Umaid Bhawan Palace

The Million Dollar Decorators (that would be Mary, Nathan, Martyn, Jeffrey, and Kathryn) came to ADAC this month, and I have never seen such a turnout at ADAC before! I think that almost everybody in the Atlanta design community was there, and the consensus is that all five of the designers cum reality stars came across as the witty and vivacious people that they are.

During the panel discussion (which was led, by the way, by Veranda editor-in-chief Dara Caponigro), the designers were asked about what inspires them, and the topic of travel came up. I for one am quite envious because they all seem to be jetting hither and yon to all kinds of exotic places- and often. Mary McDonald mentioned a hotel in India that she found particularly inspiring because of its Art Deco interiors that were in pristine condition. It sounded like she called it the Umaid Bhawan, but I can't be sure because I didn't write it down.

Over the weekend, I was reading Architectural Digest Chateaux and Villas, a book that was loaned to me by my friend Will Merrill. In it, there was a chapter on the Umaid Bhawan Palace in Jodhpur, one of the last great palaces of the maharajas. Built in the 1930s by Maharaja Sir Umaid Singh, the vast palace boasts a hybrid design of both Eastern and Western architecture of which the British architectural firm Lanchester and Lodge was responsible. What caught my eye more than the impressive size of the palace, though, are the Art Deco and Streamline Moderne interiors. And the murals by Polish designer Stefan Norblin just add to the appeal.

Unfortunately, a finished palace never completely came to fruition as World War II hindered the completion of the palace's interiors. Today, the palace is a hotel run by the Taj group, although the current Maharaja still retains residence in another part of the palace. In addition to the AD photos, I also found a few intriguing ones from the hotel's website. I don't know if this is the hotel that Mary spoke so highly of, but even if it isn't, I'm going to add it to my list of places that I want to visit- hopefully someday soon.

(By the way, I have to congratulate Will Merrill. One of his designs for Currey & Co.- a small drinks table that is so charming- made the cover of the new Charlotte Moss book. Yay, Will!)




The Central Hall is a circular wonder.




The oval grand staircase adjoins the Central Hall. Look closely to the left of the staircase and you'll see some type of tented curtain.




A Guest Suite was inspired by the great luxury ocean liners. The mural was painted by Stefan Norblin, as were the murals in the photo below.




The Throne Room.





A Guest Bath sheathed in onyx and marble. According to the book, the wall sconces were a "recent innovation at that time."




A Guest Room featured a chrome-banded bed on a platform. The acid-etched black glass panel above the bed was executed by Norblin.




I found this photo of a Deco room on the hotel's website.




And, ending the post with a splash, the hotel's photo of the Zodiac Pool. Again, the murals were by Norblin. Is this pool amazing or what?


All photos with the exception of the last two from Architectural Digest Chateaux and Villas; bottom two courtesy of the Umaid Bhawan website.

Swiss Cottage

Isn't there something so intriguing and so very enchanting about follies? These architectural gems are such unique examples of fantasy, creativity, whimsy, and well, folly. I recently read about one that captured my attention: Swiss Cottage near Cahir, County Tipperary, Ireland. The structure is considered to be an ornamental cottage, and frankly I don't know what the difference is between an ornamental cottage and folly. Perhaps there isn't one.

Built around 1810 by Richard Butler, 1st Earl of Glengall, the cottage was used for entertaining guests, although some websites mention that it was used as a hunting and fishing lodge. (One book claims it was a romantic hideaway for Butler and his mistress. This cottage must have seen many different types of recreational pursuits.) The man responsible for the cottage's design is believed to be John Nash, one of the foremost architects of the Regency period.

What caught my eye was not the thatched roof, though it is charming. Rather, I'm taken with the trellis type ornamentation on the exterior. I can't tell if it's actual trellis, or if the design is painted. The scale of the decoration is quite large; it's very early 19th c. Dorothy Draper. This type of ornamentation would be a great way to perk up a garage, a potting shed, or a child's playhouse. Or, what about painting trellis on an exterior wall that adjoins a terrace or patio? Very chic indeed.


Sybil Connolly set this table outside of Swiss Cottage, a structure near and dear to her heart. She helped to raise funds for the cottage's refurbishment back in the 1980s. You also get a good view of the charming rustic woodwork.


The dining room of the cottage still has its original Dufour wallpaper, "Scenes from the Banks of the Bosphoros". Some believe that this paper is some of Dufour's earliest printed paper. I wish I could find a photograph of the entire dining room. I'm sure the rest of the paper is just as beautiful as this glimpse.

All of this reminds me of a present day take on trellis: a Dallas entryway designed by Michelle Nussbaumer. Trellis from a garden center was painted glossy black and was affixed to the entry's white walls.



(Images 2 and 3 courtesy of Tiffany Gourmet Cookbook. Nussbaumer photo from the Dallas Morning News, Terri Glanger photographer.)

Marie Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles

Attention all Marie Antoinette fans! (Oh yes, and you Francophiles, gardeners, and historians too!) There is an upcoming book release that you must not miss. Marie-Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles (Christian Duvernois author, François Halard photographer, Rizzoli New York, October 2008) is an enthralling look at the doomed Queen and her gardens at Petit Trianon, the royal retreat at Versailles. Now, I'm familiar with certain aspects of Marie Antoinette's life, but I knew little about her involvement in the creation of the glorious gardens at this chateau. Marie Antoinette had a keen interest in gardens and the pastoral life (albeit a luxurious one), and she was determined to create a landscape like no other.

According to the book, there was great debate in mid to late 18th century France about formal gardens versus more naturalistic ones. Louis XIV's Versailles was of course noted for its rigid gardens designed by André Le Nôtre. But by the time Louis XVI ascended to the throne, there was a growing group of aesthetes who championed gardens and landscapes that were more loose and natural. And Marie Antoinette fell into this camp. When she became chatelaine of Petit Trianon, she set out to create a Franco-Anglo-Chinese garden complete with man-made lakes, ridges, and vistas. To me, the most interesting parts of the gardens are the structures that were built, including the Dairy House, the Tower of Marlborough, the Hamlet, and the Rock- a folly meant to resemble the mountains of her Austrian homeland.

The text of the book, written by Christian Duvernois, provides us with an engrossing account of how these magnificent gardens came to be. I think the author does an excellent job in helping to correct the misconception that Marie Antoinette was simply a vacuous and supercilious woman. And for those who can't get enough of beautiful photographs, there are plenty of those too. François Halard's haunting images capture the awesome splendor of this thoroughly unique place.




A bust of Marie Antoinette by Louis-Simon Boizot (c. 1775)


A view of the French Pavilion at Petit Trianon. The pavilion, designed by Ange-Jacques Gabriel for Louix XV, anchors the main axis of the French Garden.


The ornate interior of the Queen's Theater. The plain exterior of the Theater belies the sumptuousness of the interior.


A marble fountain inside of the Dairy House. The walls were painted in trompe l'oeil to resemble real marble.


Vibrant pink roses in the Queen's gardens.


A view of the Dairy House (right) and the Tower of Marlborough.

(Photo credits: François Halard from Marie Antoinette and the Last Garden at Versailles, Rizzoli New York, 2008.)

The Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm

As I'm traveling this week, I wanted to leave you with something beautiful and felt that these images would fit the bill. Here is the Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm, Sweden, courtesy of World of Interiors, May 1996. Built for Queen Louisa Ulrika in 1753, this paean to Chinoiserie is located on the grounds of Drottningholm Palace. It was also an early prefab structure, being built in Stockholm and assembled on location at Drottningholm.

You will see all of the usual suspects that were found in most Chinese pavilions: Chinese porcelain, Chinoiserie murals, and Chinese textiles. Still, the pavilion, restored to its former glory in the early 1990s, is a sight to behold. What strikes me the most is the vibrant, rich color found throughout the pavilion. Each room is a different color- perhaps not unusual for that time, but certainly worth noting today with many contemporary homes having only one or two colors in its interiors. Do you think people today would be bold enough to make such a colorful statement?


Rich red walls are the perfect backdrop for the Rococo chairs that are covered in painted silk taffeta.


The bedchamber with mauve moire and silver galloon covered walls. The pictures are 19th century and are made of fabric, bone, and feathers.


The Yellow Cabinet retains the original painted Chinese silk wallcovering. The fabric on the chairs is a copy of that on the walls. The porcelain figures of a man and woman have nodding heads, and note that the hair on the female figure is real human hair.


An image of the Blue Salon looking into the Green Gallery.


The Library with a collection of Chinese and Japanese porcelain. The salmon pink walls and the green trim is such a striking combination.

Image at top: The Chinese Pavilion at Drottningholm Palace. Photographer Jacques Dirand.

Chic Events Underway at Winterthur

Exciting things are happening at Winterthur, that glorious Delaware estate of the late Henry Frances du Pont. And for all of us who are interested in design and decorative arts, the events should be right up our alley!

First up is the Double Vision exhibit (March 8-May 18, 2008) which focuses on the design of Winterthur during the 1930's. Why is it named "Double Vision" you ask? Well, Winterthur has an amazing collection of stereographs (three-dimensional images) that were taken of the rooms at Winterthur in 1935 and 1938. Visitors will be able to wear special 3-D glasses to view the stereographs, which I can only imagine will make one feel as if he were actually in the room. Some of the rooms remain the same today, while others have changed over the years. It should be interesting to see how 1930's trends may have influenced du Pont's design choices.

And for even more on 1930's design, you should consider attending the "Chic It Up!" design conference, to be held at Winterthur on May 16-17, 2008. Frances Elkins, 1930's textiles, and Delano & Aldrich are just a few of the topics that will be covered. Speakers include Peter Pennoyer, Stephen Salny, R. Louis Bofferding, J. Thomas Savage, and Eric Cohler. Sounds like a stellar line-up to me!

For more information, visit Winterthur's website.

Chinese Parlor: In this large room guests would gather to play bridge or for drinks before dinner. Chinese hand-painted wallpaper was the height of exotic fashion in the 1930s. The room was always filled with flowers selected to complement the colors of the wallpaper. (Photo: Courtesy, Winterthur Archives)


White Parlor (Empire Parlor): Long before he discovered Americana, H.F. du Pont admired and collected French furniture and decorative arts. Many of the furnishings in this view came from the family's New York apartment. Perhaps as a nod to the family's ancestry, The White Parlor at Winterthur remained furnished in the French taste until the space became the Empire Parlor in 1940. (Photo: Courtesy, Winterthur Archives)


Port Royal Parlor: The 18th century furniture and paneling in this room, which served as the reception room for guests, is meant to suggest the colonial era. However, the abundance of notable pieces and the expanded size of the room taken from a house near Philadelphia are more in the 30s mode. This large room demonstrates du Pont's preference for symmetry and careful placement of furniture. (Photo: Courtesy, Winterthur Archives)


The Enclosed Porch: Many country houses featured an open loggia or arcade overlooking a terrace or garden. They provided a shady refuge on a warm, sunny day, or shelter on a slightly chilly one. The checkerboard patterned floor, the pale blue iron chairs and yellow bamboo, the urns and bright accent of the flowers all reflect popular 1930s style. (Photo: Courtesy, Winterthur Archives)

Image at top: Henry Francis du Pont was photographed in front of the Montmorenci staircase, the centerpoint of his revision of the house. (Photo by André Kertész; Courtesy, Winterthur Archives).

The Soane Mystique

History has produced but a small coterie of architects and designers whose work continues to inspire us today. One person who figures prominently in this pantheon is Sir John Soane, the visionary British architect. Well versed in the Neoclassical style, Soane designed both private manor houses as well as public buildings (most notably the Bank of England). However, it is Soane's home at 12-14 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London (now known as Sir John Soane's Museum), that has inspired legions of fans through the years. Built in the late 18th c. and added on to during the early 19th c., the home is a sterling example of Soane's refined aesthetic and his no nonsense practicality.

There are a few rooms in particular that seem to enthrall visitors. The Breakfast Room is a marvel in design. In order to maximize the light in an otherwise dark space, Soane topped the room with a domed ceiling and oculus. He then added small convex mirrors throughout the room- in the archways, around the fireplace surround- to help reflect the light. It is highly effective and pleasing to the eye too.

The Library, characterized by segmented arches and Gothic accents, is noted for its rich Pompeiian red walls and bronze green trim. Trust me, the combination of these two rich colors is extremely handsome- you really have to see it in person to appreciate the complexity of the colors.

And I can't forget to mention Soane's collection of antiquities and architectural ruins, displayed en masse throughout the home: in the Dome Area; the Colonnade; the Sepulchral Chamber. It's staggering to think that one man is responsible for such an important collection!

So, how do modern day designers channel the spirit of Soane? Well, let me show you. And I'll add that I think Sir John Soane would be quite proud of their efforts.


An arch in the red and green Library of Sir John Soane


An homage to the Soane style, on a small scale, in a library designed by Josef Johns.


The home of Stephen Calloway. Note the rich red walls, the green trim, and trompe l'oeil painted arches.


Soane's Breakfast Room. Note the convex mirrors inset into the arches and the ceiling.


A detail shot of the ceiling of the Breakfast Room.



David Mlinaric designed this Soane-esque dining room/library in the home of Lord Rendlesham. Look at the marvelous ceiling.



A tribute to Soane's impressive collection in the flat of Peter Hone. Some of the antiquities and fragments are real, while others are faux (the columns on the walls are actually engravings that have been glued to the wall)


Another view of the Hone flat.

Turkish Tents

After reading and posting last week about the Turkish tent inspired room designed by Renzo Mongiardino, I decided to learn more about these exotic structures. So, here is a *brief* history lesson (and I don't think you'll need that shot of espresso to get through this!).

The early Turks were a nomadic people who lived in ornate tents that were derived from yurts. This choice of abode later influenced the Ottoman armies, which were known for traveling with elaborate war tents. As the Ottoman empire expanded, and as their wealth grew, the tents became even more intricate and were often influenced by Byzantine and Persian designs. Many of them were quite luxurious (especially those built for the sultans) with elaborate fabric hangings and furnishings inside. Fortunately for us a few of these Ottoman tents survive, such as that at Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow.

In time, the exoticism and ornateness of these tents became a source of inspiration for the design of garden follies across Europe. One of the most famous is that built around 1760 at Painshill Park, Surrey, England. This tent was actually a quite sturdy structure with a brick floor, partial brick walls, and a wooden dome which supported the painted canvas. Although the original structure disappeared in the 19th c., it has now been rebuilt based on Henry Keene's original designs. Other Turkish tent inspired structures are also found at a few of the Swedish royal palaces.

Besides being an interesting history lesson, I think it is fascinating to see how these tents have inspired people through the ages. No, not many people are inclined to build a garden folly (although I wish more people would), and yes, the idea of that much fabric in one room (like Mongiardino's tented room) may intimidate some people. But there are so many other ways in which these relics of the past can influence us. Perhaps in our choice of textiles, or our use of color, or even the way we might apply a certain decorative motif. Sometimes, if we open our eyes and our minds, we can really be inspired by some of the most wonderful, and historical, things.


An authentic Turkish tent from the first half of the 17th c. It was a spoil of war from the Ottoman defeat at the Battle of Vienna in 1683. Now part of the textile collection at Wawel Royal Castle in Krakow, Poland.


Henry Keene's design for a Turkish Tent at Painshill Park, Surrey, c. 1760 (the drawing is part of the collection of the Victoria and Albert)


The restored and rebuilt Turkish Tent at Painshill Park (photographer Antony McCallum)


The Palace Guard's tent at Drottningholm Palace Park, Sweden. Built in the second half of the 18th c. (dates vary on the internet), the structure is made of painted copper.


Another copper, Turkish inspired tent at Haga Park, Sweden. It was built in 1787 to house both stables and guards.




I don't know if these tents, designed in 1971 by Maison Jansen for the celebration of the 2,500th anniversary of the founding of Persia, were inspired by Turkish tents, but this was a modern, luxurious, and glamorous treatment of temporary tent living. (Images from Jansen by James Archer Abbott, Acanthus Press).

Image at top: Franz Geffels painted "Battle of Vienna 1683" to depict the bloody battle. Notice the Turkish tents present.