FLOWER MARCH•APRIL 2021
HOUSE l GARDEN l LIFESTYLE
bring on
SPRING! + A DUO OF STYLISH UPDATED HOMES
Charlotte Moss’s Love Affair with Flowers A DREAMY GARDEN STUDIO IN FLORENCE, ITALY
PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE MOSS
MARCH•APRIL 2021
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Flower Memories
Contents
In an excerpt from her new book, interior designer Charlotte Moss reminisces about her lifelong fascination with flowers and their transformational power
“Just living isn’t enough,” said the butterfly. “One must also have sunshine, freedom, and a little flower.”
–HANS CHRISTIAN ANDERSEN
FEATURES
44
56
64
Dallas designer Denise McGaha helps a couple breathe new life into an old house, respecting its charm and architectural details while giving it a fresh face with a light palette and sleek furnishings
When designer Emily Ruddo first met with new clients in Pasadena, she expected to find an airy, contemporary California home. Instead, she met a home that took her back to her Southern roots
In a 19th-century lemon house surrounded by gardens in Florence, Italy, calligrapher Betty Soldi found the perfect spot to explore her craft
PHOTO BY CHARLOTTE MOSS
Highland Park Handsome
Pasadena Pretty
The Write Setting
ON THE COVER: In a Dallas home designed by Denise McGaha, Jimmie Henslee arranged a dining room centerpiece of amaryllis, garden
roses, Queen Anne’s lace, ‘Italian White’ sunflowers, wild grapevine, French tulips, and wisteria vine. Photographed by Stephen Karlisch
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Contents DEPARTMENTS
15
We’ve got our eyes on...
Porcelain flowers, spring reading list, creative textile designs, and chic bike baskets
IN EVERY ISSUE Watering Can 10 Sources 70 What’s Coming Up 70 At the Table 72
24
IN BLOOM
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Decorate: Flowers
Arrangements by Gulf Coast– based floral designer Martha Whitney Butler evoke the energy of spring
24
72
Decorate: Interview
A chat with interior designer Corey Damen Jenkins
30
Decorate: Mood
Get ready to gather ’round these standout dining tables
34
Entertain
Celebrating the season of rebirth with a stylish Easter egg hunt
40
Garden
Landscape architect Melissa Gerstle on her design style and how the pandemic has affected the backyard
34
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March•April 2021
PHOTOS BY LAUREY GLENN (COOKIES), WERNER STRAUBE PHOTOGRAPHY (LIVING ROOM), DAVID HILLEGAS (PLACE SETTING), AND STEPHEN KARLISCH (OUTDOOR SOFA)
SCENE
PHOTOS BY LAUREY GLENN (COOKIES), WERNER STRAUBE PHOTOGRAPHY (LIVING ROOM), DAVID HILLEGAS (PLACE SETTING), AND STEPHEN KARLISCH (OUTDOOR SOFA)
Watering can
A Note from the Editor
Spring drew on . . . and a greenness grew over those brown beds, which, freshening daily, suggested the thought that Hope traversed them at night, and left each morning brighter traces of her steps. —CHARLOTTE BRONTË, JANE EYRE
designer, Charlotte is also skilled in gardening and arranging. Her luscious designs and just-right vessels inspire, instruct, and provide a preview of coming attractions in her dreamy book. Speaking of fresh and new things, I’m delighted to announce that we will be producing our very first showhouse soon. It will be featured in an upcoming issue of Flower and will include virtual tours as well as conversations with key players: Mary Evelyn McKee (interiors), Ben Page (landscape), and Pete Pritchard (architecture). Another surprise is that the house belongs to my husband and me and is situated on our farm in Bibb County, Alabama (see illustration below). Stay tuned . . . Meanwhile, go forth and celebrate the beauty and hope of spring! Love and SDG,
Margot Shaw EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Please send your comments, triumphs, challenges & questions to: wateringcan@flowermag.com OR Letters to the Editor | Flower magazine
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P.O. Box 530645
Get the Flower email newsletter! Sign up at flowermag.com/news
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FLOWER
March•April 2021
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Birmingham, AL 35253
PORTRAIT BY BETH HONTZAS, ILLUSTRATION BY BO BERRY
I JUST LISTENED TO THE SPRING CONCERTO of Vivaldi’s iconic Four Seasons. With the joyful opening herald of spring, followed by sounds of birds singing in celebration, then streams being caressed by gentle breezes, a dark and ominous storm, and a gradual return of the playful birds, I am absolutely invigorated. What I notice, besides the brilliant interpretation of sounds of nature in the piece, is the play of volume and intensity. I’m lulled by a restful chirping serenade, only to be startled by the crashing thunderstorm. And back and forth it goes until it resolves in a decrescendo into silence, and then anticipation of the next season . . . In these first days of hints of spring, we awake to a desire to garden, entertain, decorate, arrange flowers . . . to create. The “greenness grows over the brown beds” of our surroundings, and our mood grows light. We can’t help it. The small sounds of birds singing; a robin sighting; the first yellow blooms of forsythia and daffodils; a thunderstorm; and, if you’re in a snowy zone, the whoosh of rolling waters in a thawed river or stream, all very much like Vivaldi’s concerto. Art really does imitate life. Spring dances across the pages of this issue as we feast our eyes and minds on these features: a calligrapher and graphic designer’s secret garden studio in Florence, Italy; a fresh, crisp Pasadena, California, house with a Southern accent; a magical Easter afternoon’s entertainment awash in thematic colors, flowers, food, and family traditions; and a winsome Prairie/ Arts and Crafts hybrid house in Dallas from designer Denise McGaha. We also get a glimpse of Charlotte Moss’s new book, Charlotte Moss Flowers. Though renowned as an interior
PORTRAIT BY BETH HONTZAS, ILLUSTRATION BY BO BERRY
VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2
Margot Shaw FOUNDER/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Alice Welsh Doyle EDITORIAL DIRECTOR Ellen S. Padgett CREATIVE DIRECTOR Terri Robertson DIGITAL MEDIA MANAGER Amanda Smith Fowler STYLE EDITOR Kirk Reed Forrester ASSOCIATE EDITOR Kate Johnson PRODUCTION/COPY EDITOR Gregory Keyes INTEGRATED OPERATIONS MANAGER EDITOR-AT-LARGE
Karen Carroll CONTRIBUTING EDITORS
Courtney Barnes Abby Braswell James Farmer Marion Laffey Fox Elaine Griffin Tara Guérard Frances MacDougall Tovah Martin
Cathy Still McGowin Charlotte Moss Troy Rhone Matthew Robbins Margaret Zainey Roux Frances Schultz Lydia Somerville Sybil Sylvester
For editorial inquiries: editorial@flowermag.com
Julie Durkee PUBLISHER Jennel O’Brien DIRECTOR OF MARKETING Susan Sutton SENIOR MARKETING MANAGER REGIONAL ACCOUNT DIRECTORS
Wendy Ellis Sara D. Taylor Suzanne Cooper NATIONAL DIRECTOR, HOME FURNISHINGS For sales inquiries: sales@flowermag.com BUSINESS OFFICE
Silvia Rider GENERAL MANAGER Patrick Toomey ACCOUNTANT Lisa Mitchell SENIOR MANAGER CUSTOMER SERVICE
For change of address and subscription inquiries: 877.400.3074 or flower@emailcustomerservice.com ADVISORY BOARD
Paula Crockard Winn Crockard Gavin Duke Gay Estes Katie Baker Lasker Maloy Love Mary Evelyn McKee Michael Mundy
Ben Page Angèle Parlange Renny Reynolds Scott Shepherd Remco van Vliet Evie Vare Carleton Varney Louise Wrinkle
PHOTOS: CHARLOTTE MOSS (POPPY POD), MICK HALES (PORTRAIT), AND COURTESY OF VLADIMIR KANEVSKY
W h a t We ’ v e G o t O u r E y e s O n
Scene
PHOTOS: CHARLOTTE MOSS (POPPY POD), MICK HALES (PORTRAIT), AND COURTESY OF VLADIMIR KANEVSKY
ARTIST
Porcelain in Bloom
AN UPCOMING EXHIBIT AT HILLWOOD SHOWCASES THE WORK OF VLADIMIR KANEVKSY
V
By Alice Welsh Doyle
LADIMIR KANEVSKY’S GLORIOUS FLOWER SCULPTURES will be exhibited at Washington, D.C.’s Hillwood Estate, Museum & Gardens April 6–September 5. The artist has said, “There is everything in flowers— history, drama, structure, beauty, and fragrance.” Hillwood founder Marjorie Merriweather Post would certainly agree, as she surrounded herself with flowers both in her gardens and in her home. The meticulous porcelain sculptures will take the place of live arrangements, bringing color and style to several rooms in the house. “Marjorie Post maintained a lifelong love of porcelain, especially that from the 18th century,” said Wilfried Zeisler, Hillwood’s chief curator. “She collected pieces with delicate decoration, harmony, and superb craftsmanship. Vladimir Kaneveky’s modern interpretation of this antique form would certainly have caught her eye and fits right in with her fabulous collection.” Floral-adorned porcelain, marquetry, Fabergé pieces, and more will also be on display. For more details on the exhibition, The Porcelain Flowers of Vladimir Kanevsky, visit hillwoodmuseum.org. For a profile of the artist, visit flowermag.com.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: A very detailed porcelain poppy pod • Foxgloves • The artist in his studio • Tree peonies in an antique Chinese tea caddy • Morning glories in an antique Japanese container • Porcelain and tole lilacs in a Mottahedeh container
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Scene WHAT WE’VE GOT OUR EYES ON ...
READING LIST
SPRING FAVORITES INSPIRATION FOR INSIDE AND OUTSIDE YOUR HOME
A YEAR AT CLOVE BROOK FARM
Interior designer Melanie Turner, based in Atlanta, has a style that’s not easy to categorize—her work spans from transitional to more contemporary, lively to neutral. The chapter titles in her book, Inviting Interiors (Rizzoli New York, 2021), reveal volumes: “Clarity,” “Colorful,” “Calm,” “Collected,” and “Cool.” She’s a master at creating a moment, whether it’s amethyst rock crystal lamps on a buffet or a mustard-yellow-skirted settee in a foyer. Her rooms are nuanced and never dull, even in the more quiet spaces. “Regardless of style, I approach every new project with zeal—always curious, always seeking out what’s new, what’s next, what surprising delight waits around the corner,” says Melanie. “I love embarking on these journeys in decorating with my clients.” Erin Benzakein of Floret Farm shares her passion for a favorite flower that grows on her farm in Washington State’s Skagit Valley. “One thing I’ve learned when it comes to dahlias is that once you’ve been bitten by the bug, there’s no going back,” says Erin. “They have a strangely magical quality that somehow ends up taking over your life in the most fun and beautiful way.” In Floret Farm’s Discovering Dahlias (Chronicle Books, 2021), she takes a deep dive into the subject. The book is chock-full of step-by-step expert advice and captivating images with details for more than 350 of Erin’s favorites varieties.
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INVITING INTERIORS
FLORET FARM’S DISCOVERING DAHLIAS
HAMMOCK PHOTO AND PILLOWS AT TOP BY ANGIE SECKINGER; STYLING: FRANCES PALMER. MARIKA MEYER PORTRAIT BY ANGIE SECKINGER. TARA GUÉRARD PHOTOS BY GAYLE BROOKER
In A Year at Clove Brook Farm (Rizzoli New York, 2021), the multitalented lamp and ceramics designer Christopher Spitzmiller captures all four seasons at his country home outside of New York City in Millbrook. He may be a weekend farmer, but he’s committed— raising chickens; keeping bees; and putting up his own jam, cider, and honey—and his beautiful retreat has something on offer throughout the year. And while Christopher may do things on a grand scale, you can apply his tips to whatever size garden you have or endeavor you want to pursue. As he advises in the introduction, “I hope this book inspires you to try something new around your own home, whether it’s sowing a few fruit and vegetable seeds in a pot or welcoming friends over for a home-cooked dinner. . . . I firmly believe that each of us has a garden within us, and it’s our joy to tend to it, nurture it, and let it flourish.”
CREATIVE COLLABORATION
Pillow Power Interior and textile designer Marika Meyer has introduced a new pillow line, so her signature hand-screened-onlinen fabrics can now be employed to easily update a room. We love her deft use of color and tendency to draw inspiration from nature, whether for a more elaborate tree-of-life print or a subtle laurel leaf, both of which pair well with the petite geometrics in the line. “We are very excited about being able to offer our fabric designs as pillows, so that they can easily be ordered through our website. They are the perfect solution to a quick room refresh or a larger home makeover,” says Marika. marikameyertextiles.com
Schumacher + Neisha Crosland We have long admired the creativity of British surface-pattern designer Neisha Crosland, who has teamed up with Schumacher to bring her signature aesthetic to a new collection named Espalier with fabrics, trims, and wallpaper. Neisha is known for her well-balanced repeats of geometrics and flowers, unusual color combinations, and ability to design patterns for a wide range of products, techniques, and mediums. Her inspiration for this collection spans continents and mediums, from Elizabethan needlework to 16th-century Japanese kimonos to an East Persian Doroksh pictorial silk rug from 1890. We are drawn to the color combinations of the Thistle pattern—such as lavender/orange and Dijon/green. Schumacher Creative Director Dara Caponigro aptly sums up the collection as “cool but utterly disarming at the same time.” fschumacher.com
ABOVE: Neisha Crosland with fabrics and trims from the Espalier collection BELOW: Tara Guérard and her debut bike baskets LEFT: Marika Meyer and
selections from her pillow collection
HAMMOCK PHOTO AND PILLOWS AT TOP BY ANGIE SECKINGER; STYLING: FRANCES PALMER. MARIKA MEYER PORTRAIT BY ANGIE SECKINGER. TARA GUÉRARD PHOTOS BY GAYLE BROOKER
May Cabas
Flower Contributing Editor and ultimate wedding planner Tara Guérard of Soirée in Charleston, South Carolina, debuted the ultimate bike basket just in time for spring jaunts around town. “For years, I looked for a large basket, so I could ride to work with my huge bag, computer, etc., and there were zero in the States,” says Tara. During the pandemic, she helped a friend from Vietnam with her nail salon who in turn helped Tara with her baskets through contacts in Vietnam. “Rattan is a vine that grows on trees and suffocates them, so we are saving trees too,” says Tara. “We used rattan, Parisian inspirations, along with a Southern way of life, and voilà—you have May Cabas (may is “rattan” in Vietnamese, and cabas is “basket” in French). Now I can bike to work with all the supplies needed and design perfect weddings.” Two sizes, from $175; maycabas.com
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Decorate: Flowers, Interview & Mood • Entertain • Garden
in Bloom DECORATE: FLOWERS
Martha Whitney Butler of The French Potager FOR THE GULF COAST DESIGNER, SPRINGTIME IS THE RIGHT TIME FOR LUSH ARRANGEMENTS THAT EVOKE ENERGY AND INSPIRE RENEWAL Produced by Margaret Zainey Roux Photography by Sara Essex Bradley
MATERIALS LIST
Dusty miller Ornamental kale rosette ‘Jacorma’ peony Queen Anne’s lace ‘Princess Hitomi’ garden rose Gentiana Helleborus ‘Winter Bells’ Muscari Tulips Scabiosa ‘Apollo’ iris Astrantia Feather-leaf acacia ‘Mini Green’ hydrangea
To read about Martha Whitney’s inspiration for this arrangement, turn the page >
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in Bloom FLOWERS
MATERIALS LIST
‘ Rosa Loves Me (Just a Little Bit More)’ rose Double tulip ‘Mini Green’ hydrangea Dusty miller Gentiana
Helleborus ‘Winter Bells’ ‘Apollo’ iris Kale rosette Muscari ‘Jacorma’ peony ‘Lisa’ scabiosa Silver dollar eucalyptus
MATERIALS LIST
Orange ranunculus ‘Apollo’ iris ‘Lisa’ scabiosa
Martha Whitney’s Inspiration “I wanted to capture the celebration of the spring garden in this arrangement. This season brings to life many things that have been dormant for so long, including our urge to garden and fill our homes with color and fragrance. For me, experiencing the sense of renewal that comes from going out into my yard and seeing that my dreams have awakened and begun to flower is transformational.” For step-by-step instructions, turn the page >
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Gentiana Dusty miller Muscari
in Bloom FLOWERS
STEP BY STEP
STEP 1 Cut a square of coated chicken wire and mold it into a dome shape inside the container, keeping it flush with the opening. Add water.
STEP 2
STEP 3
Insert the dusty miller horizontally at a slight angle, allowing some to fall gracefully while still touching the water. The greenery base will guide the overall shape and capacity of this arrangement, along with the face of the vessel.
Reflex the leaves of kale by delicately turning them downward to expose the rosette at the center. When reflexing flowers, it is best to use aged blooms that have softer, more pliable petals to prevent tearing or breakage.
“A beautiful container can inspire you to flower your home on a regular basis, not just on special occasions.” —MARTHA WHITNEY BUTLER STEP 4
STEP 6
STEP 5
STEP 7
Insert heavier focal flowers like the kale, peony, Queen Anne’s lace, and roses around the edge of the container, and work in to the center. The heads of the flowers should fall beyond the rim of the vase. Reflex the garden rose for a romantic and robust feel. Make sure to stagger the height of the focal flowers by pulling out and pushing in to create dimension and avoid a flat look. Parade the gentiana above the focal flowers, staggering their heights to give structure to the arrangement. Create movement by plugging in the muscari and Helleborus, letting them fall naturally from the “hairline” of the vase, or use them vertically to create whimsical curves. Group the muscari to embolden its unique color.
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Stand back and assess the arrangement for opportunities to create movement and statements. You may continue with cascading elements, such as the reflexed tulips, for the front of the arrangement or imposed over the dark kale for a nice pop.
Float the scabiosa and iris slightly above the focal flowers. Pull them up and out to avoid overcrowding and to show off their delicate blooms. Finally, address any holes with astrantia, Helleborus, and feather-leaf acacia to add color and texture. If you have a large space in the back, you can fill it with a ‘Mini Green’ hydrangea. For more information, see Sources, page 70
in Bloom DECORATE: INTERVIEW
A Motown Fairy Tale RAISED IN A CITY FAMOUS FOR ITS HUSTLE, DETROIT’S COREY DAMEN JENKINS WENT FROM KNOCKING ON DOORS TO KNOCKING DOWN BARRIERS AND NOW FINDS HIMSELF AT THE TOP OF THE DESIGN WORLD
LEFT: In a bedroom, Corey (pictured above) created peplums on window treatments, one of his signatures, which amp up the glamour. BELOW: Gorgeous traditional millwork juxtaposed against modern art evokes Corey’s remix style.
C
alling out around the world, are you ready for a brand new beat? Like the horn section blasting the arrival of a new sound in the iconic Motown anthem “Dancing in the Street,” the publication of Design Remix: A New Spin on Traditional Rooms (Rizzoli New York, 2021) by Corey Damen Jenkins announces the ascendance of a new talent born from the streets of Motor City now writ large for the whole country to see. “I have what you might call a ‘Cinder-fella’ story,” laughs Corey. Growing up in a family of three boys, he was interested in color, pattern, drawing, and architecture but was steered toward a more conventional career by his father, whose goal for his sons was financial stability. “When my dad and I were talking about me pursuing a design career in the ’90s, there weren’t many people of color doing design,” says Corey. His dad’s advice? “Why don’t you get a real job?” Corey relented and got a job with one of
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© DESIGN REMIX: A NEW SPIN ON TRADITIONAL ROOMS BY COREY DAMEN JENKINS, RIZZOLI NEW YORK, 2021. PORTRAIT BY BRAD ZIEGLER
By Kirk Reed Forrester • Photography by Werner Straube Photography
© DESIGN REMIX: A NEW SPIN ON TRADITIONAL ROOMS BY COREY DAMEN JENKINS, RIZZOLI NEW YORK, 2021. PORTRAIT BY BRAD ZIEGLER
in Bloom DECORATE: INTERVIEW
“I tell my students, if you’re ever blessed to get to the top of the wall, leave the ladder down for others to follow.” —COREY DAMEN JENKINS
Detroit’s Big Three automakers that afforded him all the facets of success— a nice car, a fancy apartment, and groceries from Whole Foods. Then in 2008 the Great Recession hit, claiming Corey’s job as one of its many casualties. Sensing an opportunity amidst the wreckage, Corey got work as a temp in a Michigan Design Center showroom, “changing light bulbs, wiping down mirrors, taking out the trash, getting memo samples for designers, loading their cars.” He met a number of decorators, but none seemed interested in fostering the dreams of a showroom temp worker. Soon he got laid off from that job as well. “It was then I decided to launch my career,” says Corey, who attributes his gritty determination to his hometown ethos. “There’s a saying here,” he writes in the book. “Detroit hustles harder.” Armed with nothing more than a portfolio of sketches, Corey drove a rental car through the wealthy neighborhoods in Detroit, knocking on doors of homes and businesses, looking for someone to take a chance on an unknown decorator. “Initially I told myself I was going to knock on 1,000 doors,” says Corey. “It was the dead of winter; I was broke; I was getting chased off properties by dogs, laughed off construction sites by contractors. It was tough. So I rounded my goal down to 800. I told myself if I knocked on 800 doors and still had no job, I’d give up.” He knocked on 778 with no luck. Then came door number 779. An older couple answered and invited him in for tea. They needed help with their home and hired him on the spot, giving him a sizable budget. Corey posted his work on a GoDaddy
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: A jolt of
color gives this room of classic furniture and architectural detail a fresh feel. • To make this stairwell feel grounded but airy, Corey chose a medley of antique and contemporary mirrors. • A bedroom with bold elements is anchored by a focused palette.
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in Bloom DECORATE: INTERVIEW
CLOCKWISE FROM LEFT: Ceilings are a room’s “fifth wall,” says Corey, who covered this dining room ceiling in Schumacher wallpaper from Martyn Lawrence Bullard. • The Moroccan tile on the island adds an element of surprise and energy to this kitchen. • Corey’s ability to play with pattern is on display in a vibrant guest bedroom.
website and soon got a call from a producer at HGTV. The channel was planning a design competition and wanted Corey to participate. For a week, he ignored the call. “I just didn’t have the confidence that I could compete on a stage like that,” he says. Fortunately, the producer persisted, and Corey agreed to compete. He ended up winning. From then on, opportunities began pouring in from around the country. Soon Corey opened a second studio in New York. Known for designs that reflect his love of haute couture and music, Corey creates rooms that are bold but grounded in the classics, grand but generous. Paging through Design Remix is like listening to a great playlist, with rooms standing in for songs—some chill, some romantic, some that make you want to stand on the table and dance. In recent years Corey has been inducted into Architectural Digest’s AD100 and Elle Decor’s A-List and has seen his work grace the covers of magazines. Though magazine covers never cease to thrill, there is still something in the heft of a book, with one’s name on the spine and creativity between the covers, that feels like the gratifying culmination of Corey’s efforts. The book’s dedication reads, “I dedicate this first book to every hopeful child of color who dreams of designing the world. The doors have been opened to you, and we are eagerly awaiting your arrival.” Corey hopes to open doors that were once closed to him, to be an encourager in an industry that can often be cutthroat. “I’m honored to speak at Parsons on occasion,” he says. “When I do, I tell my students, if you’re ever blessed to get to the top of the wall, leave the ladder down for others to follow. I can tell you which rungs are weak. I’m going to help people get ahead.” | 28 |
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For more information, see Sources, page 70
in Bloom DECORATE: MOOD
Dining All Around
WITH SPRING ON ITS WAY AND THE HOPE OF RETURNING TO NORMAL IN SIGHT, WE PROPOSE PLANNING YOUR NEXT FABULOUS DINNER PARTY AROUND ONE OF THESE BEAUTIES Produced by Amanda Smith Fowler 1 AMBELLA
Pick Up Sticks Dining Table with Statuario Marble Top Mixing metal and marble gives this table flair.
2 1
$8,250 ambellahome.com 2 UNIVERSAL FURNITURE
Nantucket Round Dining Table
3
The sweeping hexagon base adds interest. $2,485 universalfurniture.com 3 BAKER
Ariana Table from the Baker Luxe Collection Simplicity at its finest To the trade bakerfurniture.com THE EASTERN ROMAN EMPIRE
introduced the circular dining table to Italy, an invention that still resonates as a popular choice for festive gatherings.
4 CENTURY
Mesa Baymont Round Table A solid foundation creates a sense of architecture and strength. $5,997 centuryfurniture.com /buylocal 5 JONATHAN CHARLES
Buckingham Bleached Walnut Dining Table
4
Blonde ambition with great legs 5
$5,360 jonathancharles furniture.com
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in Bloom DECORATE: MOOD 6
6 CHADDOCK
Hollyhock Round Dining Table by Mark D. Sikes Classical details lend a timelessness to this fresh piece. $10,292 chaddockhome.com 7 LEXINGTON
Selfridge Round Dining Table from the Carmel Collection by Barclay Butera
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Ground any space with this solid column base. $3,549 lexington.com 8 OLY
Cruz Dining Table X marks the spot on the base of this stunner. $2,450 for 54 inch olystudio.com 9 THEODORE
ALEXANDER
Grace Round Dining Table We love the torpedo legs and striking brass details. $11,700 theodorealexander.com
8
9
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in Bloom ENTERTAIN
Oh, Happy Day FLOWER STYLE EDITOR AMANDA SMITH FOWLER’S EASTER CELEBRATION FROM 2019 ABOUNDS WITH CLEVER IDEAS, TREATS FOR ALL AGES, AND PRETTY FLOWERS ALL WRAPPED IN HER INIMITABLE FLAIR By Alice Welsh Doyle • Photography by Laurey W. Glenn
F
lower Style Editor Amanda Smith Fowler never does anything halfway, operating on the premise that if one is good, then 100 is even better. Her creative and generous spirit is on full display at an annual Easter celebration that she and her husband, Les, host at their home in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. “I tend to over buy and over cook,” she says. “That works out great for the kids since there is candy galore at the hunt.” That candy would include 4,000 filled Easter eggs from Sunny Bunny, a nonprofit that employs adults with disabilities, loaded into wheelbarrows and placed by Les and family members before guests arrive. The eggs are thoughtfully arranged in levels of difficulty for different age groups. Before the hunt commences, a prayer is offered “just like before a traditional dove hunt,” says Amanda. In addition to the eggs, the Fowlers offer baskets of candy, Hula-Hoops, pinwheels, cookies, and more. “It’s a little different Story continues on page 38
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Les and Amanda
with Feeney Marie • “Feeney Marie loves helping to plan the day. She gives her expert ‘candy’ opinion,” says Amanda. • The name of the event is based on Amanda’s favorite Easter song, “Oh, Happy Day” by the Edwin Hawkins Singers. * A flowered cross by Leska Graves Taylor welcomes guests.
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in Bloom ENTERTAIN
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: Easter eggs cover the backyard, waiting to be found. • A
wreath of Brussels sprouts adorned with a floral corsage • A witty arrangement of fruits, vegetables, and flowers • “To me, children are the greatest blessings and some of the dearest souls to engage in conversation,” says Amanda. “Their excitement and mischief remind us not to take life too seriously—and they always give a reason to smile.” FOLLOWING PAGE: Amanda loves to collaborate with her father, who took her sketch for an outdoor swing table and brought it to fruition.
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For more information, see Sources, page 70
in Bloom ENTERTAIN
“The Easter season of rebirth is my very favorite time of year, filled with the beginnings of spring and new growth. It always creates a sound sense of peace.” —AMANDA SMITH FOWLER each year,” says Amanda, who started the celebrations in 2014 after her daughter, Feeney Marie, was baptized on Easter. “One year we had cookies with little paintbrushes attached so the kids could decorate them as they wished, and another year we had cotton candy for the kids to take home.” Some favorites, like the Easter Bunny and Amanda’s mother’s almond punch, appear year after year. “The punch is versatile. We serve it to the kids with ginger ale, cherries, and fruit, and for the adults, we mix it with Prosecco,” says Amanda. Strawberries from a farm near her hometown of Hartselle, Alabama, are always at the ready for dipping in powdered sugar. Although Amanda is a natural-born whiz with flowers, for this event, she enlisted the help of Leska Graves Taylor to create unique displays, starting with the floral cross that greets guests at the front gate. “Amanda and I have a special relationship,” says Leska. “She calls, and I always say yes, even before I have heard the plan. So when she said, ‘I’m thinking Brussels sprouts, carrots, broccoli, etc.’ I was intrigued.” The fabulous results, including a wreath of Brussels sprouts and an arrangement bursting with green fruit, vegetables, and flowers with carrots as accents, speak for themselves. Even before her daughter’s baptism, Easter was always special to Amanda. “The Easter season of rebirth is my very favorite time of year, filled with the beginnings of spring and new growth. It always creates a sound sense of peace, and this party gives everyone a reason to extend the celebration into the afternoon,” she says. “The kids get a sugar high and the adults relax. It’s a short and sweet event.” And one whose return everyone is eagerly awaiting. For the almond punch recipe, go to flowermag.com
in Bloom GARDEN
Striking the Balance IN HER GARDENS, DALLAS-BASED LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT MELISSA GERSTLE EMBRACES CLEAN LINES AND ORGANIC, SCULPTURAL FORMS
Flower: Tell me a little about your background. Melissa Gerstle: I grew up in the suburbs on Long Island and always had a deep appreciation of nature. I went to college to pursue environmental studies because I wanted to be a photojournalist for National Geographic. What I realized is I am way too social to be alone in the jungle like Jane Goodall! In college I pursued a degree in business but took an introductory course in landscape architecture and was blown away. After graduation I got a job in Dallas in the marketing department for American
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Airlines, but landscape design was always in the back of my mind. How did you make the career leap? When I arrived in Dallas, I had never seen a place where people put so much care into their homes. It inspired me. Around 2003, I began a course in landscape design, going to school at night and working as an apprentice for a talented landscape architect named Rosa Finsley, who became my mentor. She was a pioneer in the industry and super hands-on. I finished my thesis at nine months pregnant, and soon after, people started calling me to
PHOTOS (THIS SPREAD): STEPHEN KARLISCH. PORTRAIT: TRUITT ROGERS
By Kirk Reed Forrester
PHOTOS (THIS SPREAD): STEPHEN KARLISCH. PORTRAIT: TRUITT ROGERS
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP:
For Melissa’s work in the Fall 2020 Kips Bay Decorators Showhouse, she created a Hollywood Regency feel for the pool and patio. • The minute Melissa saw the backyard’s beautiful old tree, she knew she wanted to introduce this dreamy swing. • A secluded corner with a fire pit and chairs invites conversation. OPPOSITE: Poolside daybeds with sleek cocktail tables designed by Melissa (pictured at bottom)
help them with their homes. That was in 2008, and I’ve been in business ever since. How did Rosa Finsley’s work shape your own aesthetic? Rosa did a lot of work for the Texas-based architecture firm Lake Flato, which specializes in regional modernism— clean lines, lots of stone. She was a master of amplifying the best parts of nature to soften and complement the architecture. Like her, I am constantly trying to make what’s natural work—to re-create it in a way that doesn’t feel contrived but celebrates the beauty of what nature can do.
What else influences your work? I love pottery, sculpture, and origami. One of the sculptors I love is Eva Hild, whose pieces have an organic feel but also a strong geometry, which speaks to me. You’re based in Dallas but work all over the country, designing for a variety of residential styles. What’s your jumping-off point for a project? When you’re studying architecture, the first thing you learn about is genius loci, the spirit of the place. I try hard to let the home’s location and architecture style guide me. Sometimes that’s easier than
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in Bloom GARDEN
other times. I want things to make sense ecologically and feel natural, so that means often using native plants and local materials like stone from nearby quarries. The global pandemic has upended so much of our lives. Do you feel like it’s made people use space differently? I’ve had a lot of clients say they need to upgrade their outdoor space not just to make it beautiful but to have a place to be alone to sit and work. I think during the pandemic people have reclaimed the backyard. Whether they’re escaping, connecting with one another, working, or seeking peace and solitude, the garden really needs to serve all of those purposes.
“I think during the pandemic people have reclaimed the backyard.” Do you have a favorite project? My favorite project is usually the one I’m currently working on or the one I’ve just finished. The Kips Bay Showhouse in Dallas was a recent fun one. The energy of working with so many talented designers and the pressure of pulling it off in a short period of time made it a standout. Looking ahead, what are you most excited about? I recently designed a piece of garden furniture that’s going into a beautiful formal garden I’m designing in St. Louis. I looked everywhere for just the right bench, and when I couldn’t find it, I partnered with a carpenter to create it. We’ve decided to extend the line—hopefully add more pieces and make it available to the public, so I’m excited to see where that goes.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: For a ranch project, Melissa designed a cantilevered water
feature to evoke a modern horse trough. • Her love of clean lines and sculptured forms shines in this garden. • A bench of Melissa’s own design • An inviting outdoor fireplace with seating at Melissa’s home
For more information, see Sources, page 70
PHOTOS: PÄR BENGTSSON (BENCH) AND MELISSA GERSTLE
—MELISSA GERSTLE
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PHOTOS: PÄR BENGTSSON (BENCH) AND MELISSA GERSTLE
••
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HIGHLAND PARK
HANDSOME
Dallas designer Denise McGaha helps a couple breathe new life into an old house, respecting its charm and architectural details while giving it a fresh face with a light palette and sleek furnishings By KAREN CARROLL Photography by STEPHEN KARLISCH Styling by JIMMIE HENSLEE
From the cheerful, flowerlined pathway that leads to the front door to an old-fashioned porch swing that overlooks a lush backyard, the grounds and architecture of this house set the tone for its beautiful and welcoming interiors.
W RIGHT: The small entry illustrates the designer’s approach to the project, a juxtaposition of clean-lined furnish ings and period architectural details. Sunburst light by Visual Comfort. BELOW RIGHT: In the living room, “guests can sit easily in a dress and heels, but it’s also comfortable for big guys,” says designer Denise McGaha. She also accommodated the couple’s dogs, who love to sit on the sofa back to watch the world go by: “Performance fabrics make a white sofa possible, and a tight back means there are no cushions to fluff.” OPPOSITE: A linear Currey & Company fixture draws the eye through the dining room. The centerpiece features amaryllis, roses, ‘Italian White’ sunflowers, French tulips, wild grapevine, and wisteria. All floral designs by Jimmie Henslee.
hen Jill and John Dale Cummings embarked on a search for a home in Highland Park, a Dallas enclave known for stately houses, manicured lawns, and broad tree-lined avenues, they didn’t anticipate falling for the smallest house and narrowest lot on a prestigious street. But they were ultimately drawn toward the curb appeal and classic archi tecture of a house built in 1921, one of the oldest still standing in an area where most of its contemporaries have been torn down to make way for new, more imposing successors. Although the house has been through additions, renovations, and updates over the years, its inherent charm remains firmly intact. A pristine but unpretentious clapboard exterior belies the spaciousness inside. Rooms open onto one another through wide archways ringed with simple but robust millwork; reclaimed wood floors feel organic and solid under foot; and abundant natural light floods through casement windows throughout the day. As designer Denise McGaha did an initial walkthrough with her clients, she became equally enchanted. “When I stepped into the entry, with its original limestone floors that had just the right amount of patina, I could sense this house had a soul,” she remembers. “I often work in new
CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: In the
construction, where it can be a bit challenging to create a sense of coziness and character. Here, that was already built in, which made my heart beat a little faster. We just needed to make it look like Jill and John Dale.” Jill gave the designer a few simple but clear directives at the outset: no brown antiques or olive green. “I didn’t want things to look expected or like an old-house cliché,” she says. “I love a light backdrop, shades of blue, and furniture with clean lines. With the mature trees on the property, we’d see plenty of green through the windows.” Her husband’s only request was perhaps a little less specific: “Please Jill.” Denise, whose work combines luxury and high style with a down-to-earth practicality that comes from her rural Texas upbringing, responded thoughtfully to suit not only the clients’ desires and lifestyle but the house itself. “A house always speaks to me and tells me what it needs,” she says. The structural remedies were relatively minor, mainly confined to reconfiguring the primary bedroom to increase closet space. Decorative alterations included updating many of the finishes and replacing existing lighting. “Denise found the most beautiful contemporary fixtures that add interesting textures and
breakfast room, a window seat and café table provide a cozy spot for morning coffee. • The guest room is awash in texture and shades of blue and gray, contrasted with crisp white. • “We always have a lot of flowers in the house,” says John Dale. “They add so much to the character already here.” This arrangement features roses, gomphrena, and love-in-a-mist. OPPOSITE: In the kitchen, mirrored cabinets hide clutter and amplify the natural light. Stools by CR Laine; Circa Lighting pendant.
LEFT: In the primary
bedroom, a Century bed upholstered in vinyl and layered with patterned textiles speaks to the designer’s gift for marrying practicality with the decorative. Pierre Bear, one of the couple’s poodles, clearly approves. Made Good bedside tables; floral pillow fabric from Thibaut. OPPOSITE: The soothing sound and Zen-like design of the backyard water features provide serenity and privacy, particularly desirable given the proximity of neighboring houses.
shapes,” says Jill. Although the homeowner admits she had what she calls serious wallpaper anxiety, the designer advocated keeping the inherited grass cloth in the entry and dining room, and even brought in additional wall paper for bedrooms and baths. “Anytime Denise pushed me a little outside my comfort zone, I took the leap and trusted her. Now, we love it all,” says Jill. Every design decision considered creature comforts, even for the four-legged ones named FiFi Ann and Pierre Bear, a pair of black poodles who have full run of the house and garden. Knowing that almost every surface needed to be able to withstand inevitable paw prints, Denise used a number of performance fabrics
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that not only look stylish but also hold up to wear and tear. The dogs frequently flow in and out, as do their owners. Living space extends into a backyard oasis, with porch swings and dining areas set amid stone-lined fountains and a pool. It’s outside where John Dale, an avid lover of flowers and gardens, makes his own design statement as he pots containers for the pool area or plants colorful annuals (changed every season) in the lush beds framing the bluestone path that leads to the front door. He smiles, recalling a note he recently received from a neighbor. “She wanted to know the name of our land scape designer,” he says. “I had to confess it was just me, but unfortunately I wasn’t for hire.”
“When we’re sitting outside and listening to the sounds of the water, it’s so relaxing and peaceful. It’s easy to forget we’re in our own backyard.” —JILL CUMMINGS
For more information, see Sources, page 70
Flower Memories
In an excerpt from her new book, Charlotte Moss Flowers, interior designer Charlotte Moss reminisces about her lifelong fascination with flowers and their transformational power Photography and text by CHARLOTTE MOSS
Clover flowers, daisies, dandelions, and buttercups made great necklaces when I was seven. I loved the hours with cousins spent painstakingly threading them, with the reward of feeling bejeweled and dressed up. Necklace-making was a competitive sport back then—whose was the longest and the prettiest with the most flowers.
Do you remember the first time you wore a boutonniere or a corsage? Who gave it to you, what was the occasion, what were you wearing? Was it a dance, a prom, a wedding? Another rite of passage into adulthood where flowers paved the way. Do you remember the first time someone arrived at your front door with a flower delivery and it was for you? The excitement of it all, the anticipation opening the card! Or when a bouquet arrived at your office and everyone gathered around to hear who it was from? I remember how important those moments were, those “flower firsts.”
As a teenager, I remember gathering “running cedar” in the woods on trail rides to bring back and watching my mother whip up some green magic—decorations for our house such as wreaths and topiaries; whatever it was, it made everything at home look prettier, fancier, more festive. At other times I would take plastic cups on those rides, praying to discover wild lady slipper orchids in the woods. One solitary pink blossom to bring home. I can smell them right now.
I will never forget my first trip to Chatsworth with the American Friends of the Georgian Group, which was just getting started in the United States. After lunch and touring some of the house with Deborah (“Debo”), then Duchess of Devonshire, we went to explore the gardens, past the cascade, the Paxton greenhouses, the famous Willow Tree Fountain, and on to the lupine garden. Never have I ever seen, or seen since, such a display of lupines in all their glory. The rainbow palette of blossoms standing almost human-sized, as if they anticipated our visit. That image remains so clear.
On the opening night of the Chelsea Flower Show—one of many visits to this floral extravaganza in London— my husband and I were in a marquee sponsored by his bank. I think it took a couple of British bankers to convince this American banker that the opening night, when the Queen visits the show, is the night tout le monde attends. My husband, somewhat skeptical, asked my opinion. Of course I emphatically answered yes. As we walked through one of the exhibition stands that evening, my husband heard his name being called. He turned to find the chairman of the Bank of England standing under a bower of David Austin roses. Never again did those bankers ever have to convince him that a flower show in London was an important corporate event. The power of a flower.
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EXCERPTED FROM CHARLOTTE MOSS FLOWERS BY CHARLOTTE MOSS © RIZZOLI NEW YORK, 2021. IMAGES © CHARLOTTE MOSS.
Beautiful houses, châteaux, gardens—there are so many more memorable visits, but there was a particular moment that really touched me. While in London on a buying trip for my store years ago, I found myself stopped dead in traffic on the Gloucester Road. (In the days before mobile phones, people were more keenly focused on their surroundings than what appeared on a tiny screen.) After a moment, I looked up at the second-floor window of a large
brick Victorian building. There on the windowsill sat five green Perrier bottles, each holding a tulip. I grabbed my camera and snapped that shot. An image I can see today, where someone recycled five bottles with as many tulips to make their own statement of beauty. How easy it was to make that view prettier for them and the lucky passersby. I have used that slide in numerous lectures I have given. The act was so simple, the message very powerful.
Emily and her clients call this space the atrium because of the generous natural light. Pink quince and green viburnum complement the Pierre Frey wallpaper. OPPOSITE: For the dining room draperies, Emily chose Cowtan & Tout coral ikatpatterned fabric trimmed in an aqua stylized Greek key from Lee Jofa.
PASADENA PRETTY When designer EMILY RUDDO first met with new clients in Pasadena, she expected to find an airy, contemporary California home. Instead, she met a home that took her back to her Southern roots
By CATHY STILL MCGOWIN Photography by MEGHAN BEIERLE-O’BRIEN
“When a room has multiple colors and patterns, I prefer using all of the same type of flower in an arrangement.” —EMILY RUDDO
ABOVE: The contemporary artwork above the sofa drove the color scheme in the living room, and Emily used texture to add depth to the soft palette. With a linen sofa, leather stools, woven shades, mohair armchairs, a wool rug, an antique commode, nailhead trim on the benches, and Lucite frames, she says, “we checked off all the texture boxes.” OPPOSITE: A pair of custom benches and an antique chest define a portion of the living room, accented with a Carvers’ Guild mirror and celadon lamps from Stephen Gerould.
W
Wide porches adorned with potted ferns are a hallmark of venerable Southern homes, so when interior designer Emily Ruddo took a look at the double porches on her clients’ two-story columned home in Pasadena, California, she immediately wanted to load them up with the classic greenery. “The house felt more like something you would see in Alabama or Louisiana than California,” she says. Built in 1952 with a few renovations since, the genteel design is thanks to the original owner, a Southern soap opera star who wanted a slice of home on the West Coast. It’s also a style that Emily and her client, both originally from Maryland, connected over. “Because we are from the same place and have similar backgrounds, we almost had a kind of shorthand when talking about the project,” says Emily. Familiarity with the Southern vernacular—along with her clients’ desire to have fun spaces for entertaining family and friends—helped lead Emily’s interior design scheme. In keeping with the floor plans of many historic homes, this one does not have an open layout. “The front door opens to a wide hallway that leads straight to the back of the house,” says Emily. “The architecture and moldings are beautiful, and the house feels very grand. I wanted the interior design to live up to the house, but I didn’t want it to be stuffy.” To combat trappings of formality, Emily connected spaces through patterns that pop and cheerful colors grounded by the family’s antiques. “I love using my clients’ existing pieces.
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THIS PAGE: The designer believes that flowers are a final, finishing
layer to any interior. In a blue-and-white Chinese bowl, she mounded anemones, hydrangeas, hellebores, ‘Juliet’ roses, ranunculus, and seeded and silver dollar eucalyptus. Wallpaper is by Phillip Jefferies; slipcover fabric is by Perennials. OPPOSITE: Lee Jofa’s Smeera wallpaper adds an exotic layer to the butler’s pantry.
I grew up in a home filled with my grandparents’ antiques,” says the designer. “Antiques immediately warm up a home no matter the color or finish. These pieces add texture and make a house feel cozy.” Add to that a palette of reds, pinks, corals, blues, and greens and rolls upon rolls of lively wallpaper, and the house is equally lighthearted and sophisticated. In the family room, Emily kept things casual with cozy seating, woven fabrics, and bold prints. In lieu of pattern on the walls, she splashed it across floors and upholstery. A navy and green ikat from Lee Jofa dresses wicker armchairs and accent stools, while an abaca rug makes a graphic statement underfoot. Other spaces present just slightly more subtle derivatives of the ebullient schemes. In the dining room, coral draperies in another ikat pattern embellished with a braided aqua trim lend
“I purposefully chose a wide variety of wallpapers in different motifs and textures. Some are geometrics, others more fluid, but they are all lively, colorful patterns grounded in tradition.”
freshness to the antique Italian birdcage table and chairs. Here, quieter details include grass cloth walls and light blue piping on slipcovers. The living room features a pale blue tufted ottoman and armchairs upholstered in caramel mohair velvet on a creamygold wool rug. Opposite the main seating area, Emily situated a pair of custom benches covered in blue-and-white striped linen on each side of an antique commode. The simple form of the celadon green lamps contrasts nicely with the intricate design of the Chinese Chippendale carved mirror.
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—EMILY RUDDO
The greatest departure from the home’s vibrant palette is the master bedroom. Here, brighter blues and corals fade to muted Windsor blues and champagne pastels for a serene setting. The custom canopied bed covered in monogrammed linens is a dreamy oasis overlooking the front lawn. Custom mahogany bedside chests replicate antiques. “When you work with a client, you have to channel their tastes,” Emily says. “It’s not often that client and designer totally align. Maybe it’s our Southern connection, but the home speaks to my personal style as well.”
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The main bedroom showcases Southern style in the elegant canopied bed, mono grammed linens from Matouk, fabrics from Quadrille, and lighting from Visual Comfort. • The wallpaper in the wife’s closet is reminis cent of a garden trellis. Bench fabric by Schu macher. • A bouquet of ‘Sterling Silver’ roses and tulips and an amethyst crystal create a pretty vignette on a shagreen tray. OPPOSITE: Bold prints from Lee Jofa and natural elements such as wicker, bamboo, rattan, and a Patterson Flynn Martin abaca rug lend a casual vibe to the family room. A pair of blue-andwhite Ralph Lauren lamps and a farmhouse console from the homeowners’ collection worked perfectly with Emily’s design scheme.
For more information, see Sources, page 70
The Write Seing In a 19th-century lemon house surrounded by gardens in Florence, Italy, calligrapher BETTY SOLDI found the perfect spot to explore her craft Styling and text by CHIARA DAL CANTO Photography by NATHALIE KRAG/LIVING INSIDE
alligrapher Betty Soldi, whose clients include Fortnum & Mason, Hermès, and Stella McCartney, found her way to her craft during a gap year in Florence. After pursuing a more academic path, she decided to explore her creative side by taking a design course. “When instructed to draw a flower using any medium, I doubted my ability to draw. Instead, I inkily wrote ‘Fiore’ in the shape of a flower,” says Betty. “ ‘Bravissima!’ I was told—and my destiny was set.” From an early age, Betty was around people who celebrated the idea of creating with their hands. Her family has been handmaking fireworks since 1869.
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“I grew up surrounded by gunpowder, sulphur, silver dust, kraft paper, and string—creative hands that touched, tore, creased, and crammed, giving life to explosions and adding more stars to the sky,” she says. She also had an aha moment at age 7 when her family moved from Florence to London. She didn’t understand any English but remembers being captivated by the teacher writing the alphabet on the blackboard— “seeing chalky letterforms magically appear, each with their own shape and meaning, look and feel,” she recalls. After her gap year in Italy, Betty went back to England to study art and visual communication. There she discovered the world of calligraphy through a program based on the principles of the Bauhaus architectural style, which focuses on simplicity and function, although Betty’s style is fanciful and free. “You need to know the rules in order to break
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Betty Soldi’s design studio, housed in a limonaia in the 1801 Corsi garden, integrates a stretch of walls from the 1400s by Cosimo I de’ Medici. • Betty is a collector of words, always on the hunt. • Inside the lofty studio with views of the garden PREVIOUS SPREAD: Betty, author of Inkspired (translated into eight languages), sits on a sandstone bench leaning against a wall decorated with classical flourishes. • Scattered throughout the garden are the terra-cotta draped Muses, gentleeyed protectors of the arts and the true guardians of this magical place. • Examples of Betty’s fanciful calligraphy
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CLOCKWISE FROM ABOVE: This eclectic corner includes a vintage
Italian chandelier, a mirror from Retrouvius in London, and a Saarinen table. • “Collecting things is collecting ideas past, present, and future,” says Betty. • As a creative, she likes to keep the tools of her trade in pretty boxes. • A John Derian book and an old text on trees flank a portrait of Betty by Via Lactea Studio. • OPPOSITE, TOP TO BOTTOM: Betty organizes her collections in a chromatic sequence for visual memory. • “I like to cultivate spontaneity,” she says. “When I write I’m fast. I let myself be guided by inspiration.”
them—stripping away decoration to leave clean lines of function,” she says. “My Renaissance soul loves it all, the old and the new.” In Betty’s philosophy, ink and pen, white spaces, and handwritten characters open up to a world of surprising depth. Spoken and unspoken words, words that can be shouted and whispered, stories, imagination, and creativity that gives voice to the unconscious—handwriting contains these and much more. “Handwriting brings you closer to people,” says Betty. “It leads you to read, and it conveys emotions that are difficult to express.” After 10 years spent as a graphic designer responsible for the special projects of Fortnum & Mason and also working in packaging and graphics for other fashion and luxury brands, Betty returned to Florence. After a while, fate rewarded her with an exceptional place to house her studio, a 19th-century lemon house—a small pavilion where lemon trees were once sheltered during
the cold months. The house is located inside the Corsi garden, the first English garden in the city. Raised above the road, between the Boboli and Torrigiani Gardens, it is a secret corner of Florence, open only once a year to the public. “I knew it because of these visits, and the idea of being able to have my personal space here seemed like a very difficult dream to achieve,” says Betty. “But the universe listened to me, and it actually became my atelier.” Romantic, poetic, and sprinkled with statues dedicated to the arts, this green space echoes the typical themes of the Grand Tour, the journey that young English aristocrats of the 17th and 18th centuries would make to Italy to study classical artworks—a custom that resulted in many artists, critics, and writers settling in Florence. The Corsi garden is a place that combines Italian and Anglo-Saxon culture, just like the artworks of Betty, a Florentine with a true international and modern vision. Select quotes from Betty Soldi’s book, Inkspired (Gibbs Smith, 2018)
For more information, see Sources, page 70
Sources
Who Did It & Where to Get It
Prices are subject to change. Any items not listed are unknown.
IN BLOOM
PAGES 19–23, DECORATE: FLOWERS: Floral design, Martha Whitney Butler of The French Potager, thefrench potger.net; cast-concrete bust, The French Potager; painting, Gretchen Weller Howard through Gallery Orange, gallery-orange.com; small green bowl on dining table, McCarty’s Pottery, mccartyspottery.com; blue ceramic vase on sideboard, Peter’s Pottery, peters-pottery .net; cake stand on sideboard, Annieglass, annieglass.com. PAGES 24–29, DECORATE: INTERVIEW: Interior design, Corey Damen Jenkins, coreydamenjenkins.com. PAGES 24–28, ENTERTAIN: Sunny Bunny Easter eggs through Springfield Workshop Foundation, springfieldworkshop foundation.com. Floral design, Leska Graves Taylor, ltg7747@yahoo.com, IG @leskacreativeartist. Cookies, Mary’s Cakes & Pastries, maryscakesandpastries.com. PAGES 40–42, GARDENS: Garden design and bench, Melissa Gerstle, melissagerstledesign.com.
HIGHLAND PARK HANDSOME
PAGES 44–51: Interior design, Denise McGaha, denise mcgaha.com; styling and floral design, Jimmie Henslee, jimmiehenslee@yahoo.com. All garden roses, Rose Story Farm, rosestoryfarm.com. LIVING ROOM: Sofa, Crystal by CR Laine crlaine.com, in Perennials Homespun fabric, perennialsfabrics.com; blue pillows on sofa, Bixi by Schumacher, fschumacher.com; slipper chair, Eton by Highland House, highlandhousefurniture.com, in Schumacher Menemsha fabric; blue chair, Atchison by Highland House, in Kravet Broadmoor fabric, kravet.com; painted side tables, Hamilton by Highland House; Waterloo and Skyline Steel paint finishes, Sherwin-Williams, sherwin-williams.com; architectural accessories on coffee and side tables and vintage Royal Copenhagen vases, Russell Brightwell, russellbrightwell.com. DINING ROOM: Light fixture, Maximus by Currey & Company, curreyand company.com; rug, Truett Fine Carpets & Rugs, truettfine carpetsandrugsdallas.com. ENTRY: Light fixture, Soleil by Visual Comfort, circalighting.com; white chest, Gustavian Two-Drawer Chest by Modern History, modernhistoryhome .com; lamp, Maarla by Currey & Company. KITCHEN: Counter stools, Duncan in Winchester Sky leather by CR Laine; ceiling pendants, Gable by Visual Comfort. BREAKFAST AREA: Window seat fabric, Empress Performance Velvet by Schumacher; pillow fabric, Tibet Print by Clarence House, clarencehouse.com. PRIMARY BEDROOM: Light fixture, Jett by Regina Andrew, reginaandrew.com; bed, Tribeca by Century Furniture, centuryfurniture.com, in vinyl by Arabel Fabrics, arabelfabrics.com; floral pillow fabric, Moorea by Thibaut, thibautdesign.com; bench, Sophia by CR Laine, in Pindler
What we’re reading now DESIGN REMIX: A New Spin on Traditional Rooms
by Corey Damen Jenkins (Rizzoli New York, 2021), $45, rizzoliusa.com
CHARLOTTE MOSS FLOWERS by Charlotte Moss (Rizzoli New York, 2021), $50, rizzoliusa.com
Aztec fabric, pindler.com; bedside table, Solaris by Made Goods, madegoods.com. GUEST BEDROOM: Light fixture, Capri by Generation Lighting, generationlighting.com; pillow fabric, Frances Crewelwork by Scot Meacham Wood Home, scotmeachamwoodhome.com; bench fabric, Amori by Pindler; lamp, Luisa by Visual Comfort; bedside table, Garbo by Worlds Away, worlds-away.com; John Derian vase and Astier de Villatte bird box from Grange Hall, ufgrangehall.com. PORCH: Cushion fabric, Sisal by Summer Classics, summerclassicscontract.com; pillow fabric by Quadrille, quadrillefabrics.com.
FLOWER MEMORIES
PAGES 52–55, Floral and interior design, Charlotte Moss, charlottemoss.com.
PRETTY IN PASADENA
PAGES 56–60: DINING ROOM: Wallpaper, Bermuda Hemp in Elephant by Phillip Jeffries, phillipjeffries.com; slipcover fabric, Perennials, perennialsfabrics.com; hurricanes by Bunny Williams, onekingslane.com; drapery fabric, Cowtan & Tout, cowtan.com; drapery trim, Lee Jofa, kravet.com. ATRIUM: Wallpaper, Planisphere Gray by Pierre Frey, pierrefrey.com; mirror, Diana II by Carvers’ Guild, carversguild.com; candle sconces, Mecox Gardens, mecox .com; center hall table, 1st Dibs, 1stdibs.com; stools, Palecek, palecek.com, in Schumacher Madeleine, fschumacher.com; brass hurricane, alabaster obelisk, and vase/urn, Chelsea House, chelseahouseinc.com. BUTLER’S PANTRY: Wallpaper, Lee Jofa Oscar de la Renta, kravet.com; sconces and ceiling light, Visual Comfort, circalighting.com; custom lamp shades in Fermoie light blue fabric, fermoie .com. MASTER BEDROOM: All fabrics by Quadrille, quadrillefabrics.com; ceiling light, floor lamps, and sconces, Visual Comfort; bedding, Matouk Luxury Linens, matouk.com. CLOSET: Wallpaper, Cowtan & Tout, cowtan .com; bench seat fabric, Schumacher, fschumacher.com; window shade fabric and trim, Lee Jofa. LIVING ROOM: Benches, custom with Cowtan & Tout linen fabric; commode, 1st Dibs; ottoman fabric, Cowtan & Tout. FAMILY ROOM: Rug, Patterson Flynn Martin, patterson flynnmartin.com; wicker chair fabric, Lee Jofa; floor lamps, Visual Comfort; blue-and-white lamps, Ralph Lauren, ralphlaurenhome.com; sofa pillow fabric, Cowtan & Tout and Schumacher.
THE WRITE PLACE
PAGES 64–69, Calligraphy, Betty Soldi, bettysoldi.com; book, Inkspired (Gibbs Smith, 2018), barnesandnoble.com.
What’s coming up SAVANNAH, GEORGIA
Savannah Antiques & Architecture Weekend March 12–13 savantiquesweekend.com SUMMERVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA
Flowertown Festival March 26–28 visitsummerville.com THEODORE, ALABAMA
Bellingrath Gardens and Home Easter Egg Hunt March 27 bellingrath.org VIRGINIA (STATEWIDE)
Historic Garden Week April 17–24 vagardenweek.org WINSTON-SALEM, NORTH CAROLINA
Winston-Salem Tour of Secret Gardens April 24 gardenclubcouncil.org NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE
The Harding Art Show (virtual) April 29–May 2 thehardingartshow.com Indicates Flower is attending or sponsoring the event. For more events, visit flowermag.com.
VOLUME 15, ISSUE 2. Flower magazine, ISSN 1941-4714, is a bimonthly publication of Peony Publishing, LLC, located at 3020 Pump House Road, Birmingham, AL 35243. Periodicals postage is paid at Birmingham, AL, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster: Send address changes to Flower magazine, P.O. Box 433327, Palm Coast, FL 32164. For subscription inquiries and customer service, please call 877.400.3074. All unsolicited materials will not be returned. Printed in the U.S.A.
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March•April 2021
At the Table
Springing for Joy TAKE YOUR CUES FROM THE BIRDS AND THE BEES. FLOWER YOUR TABLE WITH NATURE’S FAVORITE COLORS—BLUES, GREENS, PINKS, AND YELLOWS Produced and styled by Amanda Smith Fowler • Photography by David Hillegas
TABLE TALK
“This is one of the most beautiful fabrics I have ever seen. The colors are sublime and the details are magnificent! —Amanda Smith Fowler
Osborne & Little Penglai fabric (to the trade), osborneandlittle.com • Herend American Wildflowers dinner plates ($400 each), Silk Ribbon chargers ($300 each), and Lindsay bread & butter plates ($80 each; shown on page 8), herendusa.com • Kim Seybert Laurel chargers ($636/set of 4), kimseybert.com • Gorham Buttercup flatware ($299/5-piece place setting) from Beverly Bremer Silver Shop, beverlybremer .com • Anna Weatherley place card holders ($110 each) and Savoy crystal water goblets ($141 each) through Scully & Scully, scullyand scully.com • Salisbury pewter water goblets ($84 each), salisbury inc.net • Asparagus tureen (stylist’s own) from Mirror Lake Antiques, mirror lakeantiques.com • Sferra napkins (stylist’s own) embroidered by Bobbins, bobbinsdesign .com • Calligraphy by Mary Meigs Creative Co., 205-292-7717
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FLOWER
March•April 2021