had appeared in the February, 1994, issue. (If you do not recall it being featured on The Devoted Classicist blog last May, take a look here). Well, Mitch had not lost his senses, of course, and did indeed choose the Park Avenue apartment renovation for his article. (I know he does not write the captions, so I will forgive omitting my name which was included in the original article). The Entrance Hall image with those incredible painted panels commissioned especially for the space and the restored terrazzo floor is one that has received so much praise over the years that I appreciate it, of course. But it was the exceptionally large Dining Room that really had the biggest transformation into a Library that was the show-stopper for visitors to the apartment. (Since the clients only used the apartment as a pied-a-terre and always went out for dinner when in Manhattan, there was no need for a formal Dining Room). In any case, it was a real treat to see these pictures in print again. Many of my clients read Architectural Digest, so I appreciate having my work included.

Before photo by Glenn Keyes Architects.
After photo by Steven Brooke.
All photos are from the Conde Nast Archive.

Another project included in the article was the restoration of an 1803 plantation house on Kiawah Island, South Carolina, by my friend and former architecture school classmate, Glenn Keyes. In a team associated with architect Chris Schmitt, the piazza was reconstructed and modern conveniences were provided in additions that allowed the existing rooms to be restored to their original form.

Take a look at this and other Architectural Digest articles and blog posts by Mitchell Owens here.

The apartment's Living Room as decorated
by Robert Denning for Marlene and Spencer Hays.

First, it must be explained that The Devoted Classicist has been planning for quite some time to do a series of posts on a particularly attractive Manhattan apartment and how it has been furnished by different owners. A recent post by blogger, author, and speaker extraordinaire, Jennifer Boles on The Peak of Chic presented the apartment as furnished by what we will call the first owner. So this, the apartment as decorated for the second owners, is being published out of sequence for this blog, but it will be a logical sequence in the end, hopefully.

The barrel-vaulted and mirrored Entrance Hall
is lined with paintings and drawings by Utrillo,
Ingres, Forain, Pissarro, and Matisse.

The apartment first came to the attention of The Devoted Classicist when it was published as the residence of the current owner, David Kleinberg, a friend and former co-worker at Parish-Hadley. (A preview of Part III of this series featuring David's décor may be seen in a previous post here). David had mentioned that it had earlier been decorated by the firm, Denning & Fourcade, his former employer. These photos by Durston Saylor appeared in the September, 1994, issue of Architectural Digest which reveal the interior design implemented Robert Denning. (Vincent Fourcade died in 1992 and Robert Denning in 2005).

The Library walls are paneled with elements
of a coromandel screen, repurposed by
the previous occupant.

At the time, the apartment was a pied-a-terre for Nashvillians Marlene and Spencer Hays. (Selections from their art collection were exhibited at the Musee d'Orsay this summer. Although the museum text associated with the exhibition reports that their New York apartment was decorated by Renzo Mongiardino [who died in 1998], these photos, showing a décor very much in the style of Denning & Fourcade, would indicate that his involvement with the Hayses would have been later). The AD article noted that Marlene Hays had Robert Denning in mind during the two years she searched for a suitable apartment for displaying their art and entertaining. Of the decorator she said, "At first, I thought some of his ideas were crazy, and I'd wonder. All these mirrors for example. But they turned out to be a perfect setting for our pictures. What he suggests always works."

A drawing and a gouche by Pissarro
are displayed on an Empire table in a
corner of the Library.

The 15 x 30 foot Living Room needed lightening and brightening, according to the article, to create a proper background for the art. Denning repainted the framework of paneling a slightly different green, gilded the moldings, and upholstered the inset panels with printed linen from Brunschwig & Fils who also supplied the tapestry border on the ceiling, a hold-over from the previous occupant. Two nineteenth-century Savonnerie rugs were cut to cover the floor as a foundation for the mix of Biedermeier, Empire, and Regency furniture.

Jules Emile Saintain's La Menagere, 1866,
hangs over the secretaire a abattant in
the Master Bedroom.

Just as memorable of a room is the Library, paneled with a cut-up black and gold cormandel screen by the previous owner. Denning added his signature touches with the ceiling upholstered in a floral fabric and a Belle Epoque style light fixture featuring three elaborately pleated and ruffled silk shades.

The bed in the Master Bedroom was made
from a pair of four-poster beds from the
Delano estate.

The Master Bedroom features an eight-poster (!) Louis XIV style bed created from twin beds that Denning refashioned and provided with fringed hangings. The walls are covered with a Cowtan & Tout chintz and the windows have a yellow striped taffeta festoon blind, a lace shade, and mirrored shutters. "Rich fabrics soften the master bedroom," says Denning in the article written by Aileen Mehle.

Small sculptures by Maillol and Daumier
are displayed on shelves in the hall
outside the Dressing Room.

The Dressing Room has walls covered in a Clarence House chintz and a ceiling (not visible in the photo) upholstered in a mustard colored moire to conform to the pyramid shape. The adjacent hall has concealed doors in the form of bookcases faced with false books.

Parts I and III, showing the decoration by the previous and the subsequent owners will appear in future posts of The Devoted Classicist.

Although being published out-of-sequence, this post will be the third of a series to show how an Upper East Side Manhattan apartment has been furnished by different owners. This shows the current incarnation, as decorated by interior designer David Kleinberg as his own residence. Except for the images noted as being from DKDA, the photographs are by Eric Piasecki for Architectural Digest.

Another view of David Kleinberg's Living Room.

David retained the Living Room's handsome paneling but painted it cream and white to provide a more contemporary background. The suspended spiral light in the first image was designed by Swiss architect Max Ernst Haefeli in 1937.

The end of the Living Room.

David uses the end of the Living Room as a library.

The Entrance Hall.
Image: DKDA.

In the Entrance Hall, the barrel vault ceiling remains but the recessed downlights of the previous owners are replaced with a new linear light designed by David's firm, DKDA. Also, the smoked glass mirrors are removed.

The Dining Room

David uses the coromandel paneled library as his Dining Room. The rug is made from squares of cowhide.

The Master Bedroom.

A custom-made bed is the dominant feature of the Master Bedroom. The walls are upholstered with the same striped fabric as the curtains. The mirrored shutters from the previous owners remain.

David Kleinberg's Dressing Room.

Folded shirts and sweaters are stored on shelves in the oak Dressing Room.

The Bathroom.

In the Bathroom, the striations of the marble provide pattern and color in the otherwise primarily white space. The iron chair from the 1930s was designed by Jean-Charles Moreux.

The Study.

The walls of the Study are covered with upholstered linen panels decorated with nailheads. Vintage armchairs by Edward J. Wormley are upholstered in leather.

The Kitchen.

The Kitchen shimmers with cabinet doors and appliances of stainless steel. Countertops and backsplashes are Calacatta marble. The floor is faux wood tile from Ann Sacks.

The Breakfast Area of the Kitchen.

A Breakfast area features a classic modern Saarinen table.

David Kleinberg.
Image: DKDA.

More of David's work may be seen in the book TRADITIONAL NOW: INTERIORS BY DAVID KLEINBERG available at a considerable discount here. Part II of The Apartment which shows the Robert Denning decoration of the previous owners may be seen here. Part I will be shown in a future post.

Who Picked The Rug?

Mark Hampton and the Single Fabric Scheme

Hanging With Alec Cobbe, Hatchlands Park

Andrée Putman

Broadlands

Parisian Pied-à-terre

Bonnie Dune, Southampton

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, Kensington Palace

Never Plain Jayne

Notable Homes: Beatriz Patino, Plaine Monceau

Hotel Blumenthal-Montmorency, Paris

Aline, Countess of Romanones, NYC

William Kent, Ultimate Tastemaker

Pickings of a Happy Booker

Naguib Abd Allah, Eaton Square

Now Offering: The Residence At River House, $130 Million (Raw)

Mellon-White Townhouse, Another Manhattan Landmark For Sale

Deja Vu All Over Again

The Apartment, Part II

The Apartment, Part III