Tag Archives: Design

A Great Bathroom in Paris

/ August 10, 2011
The water closet and bidet sculpted out of the same hauteville as the rest of the suite.

The water closet and bidet sculpted out of the same hauteville as the rest of the suite.Slideshow

A large and luxurious bathtub carved from a single block of French marble with a magnificent bas relief as its background. We often talk about texture on the wall and this is a remarkable example.
The well-formed pedestal sink with storage in the background with glass front doors. Mirrors were used to visually expand the space.
Bronze fittings throughout the space with a beautiful green/black patina.
The detail is remarkable on this animal imagery. This particular one is a mount on a mirror.
Mme Lanvin's boudoir that is adjacent to the bath. Note that the walls are reminiscent of the detailed clothing she designed.
An example of the type of dress she designed for very fashionable women in the 20's. The design is consistent with inspiration from the Art Deco period.
Another great dress from the collection of Mme Lanvin. Elegant shapes and refined detail.

The bath pictured in this post is one I visit nearly every time I am in Paris. The renovations and additions to her newly purchased house on the very fashionable Faubourg St. Honor was designed for Madame Jeanne Lanvin in 1924 by Armand Rateau, one of the fashion assistants in her atelier. These images are part of a suite that includes not only the bathroom but also an adjacent boudoir that is on permanent display at the Musee des Arts Decoratifs. As a friend said recently, it is a bit of a hike to find this hidden gem, but well worth the effort.

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Inspiration: Mosaics in Paris

/ June 9, 2011
Our last day in Paris we decided to have a look at the newly restored dome of Galleries Layfayette. On the way we stepped into Au Printemps and found this wonderful encaustic mosaic in the entry. The colors are vibrant and it is a lively and welcoming floor.

Our last day in Paris we decided to have a look at the newly restored dome of Galleries Layfayette. On the way we stepped into Au Printemps and found this wonderful encaustic mosaic in the entry. The colors are vibrant and it is a lively and welcoming floor.Slideshow

Many buildings near rue de Bac and rue de Sevres are beautiful 19th century Beaux Arts style and this photo is from one selected at random. I liked the way the leaf border moved across the edge of the foyer.
Another random building with a great decorative moment. Both the mosaic above and this one have little dots of bright color in the field.
More pretty leaf borders. I particularly like the way the corner is treated in this one with the leaves flowing out into the body of the floor. Note also the wave in the flield.
In the French Art Nouveau style, this is a typical vestibule design for the Guimard buildings. The colors are soft and very fluid.
It is often difficult to navigate corners with mosaics. This is a Guimard example that is graceful and attractive.
Simple and graphic both traditional and modern depending on color choice.
This is my stealth photo of the floor at Laudree. No photos, no photos, the woman said but I could not resist this graceful pattern with the inset of a piece of chocolate and a good organic border.
The signature Hermes floor. This one is in the store on Rue St. Honore a soft yellow and gray palette. I have seen it in other colors in other stores
The new Hermes store on the Left Bank (or is it now the West) pays homage to the swimming pool that once occupied the space. It is a lovely combination of cream dotted with green to feel like the watery bottom of a pool.
The great new shop "Merci" created a rather crude mosaic for thir signature.
Another wonderfully executed corner detail. You can see how perfectly the corner is franed by the desgin details.
The facade of a building in the Marais. It is a brightly colored scallop design. I thought it was unusual.

Most people go to Paris and record vistas of beautiful gardens, remarkable architectural detail and people in cafes or walking their dogs. I do that as well, some of the time. But on my most recent trip in March, I wanted to find really beautiful mosaics that were not in museums. By accident, I happened to look in an apartment vestibule and spied a really wonderful mosaic and photographed it.

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A Profusion of Bright Red Quilts

/ May 4, 2011
A view of the armory decked out in Mrs. Rose's quilts. It was a breathtaking sight! Note the size of the people compared to the volume of the room.

A view of the armory decked out in Mrs. Rose's quilts. It was a breathtaking sight! Note the size of the people compared to the volume of the room.Slideshow

Flying quilts everywhere and all different.
This 19th century pattern reminds me of our Sachet patten in Aqualinea.
More white than red makes for an interesting graphic.
Here you see more red than white. It changes the density of the design.
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Just a simple brick pattern outlined in white is graphic and effective. Perhaps the early work of a young quiltmaker.
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I loved the simplicity of the polka dots. I have never seen a polka dot quilt before but it seems so logical--it is easy to sew in circles.
This has a name something like Sun and Moon, appropriately.
This is very intricate. The planning for such great execution of a pattern had to have been intense.
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This is a soft and open pattern.
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A version of pinwheels is very festive.
A parting view of the exhibit.

I was reading the New York Times Magazine on March 27th and spotted a great looking ad for an exhibit of red quilts at the Armory on 67th and Park in New York. The photos were colorful and I thought it might be interesting to see 650 quilts all at once. So off I went. It was a simply MAGICAL experience!

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Wallpaper in the Bath

/ April 20, 2011
Water and fish; very bathroom worthy. Notice the soft taupe upon which the fish swim.

Water and fish; very bathroom worthy. Notice the soft taupe upon which the fish swim.Slideshow

A traditional damask pattern in soft neutral tones. This pattern is easy to live with and familiar in an updated way.
Traditional toile is always in style. The French theme is complete with the decorative mirror.
Red and white makes for a very cheerful and welcoming powder room.
Horizontal stripes make a bath seem wider. I love the bold navy and white stripes.
The vertical stripes from floor to ceiling make the space feel enclosed.
Prancing zebras are really fun in a powder bath.
This is a tiny bath. The washstand is no more than 30", but the wallpaper makes the space feel important. Black and white is always crisp.
This is a great combination of dark colored glass mosaics and the white background of the wallpaper tree.

I am not really a “trend” person, but I would have to be blind not to notice all the fabulous wallpapers being installed now, especially in powder rooms. I can’t think of a better place to experiment with some funky wall covering than a small bath. The drama ratio is high and the expense can be low because so little material is needed.

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