Chic & Whimsical Chateau

When I first saw the photo above in World of Interiors, I immediately thought of the whimsical windows of Bergdorf Goodman so it seemed like the perfect follow up.  The unicorns reside in the Chateau de la Goujeonnerie outside of La Rochelle, France.  It was renovated and decorated by the three creative men behind Les Trois Garcons restaurant in London as a getaway retreat but it can also be rented out.  There is nothing I love more than discovering that you can actually stay in a place whose design is infinitely inspiring. This is definitely going on my travel list for 2012.  Anyone else care to join me? 

Chic Carriage House

Thank you for all the anniversary comments and emails as well as new apartment well wishes.  I know everyone is anxious to see photos but my new place is definitely not ready for its close up.  Even though the owner had the apartment painted in my choice of colors, the kitchen needed a little revision.  I also can't wait until my new shower curtain in delivered from Restoration Hardware so the unfortunate shower doors with flower decoration can be removed.  And considering that my temporary shade just fell down, I think I need to place an order for window treatments asap.  We've still got mounds of books in boxes still waiting to be unpacked.  I can't wait until everything is in its place and I can relax and enjoy my new apartment. 

I came across these photos of interior designer Bruce Budd's carriage house in an old issue of World of Interiors that I was cleaning out before my move.  I love how everything is perfectly placed and has room to breathe.  Bruce Budd happens to be the decorator for the Mellon family who put him up in their carriage house which has since been sold.  In the photos, you can see where carriages used to be stored on the first floor, now a space for cars, and the walkway the horses were led up to the stalls.  Rich families on the Upper East Side didn't want their stinky stables right next to their mansions so many were built on East 70th Street. Now this one is owned by a rich finance guy.  There is a joke in there somewhere.  More importantly, I wonder where Bruce Budd lives now and when we'll see it. 

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!

 

Parisian Perfection

I'm being a busy little bee working on my client projects getting quotes so I hope you'll forgive me for a short post. After seeing the photo of me in Paris yesterday, I thought it might be fitting to post an apartment in Paris. Hamish Bowles is an Englishman living in New York working for Vogue magazine as the European editor-at-large who also happens to have had a pretty Parisian apartment. Hamish is quite the collector and it's full of wonderful treasures with interesting provenances. He had intended on painting the walls until he started hanging his artwork and decided it would be too much. These photos and more appeared in the October 2009 issue of World of Interiors and if you can get your hands on a copy, I highly recommend picking it up. The apartment is a beauty who's time was unfortunately fleeting. Hamish decided not to renew the lease as "economic realities" began to set in for even those at venerable Vogue.

It's a little hard to tell from these photos but my favorite aspect of the apartment is the thread of blue that runs through every room and ties it all together.

The pink upholstered Louis XV syle chair was used in a Bruce Weber fashion shoot. I also love the cheeky mask on the bust in the background!

This room looks like the perfect place to drink tea and eat colorful macaroons on a gray day!

I would never have thought to add seating to the drawing gallery since it's really a hallway and pass through but the large window makes for a sunny sitting area.

It was fun trying to see what books were on the shelves and see all the great art. The photo of Jackie Kennedy hanging on the wall is by Slim Aarons while the headboard below is by Lisa Fine. You can see her home in the December issue of Lonny! It's a shame that Hamish no longer lives in this beautiful apartment but I'm sure he's already decorating another little pied-à-terre as we speak! C'est magnifique!

UPDATE: To see Hamish's New York apartment, head over to the NEO-Traditionalist. Looks like the pink Louis chair took a trip across the pond. Or maybe there were two of them!

Photos by François Halard