well read ~ part two

“Books are the quietest and most constant of friends; they are the most accessible and wisest of counselors, and the most patient of teachers.” ~ Charles W. Eliot

Wishing you a lovely weekend!

Hallberg & Wisely

Haynes-Roberts

J. Randall Powers

Jacques Grange

James Huniford

John Minshaw

John Saladino

Juan Pablo Molyneux

Kara Mann

Karin Blake

Lars Bolander

Lauren Gold

Luis Bustamante

Magnus Lundgren

Mary McDonald

Meichi Peng

Michael Smith

Michele Bonan

Miles Redd

Nina Griscom

Richard Shapiro

Robert Couturier

Sheila Harley

Steven Volpe

Suzanne Rheinstein

Ted Tuttle

Thomas Jayne

Thomas O’Brien

Tricia Huntley

Vicente Wolf

William Frawley

Windsor Smith

Yves Saint Laurent

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living with statuary ~ part one

living with statuary…from grand to petite, these sculpted forms add drama, sophistication and texture to our interior world…more tomorrow…

Feau & Cie

.

Andy Newcom

Charles Spada

Coorengel & Calvagrac

Dennis & Lean

Diana Kelly

Gil Schafer

Hallberg & Wisely

Candace Barnes

Richard Hallberg

Windsor Smith

Haynes-Roberts

J. Randall Powers

Jacques Grange

Stephen Sills

John Minshaw

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living with photography ~ 15 inspired interiors

above, Kara Mann

Today’s post features fifteen of my favorite interiors…they are memorable for many reasons but today, they have one common thread…their artful use of photography…in each space, the designer thoughtfully incorporates photography into the environment…some with a bold gesture, (as with the Kara Mann designed dining room above) others with a small gem, that bring you closer for a more intimate look…whether a virtuosic solo or a large symphonic grouping, these interiors lovingly highlight the beauty of photography…

below, Steven Volpe

below, Windsor Smith

below, Vicente Wolf

below, Steven Gambrel

below, Darryl Carter

below, Thomas O’Brien

below, Meichi Peng

below, Susan Chalom

below, Richard Avedon

below, Todd Romano

below, Jacques Grange

below, Antony Todd

below, John Chrestia

below, Thom Filicia

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one hundred posts!

above, Alex Papachristidis

I made it! Today is my 100th post! When I started “a thoughtful eye” back in September, one of my goals was to write one hundred posts before the end of the calendar year and happily I achieved that goal with a few days to spare! To celebrate, I’m sharing with you my top twenty favorite interiors! Each and every one of these images brings a smile to my face along with a vivid memory of the first time I experienced their beauty.

This is my special gift to you, my loyal readers…thank you for taking time out of your busy lives to join me on this personal journey…I can’t thank you enough…there is so much I have yet to discover and explore about our visual world…I hope you continue to join me, it wouldn’t be the same without you…

below, Antony Todd

below, Bobby McAlpine

below, Bunny Williams

below, Charles Spada

below, Darryl Carter

below, Jacques Grange

below, John Saladino

below, Kelly Wearstler

below, Miles Redd

below, Richard Shapiro

below, Robert Couturier

below, Stephen Sills

below, Studio Ko

below, Susan Ferrier

below, Thomas O’Brien

below, Veere Grenney

below, Vicente Wolf

below, Windsor Smith

below, Yves Saint Laurent

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framed groupings

above, my living room

A few years ago, my husband and I purchased a small sectional sofa for our living room. Positioned in the corner opposite our main entry, I knew we needed a strong statement on the walls. After many weeks of research I decided on a large grid of square frames. Mathematically, they echo the “L” shape of the sofa and draw the eye up, creating the illusion of increased ceiling height. Initially I had intended to frame some of my black and white photographs but I ended up falling in love with the brown MDF backing and white mat! The high contrast and exact repetition turned out to be the dramatic statement I was looking for!

I’m excited to share with you some of my favorite framed groupings. Whether the same size or different shapes and sizes, many or few, colorful or monochromatic, framed groupings have the power to transform a space!

below, Alex Papachristidis

below, Steven Gambrel

below, Charles Spada

below, Darryl Carter

below, Jacques Grange

below, James Huniford

below, Richard Shapiro

below, Susan Ferrier

below, Thomas O’Brien

below, Veere Grenney

below, Vicente Wolf

below, Yves Saint Laurent

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mirrors

Yesterday’s post featured the ultra chic Miles Redd and his iconic mirrored master bathroom. I couldn’t help but think about mirrors and the important role they play in architecture and interior design. From grand to petite, circular to linear, simple to ornate, they have the power to transform a space from dull to dazzling. I’m excited to share with you some of my favorite mirrored interiors! Enjoy!

above and below, Miles Redd NYC master bathroom from David Adler’s Armour Estate in Chicago ~ photos from New York Social Diary

below, Yves Saint Laurent ~ photo by Pascal Chevallier for Vanity Fair

“A pair of undulating lily-motif mirrors, crafted in bronze and copper by Claude Lalanne for the upstairs music room, led, between 1974 and 1985, to the proliferation of over a dozen more, floor to ceiling. “I can’t live in a room without mirrors,” Saint Laurent said. “If there aren’t any, the room is dead.” The effect in the music room of their multiplying reflections was vertiginous—a touch of Mad Ludwig of Bavaria, as seen through the lens of Luchino Visconti.” ~ Amy Fine Collins for Vanity Fair

below, photo from Yves Saint Laurent: 5 Avenue Marceau, 75116 Paris

below, Bobby McAlpine

below, Vicente Wolf

below, Veere Grenney

below, Susan Ferrier ~ photo from House Beautiful

below, photos by danielle boudrot for Spero Home

below, Richard Shapiro

below, Paul Corrie

below, Lisa Luby Ryan

below, John Minshaw

below, Jacques Grange ~ photography by Vincent Thibert for Architectural Digest

below, Darryl Carter

below, Antony Todd

below, John Saladino

below, Michael Kors ~ photo by Douglas Friedman

below, Miles Redd

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the mark hotel

above, photo from the New York Times

“That’s the influence of New York — the modernity, the creation, I’m more protective in Paris, more traditional, but I’m more open to being modern in America.” ~ Jacques Grange in an interview with Christopher Mason for the New York Times

The Mark Hotel in NYC was the first business collaboration for long time romantic partners Jacques Grange and Pierre Passebon. In 2006, they were hired by Louise Sunshine, a New York real estate marketing strategist, to redesign the 1927 Manhattan landmark into a modern hotel-apartment hybrid ~ 42 co-op apartments, 118 hotel rooms, lobby, bar and restaurant. Grange described the style of the guest rooms as “Jean Michael Frank, interpreted by me” ~ simple pared-down furniture combined with sophisticated materials and finishes. From the gorgeous leather desks to the sumptuous linens, it reads Paris chic with a twist of American modern. Instead of  “An American in Paris” it’s “A Parisian in America” (sorry I couldn’t resist the Gershwin reference!) In addition to designing the co-ops and guest rooms, the duo commissioned artists Ron Arad, Mattia Bonetti, Vladimir Kagan, Guy de Rougemont, and Eric Schmitt to create one-off pieces for the Mark’s lobby, bar and restaurant. The next time I’m in NYC, I will most definitely be visiting the Mark Hotel! Oh and maybe I’ll just have to order Jacques Grange’s favorite drink, a caipirinha, while sitting at the hotel’s Guy de Rougemont-designed cloud bar!

Tres chic!

below, photos from The Mark Hotel

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pierre passebon and wendy artin ~ galerie du passage

above, Wendy Artin, close up of Parasol Pine Panorama, 2008, watercolor on cotton Khadi paper, overall size is 76 x 30 cm

Sometimes life hands you a wonderful coincidence. You don’t question it or try to understand it but just accept it as a special gift. I was fortunate enough to experience a wonderful coincidence in an email exchange with Wendy Artin. Over the weekend, I posted about meeting her at the Gurari Collections group show and she mentioned how pleased she was to be on the same page as Jacques and Pierre. Without knowing their connection, I had posted about Jacques Grange and Pierre Passebon earlier in the week! The wonderful coincidence is that Wendy is one of the highly acclaimed artists at Pierre Passebon’s Galerie du Passage in Paris! In her email to me this morning, she writes about Pierre ~ “his gallery is called Galerie du Passage…it is the most beautiful gallery in the most beautiful covered passage in Paris, the passage Vero-Dodat. It is truly an exquisite place, and I am always thrilled to show there! I have been showing with him since 1996. What an amazing coincidence that we ended up on the same page!” ~ A truly special gift!

The Wendy Artin paintings in today’s post are from her 2009 show at Galerie du Passage, Paris

HADRIEN : 11/18/2009 to 12/23/2009

below, Wendy Artin, Atinous, 2009, watercolor on cotton Khadi paper, 56 x 76 cm

I’m also including some information about Galerie du Passage along with some photos from past exhibitions. Fascinating!

In 1991, Pierre Passebon opened the Galerie du Passage in the one of the most attractive covered arcades in Paris, the Galerie Vero-Dodat, where the neoclassical decor dates back to 1826. At the Galerie du Passage, furniture and objects of the 20th Century are displayed on two floors, arranged in unusual combinations. Pierre Passebon animates his gallery with temporary exhibitions of art and design, where artists of the 20th and 21st century renew their ties with the great tradition of craftwork.

Galerie du Passage, Pierre Passebon20/26 Galerie Véro Dodat, Paris FR, 75001

above, text from vista art and design

Fetish, by Louboutin and Lynch, Monday, August 16th, 2010

Christian Louboutin and David Lynch have locked heads and created a show, Fetish, which opened in Paris at Pierre Passebon’s Galerie du Passage. The exhibition shows five limited edition pairs of shoes by Louboutin alongside five signed photographs of the shoes by Lynch.

above, photo and text from egelnick and webb

Pol Quadens fantômes de meubles – Galerie du Passage, Paris

from 09/10/09 to 10/10/09

Exhibition of exclusive design furniture in Corian© and wood

A PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY : from 09/29/2010 to 10/23/2010

YUL BRYNNER

A group of school kids surprised Pierre Passebon by showing up at the Galerie du Passage wearing masks made with the Kathy image from the YUL book. They loved the show and loved seeing the actual image on the wall.

above, photo and text from yul brynner: a photographic journey

Private opening at Galerie du Passage in Paris, France

Row 1: Antoine Arnault, Victoria Brynner, Delphine Arnault, Thomas Lenthal, VB, Victoire de Castellane; Row 2: Christian Louboutin, VB, Valentino, Mario Testino, VB, Karl Lagerfeld, VB, Doris Brynner; Row 3: VB, Princess Silvia D’Arenberg, Antoine Arnault, Princess Marie Chantal of Greece, Doris Brynner, Prince Pavlos of Greece

above, photo and text from yul brynner: a photographic journey

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chateau gabriel

For 27 years, Chateau Gabriel was the country home of couturier Yves Saint Laurent and his partner Pierre Berge. The Chateau, an 1874 Anglo-Norman house, sits on the heights of Benerville, overlooking Deauville, and is nestled on 75 acres of forested land. The couple asked interior designer Jacques Grange to decorate the 9000 square foot home using inspiration from King Louis II of Bavaria (around Munich between 1869 and 1890), and from the decor of Luchino Visconti’s films (especially “L’Innocente” which was Saint Laurent’s favorite). The collaboration was a turning point for Grange saying, “of all the houses I have decorated, those I have decorated for Yves Saint Laurent are the most important part of my work”. I have included the story of Chateau Gabriel as told by Jacques Grange for Christie’s…who better than the designer himself to take us on this journey.

The story of Chateau Gabriel as told by Jacques Grange for Christies, July 2009

“When Pierre Bergé and Yves Saint Laurent acquired Château Gabriel, at Bénerville, an uninhabited, late nineteenth century neogothic mansion, with a commanding view over the bay of Deauville, they asked me to decorate it. This residence was simply waiting to be given a new life and the commission was most certainly a key moment in my career as a decorator. The very close relationship between us three gave to this project an exceptional dimension. All of Yves Saint Laurent’s decorative themes were quite meticulous; however I was encouraged to interpret them as I saw fit, in order to produce the best results. The main sources of my inspiration were the film sets of Luchino Visconti, more precisely that of “L’Innocente”, as well as the ambiance and atmosphere that were present in the numerous castles created by Ludwig II of Bavaria. The imposing ‘portières’ and curtains made from thick, opulent fabrics, formed a perfect contrast with the Napoleon III furniture and other unusual and fantastic objets d’art. This was indeed, quite similar to the way in which the Viscount and Viscountess de Noailles, the Rothschilds and Princess Mathilde, all decorated their properties, punctuated with an abundant use of plants and flowers, which rendered their homes both unique and enchanting. The living rooms all had a certain cinematographic and artistic quality to them, along with a mural representing Monet’s Nymphéas, with the decoration in the bedrooms inspired by characters taken from Marcel Proust’s A La Recherche du Temps Perdu. Two years later and after much effort to find extraordinary objects, driven by Pierre Bergé the house was finally ready. The park, which was designed by Franz Baecheler include both rose and Japanese gardens, a lake and a potager. Since then was added a checkerboard of topiary pushing up between sculptures of François-Xavier Lalanne. As I said to a journalist from the New York Times in 2005: “Of all the houses I have decorated, those I have decorated for Yves Saint Laurent are the most important part of my work”. Afterwards mentioning Château Gabriel I added: “I love this place. It is unbelievable, extraordinary. I would like to dismantle it all and spirit it away.” I do hope that each and every one of these pieces, which were chosen with such a fervent passion, will give to each collector, the same pleasure that they gave to us.” ~ Jacques Grange

In November of 2009, Christie’s auctioned off almost 1200 works of art and antiques from Chateau Gabriel.

photos are from luxury culture

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jacques grange interiors by pierre passebon

JACQUES GRANGE: INTERIORS

By Pierre Passebon

Flammarion, $75

Review by Judith Nasatir

“Interior design has very few masters, but Jacques Grange is unarguably one. In part, that’s due to the tradition that shaped him: Henri Samuel, Didier Aaron, Madeleine Castaing, the Vicomtesse de Noailles, the Rothschilds and so on. In part it’s due to Grange’s remarkable eye for shape, color, proportion and material. Over the years, his client roster has included Yves Saint Laurent, Princess Caroline of Monaco and Valentino — all, like him, endowed with celebrated aesthetic sensibilities and lives of unquestioned opulence. This most memorable book tours the remarkable interiors Grange has designed for an A-list clientele. Notable for blending periods and styles from divided worlds, his interiors are improbably beautiful.” ~ Judith Nasatir

This is most definitely on my list of design books for the holidays!

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