Tuesday 17 June 2008

Another reason why the houses of fashion designers are sexier than those of interior designers


Decorative Antiques and Textiles Fair, 2004.

While this is not our house, it could be.

The Edwardian sofa, covered in a neutral camel twill for the fair, has long since been recovered in an olive striƩd linen velvet for our living room.
The large deep buttoned Victorian chairs covered in an ikat printed linen, now sit in our living room.
The Thonet sofa, now sits in our kitchen.
The framed early Victorian penguin-skin blanket, now hangs in our hall.



Detail of a Georgian oak bookcase from a house attached to a shipping company on Guernsey Island. Destined for the ground floor as it weighs an absolute ton, even empty, and does not separate into sections. Which was a complete surprise as it was purchased over the telephone.


Detail of living room winter carpet, a 1930s Samarkand. Which turned out to be essential, as the Belgian printed floor-cloth which is the perfect foil for the ikat covered Victorian chairs turned out not to be colourfast.

Part of being a decorator who also deals in antiques is doing only what one believes in. That means, being willing to live with one's choices that others neglect to choose. Not unlike Rose Cumming and her ugly room. That is what Miss Cumming called her living room which was filled with things rejected by her clients. It is never ending. Not unlike living on the set from Sanford and Son. Only with better junk, one hopes.

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5 comments:

the quarter rat said...

That penguin skin blanket is the coolest thing ever. It could be part of Bruce Chatwin's inventory in "The Estate of Maxmilian Tod," hanging over General Ney's campaign bed.

HOBAC said...

QR - now I am going to have to read that. Thanks.

Easy and Elegant Life said...

Me, too.

Thanks for the chuckle HOBAC. How many times have we all purchased something over the telephone only to go into shock when it arrives? The library ladder, for instance, which was shipped to us and had to be picked up at the depot... with Mrs. E.'s ancient VW Fox. Not only did it weigh a tonne, it was longer than the car.

Love the 1930's Samarkand. (And the crocodile on the wall...)

katiedid said...

You know I would gladly take any of your junk. Love the rug and it does work so well with the chairs! And the Thonet is wonderful.

HOBAC said...

katiedid - I'm changing the will now.