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The Sitting Room
The warmth of the Sitting Room comes from the vermillion-coloured
walls accented with cobalt-blue velvet curtains; a sedate backdrop for
comfortable furnishings grouped before a painted brick fireplace.
Large gilded mirrors reflect space & light.
A glowing Coromandel screen is illuminated by enormous export
porcelain lamps; more of my blue & white porcelain collection can be
seen throughout the room, especially atop the bookcase and mantel.
Also visible are my books; and still I add more!
Colours are bold & masculine, contributing to the club-like
atmosphere of the room. Deep Chinese yellows offset glowing red silks
& velvets; vibrant cobalt-blue and emerald-green are lively counters.
An array of brightly-coloured pillows, many sewn by yours truly,
provide further accents.
walls accented with cobalt-blue velvet curtains; a sedate backdrop for
comfortable furnishings grouped before a painted brick fireplace.
Large gilded mirrors reflect space & light.
A glowing Coromandel screen is illuminated by enormous export
porcelain lamps; more of my blue & white porcelain collection can be
seen throughout the room, especially atop the bookcase and mantel.
Also visible are my books; and still I add more!
Colours are bold & masculine, contributing to the club-like
atmosphere of the room. Deep Chinese yellows offset glowing red silks
& velvets; vibrant cobalt-blue and emerald-green are lively counters.
An array of brightly-coloured pillows, many sewn by yours truly,
provide further accents.
The Entrance Foyer & Hallway
The Entrance Foyer is an appropriate ante-room to the Sitting
Room, almost an annex, due to the same wall treatment of glowing
vermillion paint and chinoiserie paper borders. The floor tiles of
black & white marble are easily cleaned during Chicago's long
winter. A large, comfortable wing chair is upholstered in custom
cobalt-blue silk velvet, woven in Paris just for me!
Room, almost an annex, due to the same wall treatment of glowing
vermillion paint and chinoiserie paper borders. The floor tiles of
black & white marble are easily cleaned during Chicago's long
winter. A large, comfortable wing chair is upholstered in custom
cobalt-blue silk velvet, woven in Paris just for me!
The Master Bedroom
The Dining-Room
The Den
The Kitchen
The Morning-Room
This is my very first house, my very first mortgage, my very first unbelievable opportunity to create a world in which all the elements were a direct
reflection of my own taste and design philosophy. I lived in this house for eight wonderful years of constant & considerable experimentation,
adjustment, change, and, in summation, I must say, a process of refinement & discovery of my own personal design statement.
What you see on this page is not what I started with; far from it, in fact. Many of the pieces shown on these pieces were refinished,
reupholstered, recovered & restored, not just once but several times, to the everlasting delight of my workrooms & craftsmen.
Many of the colours shown in these rooms were not original, nor even part of the initial design scheme, but evolved, gradually, over time as I
unceasingly searched for that specific expression of my self, my person, my whole.
The journey of design is dynamic, fluid, ebbing & flowing like an Alpine stream, but always continuous. In looking back, I am astonished &
delighted at the journey: the challenges, the experiments, the mistakes, the decisions & the inspirations which culminated in this opus.
I wonder, sometimes, if I could go back to this house, and the answer, I think, is not an easy one.
Thomas Wolfe was right, of course, and it has been difficult to even take a fond look back; perhaps the memory is still too near.
Only time, the healer of all wounds, will tell.
reflection of my own taste and design philosophy. I lived in this house for eight wonderful years of constant & considerable experimentation,
adjustment, change, and, in summation, I must say, a process of refinement & discovery of my own personal design statement.
What you see on this page is not what I started with; far from it, in fact. Many of the pieces shown on these pieces were refinished,
reupholstered, recovered & restored, not just once but several times, to the everlasting delight of my workrooms & craftsmen.
Many of the colours shown in these rooms were not original, nor even part of the initial design scheme, but evolved, gradually, over time as I
unceasingly searched for that specific expression of my self, my person, my whole.
The journey of design is dynamic, fluid, ebbing & flowing like an Alpine stream, but always continuous. In looking back, I am astonished &
delighted at the journey: the challenges, the experiments, the mistakes, the decisions & the inspirations which culminated in this opus.
I wonder, sometimes, if I could go back to this house, and the answer, I think, is not an easy one.
Thomas Wolfe was right, of course, and it has been difficult to even take a fond look back; perhaps the memory is still too near.
Only time, the healer of all wounds, will tell.
The Hallway, in contrast, is painted a deep
Chinese yellow, specifically to offset this
lovely chinoiserie etagere. This area gets a
great deal of use, as evidenced by the
accumulation of boots, umbrellas and other
appurtenances!
Chinese yellow, specifically to offset this
lovely chinoiserie etagere. This area gets a
great deal of use, as evidenced by the
accumulation of boots, umbrellas and other
appurtenances!
The Master Bedroom is a haven of rich cobalt-blue, glowing warmly
in the light from the matching crystal lamps. Walls filled with framed
art, photographs & drawings create a deeply personal & intimate
space, offset by the vibrant yellow floral print in sateen cotton.
The curtains in this room are a deep vermillion red silk, lined with
the same yellow floral print.
A grand duchesse ensemble, upholstered in warm yellow boucle wool,
provides a cozy space to curl up with a good book...and I often did.
The long mahoghany dresser is another display area for artwork,
lighting and treasured mementos, including a collection of vintage
perfume bottles.
On the armoire, a collection of vintage blue & white export porcelain
is reflected by a large, framed mirror.
in the light from the matching crystal lamps. Walls filled with framed
art, photographs & drawings create a deeply personal & intimate
space, offset by the vibrant yellow floral print in sateen cotton.
The curtains in this room are a deep vermillion red silk, lined with
the same yellow floral print.
A grand duchesse ensemble, upholstered in warm yellow boucle wool,
provides a cozy space to curl up with a good book...and I often did.
The long mahoghany dresser is another display area for artwork,
lighting and treasured mementos, including a collection of vintage
perfume bottles.
On the armoire, a collection of vintage blue & white export porcelain
is reflected by a large, framed mirror.
The Dining-Room was deliberately given a different colour scheme &
treatment, to distinguish it from the other rooms. Here, we spent
many happy evenings with our guests, enjoying wonderful meals &
memorable wines...a special champagne comes to mind....
The walls of this room were painted in a faux antique-leather; this
was my first attempt at this, but it was so successful, and so
beautiful, that I have since done this for several clients. The colour, a
rich, dark green, is highlighted by the French floral cotton draperies &
gleaming brass hardware.
Along one wall, a gold Chinese screen adds texture & balance.
The upholstery, in soft gold moire silk and deep, plush gold mohair,
provides a pleasing contrast to the darker tones of this room.
I only allowed white flowers on the table...for obvious reasons.
treatment, to distinguish it from the other rooms. Here, we spent
many happy evenings with our guests, enjoying wonderful meals &
memorable wines...a special champagne comes to mind....
The walls of this room were painted in a faux antique-leather; this
was my first attempt at this, but it was so successful, and so
beautiful, that I have since done this for several clients. The colour, a
rich, dark green, is highlighted by the French floral cotton draperies &
gleaming brass hardware.
Along one wall, a gold Chinese screen adds texture & balance.
The upholstery, in soft gold moire silk and deep, plush gold mohair,
provides a pleasing contrast to the darker tones of this room.
I only allowed white flowers on the table...for obvious reasons.
Mr Kitty, get off that chair!
The Den was, and remains, one of my favourite rooms in this house.
Here, I used colour in ways I had never done before, and the results
were, to say the least, striking.
Walls painted fuchsia pink, deep cobalt-blue & upholstered in deep
Chinese orange silk are offset by a deep cobalt-blue velvet sofa, piled
high with hand-sewn silk pillows, blankets & cushions. Antique
Chinese "ancestor" chairs feature striped box cushions in deep blue
& green, edged with braid.
The walls above the sofa are covered with more of my collection of
framed art: prints, original photographs, sketches and even a
rendering or two from my university days.
The entire room is held together, visually, by the large, ornate Persian
rug, containing & combining all the colours into a cohesive whole.
Here, I used colour in ways I had never done before, and the results
were, to say the least, striking.
Walls painted fuchsia pink, deep cobalt-blue & upholstered in deep
Chinese orange silk are offset by a deep cobalt-blue velvet sofa, piled
high with hand-sewn silk pillows, blankets & cushions. Antique
Chinese "ancestor" chairs feature striped box cushions in deep blue
& green, edged with braid.
The walls above the sofa are covered with more of my collection of
framed art: prints, original photographs, sketches and even a
rendering or two from my university days.
The entire room is held together, visually, by the large, ornate Persian
rug, containing & combining all the colours into a cohesive whole.
Just for fun, we photographed the ancestor
chairs with a variety of cushion treatments;
I'm really not certain which of these is my
favourite; I love them all!
chairs with a variety of cushion treatments;
I'm really not certain which of these is my
favourite; I love them all!
The Kitchen, where we spent a great deal of time, still retains happy
memories of meals prepared, and shared, with love & laughter
around the tall kitchen table.
Here, the colour scheme of vermillion red & Chinese yellow was
balanced by the stainless-steel appliances, batterie de cuisine, and by
blue & white porcelain tiles artfully mounted on the backsplash.
The tall kitchen cabinets became an ideal place for displaying more of
my blue & white china collection and other pieces gathered over time.
We really did have a lot of fun in this kitchen. Didn't we?
memories of meals prepared, and shared, with love & laughter
around the tall kitchen table.
Here, the colour scheme of vermillion red & Chinese yellow was
balanced by the stainless-steel appliances, batterie de cuisine, and by
blue & white porcelain tiles artfully mounted on the backsplash.
The tall kitchen cabinets became an ideal place for displaying more of
my blue & white china collection and other pieces gathered over time.
We really did have a lot of fun in this kitchen. Didn't we?
The Morning-Room was, actually, an enclosed porch or penthouse,
tacked on to the back of the house, looking out over the back yard.
The light, in the mornings, streamed in through the tall windows, and
made this a perfect place for morning coffee and newspapers.
The armchairs, hand-carved in Mexico, were upholstered in a deep
cobalt-blue woven cotton, accented with a bright red & blue print.
In the corner, a hand-painted, antique mahoghany table was crowded
with the usual assortment of books, papers, objets-d'art & flowers.
tacked on to the back of the house, looking out over the back yard.
The light, in the mornings, streamed in through the tall windows, and
made this a perfect place for morning coffee and newspapers.
The armchairs, hand-carved in Mexico, were upholstered in a deep
cobalt-blue woven cotton, accented with a bright red & blue print.
In the corner, a hand-painted, antique mahoghany table was crowded
with the usual assortment of books, papers, objets-d'art & flowers.
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