tucker robbins ~ an impassioned voice

An impassioned voice makes a lasting impression…it has purpose, meaning, and most importantly a soul…Tucker Robbins has an impassioned voice, one that had a lasting impression on me…his one-of-a-kind approach to design and sustainability has changed the way I see the industry…Tucker cares deeply about the earth, designing and creating unique pieces from recycled materials, and employing artisans from remote parts of the world…he is giving back to the earth in the most beautiful way…discarded wood is transformed into a work of art…carved by hand, the old wood comes back to life…the artist that worked this magic is now employed, able to provide for their family…this circle of life is a most remarkable process…

During the Designing Green seminar at the AD show, Tucker expressed his heartfelt thanks to Albert Hadley…Mr. Hadley was the one who introduced Tucker to the creme de la creme of NYC society…how wonderful to see all the good that is happening in the world, because of Tucker and maybe because Mr. Hadley gave him a helping hand…

top two photos ~ Albert’s Bench, Tucker’s first foray into the world of furniture design was a bench commissioned by Albert Hadley in 1986, the same year Mr. Hadley was inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame. Patterned after an antique bench found on a coffee plantation in Guatemala, the Albert’s bench is re-created be artisans in South America.

photos from Tucker Robbins

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albert hadley ~ a teacher affects eternity

Last Thursday, the design world said goodbye to Albert Hadley…icon, tastemaker and beloved teacher, he touched the lives of so many…in honor of his legacy, I’m re-posting one of my favorites…a look at his student’s work…a reminder that he will always be with us…

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” ~ Henry Brooke Adams

Today’s post features five extraordinary interior designers, all connected by one life changing gift, they were students of Albert Hadley. I thought about how I could share with you his immeasurable impact on design and what better way than to showcase his students work. Of course, these five are only a handful of the designers he has influenced over his 50 years in the business. While writing this post, I couldn’t help but think about my college professor and mentor Mr. Robert Willoughby. I was a flute performance major at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and studied with Mr. Willoughby from 1982 – 1986. Not a day goes by when I don’t think of him. His passion for music and wealth of knowledge has made me who I am today. I find it interesting that when I listen to other Willoughby students, I can hear the connective thread. Maybe it’s their resonant sound or expressive phrasing. I love that with Albert Hadley’s students you can see the connective thread. An extension of his eye and his wisdom…

above, photo of Albert Hadley from Architectural Digest, February 2011

below, David Kleinberg

below, David Easton

below, Thomas Jayne

below, Mariette Himes Gomez

below, Bunny Williams

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well read ~ part one

whether they’re stacked on the floor or alphabetized on ornate custom shelving, books are an essential part of our daily lives…a true reflection of our passions and professions…more tomorrow!

Karl Lagerfeld

Albert Hadley

Alexandre de Betak

Andy Newcom

Bill Blass

Brigitte & Alain Garnier

Bunny Williams

Charles Spada

Christopher Knight and Carlos Aponte

Cristina Azario

David Kleinberg

Dransfield and Ross

Garagnani and Poccianti

Gil Schafer

Greet Lefevre

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a teacher affects eternity

“A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops.” ~ Henry Brooke Adams

Today’s post features five extraordinary interior designers, all connected by one life changing gift, they were students of Albert Hadley. I thought about how I could share with you his immeasurable impact on design and what better way than to showcase his students work. Of course, these five are only a handful of the designers he has influenced over his 50 years in the business. While writing this post, I couldn’t help but think about my college professor and mentor Mr. Robert Willoughby. I was a flute performance major at the Oberlin Conservatory of Music and studied with Mr. Willoughby from 1982 – 1986. Not a day goes by when I don’t think of him. His passion for music and wealth of knowledge has made me who I am today. I find it interesting that when I listen to other Willoughby students, I can hear the connective thread. Maybe it’s their resonant sound or expressive phrasing. I love that with Albert Hadley’s students you can see the connective thread. An extension of his eye and his wisdom…

above, photo of Albert Hadley from Architectural Digest, February 2011

below, David Kleinberg

below, David Easton

below, Thomas Jayne

below, Mariette Himes Gomez

below, Bunny Williams

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albert hadley sketches

In April of 2009, the Gerald Bland Gallery in NYC offered a collection of sketches by legendary interior designer Albert Hadley. Today’s post features four of these remarkable sketches, including the iconic red lacquered library Hadley designed for Brooke Astor. There is something so intimate about these drawings. A rare look at the process of how he thinks and sees. I’m head over heels for the image above. The loose rendering is so charming and I just adore the pile of books in the foreground! If you’re like me and love what you see, then you are in luck! Fortunately, back in 2004, Albert Hadley printed a catolog to accompany an exhibit at the New York School of Interior Design titled Albert Hadley: Drawings and the Design Process. Published by the NY School of ID, the book is filled with brilliant drawings starting with colored interior academic studies from his early days at the Parsons School of Design to his later work at Parish-Hadley, arguably the best of its day.

“It’s about taking what’s inside and realizing it in the world. But in order to do that, you have to know things. You have to know history and art. You have to read and be curious. In order to live amid beauty, you have to be intellectually engaged. This has nothing to do with shopping for furniture…that’s what’s so marvelous about ladies with great style, like Babe Paley and Annette de la Renta. It’s not merely the advantage of their background. It’s their level of cultivation and connoisseurship. Connoisseurship does not necessarily develop from great wealth.” ~ Albert Hadley

“Decorating is really about creating a quality of life, a beauty that nourishes the soul.” ~ Albert Hadley

photos and resources from Gerald Bland, quotes from Lonny Magazine

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albert hadley

Shortly after yesterday’s egg post, I began my research for today’s inspiration…after a few hours of digging, I came upon the most wonderful article about the one and only Albert Hadley! It’s from the December issue of Lonny Magazine and features stunning photos of his Manhattan home. I love the image above with the framed eggs! What a nice coincidence! I can’t quite tell what the medium is, photography, pencil or maybe even charcoal, but I love the way it’s displayed, proudly propped up on that fabulous chair…

There’s not much I can say about the iconic Albert Hadley that hasn’t already been said…he is arguably the most important and influential interior designer of our time…having been part of the famous design duo Parish-Hadley for 33 years, and his own firm Albert Hadley Inc. for 12 years, he is known for creating sublimely sophisticated interiors…his supreme gift for editing, scale and proportion combined with his encyclopedic knowledge and enthusiasm equals tastemaker, teacher, and style icon…I can feel his passion for design when I look at these beautiful photos of his home…the mix of art, books and furniture along with his playful approach to color and texture is magically inspiring…enjoy!

photos from Lonny Magazine, December 2010

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