A Royal Bridesmaid

The coverage of the Royal Wedding is starting to become a bit much but I am enjoying the coverage by India Hicks.  For those of you who don't know, not only is India the daughter of the late interior design legend David Hicks but also the goddaughter and second cousin of Prince Charles.  It was Charles who asked the young India to be a bridesmaid at his wedding to Diana Spencer in 1981.  It's definitely more fun to hear stories from someone who was actually there instead of an American talk show host.  I especially love when India and her mother Lady Pamela Hicks compare bridesmaid stories and dresses.  The Hon. Pamela Mountbatten was one of Queen Elizabeth's bridesmaids when the Queen married Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten in 1947. Both India and her mother were not only royal bridesmaids but both still have their dresses as they discussed on The Untold Stories of a Royal Bridesmaid on TLC.  To be a part of history as they have is pretty special.

But that certainly isn't the end of the story.  India Hicks has led a full and interesting life.  She spent much of her life modeling before creating a series of gorgeous homes on Harbour Island in the Bahamas with her partner David Flint Wood, as well as writing books and developing products for Crabtree & Evelyn.  I was lucky enough to meet India and David in New York last month and can tell you that they are both as nice as they are talented.  India was in town to unveil her new India Hicks Jewelry collection.  The Initial collection is based on designs by David Hicks and the Island Life pieces are inspired by the sea.  It's so lovely that both India and her brother Ashley carry on their father's design legacy but this post wouldn't be complete without a look at some actual  David Hicks designs. The Grove in Oxfordshire, England was the last home he lived in and the one that Lady Pamela Hicks resides in to this day.  India was photographed in it for Hello magazine and for a Tods campaign and it still looks as good today as it did when it was designed.  Kind of like those bridesmaid dresses.

India Hicks, second from the left with Princess Diana and Queen Elizabeth in blue at the Royal Wedding in 1981.

Lady Pamela Hicks

The Royal Wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Philip Mountbatten in 1947 in which Lady Pamela Mountbatten was a bridesmaid.

David Hicks and Lady Pamela Hicks

The wedding of the Lady Pamela Mountbatten to David Nightingale Hicks in 1960.

The Grove Living Room with the fireplace that I think has since been replaced.

The Grove Living Room

India Hicks being photographed by photographer Elliott Erwitt for Tods.

India in the Living Room in Hello magazine.

The Grove Living Room with view of the Gardens.

India Hicks in Hello magazine.

The Grove in 1980.

India Hicks in Hello magazine on the stairs.

The Grove Dining Room with panels that were painted by Rex Whistler for Edwina Mountbatten in 1937.  They were moved to Lady Pamela's study at their house Britwell before being moved to The Grove.

India Hicks in the dining room in Hello magazine.

The dining room at The Grove.

David Hicks bedroom at The Grove in 1980.

While this looks like a library, it's actually David Hicks bathroom.

David Hicks was an avid gardener at The Grove.

India Hicks and her sons by the pool in the Tods campign.

Another photo by Elliott Erwitt for Tods.

Statues in the garden at The Grove.

David Hicks died in 1998 but his design legacy lives on not only in his gardens but also his brilliant children.



Ashley Hicks at Home

The photo from David Hicks's London apartment in my last post reminded me that his son Ashley Hicks's Oxfordshire home is featured in the new January 2011 issue of World of Interiors magazine.  I don't normally post bathrooms first but since it's on the cover, I figured it was appropriate.  These photos are from the Ashley Hicks website but there are more in the magazine and I highly recommend picking up a copy.  It's so nice to see when I child not only keeps the family business up and running but adds their own touch.  Ashley has designed much of the furniture in his own home that is also for sale.  Enjoy!

 

Ashley Hicks Lecture and Booksigning

I don't normally look forward to Mondays but I can't wait until this Monday night to hear Ashley Hicks speak about his legendary father! After the lecture, he will be signing his new book, David Hicks: A Life of Design! They still have seats available and you can sign up online at Potterton Books. See you there!

Ashley Hicks on David Hicks: A Life of Design

Monday, November 9, 2009

Lecture begins at 6:00pm

Reception and Book Signing to Follow

Grollier Club

47 East 60th Street

Between Park and Madison Avenues

$35 general admission

$25 students with valid identification

$65 book (15% discount if purchased with registration)

To register call 212-644-2292

Online registration www.pottertonbooksusa.com

David Hicks Gallery and Book

Did you know there is a David Hicks France gallery in Paris? Neither did I. Lucky for me, I happened to walk by it on my way to the Jardin du Luxembourg on the last day of my trip. David Hicks designs have been emulated and expanded on by many designers over the years but there is nothing like seeing the originals. While new designers tend to pump up the color and kitsch factor, David Hicks original designs are much more sophisticated and interesting. He also mixed antiques with modern furniture, color and patterns which was the key to his look and it's often the antiques that are missing from the new interpretations.

In one room of the David Hicks France gallery, the bright red accents are grounded by the brown walls. You can also see one of his iconic carpet designs in the room. You can order David Hicks carpets from Stark Carpet in New York.

What I can't find is anyone in the US who sells the rest of the David Hicks line which includes furniture, lighting, and accessories. The Paris gallery also have wallpaper patterns I haven't seen anywhere else.

The David Hicks France gallery was such a great find and there was so much to look at that I felt like a kid in a candy store! I definitely wait to go back!

If you can't get to Paris to experience David Hicks designs in person then I recommend the new book, David Hicks: A Life of Design by his son Ashley Hicks. I've already been enjoying it and all the new photos of his work. Although his style was considered radical at the time, it now seems timeless to me as you can see in the following interiors. I just wish we had a David Hicks gallery in the US so everyone could appreciate his work in person!

My greatest contribution as an interior designer has been to show people how to use bold color mixtures, how to use patterned carpets, how to light rooms, and how to mix old with new. - David Hicks, 1968