Historic Elegance by Todd Richesin
There is a certain romance and charm that you find in historic homes that simply cannot be replicated today. So when it came time to renovate her 1929 Tennessee home, this homeowner turned to designer Todd Richesin to create a soothing respite that remains true to its era and serves as the perfect backdrop to her collection of antiques.
Todd worked hand-in-hand with the architect and contractor to honor the original architecture and avoid increasing the footprint. The basement stairs were relocated to make room for the kitchen, and the original kitchen was turned into a laundry room/catering kitchen. Volume was added by opening up the ceilings in both offices in the front wings. The only addition to the home was the powder room which was popped out to suspend over one of the garage bays. And an existing terrace was enclosed to create the sunroom.
“It was about the fourth or fifth time the homeowner and I had worked on a major project together so I had her total trust which is always nice,” Todd said. The color scheme was built around the beautiful ballerina painting over the navy sofa in the living room and a coral pink the client loves. Many of the furnished pieces were designed and created specifically for this home, and all of the rugs were custom created and handwoven to Todd’s design specifications by Stark. Beautiful antiques include a 17th century Italian painted cabinet in the foyer and the beautiful walnut display cabinet in the dining room…
Interestingly, the architect of this home – George F. Barber – was the homeowner’s uncle, although the house did not descent through the family. For additional information, please visit Todd Richesin Interiors and Bobby Todd Antiques. My Q&A with Todd can be found here, and for ongoing inspiration, please follow @toddrichesin on Instagram.
My Favorite New Books for Spring
Mother’s Day is Sunday, and if you are looking for a last-minute gift, books are always my favorite option… and thank goodness for two-day shipping via Amazon Prime! Here are a few my favorite new books for spring, perfect for Mother’s Day or simply to add to your own collection. (Descriptions via Amazon.)
Henri Samuel: Master of the French Interior
Images courtesy of Rizzoli
The first book dedicated to Henri Samuel, considered one of the pre-eminent French interior designers of the twentieth century and acclaimed for his mastery of historic design, as well as his eye for contemporary presentation and furnishings–a high-point addition to Rizzoli’s continuing coverage of the masters of the field.
Design legend Henri Samuel believed that a successful interior was one in which an observer never suspected that a decorator had been involved. This book takes the reader inside some of Samuel’s groundbreaking and inspiring interiors, beginning with his first job assisting Stéphane Boudin of Jansen in the 1920s through postwar Paris society and into the go-go ’80s. During his illustrious career, Samuel created rarefied and beautiful environments for his jet-set clientele–Doris Duke, Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan, Susan and John Gutfreund, Valentino Garavani, and multiple Rothschilds and Vanderbilts. Such was his expertise that museums such as Versailles and the Metropolitan Museum of Art consulted him on the installation of period rooms. Samuel was a master at reproducing intimate spaces in various historic styles in addition to mixing those styles in an erudite way: modernist paintings were installed over Empire consoles, Louis XIII furniture shared space with Oriental objects, neoclassical chairs were placed beside tables of brass and Plexiglas.
This book records Samuel’s life, his career, and the luxurious interiors he created for his clients and himself–rooms that look as fresh and alive today as they did when they were first arranged. It is a necessary addition to any design library.
Coastal Blues: Mrs. Howard’s Guide to Decorating with the Colors of the Sea and Sky
Images courtesy of Phoebe Howard
From design expert (and interior design readers’ favorite) Phoebe Howard comes a new book focused on decorating with beautiful blue color schemes. Coastal Blues is a glorious decor book filled with inspiring images of beach houses, seacoast getaways, vacation cottages, and luxurious seaside manors. It is also a hardworking how-to-get-the-look book that offers solid interior design and styling advice. Featuring brand-new, never-before-published projects, every page reflects the ease and casual elegance of shoreline living. With chapters such as Sea Glass (brilliant blue color schemes), Indigo Bay (true blue schemes), and Ocean Mist (pale blue schemes), Phoebe Howard shows design lovers how to make the coastal style modern, fresh, and very much their own.
Parties Around a Punch Bowl
Images courtesy of Kimberly Whitman
Punch by the cupful makes a comeback on the party scene. Consummate hostess Kimberly Whitman introduces the lively, rich history of the punch bowl, from India to England & Europe to the American South and beyond. She creates a dozen festive party ideas organized around a punch bowl: an Easter Egg Hunt, a classic Blue and White Party, a Bar Cart Party, a Fall Gathering, a Holiday Breakfast Coffee, and more. Recipes for both alcoholic and nonalcoholic punches, plus recipes for what to serve with it are the center of each celebration. Kimberly’s expert hostess tips are scattered throughout. A variety of punch bowls, bases, and glasses featured in the book will send readers out shopping for their own special style.
Nathan Turner’s I Love California: Live, Eat, and Entertain the West Coast Way
Images courtesy of Nathan Turner
Designer Nathan Turner’s style is synonymous with the easy glam of California living. His first book introduced readers to his casual American style and chic design sense. Now, he has written a love letter to his home state in I Love California. This book is a journey up and down Highway 1 that takes readers from the redwoods of northern San Francisco, to the mountains of the Sierra Nevada, to the beaches of Southern California. Simple recipes and tips for entertaining are featured alongside never-before-seen interiors. Lavish photographs capture the homes, people, and food of each unique location in glorious, sun-drenched detail. This book even includes Turner’s signature recipes for California comfort food, like his family’s Cioppino, Marinated Tri-tip Steak, Mexican Chocolate Cake, and more.
More than just a design book, I Love California will appeal to all readers—whether they’re entertaining friends and dining with family, or just wishing to visit the sun-dappled coast. As Nathan says, “The recipes and decor here are inspired by my home state, but really it’s a state of mind.” Now, you can create this dreamy California lifestyle anywhere.
Mother and Child
Images courtesy of Assouline
In the latest body of work by author and photographer Claiborne Swanson Frank, the artist set out to explore what modern motherhood means in the 21st century. Turning her lens on 70 iconic families of mothers and children from such celebrated names as Delfina Figueres, Carolina Herrera, Lauren Santo Domingo, Anne Vyalitsyna, Aerin Lauder, Patty Jansen, Swanson Frank’s stunning portraits capture the emotional bonds and beauty that frame the primal relationship of a mother and child. Complementing her work is a series of questions-and-answers, in which Swanson Frank delicately tasks each mother to look within themselves and express what being a mother truly means to them. Their answers, while exceedingly thoughtful and introspective, are also amusing, fascinating and moving. Each one of these intimate and stunning portraits will captivate and inspire readers as they embark on this profound journey that reminds us all of the power of motherhood and the great gift of love.
Charlotte Moss Entertains
Images courtesy of Rizzoli (read my review here)
Charlotte Moss inspires readers to imbue everyday life with elegance and romance. Moss focuses on events—as small as breakfast in bed or tea in the afternoon or as elaborate as a festive Christmas luncheon or large dinner party—and the artifacts of our lives (china, silver, linen) to create the backdrop for a life well lived.
Moss celebrates the day-to-day by bringing her enthusiasm and impeccable style to every domestic activity. Setting the table becomes a joy when putting together stylish combinations of place mats, monogrammed linens, china, tableware, curios, and flowers. From tasteful meals for one to grand occasions for friends and family, Moss chronicles her own aptitude for hospitality. Style icons are conjured for their entertaining savvy: Pauline de Rothschild for her pioneering tabletop decoration, Marjorie Merriweather Post for her organizational precision, Lesley Blanch for her introduction of exotic delights to the table, and Elsie de Wolfe for her always-right recipes. Butlers’ pantries are explored. Linen closets are catalogued. Flowers are collected from the garden and artfully arranged for a memorable meal. Moss invites you into her world to discover how to make everyday an occasion.
The next two books were released last fall, but they are excellent and would make a lovely gift or addition to your library… Other fall 2017 releases I previously reviewed include Second Bloom, Life at the Top: New York’s Most Exceptional Apartment Buildings, Classical Principles for Modern Design, Wedgwood: A Story of Creation & Innovation, About Decorating: The Remarkable Rooms of Richard Keith Langham, A Place to Call Home – Tradition, Style, and Memory in the New American House, A Place to Call Home – Timeless Southern Charm, and D. Porthault: The Art of Luxury Linens.
Versailles: The Great and Hidden Splendors of the Sun King’s Palace
Images courtesy of Vendome Press
Versailles is one of the most photographed places in the world. Yet masses of tourists make it virtually impossible to imagine the splendor of the palace as it existed from the time of Louis XIV, the Sun King, in the 17th century, until the fall of Napoleon III in 1870. Now, four talented photographers were granted unlimited access to Versailles when the château was closed to visitors, and their work allows privileged access not only to the private suites of Louis XV, the boudoirs of Marie-Antoinette and Madame de Pompadour, the celebrated Hall of Mirrors, the Royal Chapel, the charming Orangerie, and Marie Antoinette’s bucolic Hamlet, but also to mysterious chambers and hushed apartments never normally seen. Captions describe daily life at Versailles and the momentous events that have taken place there, all published in a sumptuous oversize format befitting its majestic subject.
Harrie T. Lindeberg and the American Country House
Images courtesy of The Monacelli Press
Harrie T. Lindeberg (1880–1959) was born of Swedish immigrants who settled in New Jersey. He apprenticed with architect George A. Freeman, joined the prestigious firm McKim, Mead & White in 1901, and forged out on his own in 1906, beginning fifty years of independent practice. An impressive client list includes the leading American families—Du Pont, Havemeyer, Doubleday—for whom he built houses in affluent suburbs and resorts across the country—Rhinebeck, Newport, Grosse Point, Lake Forest, and the Gold Coast of Long Island.
Architect Peter Pennoyer and historian Anne Walker bring Lindeberg’s work to life in Harrie T. Lindeberg and the American Country House. This survey of Lindeberg’s most stunning and influential projects includes more than 200 photographs—including new color photography by Jonathan Wallen—floor plans, and sketches. After introducing Lindeberg’s personal history and professional background, the book traces his career from his acclaimed debut in Pocantico Hills to larger developments like Meadow Spring and the export of his signature style to the Onwentsia Country Club in Lake Forest, Illinois. Pennoyer and Walker follow Lindeberg as he adapted to the building busts of the Great Depression and the rise of modernism. Experimenting with President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s aesthetic mission to bring America’s architecture abroad, Lindeberg also designed the United States Legation in Helsinki.
A gorgeous entrée to one of America’s most recognizable yet underappreciated architects, Harrie T. Lindeberg and the American Country House brings readers insight into how we view country houses today.
And lastly, here are a few books you will want to preorder for fall 2018… Please stay tuned for further reviews!
Happy Mother’s Day, and Happy Reading!
For the Love of Tulips
Each spring I wait in eager anticipation for the 1,000+ tulip bulbs planted around Elizabeth Moyer’s Rye, New York home to bloom. Elizabeth is the author of the aptly named blog, Pretty Pink Tulips, and for the last 10 years her signature spring tulips have been a beloved Moyer family tradition. As the name of her blog suggests, Elizabeth always plants pink tulips, and usually they are light pink. This year she decided to mix things up by planting fringed hot pink “Burgandy Lace” tulips… What a surprise when they popped up red! Next year Elizabeth will return to pale pink, but the red is certainly spectacular.
I was also excited to see Elizabeth’s tulips and her “Tulip Party” featured this month in Better Homes & Gardens! Congratulations, Elizabeth, you are such an inspiration!
To read more about Elizabeth’s Better Homes & Gardens feature, produced by the illustrious Eddie Ross, along with behind the scenes exclusives and outtakes, please click here. You can see more of her home in previous years with pink tulips (and daffodils!) here. And for ongoing inspiration, please follow her blog Pretty Pink Tulips and @prettypink2lips on Instagram. Thank you, Elizabeth, for creating and sharing such beauty!
Style Profile: Nancy Smith, Walton Street Stationers
Nancy Smith has loved stationery since she was a child. She established her business, Walton Street Stationers, in 1999 and named it after her favorite street in London filled with charming bespoke shops. Today Nancy is on a mission to help preserve the fine art of letter writing. “The joy of sitting down and writing a note on wonderful paper is one of the simple joys in life, to thank a friend or simply let them know you are thinking of them,” she says. “A letter is never an interruption and can be savored again and again.” I am delighted to welcome Nancy to The Glam Pad for a Q&A and a peek inside her beautiful home in Alexandria, Virginia!
Q: What inspired you to establish Walton Street Stationers?
A: I alway loved stationery, even as a little girl, and I loved to play ‘store’. After years of being in retail, I knew I wanted to start my own business, so Walton Street Stationers was born! I enjoy the creative outlet, working with design, color and texture. There is something so lovely about having beautiful stationery on which to write a note, or having the perfect invitation to set the tone for an event. The icing on the cake, for me, is that working from a home office, my dogs get to ‘come to work’ with me!
Q: What advice would you give to someone looking to create a stationery wardrobe?
A: A stationery wardrobe is as essential as a clothing wardrobe, as far as I am concerned. If you are just starting out, I would recommend a correspondence card with a classic color ink and typestyle or monogram that could carry you through thank you notes, sympathy notes and everything in between. One of my letterpress vendors, Haute Papier, has created a silk box of 100 letterpress cards with 4 sets of 25 cards each, so you can mix it up and do a family name, individual name, monogram, motif, whatever works best, plus have an attractive box in which to store your stationery. (I personally think this makes a fabulous wedding gift.) If you wanted to branch out, it is fun to then do something in a different size, with a different typestyle, monogram, and ink color. Your stationery is a reflection of you!
Q: What are your favorite tips for writing the perfect thank you note?
A: The perfect thank you note includes thanking the person for the specific item and telling them how you will enjoy using it, wearing it, whatever it may be. If it is a dinner, mention the food, the flowers, the home, the conversation…make it personal and heartfelt and you cannot go wrong!
Q: Please tell me more about your engraving line from Arzberger and Wren Press and its connection to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.
A: I carry two fantastic engraving lines. Arzberger from North Carolina and Wren Press from London. They both do the most beautiful engraving. Arzberger was the very first line I carried when I started my business in 1999. Wren Press carries the Royal Warrant for Her Majesty the Queen, as well as the Prince of Wales. In addition to creating stationery for the British Royal Family, they have supplied stationery for many royal households in Europe…as well as Walton Street Stationers!
Q: I understand you have unveiled an exclusive new line of engraved stationery featuring various breeds of dogs. Can you please tell me more, and what was your inspiration?
A: I have recently launched my own line of engraved stationery with dog images on them, called Walton Street Dogs. It came from my love of dogs, as well as the fact that I couldn’t find stationery with engraved dogs on them that I liked. So, I worked with an artist and we came up with four breeds for starters: Westies (since I have two), Jack Russells (the artist’s dog), Labradors and Golden Retrievers. We have added elegant, hand edged gift tags, and pocket notepads. We will be adding new breeds over time, and can do your very own dog as a bespoke project, as well.
Q: I love that you named your company after your favorite street in London. Please tell me more about your passion for England.
A: I just love England…there is something about the craftsmanship, the gardens, and the civility. Things there are still bespoke…there are wonderful independent shops, just like on Walton Street, which is why I named my business Walton Street Stationers. Walton Street in London is filled with the most adorable, enchanting, and inviting shops. So, this was my way of bringing that atmosphere to my business.
Q: How would you describe your style when it comes your home, and do you have any professional experience in interior design?
A: My style is classic and traditional with surprises every now and then. Our home is classic, cozy, and comfortable, with an English feel, from the fabrics to the garden. I like to update the classic with contemporary art, pillows, and accessories that you can change or just move around. My husband also has a very good and detailed eye. We both love to read books about design, interiors and gardens. (I think we have every English garden book ever published)! While I do not have any professional experience in interior design, I think the same things that make good stationery make good interiors…putting together the right colors and textures that reflect you.
Q: What are your favorite hobbies and greatest interests?
A: My hobbies and interests include needlepoint, reading, travel, watching tennis (especially Roger Federer), spending time with family and friends, walking the dogs, learning more about art and going to art exhibits. On my list of things I would like to add: taking a painting class and a photography class.
Q: As a fellow needlepointer and letter writer, why is it important that we continue “old fashioned” traditions in a world full of digitization and 24/7 immediacy?
A: Letter writing is a wonderful way to slow down and enjoy the moment. It is so different than sending an email that you can just cross off your list. It truly has a therapeutic effect on the mind. It is such a pleasure to sit down with paper that makes you happy, and a pen, and put thoughts into a note. And, it is such a pleasure for the person receiving it, to enjoy reading it at their leisure. They can save it and re-read it again. A friend of mine saves notes and puts them in books and when she pulls out the book again, she can enjoy the thoughtfulness of the note all over again.
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
A: I love what I do. I feel like I have become a curator of beautiful stationery as well as other wonderful gifts that I have added to the mix over the years. I work by appointment and do pop up shops, as well as shows, and am still having so much fun!
Thank you Nancy for joining us today! Walton Street Stationers is located in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia and available online, by appointment, or phone. Nancy’s exclusive Walton Street Dogs collection will also be available in Palm Beach via Leta Austin Foster‘s boutique on Worth Avenue beginning this fall.
The Walton Street Dogs collection currently includes Westies, Jack Russels, Labradors, and Golden Retrievers with Poodles and Dachshunds on the way. Custom orders are available for all other breeds. Mention “The Glam Pad” you will receive 25% off any of the Walton Street Dogs products through May 31! For further inspiration and updates, please follow @waltonstreetstationers on Instagram.
