Tag Archives: Vintage Design

Sometimes Moore is More

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When I was posting on sculpture yesterday, I remembered a medium-good movie “Object of Beauty” starring Andie McDowell, John Malkovich and a diminutive Henry Moore sculpture. The couple is in a bit of a financial pickle and “he” wants to sell “her” statue to get them out. Naturally, she balks. Ironically, the deaf maid steals the statue because “it speaks to her.”

Henry Moore is considered by many to be one of the greatest sculptors of the 20th century. His farm, “Hoglands,” was featured in Architectural Digest in March of 1980.

The house was falling apart when Moore and his wife, Irina, purchased it in the 1940’s, but they dug in and made it their own.

While the living room furniture and palette are simple and neutral, the author reports that there were literally hundreds of objects. “Pebbles, papier mache eggs, Cycladic sculptures, African masks, pre-Columbian artifacts..a French carving of a Madonna and Child, gourds, flints and a Medieval marble relief.”

Each piece had a personal attachment, evoked a memory, but also reflected Moore’s fascination with shape and form.


These images are of the studio; Moore is mostly known for his large, outdoor sculpture. He felt that sculpture placed outdoors should be large in scale to stand up to its surroundings.

The smaller pieces are studies for the larger works. Moore initially used preliminary sketches, but could not capture the scale of the completed work, so he moved to executing the sculpture instead. Irina was a gardener and they enjoyed placing Moore’s pieces in the pastures with the sheep. He says in the article that he didn’t care for sculpture gardens. “They nullify the whole point of the sculpture.”


Fortunately, he changed his mind. Our local museum, the Nelson-Akins acquired a large selection of Moore’s sculptures several years ago through the generous support of the Hall family. Just to give the Midwest its due, the sculptures were purchased from a collector in Wichita. Kansas. Moore was able to see the site and placed some of the sculpture himself. The garden is a magical place; the pieces are not just plopped down, you discover them here. It’s a wonderful spot to take children as the pieces are so big, huge, even to an adult, and you are moving, walking, running, talking. No shushing.

The old part of the Nelson is old. Marble, terrazzo, columns. We were fortunate to welcome the new Bloch Building last year. Controversial? Sure. We tend to be a bit conservative here and don’t like folks messing with our landmarks. But one of my son’s friends said, “You know, they couldn’t match it. And if you can’t match it, you need to do something really different.” Agreed. The addition adds to the site inside and out. It’s, well, sculptural.

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Making Lemonade With Salvador Dali

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Kitchen not quite right? Wishing your dining room were a little more squarish? Architect says all is lost if you don’t move the door way 2 1/2 inches?

Consider the late Luther Greene. He began his career as a theatrical director and producer in the 30’s and 40’s, then re-created himself as a landscape architect and garden designer in the 50’s. He called himself an “exterior decorator.”


Mr. Greene lived in a basement apartment on Manhattan’s East Side from the late 50’s until he died in 1987. The apartment was 120 feet long and 20 feet wide. He reported that he had seated dinner parties of 75 here. On good days he called it “Villa Subterranea” and on bad days it was “the longest submerged trailer in the world.”

The wonder of this apartment was Greene’s grotto. He was inspired to create it after seeing the mosaics in St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice. He hired Ruth Ross, a former architectural designer, to create the room entirely of shells. There are 12,000 pieces of eight varieties of shells from all over the world. Greene’s New York Times obituary said he worked on the room for twenty years.


Another of Greene’s treasures is the set of the letters of his name in the form of naked figures, created by Salvador Dali in 1942. Greene used them on his cards and letterhead. He had one recreated in silver for his door knocker.
What pipe in the ceiling?

All images Architectural Digest, November 1979.

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Join the Club

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There are people who have a natural attraction to chairs. One of my friend’s husband says he’s afraid without intervention and a little personal fortitude he might live surrounded by dozens of individual chairs. I don’t want to disparage the sofa, but sofas are mostly functional. They can be stylish. But they don’t have distinct personalities like chairs.

Mark Weaver in Rooms to Inspire, Annie Kelly.

Sometimes it’s not so much of an attraction as an obsession. Not so much a club, say, as maybe CA. Chairaholics Anonymous.

Rooms to Inspire, Annie Kelly.

I went to an estate sale with a neighbor one time. We both spied the funny, vintage wing chair that is now in my office at the same time. She said, “You get it. If you don’t have a place for it, I’ll take it.” Yes, maybe to her attic. To be friends with the other chairs there.


Patrick Naggar and Terese Carpenter in House and Garden, Book of Style.
I’m not throwing stones. I have some chair issues myself. My problem is, I don’t want to stop. Even though I know it’s not healthy to have three pairs of chairs in the basement, well, you never know when there will be the right place. You might never come upon a good chair again so you better get them while you can.
The late Roger Banks Pye, Colefax and Fowler Interior Inspirations.

One of my favorite styles of chair is the klismos. The Greeks dreamed this baby up in about the 7th century B.C. and it’s been making comebacks ever since.
Michael S. Smith in his book, Elements of Style.
Klismos chairs are characterized by legs that curve out, a back support of a rectangular panel that curves to hug the body.


Stephen Sills and James Huniford in their book, Dwellings, Living with Great Style.
Beyond that, the maker can do any crazy thing he wants to it. Widen it. Deepen the seat. Craft it from metal, aluminum or wood. Gilt, wicker, carvings.


Banks Pye, again.
Still klismos. You can see the style has quite a following. Klismos chairs work well as side chairs, desk chairs (careful about arm height) and dining chairs.
Steven Gambrel, above, his own home, Elle Decor. Below, in House and Garden.


Hmm…dining chairs. That would be a nice excuse to acquire ten new chairs. Nice upholstered seat. Perhaps even the back.
Neirmann Weeks

Perfect spot for a meeting. “Hi. My name’s Mrs. Blandings…and I’m a chairaholic.
Image, top, Albert Hadley for Mr. and Mrs. Michael Druckman in Albert Hadley, The Story of America’s Preeminent Interior Designer, Adam Lewis.

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It’s Crystal Clear

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House and Garden, September, 2007.

I’m sending out a bit of a trend alert. I somewhat ignored all the body parts, mostly hands, that I was spying this summer because I thought they were, well, contrived. But this trend has piqued my curiosity as it’s raised my eyebrow.

You see, I really like Rock Crystal. A lot. And I know it’s not anything new, but it’s popping up in so many lay-outs lately. I’m worried about Rock. I’m afraid he might become a cliche. Like the Coral sisters, Red and White.

Bazaar, Fall 2007 supplement. Styled by Douglas Little.
I’m wondering if it’s the convergence of two forces. Could it be possible that Rock is the off-spring of Ms. Wearstler, wee of frame but mighty of influence and exposure, and Mr. Duquette, a big personality in his own right, who is enjoying a bit of a resurgence?

One of the best parts of the substance is that it is so appealing in so many forms. Big, chunky rocks, sleek obelisks, or as utilitarian object, like the lamp below.


House Beautiful, January 2008. Design by David Mitchell.
Another thing about Rock, he can go anywhere. Dress him up and put in him silver and he is urban and urbane. Settle him into a rustic beach house or cabin and he takes on an easy-going organic air.


He’s not the jealous type, either. He can hang with other trends and not feel threatened, be it antlers,


House and Garden.

or blanc de chine,


or suzanis. He’s happy to share the spotlight. He might be the George Clooney of trends.


Elle Decor, November 2007. Design by Alex Papchristidis.
I should caution you about one thing, though.

As lovely as he is, as he gains notoriety, his price will go up. Way up.
Domino, December/January 2008.
When I was in Cascade, Colorado this summer, at the foot of the hill that has been Mr. Blandings’s family’s vacation home for five generations, there is a little spot called The Rock Shop. No, I’m not kidding. Anyway, I’ve been going to this little retreat for fifteen years, give or take. Every year I say, “Let’s go to the Rock Shop.” And every year Mr. Blandings says, “My grandmother used to call that the Gyp Shop.” Every year.


But this year, in a driving rain, I gave each boy five dollars and down the hill we went. I hate to say it, but sometimes Mr. Blandings doesn’t know what is good. Baskets of beads, arrowheads, geodes. All in all, a wonderful spot. But the point is, in the back room (Where you have to be at least 10 years old to go. Still not kidding.) there are rock crystals bigger than my head for under $200. Bigger. Bigger than Frankenstein’s head. All I’m saying is, if you go to Bergdorf’s and buy a measly 6″ rock crystal squatty obelisk for $495? Well, the elder Mrs. Blandings might have had a name for a place like that.

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Kismet

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The facade of the residence, the pool area, the gardens, and director George Cukor.
In the drawing room, Chinese Chippendale giltwood pier mirrors hang above Regency chinoiserie lacquer commodes.

Now back down to business. As I was flipping through the vintage Architectural Digests (the HG’s have been scoured and set aside) by the light of my kitchen window (our power was out, horrible ice storm) I ran across this little jewel.

If you were here on Monday, you might recall that the house that is currently the home of Lynn von Kersting once belonged to the legendary Hollywood director George Cukor.

Copper cornice and fireplace, parquet floor.


It did occur to me that a house of such notoriety had likely been photographed during Cukor’s era as well. It seemed a shame that I wouldn’t have the chance to see it.

This image is very dark, even in the original. Venetian blackamoors in each corner. I adore the red chairs, which appear to be leather.


Then, in the warm light of the east window, I paused, coffee cup half-way to my lips. (Thank goodness for the French press.)

Entrance hall. Pair of Louis XVI bronze sconces and a suite of antique carved and silvered wood grotto furniture from Wales.

Architectural Digest, in January of 1978, “visited” George Cukor.

Yes, the bronze head of Tallulah Bankhead is quite a conversation starter, but, oh, those chairs.


The house was originally decorated by William Haines. Cukor said, “Mr. Haines may have asked me some questions, and I might have asked him some questions. But he did the house. That’s not to take away from my personal taste and knowledge. The house suites me perfectly, and I know that I belong here. That’s his skill and talent.”

In the library. I thought this lamp might be friends with Courtney’s.

And Cukor waxes poetic on his home. He had a passion for it and his friends who settled there from time to time. In an age of Hollywood frenimies, this was a man who maintained friendships, many friendships, for a life time.


A photo gallery of friends lines a hallway.

I’ve said before that some houses have soul. This is clearly one of them.

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