KATE.. The Great!

I've just written this piece for F.Schumacher. Please take a moment to check-in and see what Katherine Hepburn might have been up to during this pandemic. Hope you take something away from her tenacious spirit. ~pgt

 

https://livetheedit.com/2020/07/katherine-hepburn-design-p-gaye-tapp/

OLIVIA CAPONIGRO: GIVING

Olivia Caponigro is a member of the Creative Services team at F. Schumacher. Her job takes her from Schumacher's Instagram to Schumacher's fantastic 'The Bulletin,' she works on the Wallpaper Sourcebook, along with the company's monthly mailers.  I've met Olivia through email while collaborating on one of their creative and informative emails. Today, Schumacher's creative dynamism is unmatched in the design industry!

It's not too late to give—or put several of these FIVE fabulous Gifts Olivia offers up on your Wish List! (I'll take the book, what else!)

1

In our latest issue of The Bulletin by Schumacher, we included a story on fashion illustrators— and ever since then, I've been obsessed! This book is the perfect gift for anyone who loves both art and fashion

2

Living in NYC, all of my friends tend to travel a lot on the weekends, especially around the holidays. This is the perfect weekender, here, for the jet-setter in your life. 

3

I already own a slip pillowcase, here, and it's become one of my favorite things about going to bed at night. Your family and friends will thank you for this many nights to come!

4

Marble is so classic. This clock, here, would be the perfect addition to any gallery wall.

5

Are any of your family members planning adventures for 2018? If so, this is the perfect camera for them to bring along! The camera— here.

I hope you and yours get everything you desire this year— I wish you all health & sanity!

MERRY MERRY

125

Schumacher is celebration 125 years in Design.
I'm impressed with some of their offerings accompanying this milestone.

With great style, Schumacher's ad campaign embodies what makes a 125 year old company so relevant in a world of textile design house takeovers-consolidations and closures.

Boughton House, from a circa-1870 fragment of fine cotton in the company's archives.

Shock Wave, crafted in Italy at one of the finest silk mills in the world.

Iconic Leopard returns from the 1970's when Schumacher first ran the pattern.

Les Gazelles Au Bois, by artist Pierre Pozier, nephew of Schumacher founder, c.1927.

Citrus Garden, an archival print designed for Schumacher in 1947 by Josef Frank.

Happy Birthday Schumacher!

I love

LULU in

BLUE

BERRY.

LULU on TRAIL OF INSPIRATION here
see the entire line from Lulu deKwiatkowski's new very unique, whimsically sophisticated Children's Line here.

You'll love it all.

.

so sorry, Schumacher

.
I' m working on a Sun Room right now-and after it is complete-complete, I will share some Before, and After photographs. The room is to serve as the lady's private getaway-a place to read, correspond, relax and act as a second living room.  The new room is off the foyer and the Living Room-it's long and narrow- with  four openings to those rooms mentioned.

The "After", happily after, is harder in coming than expected. I've selected all the fabrics for recovering- the trims along with new the tables, chairs.

Most everything is in the works, except- Schumacher has dropped the sofa fabric. This is the dreaded piercing stab of any designer, especially when the project is already moving along. To my mind-Schumacher is discontinuing one of their most attractive-distinctive fabrics. I placed the order-which I often do on their website-a great way to do business after 5. After waiting to see if they would consider my order-as a backorder-running the pattern when a certain amount of yardage was ordered, or running it for my order and having stock available to other designers- it was a No. What?

The fabric is still on their website-Did anybody tell them the thing has been dropped!

Here is the fabric- SAREE STRIPE IN JAVA Pattern 62662. It has a wide patterned stripe running through it and my plan was to center it on the cushions and turn it to make a wide border all along the skirt. Wouldn't that be beautiful?  The central stripe reminds me of the palluv portion of a sari. It is usually at the end of the long yards and yards of length of the sari-some think- most elegant part of a sari. The palluv usually has the most intricate design-runs across the width of the fabric- and is very wide. After the sari is wrapped around the body the palluv is the portion that will show and go across the shoulder.

I have a viable replacement. Sometimes-those work even better- but such a distinctive pattern like SAREE STRIPE is not easy to replace.Both client and I are satisfied- so we will proceed-but...
It is very disappointing this time.
Here- the other fabrics selected for the room.

On my last post I featured some Pierre Frey fabrics and this is another of theirs called PARADE OTTOMANE in MICA. I love it!  It is a large scale cotton and has all the details expected from Pierre Frey. Authentic is another word for the fabrics of Pierre Frey. PARADE OTTOMANE will go on a pair of  French settees in the room.

Of course-the room will be beautiful when it is complete- I'm only sorry( and I'm sorry for that woeful paronomasia-pun)- Saree Stripe will not be a part of it.

So Southern Redux Updated

 

One of the pure pleasures of getting older is working with my clients on project after project. A third project with this client; I am trying to actually remember our first meeting- I would just say -it seemed we had known one another forever. Any designer will admit, they have initial instincts about a project immediately at the first meeting. The connection you have that day is many times over- strengthened- but if that initial something isn't there-It probably will never be.

OUR first project involved selecting final touches for a living room and we added curtains in the dining room. NEXT, A small dining room became the SITTING ROOM and the clients created a large DINING ROOM to satisfy their love for entertaining -the lady of the house is a chef with some of the best secret recipes in the South. She makes it seem so simple- but that is the art of, is it not?

 the Tudor in question

with new lamps, rug and hanging light

Along with the room changes- an ADDITION- brought me back to the house.Other needs were pressing too- a growing family- the addition included a huge living dining area and a master suite upstairs. This project flew by.

LE FRUITIER

Our color palette by French painter Andre Beauchant

It was time for Updates.Pieces needed refining, Rugs needed adding, fine tuning in the Master bathroom- the list increased and we touched every room and had a wonderful time doing it.

 One of the fabrics used for the redux

 Here are some photographs of the results, With Notes, and a Footnote or two.

the MASTER SUITE

 I love the Master Suite. This space was added during Project III-a new Master Suite. We had established the wall color and the clients were still very happy with the choice.The carpet is new and it is one of those things we waited for over four months. The WALL color-a soft dove gray, the headboard and the two ottomans were selected for the bedroom when we decorated the first time. The new washed gray linen curtains with their antique look are on informal bamboo rods.

headboard fabric by Groves Brothers

curtain fabric

A much needed seating arrangement was added on a large wall along with a skirted table that once served as one of the bedside tables. An embroidered Lee Jofa fabric updates a french chair while other touches of yellow and camel were added to the room.

French chair fabric & Headboard fabric

My client found the pair of mercury glass lamps in a favorite antique store- custom gray silk drum shades give them a modern edge.

 I Love the gray ultrasuede french chaise dressed with a camel pashmina and Randolph and Hein silk pillows, all paired with a simple modern table and a decidedly 1940's wood and iron sconce.

The SITTING ROOM

Deep taupe walls are just as they were the first time I visited. SITTING ROOM Chairs are all in taupe with pink accents- A traditional camel back sofa in taupe and table skirt are from the first project. The curtains and shade were part of the original Dining Rooms decor. One of the french chairs is covered in an Indian sari the other pink and taupe fabric is by Vervain.

Sitting Room chair fabric detail

an Indian Sari fabric covers the french chair

an Indian Sari fabric covers this french chair

a cozy corner with old family slipper chairs covered in a J Robert Scott dragonfly print.
old gray and pink Kilim pillows add color to the taupe room,
just peeking out in the photograph is a Merida sisal rug

THE FOYER

The grayed taupe walls were hand finished by the client's sister when they had just moved in. New tall porcelain lamps enliven a very narrow console made from an old iron gate; Nest porcelain adds just a touch of color.

A richly detailed rug adds color and impact to the foyer. I am always in love with rugs when I start looking at them- I would take any of them home, this one is no exception.

A small sitting area in the Kitchen. The Fabrics- a Schumacher embroidery & club chairs covered in a Phillip Gorrivan Greek key inspired fabric. In the Kitchen, we took the dark cherry cabinets to a light grayed white and added new bar chairs and lighting. (Must get some photographs of this.)

THE SUNROOM

Vibrant green linen curtains cover all the windows and doors and are accented
with a great Greek Key bordered edge.

An old cane chair, and by the way, I love these 1920's cane pieces- is covered in a huge print by designer-Thomas Paul and and antique Empire ottoman is covered in a dralon Schumacher fabric.

 ottoman fabric detail

This room was once a porch off the dining room. We painted the brick a "dirty" shade of white and added the arched windows and doors. The original brick floor remains, the ceiling is painted an old shade of faded brown. Pieces from other areas were called on to serve along with a "odd pair"/meaning almost-but not quite/ of old Chinese tables. I purchased these for myself- where would they go? and why? They remained in the trusted hands of the clients- Until they decided to keep them. Some things just work out. These two pieces are perfect stacked on top of each other for catching papers and magazines.

THE LIVING ROOM AND DINING ROOM

aka the Everything Room

This room is THE Everything room- originally the ADDITION, now a well integrated part of the family. The Original design for this room created a Tudor Keeping Room- of sorts. It was time to lighten up. Deep brown painted woodwork was banished for a light color and the walls were lightened as well. The original half curtains in a Calvin brown woven "burlap" were retained- I love those curtains. A pair of new modern pendants were added overhead in the sitting area and over the dining table.

The comfort of leather never grows old- and the original pieces of leather purchased for the room stayed, along with an English style loveseat covered in a Brunschwig and Fils wide wale cord in a mustard.

 We added another comfortable chair in a green and taupe Phillip Gorrivan fabric-another variation on the Greek Key- and added old kilm pillows and pink Sunflower patterned pillows on the sofas.

Sunflowers pillow fabric- however we used the reverse side to get the mileage from the pink ground

ottoman detail- a woodgraining pattern

 
 

Old Louis XIV style chairs were slip covered in a vibrant paisley linen and flank a lime washed console made from reclaimed wood. More slip covered chairs surround the dining table.

A PINK BEDROOM, go here to see the room in detail.

Summer came and it is already waning, I hope to get some photographs of the porch and the patio, along with the Kitchen and some other details shots.

 We slipped up and ran out of time -when the family returns from their summer at the beach-I will stop by, say hello and who knows? We Do need to get new rugs on that staircase.

the original post ended here

updated -What happened last summer? A saltwater pool was added, porch and patio furniture was finished. I am now working on a project with this client where He assumes the role of Builder- and I- of Designer. A switch, but no less rewarding- I will share as things progress.

No- We still have not found the right runner for the Foyer Stair-
but, This will be the Summer.

 Loads of old wrought iron to refurbish for the  patio

My client's color palette moved out into the great outdoors for a Fall Supper Party and a Neighborhood Halloween Party by the pool last fall. I arranged Flowers  in tall bark urns- with full blown orange and yellow fall foliage and flowers towering to seven feet high.

I will photograph the porch very soon.
These things take time.