Moroccan Magic

Taking time off is great until you come back over scheduled and over frazzled.  Hence the lack of post yesterday.  I hope to be back on track later tonight but until then I leave you with a little something chic, the home of Bruno Frisoni and Hervé Van der Straeten in Tangier, Morocco from Vogue. Bruno Frisoni designs for my favorite shoe company Roger Vivier and Hervé Van der Straeten is an amazing furniture designer so it's no wonder their home is absolute perfection.  While there are some colorful rooms, what I loved most are the neural spaces of ivory, white, grey, and black, with brass accents.  These images are definitely going in my future home folder.  But until then, it's back to work for me!

Photos by François Halard for Vogue

Blue Monday

I had an amazing time in Paris but it was much too short so I am already planning another trip this fall. I can't wait to spend more time exploring new parts of my favorite city.  The highlight of this trip was finding the twice a year brocante around the rue de Bretagna in the Marais.  I have lots of pictures to post soon but until then, I'm posting a few photos from the old apartment of Jacques Dehornois who I imagine also spent many a day shopping the brocantes and puces of Paris. I don't know much about it except that it was photographed by Francois Halard and featured years ago in House & Garden.  Speaking of Francois Halard, he has a wonderful feature in the latest Apartmento magazine which I was alerted to by Wayne Pate who was also in Paris this weekend.  Definitely pick it up. 

Great Scott

My appointment at the hair salon yesterday gave me time to read the new May issue of Vogue.  It features the Paris apartment of fashion designer and former model L'Wren Scott.  For those of you who don't know, she has also been dating Sir Mick Jagger for the last ten years. That's actually important information because of the pieces in the gorgeous left bank flat were rescued from some of his homes including the entire master bath. One of the first things I did was scan the article to see if she worked with an interior designer.  She worked with an architect but did all the decorating herself with the help of many assistants I'm sure.  She said it took nine months to choose the right paint colors and it looks like it was worth the wait.  Every wall and fabric color is absolutely perfect for the grey light of Paris.  It always sounds like a cliche when you say you could see yourself moving right in and not changing anything but in this case it's true.  I'd even let Mick stay.  

Photos by Francois Halard for Vogue

Rooftop Retreat

There was so much to look at in the September issue of Vogue that many might have overlooked this stunning rooftop apartment.  It's owned by Claude Wasserstein and was designed with help of interior designers Jacques Grange, Jeffrey Bilhuber, and Daniel Romualdez.  Usually, combinations like that could result in a mash up of styles and ideas but it all seems to work here.  I wish there were more photos since I know there is probably even more chicness to be found.  As much as I love that living room and the bed hangings in her daughter's bedroom, it's the terrace with real grass that blew me away.  I have to go to Central Park for green space that big but Ms. Wasserstein just has to step outside.  How fabulous is that?!

Photos by Francois Halard

Another Gorgeous Garden

As most long time readers know, I'm obsessed with gardens.  Kind of funny considering how much I hate bugs and even more so spiders.  But as a city dweller, I long to be able to see greenery outside my window and to take a walk in nature whenever I desire.  I do try to take advantage of Central Park but I have to share that with about 18 million other people.  Probably why I fell in love with Bella Pollen's English country garden when I first spied it in Vogue.  You can read the entire article here.  Bella and her husband fell in love with it too when they first saw it but it took many years of work to restore it and the neglected house to an inhabitable state.  I'm sure the final result more than makes up for all the hard work.  Just another reminder to get out and smell the roses this weekend!

Photos by François Halard

Magical Maine: Part Deux

The other Maine cottage that I wish would be featured again belongs to Marina Rust Conner.  It was built in 1899 by her great-great grandmother, Mrs. George Bird. When it appeared in Vogue, it looked a little more fussy and Victorian inside than Gwen McCaw's renovated house.  It would be interesting to see if any changes have been made over the years.  I've been to Maine many times and nothing beats that idyllic all-American feeling and slower pace.  These two homes make me want to book another trip but only if I can find an equally appealing summer "cottage" in which to stay!

Photos by François Halard

Visite Privée by François Halard

Photographer François Halard recently had an exhibition which was compiled into an accompanying book entitled Visite Privée.   The collection of photographs of artists and their studios include Cy Twombly, Julian Schnabel, Carlos Mollino, Ahn Duong, Richard Avedon, Paul Cezanne, Robert Rauschenberg, and others.  My favorite space is of course Mr. Hallard's own home in Arles, France.  There is a great story in Vogue Living: Houses, Gardens, People about how he wasn't intending to buy a home but fell in love with its "melancholy spell."  He spent years restoring the home and filled it with many pieces he already owned in storage including the Louis XVI lit a la polonaise canopy bed from the antiquaire Compoglio.  I've included photos from both books here but unfortunately Visite Privée seems to only be available in Europe.  A reason to hop on a plane to Paris if I ever saw one but if that's not possible, you can also check out the rest of the artists online.  À tout à l'heur‎e!

Photos by François Halard