THE INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AUTHORITY
Designing with Color EXCLUSIVE
LAURA + GEORGE W. BUSH
AT THEIR TEXAS RANCH
AUGUST 2O14
CONTENTS
08.2014
FEATURES 50 TEXAS TRIUMPH
AD Visits: Laura and George W. Bush. The couple’s inviting Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford fits its setting to a tee. By Mitchell Owens
Architecture by David Heymann Interiors by Kenneth Blasingame Design
60 VIVID IMAGINATION
Behind a Spanish Colonial fa•ade in California are palatial rooms dizzy with color and pattern. By Judith Thurman
Architecture and interiors by JP Molyneux Studio Ltd.
68 TRUE TO THE PAST
Purposeful quirks and a vintage attitude infuse a Long Island house with a sense of history. By Rob Haskell
Architecture by Peter Pennoyer Architects Interiors by Matthew Patrick Smyth Inc.
76 HIGH FIDELITY
A modern home honors its sublime site in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. By Mayer Rus
Architecture by Gluck+ Interiors by Jorge Rosso Architecture/Interiors
86 FULL SPECTRUM
Vibrant hues electrify every corner of a Houston mansion. By Mimi Read Architecture by Eubanks Group Architects Interiors by Miles Redd
(CONTINUED ON PAGE 16)
VOLUME 71 NUMBER 8
A California dining room decorated by Juan Pablo Molyneux makes a luxuriously diverse statement.
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Cover: The main residence at Prairie Chapel Ranch, Laura and George W. Bush’s Lone Star State getaway. “Texas Triumph,” page 50. Photograph by Peter Vitale; styled by Anita Sarsidi.
ROGER DAVIES
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CONTENT S
76
112 122
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96 SKY’S THE LIMIT
A Manhattan pied-ˆ-terre’s soaring spaces make a breathtaking background for soignŽ furnishings and major-league art. By Brad Goldfarb
Architecture by SPAN Architecture Interiors by Jean-Louis Deniot
106 BOLD STROKES
In the San Francisco apartment of winemakers Elizabeth and W. Clarke Swanson, a lush ruby palette adds to the heady air of refinement.
By Therese Bissell Interiors by Thomas Britt Inc.
112 BAYOU BLEND
A nimble mix of old-world antiques and playful accents gives fresh life to the New Orleans home of hoteliers Frances and Rodney Smith. By Liz Smith Interiors by NH Design
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DEPARTMENTS 29 DISCOVERIES
IN EVERY ISSUE 20 ARCHDIGEST.COM EXCLUSIVES
The best in design, culture, and style
24 EDITOR’S PAGE By Margaret Russell
36 SHOPPING
26 LETTERS
Produced by Parker Bowie Larson
40 TRAVELS: REMOTE ACCESS Four A-list resorts that are difficult to get toÑbut well worth the trek.
120 SOURCES The designers, architects, and products featured this month.
By Carolina O’Neill
By Andrew Sessa
44 ESTATES: ON THE MARKET Houses worth dreaming about. By Asad Syrkett
122 VIEWPOINT: ARTFUL APPROACH
A Connecticut pool and its Alexander Calder mural regain their true form.
By Samuel Cochran
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: SCOTT FRANCES; PIETER ESTERSOHN; JEREMY BITTERMAN; THOMAS LOOF; KANA OKADA
Clockwise from top left: The entrance hall of a North Carolina retreat. A courtyard in New Orleans. A poolside Alexander Calder mural in Connecticut. Moghul motifs animate a Houston family room. Michel Salerno’s mirrors for Maison Gerard.
ONLINE
archdigest.com Head to the Web for more great
N AT U R A L B E AU T I E S
homes, discoveries, and resources
Wilson Peak Ranch in Colorado.
If the bewitching Crawford, Texas, property of Laura and George W. Bush (page 50) inspires you to find a spread of your own, check out our roundup of spectacular ranches for sale around the world. archdigest.com/ go/ranchesforsale
BIG CHILL
Keep your cool through the dog days of summer with our selection of stylish heat-beating gadgets and accessories, from high-tech fans to chic beverage coolers. archdigest.com/go/ coolsummer
VISUAL EFFECTS Swimming pools can dazzle and delight, especially when artists get involved. Immerse yourself in our gallery of extraordinary pools embellished by cuttingedge creative minds. archdigest.com/go/artpools
MADE IN THE SHADES Designers offer expert tips and tricks for incorporating color around the home, including go-to hues, unexpected combinations, and winning palettes for particular settings. archdigest.com/go/color
Punchy hues accent Muriel Brandolini’s Hamptons home.
The Dyson desk fan.
A Strawberry Fields cocktail, one of party planner Yifat Oren’s favorites.
L I K E U S O N FA C E B O O K facebook.com/architecturaldigest T W E E T W I T H U S O N T W I T T E R @archdigest S E E M O R E A D O N T U M B L R archdigest.tumblr.com P I N W I T H U S O N P I N T E R E S T pinterest.com/archdigest FO L LO W US O N I N STAG R A M @archdigest
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RAISING THE BAR
Don’t miss our arsenal of classic and au courant cocktails, as A-list event designers and party gurus share recipes for their best-loved celebratory drinks. archdigest.com/go/summersip
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: WHIT RICHARDSON; ULRICH GHEZZI; AMY AND STUART PHOTOGRAPHY; BJÖRN WALL ANDER; COURTESY OF DYSON
Artist Sylvie Fleury conceived this pool near Salzburg, Austria.
THE INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AUTHORITY volume 71 number 8 EDITOR IN CHIEF
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E DI TOR’ S PAG E
C
olor can be a bit intimidating—why else would so many of us wear head-
to-toe black and live with wall-to-wall beige? This issue of Architectural Digest, however, celebrates designers and homeowners who have jumped into the deep end, chromatically speaking, including inspiring stylesetters who embraced a taxicabyellow entrance hall in Houston, lacquered rooms in layers of lustrous red in San Francisco, and painted a library in a seductive shade of cantaloupe in New Orleans. “I have no fear of using color,” says Juan Pablo Molyneux, one of the decorating talents featured this month. Luckily a client in Pebble Beach, California, felt the same way and let him splash a Spanish Colonial–style dwelling with knockout hues and lavish patterns. The result is a jewel box for living—a brilliant, busy, and decidedly electric hacienda that is both deeply comfortable and seriously luxurious. So much so, in fact, that I’m already wondering if my currently chalky white apartment, conceived as a calm respite from the jinglejangle of the office, might do with a dose of Yves Klein–blue. If you find high-octane colors beautiful but too disruptive to live with day in and day out, you can always indulge in them outdoors. At their Crawford, Texas, Prairie Chapel Ranch, which is our cover story, Laura and George W. Bush surrounded the limestone-clad former Western White House with impressive sweeps of native wildflowers. From vividly cobalt bluebonnets to cheerful red-and-yellow firewheels, the bold palette of the couple’s garden is ever changing. The residence is an elegant, serene retreat, one designed to maximize views of the breathtaking landscape with precisely those glori-
MARGARET RUSSELL, Editor in Chief editor@archdigest.com Interior designer Kenneth Blasingame snapped AD’s decorative arts and antiques editor Mitchell Owens and me with Laura Bush, walking the grounds of her Prairie Chapel Ranch in Crawford, Texas.
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KENNETH BL ASINGAME
ous colors in mind.
LET TERS
THE INTERNATIONAL DESIGN AUTHORITY
JUNE 2O14
From left: The June cover. A Nantucket, Massachusetts, residence by Jacobsen Architecture.
PEOPLE PROBLEM I have observed an increasing amount of personality profiling in your publication, whether in portraits of proud homeowners with their valuable possessions or in references to their children and pets. These details are unrelated to design, the main focus of your magazine. I urge you to return to quality design journalism devoid of social babble. fernando reyes Coconut Creek, Florida A QUIET INFLUENCE Among the anonymous contributions that gardening and design idol Bunny Mellon [“Magnificent Obsession,” June] made to the American landscape is John F. Kennedy’s grave site at Arlington National Cemetery. John Carl Warnecke and Associates, the architecture firm
where I worked for several years, oversaw the project, which was significantly altered midway through construction. A strong composition of granite and exposed concrete was revised to a gentler design with plantings that were all selected under the watchful eye of Mellon, with the concurrence of Jacqueline Kennedy. The trees, holly hedge, rough granite field, and other elements were perfected in a mock-up at the Mellons’ Virginia farm and then transported to Arlington. The memorial stands as a prime example of Bunny Mellon’s powerful legacy. peter d. sayer Venice, Florida
HITTING THE RIGHT NOTE I always enjoy looking at the homes featured in Architectural Digest. I usually see one or two I like, but the Los Angeles residence of musician John Legend and his now-wife, Christine Teigen, is my dream house [“In Concert,” March 2013]. Every room is livable and inviting. jennifer j. sobel Salisbury, Massachusetts We welcome your comments and suggestions. Letters to the editors should include the writer’s name, address, and daytime phone number and be sent by e-mail to letters@archdigest.com or by mail to Letters, Architectural Digest, 4 Times Square, New York, NY 10036. Letters may be edited for length, clarity, and style and may be published or otherwise reused in any medium.
FROM LEFT: WILLIAM WALDRON; DOUGL AS FRIEDMAN
SIMPLY DIVINE I loved reading about Bette Midler’s Manhattan penthouse, which has a view to die for [“Green Goddess,” June]. The apartment exudes charm and coziness but also has a sense of sophistication. Often, these attributes are lacking in contemporary residences. I can imagine rushing home to such a paradise for comfort and relaxation. dolores dudzik Sun City Center, Florida
COURTESY OF THYSSEN-BORNEMISZA ART CONTEMPORARY
T H E B E S T I N D E S I G N, C U LT U R E, A N D S T Y L E
EXHIBITIONS
RADIANT BEAUTY
Richly layered, intensely chromatic, and bursting with energy, the paintings of Brazilian artist Beatriz Milhazes catch one’s attention and hold it—drawing the eye deeper into her signature jungles of pattern and color. These dynamic creations promise to captivate audiences at the Pérez Art Museum Miami,
A R C H D I G E S T. C O M
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DIS COVERIE S
EXHIBITIONS
Solo Turns Don’t miss these fall museum shows featuring singular art and design talents:
Clockwise from top: A circa-1830 woodblock print of Mount Fuji by Katsushika Hokusai. Joan Miró’s L’or de l’atzur, 1967. The U.K. Pavilion by Thomas Heatherwick at the 2010 Shanghai Expo. Alvar Aalto’s 1932 Paimio armchair.
Amsterdam’s Stedelijk Museum is staging a retrospective of Marlene Dumas’s hauntingly beautiful paintings and drawings. Sept. 6–Jan. 4; stedelijk.nl “Joan Miró: From Earth to Sky,” at Vienna’s Albertina, brings together some 100 paintings, drawings, and objects by the Catalan Surrealist. Sept. 12–Jan. 11; albertina.at Debuting at Dallas’s Nasher Sculpture Center is “Provocations: The Architecture and Design of Heatherwick Studio”— a traveling blockbuster devoted to English visionary Thomas Heatherwick. Sept. 13–Jan. 4; nashersculpturecenter.org
The Vitra Design Museum in Weil am Rhein, Germany, examines modernist icon Alvar Aalto’s buildings alongside his furniture. Sept. 27–Jan. 3; design-museum.de At the Grand Palais in Paris, “Hokusai (1760– 1849)” displays 500 creations by the brilliant Japanese printmaker and painter Katsushika Hokusai. Oct. 1–Jan. 18; grandpalais.fr Manhattan’s New Museum presents the first comprehensive U.S. show on influential—and at times controversial—British painter Chris Ofili. Oct. 29–Feb. 1; newmuseum.org —S.C.
BOOKS
READING AHEAD
Autumn brings a fresh, fascinating crop of art, architecture, and design releases. These are some of our favorites: Live the Art (Rizzoli, $100) by Jeffrey Deitch Mid-Century Modern Complete (Abrams, $125) by Dominic Bradbury 100 Painters of Tomorrow (Thames & Hudson, $60) by Kurt Beers Saarinen Houses (Princeton Architectural Press, $50) by Jari Jetsonen and Sirkkaliisa Jetsonen Shooting Space: Architecture in Contemporary Photography (Phaidon, $80) by Elias Redstone Dancing, a 2007 work by Beatriz Milhazes, on view at her Miami show.
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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: COURTESY OF THE BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON; COURTESY OF FUNDACIÓ MIRÓ, BARCELONA; IWAN BAAN; COURTESY OF PÉREZ ART MUSEUM MIAMI; COURTESY OF VITRA DESIGN MUSEUM, ANDREAS JUNG
where her first major U.S. retrospective debuts on September 19. Titled “Beatriz Milhazes: Jardim Botânico,” the show comprises more than 40 canvases, prints, and collages completed over the past 25 years. (A highlight is 2001’s Coisa Linda I, the six-by-ten-foot painting shown on the previous page.) The selection offers an unprecedented overview of the artist’s distinctive technique, developed in the 1990s at a time when painting was largely out of favor in the art world. Rather than apply paint directly to the canvas or paper, Milhazes first executes each compositional element on a separate plastic sheet and then applies it to the work in progress using a clever transfer process. (Think of a temporary tattoo.) Details are often lost, giving the pieces a decidedly unpolished quality. “Her art is so lush and pleasurable, but it’s also imperfect,” says the museum’s chief curator, Tobias Ostrander. The individual motifs vary widely, from decorative ruffles and rosettes to stark geometric shapes, and their combined effect is at once happy and hypnotic, a reminder that painting never lost its powerful punch. Through January 18, 2015; pamm.org —Samuel CoChran
DIS COVERIE S
R E S TAU R A N T S
Shore Thing
The Malibu Pier Restaurant & Bar offers diners sublime ocean views.
Gastronomically speaking, surf’s up at the Malibu Pier, a historic landmark that’s home to a new dining hot spot. Overlooking a fabled stretch of Pacific coastline, the Malibu Pier Restaurant & Bar offers cuisine befitting its waterfront setting: Chef Jason Fullilove bases his menu on the daily catch, turning out raw-tuna burgers topped with shaved ginger, say, or whole grilled fish stuffed with lemon and herbs. The interiors pay homage to the sea as well. “California surf culture was born on this beach,” says Joshua Klein, a visual consultant who worked on the design with architect Mark Stevens and decorator Erin Martin. “So we decked out the space in true Malibu spirit.” High-style maritime details abound, including ceiling lights dangling from rigging ropes and floor tiles with an evocative wavy motif. Adding to the SoCal vibe are photographs by Dennis Hopper and LeRoy Grannis, among other works of art, though it’s hard to compete with the views. “The main show is the ocean,” Klein says. “It’s literally running beneath you.” malibupierrestaurant.com —S.C.
The bar at Paris’s Hôtel Vernet.
HOTEL S
STAY CHIC
Set in a 1913 building off Paris’s Champs-Élysées, the 50-room Hôtel Vernet recently reopened after an overhaul by designer François Champsaur, who modernized the interiors with a bold palette, streamlined furnishings, and, most impressively, specially commissioned works such as painter JeanMichel Alberola’s colorful abstract carpet and ceiling fresco for the bar area. Freshly restored, the restaurant’s magnificent glass dome—the work of a certain Gustave Eiffel—is as enchanting as ever. From $410/night; hotelvernet-paris.fr —alySSa Bird 32
A R C H D I G E S T. C O M
. . . that British architect David Adjaye’s first from-the-ground-up Manhattan project, a low-income apartment building (with a children’s museum) in Harlem’s Sugar Hill neighborhood, features a façade etched with an abstract floral pattern inspired by the rose Aretha Franklin sang of in her 1971 hit “Spanish Harlem” . . . that Paris- and New York–based dealer Carolle Thibaut-Pomerantz has sold a rare 25-panel set of Dufour’s early-19th-century scenic wallpaper Les Rives du Bosphore to an American collector who plans to hang the Istanbul panorama in his Manhattan dining room . . . that Colombian-born designer Richard Mishaan has a collection of small-scale Fernando Botero–inspired paintings made by street artists in Cartagena, where the decorator has a vacation home . . . that fans of French painter Pierre Soulages and his powerful black-on-black canvases should make a pilgrimage to the 94-year-old’s hometown of Rodez to visit the striking new Musée Soulages, which is devoted to his work . . . that as part of the restoration of the third floor of Sir John Soane’s Museum in London, Adelphi Paper Hangings has re-created an early-19th-century hand-blocked wallpaper that Soane hung there . . . that artist Jean-Michel Othoniel’s sculptural fountains for Versailles’s new Water Theatre Grove—which opens to the public next spring— include nearly 2,000 large goldleafed glass beads handblown by artisans in Murano, Italy.
FROM TOP: JESSICA SAMPLE; BERNARD TOUILLON
AD HEARS . . .
DIS COVERIE S
HOTEL S
Pacifc Heights A lavish compound of villas and casitas set in a 25,000-acre nature preserve on Mexico’s Costalegre, the late financier Sir James Goldsmith’s Cuixmala is the stuff of legend. Until recently, the estate was only accessible as an ultraluxe vacation rental. Now a portion of the property, including Goldsmith’s own Robert Couturier–designed mansion, has been converted into the Casa Cuixmala hotel by his daughter Alix Goldsmith Marcaccini. In addition to the four suites within the main house, there are seven secluded bungalows, and five more freestanding accommodations are slated for completion by year’s end. Rooms offer stunning views of the Pacific, the twomile private beach, and the property’s lush grounds, home to a ranch and an organic farm that provide most of the ingredients for chef Gonzalo Mendoza’s fare. From snorkeling to horseback riding to rescuing turtle hatchlings, the outdoor activities are as compelling as the indoor comforts. From $800/night; cuixmala.com —A.B. Clockwise from top left: The terrace of a suite at Mexico’s Casa Cuixmala hotel. The main villa is crowned by a tiled dome. A window seat in one of the hotel’s seven bungalows.
R E S TAU R A N T S
FROM TOP: MICHAEL GILBREATH (3); COURTESY OF KILO
NORTH STAR
With a sultry menu of tacos, seviches, fried corn, and Uruguayan steak, the Copenhagen restaurant Llama definitely isn’t serving Denmark’s buzzy New Nordic cuisine. But this Scandinavian exemplar of Latin American cooking does have a connection to another Danish phenomenon: superstar architecture firm Bjarke Ingels Group. BIG collaborated on the space with local design studio Kilo, creating sleek dark-wood interiors animated by a riot of handcrafted Mexican tile. llamarestaurant.dk —Julie Coe
DIS COVERIE S
Part of the Tony Duquette collection by Remains Lighting, the Dandelion chandelier channels the legendary designer’s exuberant, eccentric vision. The 32"-dia. brass fixture is graced with acrylic details and comes in a selection of finishes (Duquette Brass is pictured). An 18"-dia. version and a wall sconce are also available; $7,265 as shown. remains.com, 212-675-8051
SHOPPING
MOST WANTED
From simple pleasures to ultimate luxuries TEXT BY STEPHANIE S CHOMER PRODUCED BY PARKER BOWIE LAR S ON
Each captivating mirror in French artist Michel SalernoÕs series for Maison Gerard is a mini-masterpiece of sculptural brio, with one-of-a-kind frames—crafted from combinations of bronze, brass, stainless steel, copper, and nickel—surrounding convex centers of polished bronze. Measuring between 8.25" and 15.25" dia., the works are priced from $9,800 to $14,000 each. maisongerard.com, 212-674-7611
Kim Seybert expands her tabletop line with a debut collection of flatware, made of stainless steel with resin handles. Pictured here in the deep-green malachite motif, a fivepiece place setting costs $115 at Barneys New York. Serving utensils, as well as additional patterns, are available. barneys.com, 888-222-7639
D. PorthaultÕs painterly Demoiselles towels feature a vibrant 1970s design from the company’s archives. The cotton-terry washcloth, hand towel, and bath towel cost $100, $165, and $400, respectively. Shown in plum, they are also sold in red/blue and pink/orange. dporthaultparis.com, 212-688-1660
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P H O T O G R A P H Y BY K A N A O K A D A
CHANDELIER: COURTESY OF REMAINS LIGHTING; TOWELS: GEOFFREY SOKOL
The natural beauty and relaxed chic of the French West Indies inspired the easygoing style of Andrianna ShamarisÕs St. Barts teak bench, shown in a whitewash finish. The 20" l. x 18" h. x 10" d. seat is also offered in three other finishes; $390. andriannashamarisinc.com, 212-388-9898
Deep-blue glass is shot through with gleaming silver nitrate in Armani/ Casa’s Halcon vase, lending it a luminous, richly layered quality. Handblown by Murano artisans, the 10" h. x 8" dia. vessel sells for $1,460. armanicasa.com, 212-334-1271
Add visual drama to your next dinner party with Kelly Wearstler’s two new collections for Pickard China, both embellished with 24K gold. From top are the Doheny dinner plate, the Bedford salad plate and dinner plate, and the Doheny cup and saucer. Five-piece settings are $495 for the Doheny line and $450 for the Bedford. kellywearstler.com, 323-895-7880
With bold ribbon trim and charming topstitching, the Un Punto Due Punti cotton-percale bedding line by Deborah Sharpe Linens projects a cheerful handcrafted look. A queen-size sheet set costs $990, and a pair of standard shams is $470. Shown in burnt orange, the collection comes in a range of colors. deborahsharpelinens.com, 323-933-9869
Christian Liaigre’s new outdoor furniture collection gives the firm’s refined, understated style a fresh spin. The Estran chaise longue has a natural-teak frame with an adjustable-height back. It measures 81" l. x 31.5" w. x 42.5" h. when fully upright and costs $6,135 as pictured, cushioned in the company’s Tiare outdoor fabric. www.christian-liaigre.us, 212-201-2338
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Give your pup some extra panache with B. Viz Design’s dog collars and leashes, made from fabrics by the venerable Venetian textile house Fortuny. The collars, shown here in bayou-green and blue/silver, start at $80. The 60" leash, pictured at center in melon, is $195. All products are available in a variety of hues. bviz.com, 318-766-4950
VASE: COURTESY OF ARMANI; BEDDING: WILLIAM BRINSON; CHAISE LONGUE: LUC BOEGLY/CHRISTIAN LIAIGRE
DIS COVERIE S
T R AV E L S
REMOTE ACCESS Four way-out-there resorts take luxury travel to extremes
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MINARET STATION LUXURY LODGE SOUTHERN ALPS, NEW ZEALAND
Reachable only by helicopter (a 25-minute flight from Queenstown or 15 minutes from the town of Wanaka), this lodge with four tented suites is nestled in a verdant glacial valley in the mountains of New Zealand’s South Island. The breathtaking highcountry property still functions as a working sheep, cattle, and deer ranch, with the family that owns it also running the 40
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From top: Helicopter is the only mode of transport to the Minaret Station Luxury Lodge, a mountainside camp on New Zealand’s South Island. One of the retreat’s four safari-style tented suites.
hotel, helicopter, and guiding operations. “We were born and raised in the high country,” says Matt Wallis, one of four brother-owners. “But we realized visitors could go all the way through New Zealand and never get near this incredible place— we wanted to lure people with a high-end lodging experience.” A hydroelectric generator installed in a waterfall provides
power for the safari-style accommodations, outfitted with heated floors (in the baths), private decks with hot tubs, and plush king-size beds for resting one’s head and weary feet after days spent hiking, fly-fishing, or heli-skiing in one of the most pristine landscapes left on earth. From $1,730/night for two people; minaretstation.com
COURTESY OF MINARET STATION LUXURY LODGE
n our ever-shrinking planet, getting away—really away—is no easy feat. So escaping to hardto-reach corners of the globe these days ought to be less about bragging rights than about engaging, one-of-a-kind, authentic experiences. Profiled here are four resorts, as exceptionally refined as they are secluded, that offer travelers singular opportunities to get off the grid and get in touch with nature, without compromising style or comfort. Far from it.
Clockwise from left: A stylishly appointed guest room at the Segera Retreat in Kenya. Among the resort’s many appeals is the bountiful wildlife, zebras included. Contemporary wood buildings at Chile’s Awasi Patagonia lodge offer sweeping views of the stunning surroundings.
AWASI PATAGONIA TORRES DEL PAINE, PATAGONIA, CHILE
SEGERA RETREAT LAIKIPIA PLATEAU, KENYA
It’s hard to imagine a more magnificent setting than the one occupied by this luxe adventure lodge, which sits in an isolated private reserve next to Patagonia’s Torres del Paine National Park. Opening for its first full season in September, the Relais & Châteaux property is a five-hour drive from the closest airstrip. Chilean architect Felipe Assadi designed the dozen cozy, contemporary villas and main building, all wrapped inside and out in warmly hued local wood and appointed with sleek glass-fronted fireplaces and accents like sheepskin rugs and handmade ceramics. But it’s the expansive views of the ruggedly beautiful scenery that steal the show. For guests who want to explore the snowcapped peaks, glacial lakes, lush forests, and rushing rivers, a dedicated guide and 4x4—one for each villa—stand at the ready for customtailored outings. From $1,980/night for two people, three-night minimum; awasipatagonia.com
Arriving at the remote Segera, you’d be forgiven for mistaking this refuge for a mirage. Its Edenic gardens, free-form pools, and eight elevated thatch-roofed safari-chic villas appear as if by magic on the sprawling savannas of the Laikipia Plateau, which boasts one of the greatest concentrations of wildlife in Kenya. Former Puma CEO and green-business entrepreneur Jochen Zeitz created this flagship of high-end responsible tourism, he says, “to make sustainability an integral part of travel, beyond solar panels on the roof.” Guests are invited to engage as intensely, or as lightly, as they like: In addition to tracking wildlife on game-viewing drives or visiting local villages, lazing by the pool, indulging at the spa, and sampling from the extensive wine cellar are all highly encouraged. From $1,940/night for two people; segera.com
ONLINE EXTRAS For more far-flung resorts, visit archdigest.com/go/remoteresorts.
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MASHPI LODGE MASHPI RAINFOREST BIODIVERSITY RESERVE, ECUADOR
Keep an eye on the rubber boots you receive upon checking in here. You’ll need them. The 22-room retreat, perched on a 3,000-foot-high ridge in the Andean foothills (a three-hour drive northwest of Quito), makes a perfect base for exploring the 3,200-acre rainforest reserve that’s home to some 500 species of birds, plus monkeys, pumas, and more. A resident biologist and trained guides lead twicedaily wildlife walks, punctuated by dips in waterfall pools, while a system of aerial bikes on zip lines and a new gondola allow for up-close tours of the forest canopy. The low-impact glass-and-steel lodge features floor-to-ceiling window walls, ensuring you always feel immersed in the surrounding nature. A mix of locally made wood furnishings and modern European pieces gives the interiors a worldly flair, while the excellent restaurant and welcoming spa employ spices, herbs, and a variety of greens sourced right from the reserve. From $687/night for two people, two-night minimum; mashpilodge.com —Andrew SeSSA At Ecuador’s Mashpi Lodge, the restaurant looks onto the rainforest.
FROM TOP: COURTESY OF AWASI PATAGONIA, A REL AIS & CHÂTEAUX PROPERTY; DAVID CROOKES (2); COURTESY OF MASHPI LODGE
T R AV E L S
E STAT E S
ON THE MARKET
AD editors select extraordinary homes for sale around the world written by AsAd syrkett
Santiago de Querétaro, 13 BEDROOMS Mexico
pedigree: An exquisite example of Mexican Baroque architecture, this 18th-century villa (known as La Casa de la Marquesa) in the country’s central Bajío region was built by a Spanish nobleman as a home for his consort. It currently serves as a 13-suite boutique hotel, where rooms open onto a glass-crowned atrium replete with original elements such as graphic murals, decorative stonework, and hand-forged iron balustrades. property values: Though less than half an acre, the estate has its own chapel. talking point: The surrounding city center was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996. contact: Agave Sotheby’s International Realty, 415-272-0977
Canterbury, England
pedigree: Storybook charm prevails at this historic farmhouse, located some 70 miles east of London and believed to date from 1535. Inside the two-story redbrick structure, rustic touches—exposed-timber beams, wood built-ins, an inglenook fireplace— distinguish the cozy warren of rooms. property values: The three-acre grounds include a pond and barn, plus a heated pool set in a walled-off terrace. talking point: Equestrian friendly, the parcel is outfitted with a stable and several fenced paddocks. contact: Strutt & Parker/Christie’s Inter4 BEDROOMS national Real Estate, 011-44-122-745-1123
1 BATH 2 HALF BATHS 3,000 SQ. FT. $1.3 MILLION
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4 BEDROOMS 4.5 BATHS 7,100 SQ. FT. $4.5 MILLION
Seattle
pedigree: This hillside house—the breakthrough residential commission of AD100 architect Tom Kundig—was completed in 1998. Conceived as a live/work space for a photographer, the building comprises loftlike spaces executed in the industrial style that now defines Kundig’s work, with exposed I beams and rugged concrete surfaces. property values: A pool and a three-car garage can also be found on the plot, just shy of an acre but boasting broad views of Puget Sound. talking point: The eco-conscious architect salvaged many of the structural materials from the site’s previous dwelling. contact: Architecture for Sale, 310-275-2222
FROM TOP: COURTESY OF AGAVE SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY (3); COURTESY OF ARCHITECTURE FOR SALE; COURTESY OF STRUTT & PARKER
14 BATHS 8 HALF BATHS 18,000 SQ. FT. $12 MILLION
FROM TOP: COURTESY OF VILL AGE PROPERTIES/CHRISTIE’S INTERNATIONAL REAL ESTATE; COURTESY OF KATHRYN M. IREL AND (2)
E STATE S
4 BEDROOMS 4 BATHS 5 HALF BATHS 9,800 SQ. FT. $35 MILLION
Montecito, California
pedigree: Among the best-known estates in the Santa Barbara area, this 1906 Mediterranean Revival house, dubbed El Fureidis, was designed by architect Bertram Goodhue. Pilasters, pediments, and other neoclassical details embellish the façade, while decorative ceilings (coffered, barrel-vaulted, beamed) lend a refined opulence to the generously proportioned interiors. property values: The highlight of the ten-acre lot is a spectacular reflecting pool, its quadrants separated by herringbone brick. talking point: Cinephiles may recognize the mansion from its cameo in the 1983 Mob classic Scarface. contact: Village Properties/Christie’s International Real Estate, 805-252-2773
10 BEDROOMS 7.5 BATHS 4,500 SQ. FT. $2.9 MILLION
Montauban, France
pedigree: Nestled in the southwestern French countryside, the enchanting 50-acre farm La Castellane has been thoughtfully transformed by its longtime owner, designer Kathryn M. Ireland. Shutters painted sky-blue enliven the renovated main dwelling, built around 1850. Inside, rooms exude bohemian chic. property values: Marked by breathtaking views of the nearby valley, the grounds have a pool, a pigeonnier converted into guest quarters, and a number of barns—one of which (shown, above left) has been refurbished as a year-round entertaining space. talking point: In a bit of pastoral whimsy, the house’s well-appointed kitchen is a cowshed that Ireland repurposed. contact: Alexandra Parrish, 323-965-9888 x200
View more prime properties online at archdigest.com/go/estates.
ROGER DAVIES
At ease: Inviting furniture, lively patterns, and fragrant jasmine beckon on a California terrace.
AUGUST 49
Bluebonnets and Indian paintbrush flowers brighten the grounds of Prairie Chapel Ranch, Laura and George W. Bush’s residence in Crawford, Texas; architect David Heymann conceived the house, Kenneth Blasingame Design oversaw the interiors, and the landscaping was done with Michael Williams. For details see Sources.
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WYMAN MEINZER
TEXAS TRIUMPH
At their magniďŹ cent 1,600-acre Crawford retreat, once known as the Western White House, Laura and George W. Bush live the green life in a house that is tailored for easygoing indoor-outdoor enjoyment TEXT BY MITCHELL OWENS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY PETER VITALE
STYLED BY ANITA SARSIDI
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PORTRAIT: DAVID WOO/COURTESY OF THE GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
C
entral Texas, especially that sweet spot halfway between Dallas and Austin where small swaths of the legendary old prairies remain, is an earthly paradise. Blowsy live oaks spread their heavy limbs beneath cloudspattered skies, while creeks and rivers—most prominently the meandering Brazos—ripple alongside gently rolling pastures gilded with waving grasses. These natural glories are precisely what led Laura and George W. Bush to choose the area for their Prairie Chapel Ranch, the retreat they completed in 2001, just after he became the 43rd president of the United States. Occupying some 1,600 acres near the flyspeck town of Crawford, about 25 miles west of Waco, the property is anchored by a strong but relatively modest home that quietly honors its location. During the eight years Mr. Bush was in office, the ranch served as the Western White House and welcomed numerous heads of state—from Russian president Vladimir Putin to Saudi king Abdullah bin Abdulaziz—some of whom were coaxed to join the leader of the free world as he raced along the property’s 40-mile network of bike trails. And, of course, there are the well-known stories of the president spending his vacations clearing brush, often in searing heat, sometimes encouraging aides to join him. These days the Bushes live in Dallas, also home to the George W. Bush Presidential Center, which opened last year on the campus of Southern Methodist University. But they regularly make the trip south to Crawford, where the former president is just as likely to be found handling a fishing rod or paintbrush as he is a chain saw. The ranch remains an essential getaway for the couple, a place to unwind
Clockwise from top left: Laura and George W. Bush at the ranch. The red flowers bordering the lawn are standing cypress, a species native to Texas. In the study, pet portraits by Mr. Bush join a large work by John Clem Clarke; the Afghan carpet is by Arzu Studio Hope. Mounted on the living area’s limestone chimney breast is an Adrian Martinez painting, which overlooks sofas clad in a Glant fabric, a club chair upholstered in a Groves Bros. print, and a cocktail table designed by Mrs. Bush; the windows are curtained in a Calvin Fabrics linen, and the ammonite fossils displayed atop the pedestal table were found on the property.
and spend time with their daughters, Barbara Bush and Jenna Bush Hager, as well as Jenna’s family, and to entertain close friends like Deedie and Rusty Rose, prominent cultural leaders in Dallas. In fact, it was Deedie Rose who helped the Bushes find their architect, David Heymann, a professor at the University of Texas at Austin’s School of Architecture. “Deedie and Rusty love the way David sites buildings,” says Mrs. Bush, relaxing on a shady terrace that overlooks a shimmering lake where her husband often casts lines for bass. (The largest caught to date, the former president reports, was a ten-pounder.) “So when we bought this property, Deedie told me, ‘I have your architect,’ and, of course,” she jokes, with a slightly arched eyebrow, “I always do what Deedie says.” (Rose was a member of the committee that selected Robert A.M. Stern to design the Bush center.) The former first lady notes that when she was growing up in Midland, Texas, her father built spec houses—“one story and low to the ground, a style you saw a lot in the ’50s and ’60s.” She and Mr. Bush had a similar type of residence in mind for Crawford, mainly, she explains, “because we wanted the house to fit into the landscape.” And she means fit literally. Heymann’s design carefully nestled a single-level, three-bedroom limestone structure and an adjacent two-suite guesthouse into an almost imperceptible rise amid an existing grove of live oaks and cedar elms. 54
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Wrapped by deep roof overhangs—some up to ten feet wide— that serve to deflect the region’s broiling sunlight and torrential downpours, the dwelling features tall windows that add a romantic transparency to its unpretentious countenance. “We wanted to see and enjoy the beauty as much as possible,” says Mr. Bush. To answer the couple’s desire for indoor-outdoor living, many of the windows are also doors that open to covered terraces and walks, buffalo-grass lawns, and the tree-shaded swimming pool. When the doors are flung wide, the home becomes a veritable pavilion, capturing passing breezes and filled with birdsong. The configuration also reduces the need for internal corridors—often the Bushes navigate the place by strolling out one door and in through another. “It’s slightly motel-ish, but we love that,” Mrs. Bush says lightheartedly.
Above: In the dining area, a French farmhouse table is flanked by Rose Tarlow Melrose House chairs cushioned in a custom-made Peter Fasano linen; the ladder is by the Putnam Rolling Ladder Co. Opposite, from top: The kitchen is equipped with cabinetry by Homestead Heritage Furniture, a Thermador cooktop and warming drawer, a Sub-Zero refrigerator, and stainless-steel counters. Mexican painted-wood plates known as bateas surround a 19th-century gilt mirror in the kitchenÕs breakfast area; the sideboard is a Philadelphia antique, and the table was a gift from Mr. BushÕs grandmother Dorothy Bush.
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BICYCLING PHOTO: PAUL MORSE /COURTESY OF THE GEORGE W. BUSH PRESIDENTIAL CENTER
The former first lady worked closely on the project with Heymann, who found her to be a highly perceptive accomplice. “She has a lot of experience from seeing the carefully organized houses that her dad built, and she has a very, very good eye,” he says. Early in the construction process Mrs. Bush pointed out that the masons’ work on the Texas Lueders limestone that clads the exterior (and some interior) walls of the residence was absolutely perfect—and thoroughly wrong. The Bushes wanted to have a subtly rustic, handcrafted look, and Heymann had deliberately chosen to use the so-called rough-back pieces that were traditionally thrown away in the trimming process rather than smoothly finished blocks. “We had to take away their levels,” the architect recalls, adding that the stone was relaid the old-fashioned, slightly irregular way, with taut string and appraising eyes. An advocate of sustainable design, Heymann incorporated into the compound a number of green features, including a geothermal energy system for heating and cooling. Rainwater runs off the house’s standing-seam metal roof and into a gravel-filled moat, where it filters into a 42,000-gallon cistern concealed beneath the rear terrace and is recycled to irrigate the lawns. Indoors, the rooms showcase an easygoing multicultural mix, overseen by Fort Worth–based decorator Kenneth Blasingame, the Bushes’ go-to aesthete for nearly three decades. “Every house in Texas should have something from Mexico, because it’s such a part of our culture,” says Blasingame, who has worked on the couple’s homes as well as rooms in both the White House and the Bush center. At the Crawford dwelling, the designer arranged flowerpainted Mexican wood plates known as bateas—two inherited from the former first lady’s maternal grandmother—in the breakfast area, above an antique Philadelphia cabinet the Bushes brought back from a trip to Maine. In the living room, sculptures by Pamela
The tree-shaded swimming pool. Above, from left: Mr. Bush on the W100K, an annual bike ride he hosts for wounded veterans at the ranch. The former president’s tree farm. On another part of the 1,600-acre property, Heritage Restorations built additional guest quarters using the salvaged superstructure of an 18th-century English-frame barn from upstate New York.
“WE WANTED THE HOUSE TO FIT INTO THE LANDSCAPE,” LAURA BUSH SAYS, NOTING HOW THE SINGLE-STORY RESIDENCE NESTLES INTO ITS SITE AMID OAKS AND ELMS. Nelson, a Dallas artist and close friend of Mrs. Bush’s, and a santo painting by El Paso talent Manuel Acosta join a leather-top partners desk that belonged to Prescott Bush, the former president’s grandfather and a onetime U.S. senator. (A gift to the elder Bush from his employer Brown Brothers Harriman, the desk now usually sports an in-progress jigsaw puzzle by Elms, a Maine company whose hand-cut wood creations are a Bush family tradition.) And the couple owns a number of carpets—including the one in the study—made by Arzu Studio Hope, which trains and employs underprivileged Afghan women. “Mrs. Bush and I describe working together as a painterly process, talking about things, layering, evolving,” says Blasingame, adding playfully, “That probably inspired the president.” It’s a respectfully tongue-in-cheek reference to Mr. Bush’s muchpublicized foray into painting. A selection of his portraits of world leaders were exhibited earlier this year at his presidential center, and several other works are displayed in the residence’s study, among them a likeness of Barney, one of the family’s late Scottish terriers. A few of his landscapes—expressive ranch vistas and tree studies—are propped in the breezeway. Referring to one of the latter canvases, Mrs. Bush remarks, “It reminds me of a Fairfield Porter.” It’s not hard to understand how the former president would draw inspiration from the natural setting, and the couple has made sure the home’s immediate grounds are in sync aesthetically and ecologically with the surrounding land. Plantings emphasize native species, especially polychrome patches of wildflowers that are strewn around the property like Oriental carpets. Though the former first lady appreciates hydrangeas and other refined species, “out in West Texas, where I grew up, your best choices were the ones that stayed alive [without a lot of care],” she explains. Hence the ranch’s radiant sweeps of resilient red-and-yellow firewheels, white prickly poppies (Mrs. Bush calls them “hot-weather dudes”) with chiffonlike petals and alarming thorns, and Texas bluebonnets, the official state flower. Working with native-plant expert Michael Williams, she has been 58
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bringing back some of the prairie that impressed artist John Woodhouse Audubon in the 1840s, when he came to Texas in search of armadillos, hares, field mice, large-tailed skunks, and other regional creatures he and his celebrated father, John James Audubon, could paint. (Reproductions of some of the resulting works are displayed in a guest room.) “Mike will hay that field,” Mrs. Bush says, gesturing to one recently restored section, “and then use the seed” to establish prairies on other parts of the property. The former president is just as much of a native-plant enthusiast. On a 90-acre tree farm at the ranch, he cultivates thousands of live oaks, burr oaks, bald cypresses, and other hardy species that he sells to landscape architects and the like—though his wife affectionately observes, “I think I’m his best customer.” In fact, she may place an order for a dozen or so live oaks to create an artful grove near the house, just one more dose of indigenous green in this quintessential stretch of Texas countryside.
From top: Mr. Bush sometimes paints at an easel in the enclosed breezeway, where the windows are replaced with screens in warm weather; the ottoman and the cushions on the sea-grass chairs are covered in Sunbrella fabrics. Drawings of Texas birds by David Everett hang in the master bedroom; a Lee Jofa linen upholsters an armchair and ottoman by Kenneth Blasingame, the curtains are made of a velvet by the Silk Trading Co., and the carpet is by Stark.
VIVID IMAGINATION
A Spanish Colonial– style home in Pebble Beach, California, received a sumptuous makeover from the design firm JP Molyneux Studio. In the living room, lanterns by Delisle hang from the ceiling, painted by Frederic Monpoint, and a Rafael Coronel artwork is mounted opposite a Quatrain mirror; the twin Knole sofas are covered in the same vintage Rubelli fabric used for the curtains, the armchairs are Louis XIV, and the carpet is an early-20th-century Kashan. For details see Sources.
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Designer Juan Pablo Molyneux brings his genius for lavish interiors to a California villa, concocting a baroque fantasia with intricate tilework, opulent wallpaper, and impeccable antiques TEXT BY JUDITH THURMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER DAVIES PRODUCED BY HOWARD CHRISTIAN
Several years ago Juan Pablo Molyneux was asked to vet four properties in Pebble Beach, California, for a longtime client.
Opposite: The courtyard is outfitted with a Michael Taylor Designs table and McKinnon and Harris chairs; the handpainted tilework around the arches is by Atelier Prométhée. Bernard Trainor + Assoc. consulted on the landscape design.
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The coastal enclave is the site of a storied annual vintageautomobile competition, the Concours d’Elegance, and the client, an old friend, owned an important collection of classic racing cars. He and the Chilean-born designer shared a courtly Latin demeanor, a decisive temperament, and a love of speed, though Molyneux himself prefers two wheels to four—he drives a Harley. And he’s just as fearless when it comes to opulence. The vetting process took just a day. “I called my client from the Monterey airport,” the Paris- and New York– based decorator recalls. “The choice was obvious, and when I missed my flight, I used the delay to sketch the plans for a rather ambitious renovation. ‘We’ll add a wing,’ I told him. ‘We’ll build a loggia to enclose the courtyard. You ought to have a library off the master suite. The architecture is distinguished, though it’s underdressed. But this is the house you have to buy—it has so much potential.’ ” As Molyneux tells it, there was a cheerfully fatalistic sigh at the other end of the line, and the client, well-versed in the designer’s ways, said, “Here we go again. I know what ‘potential’ means.” The residence, a Spanish Colonial–style villa from the 1920s, sits on a bluff overlooking the Pacific. The views and setting were exceptional, and the public rooms were graciously proportioned, though in Molyneux’s opinion, “they lacked personality.” In the living room, he expanded the windows and gave depth to the walls with Venetian plaster. A decorative painter antiqued the beams of the cathedral ceiling, which looks as if it were imported from Mexico. The room’s palette now evokes a basket of figs, melons, and apricots ripened by the sun. Elsewhere in the house, intensely textured spaces, among them a vaulted anteroom covered in embossed leather, alternate with serenely spare ones, such as a columned gallery where feathery palm fronds climb pale Nile-green walls. Every Molyneux interior has its grand gesture, and in the Pebble Beach house it’s the dining room. The designer sheathed the walls in blue-and-white tile using a technique he perfected in his own Paris home. Except here he wanted to create a scenic mural. “First we needed a subject,” he says. “I found a beautiful engraving of San Francisco Bay, a view of the harbor, the hills, and the Spanish mission.” The image was scanned and enlarged digitally, then transferred to the unfired clay tiles.
Glossy white ceramic is also employed to brilliant effect in the room, both on the columns that frame the entrance—their trompe l’oeil shadows are rendered in blue on the adjoining jambs—and on the mantel, whose voluptuous contours suggest the kinship between rococo and Art Nouveau embellishment. An antique French silver-gilt mirror above the fireplace converses with a silver-and-bronze Régence chandelier. “With so many reflective surfaces,” Molyneux notes, “the room shimmers like the sea on a foggy morning and sparkles by candlelight. It’s magical.” While the tiles were being fabricated in France (they would arrive with the French team that installed them), Molyneux focused on the dining room furnishings. “I wanted patterns that were huge in scale,” he said, “partly to make the space forget it was once a dull beige, and partly to assert its Spanish character. Chintz, for example, would have been too Anglo-Saxon.” A daintier floor might have spoiled the effect, but the bold parquet, with its barbed quatrefoil inlay, refuses to behave like a doormat. The exuberant motifs and delftware-inspired palette of the rug are echoed in the drapery fabric, the painted chairs, and the porcelain jars displayed atop a pair of rare 18th-century Chinese cabinets. One might have expected a monastery dining table, something from a set for Don Carlo, but the designer instead chose a provincial French antique. “Colonial craftsmen would also have copied European heirlooms,” he observes, “so the table’s rustic charm— its aspiration to refinement—felt right for the house.” California has assimilated waves of conquest and migration, and the villa’s interiors mirror the state’s cultural diversity. “Nothing in the decor matches,” Molyneux says, “yet everything vibrates in harmony.” Carpets are Chinese and Caucasian. Wallpapers were handmade in Istanbul. Contemporary paintings mingle with pre-Columbian statuary. And outside the dining room, a tiled wall depicts a noble sentinel: the figure of a warrior from a West Coast tribe, among the first Americans the Spanish encountered. It takes supreme confidence to layer styles, periods, and patterns with such abandon, and supreme discipline to control the mix. And here, perhaps, it is worth noting that a perfectionist, in Spanish, is a detallista: a master of detail.
From top: Featuring walls decorated in a tile mural by Atelier PromŽthŽe, the dining room is furnished with a French Empire table, Louis XVÐstyle chairs, a pair of 18th-century English chinoiserie cabinets, and a Juan Pablo MolyneuxÐ designed rug, custom made by Tsar; the mirror is 17th-century French, and the curtains are made of a Donghia fabric. In the library, a sofa covered in a ScalamandrŽ velvet damask faces an Ebanista cocktail table; the curtains are of an Old World Weavers silk, and the rug is by Edward Fields. Opposite: Portuguese-style tiles by Atelier PromŽthŽe embellish a hallway.
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From top: In a guest room, paintings by FermĂn Revueltas (left) and Juan Soriano are displayed against a sisal wall covering from Romo; the armchairs are by Rose Tarlow Melrose House. A bath is paneled in distressed oak, gray onyx, and red marble; the tub surround is made of Calacatta marble from Carmel Stone Imports, and the tub fittings are by Waterworks. Opposite, from top: McKinnon and Harris armchairs grace a terrace overlooking the ocean. The bed in the master suite is dressed in Pratesi linens and flanked by Rose Tarlow Melrose House nightstands; the lacquer TV cabinet at the foot of the bed was designed by Juan Pablo Molyneux, and the bench upholstery and the curtain fabric are both by Sabina Fay Braxton.
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True to
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the Past
When a family’s beloved Hamptons home proves beyond repair, architect Peter Pennoyer and designer Matthew Patrick Smyth deliver a brand-new house that pays homage to its predecessor, quirks and all TEXT BY ROB HASKELL PHOTOGRAPHY BY PIETER ESTERSOHN PRODUCED BY HOWARD CHRISTIAN
On Long Island, New York, Peter Pennoyer Architects crafted a retreat inspired by the early-1900s residence that previously graced the property; the decor is by Matthew Patrick Smyth, and the grounds were reimagined by landscape design firm Edwina von Gal + Co. Coats of Benjamin Moore paint enliven the floors and ceiling of the main porch, where wicker pieces from Sylvester & Co. at Home and a vintage bench mingle beneath Josiah R. Coppersmythe light fixtures. For details see Sources.
Edwina von Gal conceived the minimalist swimming pool; the Adirondack chairs are by Janus et Cie, and the chaise longues are by Sutherland.
Even on the fast-changing
East End of Long Island, there are still pockets that remain more or less untouched by any modernizing impulse—quiet neighborhoods where patrician residents pedal their bicycles down dirt roads to the beach. Peter Pennoyer, a New York architect renowned for his unswerving classicism and respect for tradition, is the last person who’d wish to disturb such a historic enclave. But when asked by a couple with two young children to restore an early-20th-century Shingle Style getaway, he found himself offering that most dreaded of alternatives: new construction. To be fair, the old pile had problems. The pipes leaked, and the wiring was shot; two large chimneys listed alarmingly; and additions had been tacked on haphazardly over the decades. But the owners adored the place. Dark, illogical, and idiosyncratic, the house nevertheless felt right to them. Initially, with the help of an engineer, Pennoyer attempted to salvage the crumbling edifice. When it became evident that this would be a losing battle, however, the architect and his clients determined to preserve at least the look and spirit of the structure, with all its odd accretions. “My instinct is always to 70
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build a perfectly resolved, rational object, but that was not what they wanted,” Pennoyer explains. “The mandate they gave me was to create a home that wasn’t a showpiece, that appeared to have had multiple lives.” The two-story, 10,000-square-foot residence he devised painstakingly reproduces some of its predecessor’s quirks, including a long and low porch with squared-off columns and views of the dunes and ocean. For the pool-facing rec room, the architect channeled a 1950s space, installing a wet bar and an expanse of sliding glass doors (admittedly a stretch for him). Just as in the old house, the guest quarters are meant to feel like a discrete area. “Visitors are more comfortable when they don’t always have to interact with their hosts,” the architect says, noting that family members and friends can retreat to their respective chambers using either the shared central staircase or two separate ones. He made significant improvements to the previous configuration, too, laying out the ground floor as a series of permeable rooms, with lots of exterior doors for swift egress to the pool and the beach. “The feeling of the original house was quite closed off,” Pennoyer says. “Here you move fluidly.” Light floods these common spaces and in particular the main stair hall, which is
The living room’s Anthony Lawrence-Belfair sofas are upholstered in a Loro Piana linen; the cocktail table is formed by two McCollin Bryan benches from Holly Hunt, the curtains and matching throw pillows are made of a Rubelli cotton, and the walls are painted in a Benjamin Moore white.
Below, from left: In the upstairs study, the ceiling fixture is from Circa Lighting, the desk is by Mecox, the Bruno Romeda stool (at left) is from Galerie Dutko, and the carpet is by Patterson Flynn Martin. Lucca Studio armchairs create another conversation space in the living room; the window shades are by Hartmann & Forbes.
distinguished by ornate windows and Moroccan-inspired lattice panels—a flourish favored by Stanford White more than a century ago. Throughout the interiors, alcoves and niches abound, adding more character still. Furnishings for the house, meanwhile, were entrusted to Manhattan designer Matthew Patrick Smyth, who looked for ways to expand upon the charms of its forebear. The old place wasn’t winterized, so to give visual warmth to what is now an allseason retreat, he employed winsome wallpapers and fabrics, many embellished with botanical patterns. “When it’s snowing and the green is gone, it still looks inviting inside,” Smyth says. The decor mixes beach-cottage staples (wicker furniture abandoned by the last owners, for instance) with choice antiques from around the world. In the breakfast area a mirror that once hung in a French fishmonger’s shop provides a soupçon of Paris, a frequent family destination. A 19th-century Chinese cabinet takes pride of place Above: A Lindsey Adelman Studio chandelier hangs above the dining room’s table and suite of Jonas chairs. Opposite, clockwise from top left: Black-granite counters and backsplashes offset white cabinetry in the kitchen, which features a bespoke hood; the range is by Wolf, and the dishwashers are by Miele. The breakfast room’s vintage sink was updated with Waterworks legs and fittings. A spiral staircase leads from the family’s bedrooms to the public areas. A 19th-century French mirror from Marvin Alexander punctuates the breakfast room; the custom-made banquette is clad in a Lee Jofa suede, the bistro tables are vintage, and the side chairs are by Janus et Cie.
in the living room, complemented by a diversity of materials and textures—from woven window shades and blown-glass lamps to a subtly astonishing cocktail table fashioned from two benches with tufted cushions embedded in resin. The same eclectic approach continues in the master suite, where a midcentury Jansen desk fills a tall bay window, and Gustavian side tables join a 14th-century rain drum brought home by the clients from Laos. Outside, much of the four-acre property had been consumed by an impenetrable tangle of invasive plant species over the years. Landscape designer Edwina von Gal removed many of the exotics in an effort to bring the terrain’s original vegetation back. Not surprisingly, neighbors initially watched in horror as plantings were uprooted, so Von Gal put a sign out front explaining that the grounds were in the midst of what she termed “a native-plant restoration.” Out came the Chinese bittersweet and multiflora roses. In their place Von Gal added to the indigenous assortment, incorporating bayberry, eastern red cedar, and other trees hardy enough to withstand the ocean sprays. Though meticulously planned, the plot now has a natural exuberance, appearing simply to have happened that way. Amid a setting of such beauty, there is much to be said for a house that declines to call attention to itself. “Above all, it feels natural,” Pennoyer says. “No one could look at this place and say, ‘There goes the neighborhood.’”
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In the master suite, a bed upholstered in a Loro Piana cotton is paired with a valance and curtains of a Schumacher print; the floor lamp is by Mecox, the vintage Jansen desk is from Florian Papp, and both the striped area rug and the carpet are by Patterson Flynn Martin. Opposite, from top: Tyler Hall wallpaper brightens a guest room, where bookshelves contain a complete
set of the Penguin Classics Library; the vintage mirrors are English, and the wicker sofa’s cushions are covered in a Great Plains fabric. Moroccan mirrors from Downtown flank a Waterworks tub in the master bath; the tub fittings and towels are also by Waterworks, the side table is by Paul Mathieu for Stephanie Odegard Collection, and the towel stand is by RH.
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HIGH FIDELITY
Architect Peter Gluck and his son, Thomas, designed this boldly contemporary retreat in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains for a businessman and his family. The residence was decorated by Jorge Rosso Architecture/ Interiors; Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners refined the grounds. For details see Sources.
AN ARRESTING NORTH CAROLINA AERIE BY ARCHITECTURE FIRM GLUCK + RADIATES WARM MODERNIST COOL EVEN AS IT HARMONIZES BEAUTIFULLY WITH ITS MOUNTAIN SETTING TEXT BY MAYER RUS
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SCOTT FRANCES
PRODUCED BY ELIZABETH SVERBEYEFF BYRON
STYLED BY HOWARD CHRISTIAN
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very architect commissioned to design a mountain home that’s sympathetic to its setting faces the same challenge: how to come to terms with the peak itself—the rock, the elevation, the climate, the slope, the vista. Despite the inevitable urge to triumph over topography by building at the summit, embracing a more modest accommodation can sometimes be a better path to achieving domestic bliss in the clouds. Consider the extraordinary house conceived by the New York–based architecture firm Gluck+ in North Carolina’s Blue Ridge Mountains. Situated well below the highest point on the
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property, at the edge of a sunken meadow ringed by trees and close to a precipice with a hundred-mile view to the bright lights of Charlotte, the residence strikes an elegant balance between exposure and protection, between high-altitude splendor and grounded repose. All of which was accomplished while adhering to environmental standards rigorous enough to earn the project a LEED Silver certification. The client, a business executive familiar with the inventive work of Gluck+ through houses designed for his friends, engaged firm founder Peter Gluck and his son, principal Thomas Gluck, to create a welcoming yet unconventional retreat for three
The house is perched at the edge of a mountain meadow and offers breathtaking, verdant views.
generations of his far-flung family. “He wanted something modern and comfortable, a place that would be truly special,” Peter says. “We came up with a contemporary interpretation of the rocks-and-logs aesthetic in which the complexity and richness of the spaces respond directly to the landscape.” To minimize the 14,000-square-foot house’s visual impact, they devised it as a series of low, linked volumes arranged side by side along the ridgeline. The main pavilion contains an open living room, dining area, and kitchen on the entrance level, with the master suite, pool, home theater, and gym one floor down. Carving the latter spaces out of the slope below gives
the appearance, from the meadow side, of a single story. Two other quasi-independent structures—which the Glucks call cabins—offer three bedrooms apiece for those times when the client’s entire clan is assembled. The home’s primary organizing feature, both conceptually and physically, is a stacked-white-oak wall that stretches through the interiors and into the landscape and echoes the dense form and staccato rhythms of massive lumber piles set out to dry—a common sight in a region where logging and furnituremaking have long been mainstays. This spine constitutes one side of an enclosed corridor that connects the guest pavilions to the main building.
The hall was designed to resemble an outdoor passage, with cyclopean pavers of natural-cleft bluestone, multiple skylights, thickets of ivy planted along portions of the oak wall, and floor-to-ceiling expanses of glass that look onto the meadow. “We were mesmerized by images of stacked lumber, but translating the idea into a finished product required a great deal of skill,” Thomas explains. To replicate the effect, the Glucks collaborated with regional carpenters, sawmill workers, and framers to fashion a complex formation consisting of thousands of pieces of oak. “We were able to create something of genuine quality that’s tied to the community,” he says. 80
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On the excavated lower level of the house, a zigzagged wall of Appalachian stone delineates the variety of recreation spaces as well as the capacious master bath. Like its oak counterpart upstairs, the rugged stone plane extends outdoors, further underscoring the essential bond between structure and terrain. That desire to bring the dwelling—and the family—closer to nature is also expressed in the Glucks’ eco-conscious design decisions, which secured the residence’s LEED certification. A 15-kilowatt wind turbine, geothermal wells for heating and cooling, green roofs, and extensive solar louvers all conspire to give the vacation home a zero carbon footprint.
The living area is furnished with sectional sofas custom designed by Jorge Rosso and upholstered in a Brunschwig & Fils fabric; the carpet is by Stephanie Odegard Collection. Opposite, from top: An indoor pool is situated on the structure’s lower level, which is faced in local Appalachian stone. The house’s signature element—a stacked-whiteoak wall that was inspired by milled wood drying in the sun—lines one side of the entrance hall and extends along the corridor to the guest quarters.
The decor, meanwhile, defers to the formidably imaginative building as well as to the site. “We underfurnished most of the house because the amazing views are the real stars of the show,” says Miami-based interior designer Jorge Rosso. “But we added enough soft touches to serve as a foil to the powerful architecture and make the place feel comfortable.” Mossy greens, earthy neutrals, and deep grays that nod to the surrounding landscape are enlivened by punchy scarlet notes, including the front door. Also providing visual interest are various site-specific works of art, like the group of 150 mixed-media paintings in petri dishes by Klari Reis that are displayed in a hall near the entrance.
For the Glucks, the success of the North Carolina project lies in the purposeful, and intensely meaningful, rapprochement between nature and architecture. Eye-catching details such as a cantilevered window seat that appears to hover against the glass walls of the great room—a “structural tour de force,” according to Peter—heighten the exhilaration that can be found in mountain living, while sensitive planning allowed the architects to preserve the beauty of the existing meadow. “That was our goal—to optimize this incredible site for different experiences and different groupings of visitors,” Thomas says. “The key was to embrace the mountain rather than fight it.”
Above: Stacked stone sheathes the interior wall of the pool area; the furniture, by Dedon, is cushioned in Perennials fabrics. Opposite: The kitchen features blackwalnut-veneer cabinetry and a copper backsplash; displayed on the latter are specially commissioned tile panels by artist Anne-Brit Soma Reienes. The pendant light fixture is by ET2 Contemporary Lighting, the vent is by Dacor, the cooktop and ovens are by Wolf, and the Franke sinks are equipped with Hansgrohe fittings.
GREEN ROOF GUEST WING
ENTRANCE
FLOOR PL AN COURTESY OF GLUCK+
GREEN ROOF GUEST WING KITCHEN
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THE HOUSE, SAYS PETER GLUCK, IS “A CONTEMPORARY INTERPRETATION OF THE ROCKS-AND-LOGS AESTHETIC.”
Above: The master bedroom contains a Frank Gehry Wiggle chair and ottoman for Vitra. Opposite: Local stone gives the master bath a rugged ambience; the glass-enclosed shower has a Dornbracht showerhead.
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TEXT BY MIMI READ
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PHOTOGRAPHY BY THOMAS LOOF PRODUCED BY HOWARD CHRISTIAN
SPECTRUM Given carte blanche by a Houston couple, interior designer Miles Redd realizes a Technicolor dream of highspirited hues and whirlwind patterns
In the living room of a family’s Houston home renovated by Eubanks Group Architects and decorated by Miles Redd, an Agustin Hurtado painting is displayed above a custom-made sofa clad in a Ralph Lauren Home fabric. The 1940s French mosquito sculpture mounted on the ceiling was acquired at Christie’s. The club chairs are upholstered in a C&C Milano stripe, a Brunschwig & Fils satin was used for the curtains, an Oscar de la Renta for Lee Jofa satin covers the walls, and the carpeting is by Patterson Flynn Martin. For details see Sources.
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o s t p e o p l e h av e b l u e moments at one time or another. Interior designer Miles Redd, on the other hand, often feels deliriously yellow. A few years ago, when a prominent Houston couple was considering him as a possible decorator for their 17th-centuryFrench-style mansion in the historic River Oaks neighborhood, the Manhattan-based Redd flew into town for a visit. Standing in their vast entrance hall for the first time, taking in its sober beige walls and echoing proportions, he announced, “I’m feeling taxicab.” That was the shade of yellow he envisioned for the 36-foot-long space. The wife instantly replied, “I feel the same way—the house is yours.” Thus began an adventure wherein Redd was given creative carte blanche. And why not? The couple had seen Redd’s work in magazines. (“I wanted to jump into the pictures,” the wife remembers.) So they knew that in his energetically embellished rooms color is front and center, noble antiques are leavened by whimsy, and allusions to the past are given a mod spin—perfect settings, they felt, for parties as well as for life with their four-year-old twins. 88
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Redd collaborated with Houston’s Eubanks Group Architects in renovating the 1990s five-bedroom house, then let its ancien régime detailing inspire his fantasies. The decorating, he says, “is sort of a pastiche of all the great European residences I’ve looked at over a lifetime—especially English country houses and the hôtel particuliers of Paris. I’m always trying to take those ideas, those sensibilities, and push them forward into the 21st century.” The effervescent designer does this not only by dialing up the color palette but also by selecting eyecatching patterns. Take the living room, where walls swathed in lustrous azure satin serve as a backdrop for seating upholstered in a snappy red-and-white linen stripe. In one hallway an Edenic wallpaper (which looks hand-painted but is actually digitally produced) transforms the space into an intoxicating garden of celadon greens, while in the primary family room, another wall covering engenders a Moorish mood by suggesting elaborate tilework. On top of the latter pattern, Redd layered a strongly graphic painting; he also splashed a bold blue ikat print across the room’s four club chairs and added a pair of cocktail tables with tops lacquered in Yves Klein–blue. “In Morocco you would have the tilework but not the
Above, from left: The front fa•ade of the 17th-centuryFrench-style house. An Eric Peters painting surveys the entrance hall, where a Stephen Antonson light fixture hangs above a John Rosselli & Assoc. bench. Opposite, from top: An Iksel Decorative Arts wallpaper wraps the primary family room; the infanta painting is by Agustin Hurtado, and the chairs are slipcovered in a Schumacher ikat. Miles Redd lacquered the libraryÕs paneling and installed a chandelier by Robert Kime over a George II drum table found at SothebyÕs and George IIIÐstyle chairs purchased at ChristieÕs.
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Above: The dining room is lined with a Fromental silk wall covering; a Brunschwig & Fils silk taffeta was used for the curtains, the Oscar de la Renta Home for Century Furniture chairs are upholstered in a Turkish velvet, and Agustin Hurtado custom painted the Patterson Flynn Martin sisal. Opposite, from top: Hurtado also finished the walls of the ladies’ lounge, whose Roman shades are made of a Clarence House stripe; the marquetry bureau plat at left and the Georgian-style secretary bookcase are set up as dressing tables. The kitchen is outfitted with subway tile and a Wolf range.
upholstery,” the decorator observes. “But we’re in the land of comfort, bells, and whistles. If you can have all that, why wouldn’t you want it?” The former gym is now a ladies’ lounge that gets heavy traffic during large parties. The fact that its finely wrought paneling had been painted standard-issue white was, for Redd, a bit like waving a red cloth in front of a bull. Taking inspiration from Mark Rothko’s abstract art, the designer obliterated the white beneath kaleidoscopic patches of color trimmed with trompe l’oeil fretwork. And in another family room, often used by the children for breakfast, a green wool felt on the walls conjures an English library vibe, made richer and more complex by a vintage Jansen sofa and an ÉmileJacques Ruhlmann club chair. The most intense arena is the dining room. With its pale-silver wallpaper painted with exotic foliage, neoCubist sisal, peacock-blue taffeta curtains sparked by a John Fowler design, and chairs clad in a black-andwhite velvet whose wavy motif vibrates like Op Art,
it’s a dynamic space for making a grand sartorial impression. “The great thing about Houston is that people come all decked out,” Redd notes. “It’s a lot of stylish ladies in stunning clothes, and that works perfectly with the room.” Throughout the process, Redd never forgot that he was in Texas, a place where people and things tend to be larger than life. This helps explain why he was transfixed by a colossal metal mosquito—a French scientific model from the 1940s—and why he brought it to Houston, where he attached it, upside down, to the living room ceiling. “A big mosquito in an elegant room lets you know these people have a sense of humor,” Redd says. “It’s also chic. I love insects and the feeling of a cabinet of curiosities. They’re usually a tiny bit grotesque, often beautiful, and always unexpected.” When he spotted the bug at the Christie’s auction of the late antiques dealer Amy Perlin’s estate, he e-mailed a photograph of it to the wife, who loved it but argued that it ought to be on a wall. “But of course he won, and of course, he’s right,” she says with a laugh. “A fly on the wall would have been too literal.” When the festivities end and the high-octane crowd ebbs, every corner of the house continues to enchant— not least the chromatically compelling bedrooms. The master suite, for example, features a canopy bed with a glossy scarlet top and wool curtains in a matching hue. And the wife takes unflagging delight in her bath, which Redd based on a ’30s design by society architect David Adler and his decorator sister, Frances Elkins. (Redd is a major fan of the siblings’ oeuvre and years ago installed a vintage Adler/Elkins bath at his own New York City townhouse.) He lined the space with antiqued mirror and acres of figured gray marble—so much of it that the ceiling of the room below had to be reinforced with steel beams. Nervous types might have shied away from such a production, but for Redd, nothing is too much trouble if it’s beautiful. “It’s livable glamour, a world’s fair of decorating,” the wife says with a broad smile. “Around every corner is a surprise. We’re still in awe.”
In another family room, a Louis XV–style sofa is upholstered in a Larsen linen, and an Art Deco club chair acquired at Doyle New York is cushioned with the same Turkish velvet used for the throw pillows; the walls are dressed in a Holland & Sherry wool felt, and the sisal is by Patterson Flynn Martin. Opposite: At the rear of the house, Vaughan lanterns and an Iksel Decorative Arts wallpaper ornament the gallery.
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A vintage Warhol-style Marilyn Monroe lithograph from Todd Alexander Romano overlooks the master bedroom; the curtains are of an Oscar de la Renta for Lee Jofa wool, the wallpaper is by Iksel Decorative Arts, and the sisal is by Patterson Flynn Martin. Opposite, from top: Wallpaper by Marthe Armitage animates the ceiling of one child’s room, where a William Yeoward for Designers Guild pattern stripes the walls and a Lee Jofa floral was used for the curtains; above the bespoke Fine Arts Furniture beds are framed reproductions of vintage Vogue covers from the CondÊ Nast Collection and Oscar de la Renta Home for Century Furniture pagoda canopies. In the master bath, a mirror from John Rosselli Antiques hangs near an RH towel rack.
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Sumptuous furnishings and A-list art complement the soaring views in a duplex penthouse outfitted by Jean-Louis Deniot on Manhattan’s far west side
Along with the High Line, Frank Gehry’s IAC headquarters, and the Renzo Piano–designed Whitney Museum slated to open next spring, a parade of striking residential buildings by an all-star cast of architects, including Jean Nouvel, Richard Meier, and Shigeru Ban, has completely transformed the complexion of New York City’s west side in the past decade or so. One of these structures—the tower known as 200 Eleventh Avenue, devised by Annabelle Selldorf in the heart of Chelsea’s gallery district— offers a state-of-the-art amenity no other high-rise in the city can match: apartment-level parking, made possible by an elevator that deposits occupants and their cars directly at their own doors. Add enticing features like double-height ceilings and panoramic views, and it’s easy to understand why the address has become so desirable. For one couple, who live primarily in Paris and Aspen, Colorado, with their two children, a spur-ofthe-moment visit to a duplex penthouse in the building was all it took to end a nascent search for the perfect pied-à-terre. “Our decision to take it was pretty instant,” says the wife. Just a few years earlier the pair had sold what many would consider the ultimate Manhattan trophy home—a sprawling apartment on Fifth Avenue. “We wanted to be downtown, in a smaller
TEXT BY BRAD GOLDFARB
and more contemporary space,” explains the husband. And the move to Chelsea, with many of the city’s leading galleries just steps away, would put the duo in the center of the art scene, a world in which both are active. They envisioned the residence not only as a place to call home in New York but also as a glamorous setting for entertaining. To tailor the developer-outfitted unit into the inviting showplace they pictured, the couple turned to Paris-based interior designer Jean-Louis Deniot, whom they’d worked with before. “My husband wanted something less traditional than our other homes,” says the wife. “I am all about warmth, ease, and comfort, especially for our children. Jean-Louis understands that balance.” Deniot also grasped that to make the apartment function as his clients wished, a few structural modifications would be necessary. Carried out in collaboration with Peter Pelsinski of the New York firm SPAN Architecture, these changes ranged from the cosmetic—adding ceiling coves to conceal lighting, ductwork, and wiring—to the more ambitious, such as enclosing one of the two outdoor terraces to form a double-height family room (which can also serve as a dining room, thanks to a Deniot-designed cocktail table that rises to dining level at the touch of a button).
PHOTOGRAPHY BY SIMON UPTON
PRODUCED BY CARLOS MOTA
Opposite: Interior designer Jean-Louis Deniot created a lyrical New York pied-à-terre for a family based in Paris and Aspen, Colorado; SPAN Architecture collaborated on the structural work. In the double-height living room, a Deniot-designed daybed covered in a Métaphores fabric and accented by an Hermès throw is joined by several vintage pieces, including a FontanaArte side table (in the foreground), an Ado Chale cocktail table, and an Edward Wormley sofa. The artwork above the fireplace is by Mauro Perucchetti, the 1950s table lamps are from On Site Antiques, and the custom-made silk rug is by Tai Ping. For details see Sources.
When it came to the decor, Deniot selected a variety of statement pieces, among them a backlit brass sunburst sculpture by C. JerŽ in the powder room and an HervŽ Van der Straeten bronze-and-lacquer bar cabinet in the living room. The emphasis on highimpact furnishings was an approach the homeowners readily embraced, and their contributions to the mix included a curvy chrome-and-ebony dining table with matching consoles by Guy de Rougemont. These, in turn, inspired the sleek kitchen island, which Deniot fronted with a Mondrianesque arrangement of stainless-steel and wood panels. Not surprisingly, views were central to DeniotÕs design, with the sky, river, and cityscape informing many of his choices. In the living room the decorator created Òthe impression that the room was floating like a helium balloon,Ó he says, Òwith the Hudson River below and clouds above.Ó Floor-to-ceiling curtains custom embroidered with patterns suggestive of watery reflections line the 24-foot-tall windows, while a silk carpet in pale blues and grays underscores the ethereal mood. Anchoring the room is a vintage Steinway piano, lacquered blue by Deniot. ÒJean-Louis struggled with having a brown or a black piano,Ó says the wife. ÒSo we compromised.Ó In the master bedroom, where a bronze Paul Evans lamp from the 1970s resides harmoniously atop a bespoke lacquer bookcase, DeniotÕs penchant for combining old and new is on vivid display. ÒI try to mix things so you canÕt tell whatÕs vintage and whatÕs recent,Ó he says. Throughout the home, walls are clad in compelling textiles, such as the evocative print of rolling hills in the guest room, chosen for the way it echoes the distant landscape across the Hudson. Of course, art plays a major role as well. Among the pieces acquired for the space is the Antony Gormley sculpture on the second-floor landing. Another highlight is the arresting multicolor wall sculpture by Mauro Perucchetti commissioned for the spot above the living room fireplace. Still, ÒitÕs not an ideal apartment for art,Ó concedes the husband. ÒWith all the windows thereÕs limited space for hanging anything. ItÕs the classic trade-off.Ó But then, those New York City views are their own kind of masterpiece. Left: A monumental Anselm Kiefer painting presides over the opposite end of the living room, where a Vladimir Kagan sofa (clad in an Armani/Casa fabric) from Ralph Pucci International is paired with a cocktail table from Jean-Louis Deniot’s collection for Jean de Merry. The bar cabinet at left, a custom-made Hervé Van der Straeten piece, is also from Ralph Pucci International, and the Steinway piano was given a blue-lacquer finish. Jean-François Lesage embroidered the Pierre Frey–linen curtains.
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The symphony of reflective surfaces in the kitchen includes the polished stainless-steel panels on the Jean-Louis Deniot窶電esigned island, a Guy de Rougemont free-form chrome-top table, and metallic wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries; the circular artwork is by Astrid Krogh, and the vintage swivel chairs are by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand. Opposite: A terrace was enclosed to create the family room, where Deniot devised the brass-and-copper light fixture and the bonetop cocktail table that can be raised to dining height electronically; the curtain fabric is by Christopher Farr, and the carpet is by Tai Ping.
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In a guest room, a MĂŠtaphores wall covering complements a headboard upholstered in a Rubelli stripe; the sideboard is by Antoine + Manuel. Above, from left: The terrace is outfitted with a sofa and chairs by Janus et Cie. A sculpture by Loris GrĂŠaud graces a landing.
An Antony Gormley sculpture stands sentry at the sleeping quarters’ entrance, which Jean-Louis Deniot disguised with mirrored panels bordered in lacquered steel that matches the framing used for the building’s windows.
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The master suite features a window wall that overlooks the family room; the 1960s wing chairs are upholstered in a Jim Thompson silk. Left, from top: A Peter Fasano fabric from John Rosselli & Assoc. shades the children’s bath, where an Annabelle Selldorf–designed vanity is stocked with Ralph Lauren Home towels; the sink fittings are by Waterworks, and the wallpaper (reflected in the mirror) is by Dedar. The master bath’s Jacob Delafon tub is equipped with Waterworks fittings.
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Bold Strokes TEXT BY THERESE BISSELL
PHOTOGRAPHY BY ROGER DAVIES
PRODUCED BY HOWARD CHRISTIAN
Glossy red walls and vibrant furnishings set an exuberant tone in the jewel-box pied-à-terre that Thomas Britt decorated for winemakers Elizabeth and W. Clarke Swanson in San Francisco
Red-lacquered walls and leopard-spot Stark carpet make a glorious statement in the living room of Elizabeth and W. Clarke Swanson’s San Francisco apartment, which was designed by Thomas Britt; John James Audubon swan prints are displayed above a sofa. For details see Sources.
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veryone knows that intimacy is part and parcel of the interior design process. But the bond between decorator Thomas Britt and his clients Elizabeth and W. Clarke Swanson goes beyond that of a typical working relationship, transcending even the breadth of projects they have, over five decades, undertaken together. In New York City in the 1960s, a young Clarke approached the designer—both are Midwesterners, and they had a family connection—to help with his Central Park South apartment. Their initial meeting was over cocktails at Britt’s flat, “a wildly colorful place,” Clarke recalls. Britt soon created similarly vibrant interiors for the Swanson frozen-foods scion, and a rapport based on mutual regard and tastes was formed. In time, the decorator would serve as a groomsman at the Swansons’ wedding, in 1969, and become godfather to the eldest of their three daughters. “Friendship is about magic and trust,” says Elizabeth, who is half Cuban and grew up in New Orleans. “It’s also about memory, as is decorating. We’ll have fabric samples flying all over the place, and Tom will remind me that we fought like crazy 40 years ago over a fabric for our Florida conservatory. Passion, memory, and experience are the wow! ingredients for a great decor—and great friendships.” Though the Swansons live in California’s Napa Valley, where in 1985 they established the award-winning Swanson Vineyards, they wanted a San Francisco pied-à-terre for urban diversions. What they found was a one-bedroom flat on Nob Hill, steps away from the magnificent French Gothic–style Grace Cathedral. And since France is a favorite destination for the two, “Clarke said, ‘Let’s be Parisian in San Francisco,’ ” Elizabeth remembers. “But what we have done with this apartment is much more infectious and high-spirited than we ever could have achieved in Paris.” 107
Clarke has had considerable say in the design of other family residences over the years, but this time he left the nuts-and-bolts decisionmaking to his wife and Britt, with some oversight. “I’m an impractical romantic, Clarke is substantial and wise, and Tom is our genius referee—when it comes to decorating, we’re the Holy Trinity,” Elizabeth says with a laugh. “There were moments when Clarke thought I’d lost my mind with this place. But I had a very chic bright-red patent-leather bag with acid-green grosgrain straps, and I said, ‘Look out: This is what I want to do in San Francisco.’ Everyone was fully warned.” Elizabeth explains that she and Britt lacquered the apartment’s walls “like there was no tomorrow”—and most of them bear nine high-gloss coats of fire-engine red. After the rooms were finished, she recounts with delight, “someone walked through the door 108
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and said, ‘Oh my Lord, did your husband know you were doing this?’ ” As inspirations, Elizabeth points to design legends Sister Parish, Billy Baldwin, Elsie de Wolfe, and Syrie Maugham, noting that each and every one was “a risk taker who couldn’t care less what people thought, and I put Tom in that rarefied group.” To be honest the pocket-size pied-àterre is absent certain charms—a sunny terrace, say, or compelling views of the city or the sparkling bay. “Who cares about those other things,” Elizabeth says dismissively. “Our friends are absolutely overcome with the romance and sensuality of this place.” The living room is a repository of art and furnishings mostly collected in Europe; many came from the Swansons’ former London townhouse, the only one of their homes in which Britt wasn’t involved. (It
Clockwise from above: The dining alcove is tented with a Scalamandré stripe, and the cabinets are Regency antiques. A Gracie metal-leaf wallpaper lines the kitchen ceiling; the range is by Amana. In the library, Thomas Britt marbleized a door frame and the baseboards; the curtains are made of a Scalamandré stripe.
was done in the ’80s by Dudley Poplak, who decorated Highgrove House for the Prince of Wales and Winfield House for Walter Annenberg, the former U.S. ambassador to the Court of St. James’s.) Britt reupholstered the Louis XVI bergères, Victorian-style button-tufted chairs, and other curvaceous seating in sapphire, chartreuse, saffron, and a bracing shade of pink that the designer calls “pungent.” The array of jewel tones makes a lively impression against the walls of the space and the adjoining library. “I simply splashed the colors around,” comments the decorator, whose vivid palette for this assignment was influenced, he says, by the midcentury American tastemaker George Stacey. Nearly every ceiling in the apartment is sheathed in gleaming gold wallpaper, which has been “lacquered over to give it more depth and more sheen, like an exquisite box,” Britt says. Leopard-spot carpeting starts at the front door and ends in the master bedroom, where it meets pink striéd walls and pale-yellow moldings and louvered shutters. Marbleized door and window frames, glamorous touches that recall the architectural details of Italian palazzi, occasionally interrupt the sweep of red, as does the lavishly tented dining area, a large alcove whose black-and-whitestriped fabric was also utilized for Roman shades in the living room. It wasn’t all decorating, however. Britt found the original layout “a hodgepodge of rooms,” so the designer strategically shifted a few walls and doorways to establish an easygoing circulation pattern that is another hallmark of his style. “This place works,” Elizabeth notes. “You’ve never seen square footage so brilliantly used.” Apart from the sublime balance of functionality, flow, and sheer fancifulness, the Swansons recognize that their San Francisco foothold is something much more: a glossy red valentine to an enduring personal history.
Left: The master bedroom, anchored by a gilded-and-painted Louis Philippe bed, features a Gracie metal-leaf wallpaper on the ceiling and pink striéd walls embellished by antique prints; the leopard-spot carpet is by Stark.
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BAYOU BLEND DESIGNER NICKY HASLAM MIXES FRESH COLORS AND VENERABLE ANTIQUES WITH HIS TRADEMARK FLAIR IN THE NEW ORLEANS TOWNHOUSE OF CELEBRATED HOTELIERS FRANCES AND RODNEY SMITH TEXT BY LIZ SMITH PHOTOGRAPHY BY PIETER ESTERSOHN PRODUCED BY HOWARD CHRISTIAN
Frances and Rodney Smith, owners of the Soniat House Hotel in New Orleans, enlisted longtime friend Nicky Haslam of NH Design to decorate their French Quarter home. In the living room, Haslam installed a plaster cast, taken from a 19th-century terra-cotta relief, over the mantelpiece he modeled after dormer windows on the city’s St. Charles Cathedral. Opposite: The two-story residence features a balcony with classic 1840s ironwork. For details see Sources.
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Mr. and Mrs. Smith are major stars in New Orleans, as everyone there knows. No, not Brad and Angelina. Although that celebrity couple loves the Big Easy and has personally done a lot for the city. We actually mean Frances and Rodney Smith, owners of the French Quarter’s small, perfect, prizewinning Soniat House Hotel, which for three decades has been the place to stay for visiting musicians, actors, politicians, and the generally stylish. The Soniat family laid the groundwork for this phenomenon way back in the early 1830s, when they constructed three townhouses on Chartres Street for their burgeoning clan. The Smiths, both Louisiana natives (she was raised in New Orleans, while his family lived outside the city), came along in 1982 and bought two of the historic properties, acquiring the third around 1996. Refurbishing the buildings as a now-31-room boutique hotel, the couple succeeded in modernizing them while preserving their rich character. The duo also added a much-admired antiques shop to the premises that is its own destination. “I imagined a warm hotel, with chic and elegant guests, and I’d be sitting in one of the gardens reading Faulkner,” Rodney says, laughing at himself. “But I never even got to garden. All I did was work to make the place perfect. The hard work got me interested in antiques and collecting. The Soniat had—and still
has—a unique atmosphere, with glamorous courtyards and all the trimmings that made it special.” Both Frances and Rodney Smith grew up immersed in New Orleans lore, as well as in its music, food, and great traditions, especially Mardi Gras, with the kings and queens and marching bands and splendid costumes. While they travel frequently and have a beautiful pied-à-terre in Paris, the Smiths are devoted New Orleanians. They’ve owned five different homes in the city, and three have been decorated by their ebullient man-about-the-world friend of 30 years, London designer Nicky Haslam.
The latest, which is smaller than the Smiths’ previous houses, is conveniently just steps from the Soniat. With only one bedroom, plus gracious entertaining spaces and a pretty garden terrace, the two-story residence is manageably petite. Before the couple moved in, they reached out to Haslam to enlist his services once again. “They said, ‘We think you’d better come decorate another house for us,’ ” the designer recounts. “ ‘One with just a hint of the past and still a modern feeling.’” Haslam, who claims that even the thought of visiting New Orleans thrills him, didn’t hesitate. “Let’s make it five!” he jokes,
Above: In the library, pastel-hued walls serve as the backdrop for a 1962 painting by New Orleans artist George Dureau, which is displayed above a custom-made sofa upholstered in a Bernard Thorp printed cotton from Stark. One of the four chinoiserie bookcases is antique and the others are copies, while the chinoiserie pediments are 19th century; the carpet is made from two pieces of antique needlework that Nicky Haslam had combined and bordered in leather. Opposite: The Smiths on their balcony.
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Left: An 18th-century French crystal chandelier crowns the dining room, where Nicky Haslam added a carved-andpainted trellispattern dado. The table is surrounded by 20th-century chairs that came from a restaurant in Toulouse, France; a papier-mâchÊ mirror, originally made as a stage prop, hangs nearby. The 18thcentury wood columns at the entrance have been marbleized by decorative painters Chris and Paul Czainski.
“Unlike a lot of New Orleans, the house is not overly Frenchified,” Nicky Haslam says. “It is smaller, fresher, and more youthful.” adding, “They love changing houses, and they have incredible taste.” Haslam’s own taste (which he describes as “cosmopolitan”) has been shaped over the course of a fascinating career that spans the sex-drugs-rock-and-roll days, the big-money Wall Street era, and the Internet revolution. Haslam has kept up with it all, projecting a joie de vivre that has endeared him to everyone from the Rolling Stones to Madonna, from Truman Capote to Charles Saatchi, from the Duchess of Windsor to Princess Diana. Always tabbed for best-dressed lists, he has edited and written and photographed for magazines and is a sometime cabaret singer, too. He is apt to pepper his own digs with audacious fakes and unconventional artworks. But his encyclopedic knowledge of antiques and art and his innate sense of propriety usually lead to safer ground with clients. For the Smiths’ new home, the designer says the idea was to “go with the flow of what we found—wherever that led us. Of course, we had the greatest French and other pieces to select from at their Soniat Antiques gallery, which is a treasure trove.” In the end, the furnishings are a mix of French and Italian antiques interspersed with Haslam’s own designs, a smattering of modern items, and sophisticated curiosities. Case in point: the dining room, where a classic 18th-century French crystal chandelier dangles above a table that comfortably accommodates a set of ten 20th-century chairs sourced from a restaurant in the South of France. At one end of the room, a richly ornamented papier-mâché mirror is flanked by a pair of antique painted-cloth columns (all originally stage props) topped by fish-scale-pattern metal orbs from India, while another wall is fronted by an Italian painted armoire surmounted by a plaster bust from a local secondhand shop. Haslam ringed the entire space with a carvedand-painted trellis-motif dado—a detail that continues, in trompe l’oeil, in the adjacent hallway, which British painters Chris and Paul Czainski embellished with a garden scene inspired by Rodney’s favorite mural at the famous Villa of Livia in Rome. It’s one of the fanciful touches Haslam employed throughout the residence. “Unlike a lot of New Orleans, the house is not overly Frenchified,” the designer says. “It is smaller, fresher, and more youthful.” Though the Smiths entertain often and occasionally open the dining room to hotel guests for intimate receptions, the home is meant to be their sanctuary. “I know they are grandparents with a warm sense of family,” says Haslam, “but this is very much their own place. It’s a perfect hideaway.”
The master bedroom, lined in a pleated blue fabric by JAB Anstoetz, is highlighted by a showstopping antique Venetian headboard, which features a ruchedvelvet edge. Paintedmirror doors accent the 19th-century French armoire, and the carpet is by Codimat.
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S O U RC E S For a more detailed version of Sources, go to archdigest.com/sources/aug14. Items pictured but not listed here or on archdigest.com are not sourceable. Items similar to vintage and antique pieces shown are often available from the dealers listed. (T) means item available only to the trade.
TEXAS TRIUMPH
PAGES 50–59: Interiors by Kenneth Blasingame Design; 817-732-2300. Architecture by David Heymann; 512-750-9712. Lone Star Tree Farm; lonestartrees.com. PAGES 52–53: In living area, on sofas, Hotel du Cap rayon-linen by Glant (T); glant.com. Curtains of Brussels Gauze linen by Calvin Fabrics (T); calvinfabrics.com. On club chair, Elise cotton by Groves Bros. (T); grovesbros.com. In study, Hope carpet by Arzu Studio Hope; arzustudiohope.org. PAGE 54: Chippendale chairs by Rose Tarlow Melrose House (T); rosetarlow.com; in custom-made Centered Stripe linen by Peter Fasano from John Rosselli & Assoc. (T); johnrosselliassociates.com. Ladder by Putnam Rolling Ladder Co.; putnamrollingladder.com. PAGE 55: In kitchen, cabinetry by Homestead Heritage Furniture; homesteadheritagefurniture.com. Cooktop and warming drawer by Thermador; thermador.com. Refrigerator by Sub-Zero; subzero-wolf.com. PAGE 57: Guest quarters by Heritage Restorations; heritagebarns.com. PAGES 58–59: In breezeway, on ottoman, Maxim acrylic, and on chair cushions, Canvas acrylic, both by Sunbrella; sunbrella.com. In master bedroom, on armchair and ottoman, Tree of Life linen by Lee Jofa (T); leejofa.com. Curtains of Silk Velvet fabric by the Silk Trading Co.; silktrading.com. Somora carpet by Stark (T); starkcarpet.com.
VIVID IMAGINATION
PAGES 60–67: Architecture, interiors, and select furnishings by JP Molyneux Studio Ltd.; molyneuxstudio.com. Landscape-design consulting by Bernard Trainor + Assoc.; bernardtrainor.com. Decorative tilework by Atelier Prométhée; atelierpromethee.com. PAGES 60–61: Lanterns by Delisle; delisle.fr. Serge Roche–inspired mirror by Quatrain (T); therien.com. PAGE 63: Round Diamond table by Michael Taylor Designs (T); michaeltaylordesigns.com. DuVal chairs by McKinnon and Harris (T); mckinnonharris.com. PAGE 64: In dining room, custom-made rug by Tsar (T); tsar.com.au. 18th-century Chinese cabinets and 17th-century French mirror from Galerie Steinitz; steinitz.fr. Curtains of Suzani rayon blend by Donghia (T); donghia.com. In library, on sofa, Falk Manor House velvet damask by Scalamandré (T); scalamandre.com. Curtains of Tribolo silk by Old World Weavers (T); starkcarpet.com. Beauvais rug by Edward Fields (T); edwardfields.com. Estoril cocktail table by Ebanista (T); ebanista.com. PAGE 65: Louis XIV hanging lantern by Delisle; delisle.fr. PAGE 66: In guest room, Foja sisal wall covering by Omexco from Romo (T); romo.com. Regency Sabreleg armchairs by Rose Tarlow Melrose House (T); rosetarlow.com. In bath, Easton Vintage tub fittings by Waterworks; waterworks.com. PAGE 67: On terrace, DuVal armchairs by McKinnon and Harris (T); mckinnonharris.com. In master bedroom, Three Lines bed linens and Selvaggia Jacquard coverlet by Pratesi; pratesi.com. Louis XVI tables by Rose Tarlow Melrose House (T); rosetarlow.com. On bench, Check Mate velvet, and curtains of Poemes De Soie silk, both by Sabina Fay Braxton (T); sabinafaybraxton.com.
TRUE TO THE PAST
PAGES 68–75: Architecture by Peter Pennoyer Architects; ppapc.com. Interiors by Matthew Patrick Smyth Inc.; matthewsmyth.com. PAGES 68–69: On porch floor and ceiling, Marlboro Blue paint by Benjamin Moore; benjaminmoore.com. Wicker furniture from Sylvester & Co. at Home; sylvesterathome.com. Onion light fixtures by Josiah R. Coppersmythe; jrcoppersmythe.com. PAGE 70: Torrey Adirondack chairs by Janus et Cie; janusetcie.com. Poolside chaise longues by Sutherland (T); sutherlandfurniture.com. PAGE 71: In living room, Modern Slope Arm sofas and custommade ottoman by Anthony Lawrence-Belfair; anthonylawrence.com. On sofas, Clifden linen by Loro Piana (T); loropiana.com. Barbarella benches by McCollin Bryan from Holly Hunt (T); hollyhunt.com. Curtains and throw pillows of Fedra cotton by Rubelli (T); donghia.com. On walls, White Dove paint by Benjamin Moore; benjaminmoore.com. Nolan armchairs by Lucca Studio; luccaantiques.com. PapyrusWeave Macha window shades by Hartmann & Forbes (T); hfshades.com. In upstairs study, Siena ceiling fixture from Circa Lighting; circalighting.com. Small Bruce Black Vellum desk by Mecox; mecox.com. Iron stool by Bruno Romeda from Galerie Dutko; dutko.com. Flatweave carpet by Patterson Flynn Martin (T); pattersonflynnmartin.com. PAGE 72: In kitchen, range by Wolf; subzero-wolf.com. Dishwashers by Miele; mieleusa.com. In breakfast room, sink legs and Julia fittings by Waterworks; waterworks.com. 19th-century French mirror from Marvin Alexander Inc.; marvinalexanderinc.com. On banquette, Crescendo suede by Lee Jofa (T); leejofa.com. Panini side chairs by Janus et Cie; janusetcie.com. PAGE 73: Knotty Bubbles chandelier by Lindsey Adelman Studio; lindseyadelman.com. Bordeaux chairs by Jonas (T); jonasworkroom.com. PAGES 74–75: In guest room, Bloomsbury wallpaper by Tyler Hall (T); tyler-hall.com. On sofa cushions, Tribal bamboo blend by Great Plains (T); hollyhunt.com. In master bath, Moroccan iron mirrors from Downtown; downtown20.net. Empire tub, Easton Classic tub fittings, and Altus bath towels all by Waterworks; waterworks.com. Jour Jali side table by Paul Mathieu for Stephanie Odegard Collection (T); stephanieodegard.com. Newbury towel stand by RH; rh.com. In master suite, on bed, Gorgona cotton by Loro Piana (T); loropiana.com. Valance and bed curtains of Beatrice Bouquet linen blend by Schumacher (T); fschumacher.com. Curtain lining of Adam Twill wool by Mark Alexander (T); romo.com. Billings Uplighter floor lamp by Mecox; mecox.com. Vintage Jansen desk from Florian Papp Inc.; florianpapp.com. Flatweave area rug and Linen Basket carpet by Patterson Flynn Martin (T); pattersonflynnmartin.com. Gordian Knot bedding by Matouk; matouk.com.
HIGH FIDELITY
PAGES 76–85: Architecture by Gluck+; gluckplus.com. Interiors and select furnishings by Jorge Rosso Architecture/Interiors; rosso-ubarri.com. Landscape design by Starr Whitehouse Landscape Architects and Planners; starrwhitehouse.com. PAGES 80–81: In living area, on sofas, Thanon Linen Velvet fabric by Brunschwig & Fils (T); brunschwig.com. Amala Pangden Pala wool carpet by Stephanie Odegard Collection (T); stephanieodegard.com. In dining area, on chairs, Flannel Cloth polyester blend by Clarence House (T); clarencehouse.com. Kargo stools by Powell & Bonnell from Dennis Miller Assoc. (T); dennismiller.com. PAGE 82: Larmes
ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST AND AD ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF ADVANCE MAGAZINE PUBLISHERS INC. COPYRIGHT © 2014 CONDÉ NAST. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. PRINTED IN THE U.S.A. VOLUME 71, NO. 8. ARCHITECTURAL DIGEST (ISSN 0003 -8520) is published monthly by Condé Nast, which is a division of Advance Magazine Publishers Inc. PRINCIPAL OFFICE: Condé Nast Building, 4 Times Square, New York, NY 10036. S. I. Newhouse, Jr., Chairman; Charles H. Townsend, Chief Executive Officer; Robert A. Sauerberg, Jr., President; John W. Bellando, Chief Operating Officer/ Chief Financial Officer; Jill Bright, Chief Administrative Officer. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and at additional mailing offices. Canada Post Publications Mail Agreement No. 40644503. Canadian Goods and Services Tax Registration No. 123242885-RT0001. Canada Post: Return undeliverable Canadian addresses to P.O. Box 874, Station Main, Markham, ON L3P 8L4.
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pendant light fixture by ET2 Contemporary Lighting; et2online.com. Vent by Dacor; dacor.com. Cooktop and ovens by Wolf; subzero-wolf.com. Sinks by Franke; frankeusa.com. Sink fittings by Hansgrohe; hansgrohe-usa.com. PAGE 83: Orbit lounge chair and Barcelona armchairs by Dedon; dedon.de; with cushions of Big Stripe acrylic and Comfy Cozy acrylic by Perennials (T); perennialsfabrics.com. PAGE 84: Wiggle chair and ottoman by Frank Gehry for Vitra; vitra.com. Raj pillow by Natori; natori.com. PAGE 85: Performing Water JustRain showerhead by Dornbracht; dornbracht.com.
FULL SPECTRUM
PAGES 86–95: Interiors by Miles Redd; milesredd.com. Renovation architecture by Eubanks Group Architects; eubanks-architects.com. Curtains fabricated by David Haag; davidhaag.com. PAGES 86–87: On sofa, Ottoman cotton blend by Ralph Lauren Home; ralphlaurenhome.com. On club chairs, Cerro linen by C&C Milano (T); cec-milano.com. Curtains of Satin La Tour cotton-silk by Brunschwig & Fils (T); brunschwig.com. On walls, Montespan Satin cotton-silk by Oscar de la Renta for Lee Jofa (T); leejofa.com. Herringbone wool carpeting by Patterson Flynn Martin (T); pattersonflynnmartin.com. PAGE 88: In entrance hall, custom-made light fixture by Stephen Antonson; stephenantonson.com. Bench by John Rosselli & Assoc. (T); johnrosselliassociates.com. PAGE 89: In primary family room, Iznik wallpaper by Iksel Decorative Arts; iksel.com. On chairs, Samarkand Ikat cotton-silk by Schumacher (T); fschumacher.com. In library, Colza Six Branch chandelier by Robert Kime (T); robertkime.com. PAGE 90: In ladies’ lounge, decorative wall painting by Agustin Hurtado; agustinhurtado.net. Roman shades of Rayure Marionettes silk by Clarence House (T); clarencehouse.com. In kitchen, range by Wolf; subzero-wolf.com. Faucets by Waterworks; waterworks.com. PAGE 91: Custom-made silk wall covering by Fromental; fromental.co.uk. Curtains of Ninon Taffetas silk by Brunschwig & Fils (T); brunschwig.com. Bryant Park chairs by Oscar de la Renta Home for Century Furniture; centuryfurniture.com. Sisal by Patterson Flynn Martin (T); pattersonflynnmartin.com; with decorative painting by Agustin Hurtado; agustinhurtado.net. PAGE 92: On sofa, Atmosphere linen by Larsen (T); cowtan.com. On walls, Kensington wool felt by Holland & Sherry (T); hollandsherry.com. Astral sisal by Patterson Flynn Martin (T); pattersonflynnmartin.com. PAGE 93: Regency Hall lanterns by Vaughan (T); vaughandesigns.com. Italian Panoramic wallpaper by Iksel Decorative Arts; iksel.com. PAGES 94–95: In child’s room, on ceiling, Jungle Birds wallpaper by Marthe Armitage; hamiltonweston.com. On walls, St. Ives wall covering by William Yeoward for Designers Guild (T); designersguild.com. Curtains of Tyler Crewel linen-polyester by Eric Cohler for Lee Jofa (T); leejofa.com. Bespoke beds by Fine Arts Furniture; fineartsfurn.com; and Pagoda canopies by Oscar de la Renta Home for Century Furniture; centuryfurniture.com; all covered in Torino Wax linen by C&C Milano (T); cec-milano.com. Vogue prints from the Condé Nast Collection; condenaststore.com. Triple Swing-Arm sconces from Circa Lighting; circalighting.com. In master bath, mirror from John Rosselli Antiques (T); johnrosselliantiques.com. Newbury towel rack by RH; rh.com. In master bedroom, vintage Warhol-style “Marilyn” series lithograph from Todd Alexander Romano; toddalexanderromano.com. Curtains of Windsor Felt wool by Oscar de
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la Renta for Lee Jofa (T); leejofa.com. Eastern Eden wallpaper by Iksel Decorative Arts; iksel.com. Astral sisal by Patterson Flynn Martin (T); pattersonflynnmartin.com.
SKY’S THE LIMIT
PAGES 96–105: Interiors and select furnishings by Jean-Louis Deniot; deniot.com. Structural architecture by SPAN Architecture; span-ny.com. PAGE 96: On daybed, Bouleaux polyester by Métaphores by Créations Métaphores (T); www.creations-metaphores.com. Cashmere throw by Hermès; hermes.com. Goutte d’Eau cocktail table by Ado Chale from Galerie Yves Gastou; galerieyvesgastou.com. Vintage table lamps from On Site Antiques; onsiteantiques.com. Custom-made silk rug by Tai Ping (T); taipingcarpets.com. PAGES 98–99: Serpentine sofa by Vladimir Kagan from Ralph Pucci International (T); ralphpucci.net; in Douala cotton blend by Armani/Casa (T); donghia.com. Helix cocktail table by Jean-Louis Deniot for Jean de Merry (T); jeandemerry.com. Custom-made bar cabinet by Hervé Van der Straeten from Ralph Pucci International (T). Curtains of Kalahari linen by Pierre Frey (T); pierrefrey.com; with embroidery by Jean-François Lesage (T); jeanfrancoislesage.com. PAGE 100: Curtains of Span linen by Christopher Farr; christopherfarrcloth.com. Agate I carpet by Tai Ping (T); taipingcarpets.com. PAGE 101: Metallic Paper Weaves wallpaper by Phillip Jeffries (T); phillipjeffries.com. Vintage LC7 swivel chairs by Le Corbusier, Pierre Jeanneret, and Charlotte Perriand from On Site Antiques; onsiteantiques.com. PAGE 102: On terrace, Lolah sofa and chairs by Janus et Cie; janusetcie.com. In guest room, on walls, Brumes polyester by Métaphores by Créations Métaphores (T); www.creations-metaphores.com. On headboard, Frezzeria cotton by Rubelli (T); donghia.com. Tout Va Bien sideboard by Antoine + Manuel; antoineetmanuel.com. PAGES 104–5: In children’s bath, window shade of Spatter Dash cotton by Peter Fasano from John Rosselli & Assoc. (T); johnrosselliassociates.com. Towels by Ralph Lauren Home; ralphlaurenhome.com. Sink fittings by Waterworks; waterworks.com. Flower Power wallpaper by Dedar (T); dedar.com. In master bath, tub by Jacob Delafon; jacobdelafon.com. Henri tub fittings by Waterworks. In master suite, vintage wing chairs from On Site Antiques; onsiteantiques.com; in Starlight silk by Jim Thompson (T); jimthompsonfabrics.com.
BOLD STROKES
PAGES 106–11: Elizabeth and W. Clarke Swanson of Swanson Vineyards; swansonvineyards.com. Interiors by Thomas Britt Inc.; thomasbritt.com. PAGES 106–7: Linen Leopard carpet by Stark (T); starkcarpet.com. PAGES 108–9: In dining alcove, curtains of Jamaica Stripe cotton-viscose available by special order from Scalamandré (T); scalamandre.com. In kitchen, on ceiling, Burnished Gold metal-leaf wallpaper by Gracie (T); graciestudio.com. PAGES 110–11: On ceiling, Burnished Gold metal-leaf wallpaper by Gracie (T); graciestudio.com.
BAYOU BLEND
PAGES 112–19: Interiors and select furnishings by NH Design; nh-design.co.uk. Select furnishings from Soniat Antiques; soniatantiques.com. PAGES 114–15: On sofa, Coralie cotton by Bernard Thorp from Stark (T); starkcarpet.com. PAGES 118–19: On walls, Contessa Neu cotton-polyester by JAB Anstoetz (T); jab.de. Chantilly carpet by Codimat (T); codimatcollection.com.
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VIEWPOINT
ARTFUL APPROACH Cooling off has rarely looked as refreshing as it does at this private home in Litchfield County, Connecticut. Distinguishing the grounds is a pool by architect Marcel Breuer, who devised it and the estate’s main residence for intrepid aesthetes Leslie and Rufus Stillman in the 1950s. The couple then enlisted artist Alexander Calder, a close family friend, to create a mural for the freestanding wall that screens one end of the pool. His signature abstractions provide a graphic contrast to the leafy surroundings and a striking backdrop for bathers. Though altered over the years, the outdoor entertaining space has been returned to its original state as part of the property’s refurbishment by the current owners. Consulting archival photographs, they restored the mural and reconstructed both the terrace and the stairs that lead from the house to the concrete diving platform. Today the scheme once again makes quite a splash. —SAMUEL COCHR AN
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P H O T O G R A P H Y BY J E R E M Y B I T T E R M A N N