SUMMER READ: Growing Up Getty

Looking forward to this vicarious ride through the adventures of "Growing Up Getty" - a fabulous new book by author James Reginato...Enjoy! DF

More Designer Inspirations!

Ann Getty

Dennis and Leen

Dean Farris Interior Design

J Nelson

Mario Buatta

"This is all just fuel for the fire of our imagination.  We are all in this game together, and what a fabulous game it is."  DF

************  

Fantasy in Decoration IV

Sotheby's East Hampton, NY

My New York pal, the designer Tom Edwards, has a house in Amagansett, currently on the market- and he showed me the full page NYT ad showing his house on the same page with Kevin McNamaras former pavilion- now listed for $7.5 million...Toms house is on the same street as Blythe Danners- (Gwyneth Paltrows mother) ~ !  See my earlier posts on Kevin McNamara in the search bar.

LWC Interiors , Atlanta, Palm Beach,  New York

My old Atlanta friend, Louise Wilcox Cronan designed this charming landing- using a Bob Collins chinese fret paper and a Kent Bragaline floral print on the octagonal table- Louise has worked for Carleton Varney and for Kevin McNamara, in senior decorator positions~ we recently lunched together at Belle and Maxwells on Dixie Highway in West Palm Beach.  See more of her work at the upcoming Cathedral Antiques Show in Atlanta this winter.  Louise is a third generation designer and great fun to know.

Richard Lowell Neas, New York

 Speaking of Atlanta, our blogging friend, Jennifer Boles of The Peak of Chic, just today posted about the late decorative painter, Richard Neas.  I was most intrigued by this fantasy painted floor and the lovely, timeless, trompe l'oeil porcelain wall decorations~ thanks Jennifer!  And I've always loved a bright chinese yellow wall colour, ever since I was exposed to it at the American museum in Britain, at Claverton manor- where I lived and worked -after design school in Atlanta, under the tutelage of Stan Topol (famous for having worked for Elton John, and apprenticing under Billy Baldwin).  Lucky me!  Also am loving the sober contrast of the black regency chairs against this bright wall.

Valentino, AD

Fashion designer, Valentino Garavani, has five amazing homes, and a yacht!  This AD image sent me over the moon, so I had to appropriate it for this post~ the chinese paper is what puts it into a "fantasy" category for me- combined with the scale of the fabulous mirror and the girandole on pedestal.  Love the one big statement porcelain figure on the console too!  Heaven!

Image DF

I discovered this AMAZING plant growing behind the Tommy Bahama emporium here in Naples this weekend~ it just inspires me with its fantasy explosion of brilliant purple and green!  Martha Stewart probably even knows what it is!  :)

“Always try to keep a patch of sky above your life.” 
― Marcel Proust, Swann's Way

**********

Ann Getty, Slim Aarons

 This is my favorite Slim Aarons image showing the California beauty, Ann Gilbert Getty.  I love the fantasy of her amazing life, and her incredible elegance and style. ~ 

“The thirst for something other than what we have…to bring something new, even if it is worse, some emotion, some sorrow; when our sensibility, which happiness has silenced like an idle harp, wants to resonate under some hand, even a rough one, and even if it might be broken by it.” 
― Marcel Proust, Swann's Way

**********

Even I imagine, Monsieur Proust would be inspired and stirred by her beauty- and so these quotes from him have been included~

Enjoy!  Cheers!  DF ***** 

Ann All American Beauty

Ann Getty by Keith Morrison, courtesy ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE 

Ann Getty in Oscar de la Renta

Ann Getty in Morocco 

Ann Getty, (in Valentino Couture) ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

Ann Getty in San Francisco

Ann Getty, 1979, by Slim Aarons

Ann Getty, ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE

Ann Getty, in San Francisco

Ever since the mid 1980's, when I was fortunate to work with my old school friend, Tice Alexander- I began my journey involving hearing about Ann Gilbert Getty, and seeing images of her beautiful apartment on Fifth Avenue, in New York.  Tice worked with Sister Parish, Mrs. Getty, and Albert Hadley on the New York apartments, and traveled frequently to Paris to shop for the job.  I heard the most fabulous stories of how the details were worked out, and was shown photographs as well.  One thing I vividly remember was that the drawing room was created with entirely new (interior) walls- so that the silk stripe wall upholstery would then "lay out" perfectly evenly- including the corners...!  As well, a set of four "important" chairs were procured, costing in excess of a million dollars.  At the time, Mr. Getty was the richest man in America, having sold Getty Oil to Texaco for about ten billion US dollars.
For all these years, Ann Getty has inspired me, and now, I have the wonderful book on her design work, called ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, which is something I often go to for further inspiration and pleasure.  So, should you find yourself at loose ends this weekend, do pick up a copy, and enjoy the visual feast.  Some of the images were previously seen in the "Architectural Digest" spread on the Getty residence.
I love that in the ballroom, disco and house music is often heard...and that children and dogs are always around.  It's the all American dream come true, for an all American girl!  Inspiring.  Beautiful.  Enjoy!  DF ***** You may also order here 

Inspiring: Syon House and Owens-Thomas House

We've started off the New Year with a burst of  more parties, and more design work- what a great day today was, private jets buzzed overhead, Ferraris tooled by, and boats of all sizes and kinds set out for the high seas- even some kayakers!  It was one of those awesome, sunny, breezy, slightly cool, but mostly warm days we get down here in the Winter.  I knew it was a great day when, I looked out from my pool, and saw a boat go by, with the name of LUCKY on the stern!  And, we had some black eyed peas today... the kind you EAT, not listen to!



The Great Hall at Syon House

In designing a new ceiling for our South Carolina residential project, which now comprises over 13,000 square feet, we found a great source of inspiration in this ceiling, above, from Syon House...the late decorator John Fowler chose the paint work here.  We are adapting and implementing this ceiling design for over seventy feet of hall ways in the east wing of the house.

The house above, in Atlanta, we've studied for the way the architrave-frieze-crown was handled on the columned porch.  Compare this one to the Owens-Thomas house, in Savannah, considered one of the finest examples extant of the English Regency style, by the then young English architect, William Jay, one of the first architects to work in the states.  (below)

I've always loved these important old houses, and use them frequently as a source of design inspiration for my projects, both here and out of town.  Still soaking up the visual extravaganza of the new book Santa brought me, "Ann Getty Interior Style" by the super talented and beautiful Diane Dorrans Saeks...




From Ann Getty Interior Style, Rizzoli

The chair, above, is from the Claus von Bulow collection, and the mantel and overmantel were designed and commissioned by Mrs. Getty. Stunning!

The Getty dining room, above, has a secret panel, behind the commode and mirror, which opens at the push of a button, to reveal the Music Room... sublime!  Enjoy the first week of the new year, wherever you may be.  DF ***** 
    

Decorator Scrapbook, Happy 2013!

This year absolutely flew by.  Looking forward to beginning a new year!  I feel like the real meaning of Christmas is pretty basic; family and friends.  That's it!  I received a copy of the new book "Ann Getty Interior Style" by Diane Dorrans Saeks (Rizzoli) and am really enjoying it.  Did you know that when Ann Getty travels, she takes the "Jetty" - her private 747...I just love that bit of trivia.  Her sense of design is truly scholarly, certainly exotic, and bedizened- (an interesting little known word, that means excessively ornate and highly decorated).  I find it, and her, truly inspiring.



Dining Room by Ann Getty Associates, San Francisco

Thanks to Ms. Saeks, we get to take a grand tour through the Ali babas cave of treasures collected by Ann Getty, a lady who admits to being terrified of Sister Parish, who helped her back in the 1970's- and that she "uses every inch" of her house.



Sitting Room, Dean Farris Interior Design, Naples

Here, I used some faux topiaries to great effect, and used items I already owned to create a semblance of the elegance that decorators long for.  We are so often like the shoemakers children, with no shoes of our own!  I'm sure that Ann Getty would love this chamber from the time of Marie Antoinette, as well as this beautiful garden room from the New York apartment of decorator Susan Gutfreund. (below)



Marie Antoinette's boudoir, Versailles



Garden Room, Susan Gutfreund, New York

 And here, (below) I used some existing furnishings in a Naples condo, and a Charleston townhouse- in the mood of luxury and elegance that we all long for, enriching our daily lives with that certain "je ne c'est quois" (please pardon my broken franglais!)





Living Room, Dean Farris Interior Design, Naples

 

Parlour, Dean Farris Interior Design, Charleston

Don't you agree that we all need some beauty, peace, and tranquility in our hectic lives?
I wish for you, dear readers, a new year of Peace, Love, and Spiritual and Worldly Beauty!

Here I am in Paris, Right Bank, 2007

**********************************************************************************    

San Francisco Chic

Ann Getty for Alexis and Trevor Traina

Tom Britt for Alexis and Trevor Traina

I had the good fortune to work for the amazing Tom Britt while I was in design school. (FIT) Tom has long worked for the Swansons, and he's Alexis Swanson Traina's godfather. Tom is such a great guy, and a huge talent. I was exposed to the world of the Getty's through my late friend and mentor, Tice Alexander, who, like Tom, hailed from Kansas City... Tice did extensive work for Ann Getty when they were decorating her apartments on Fifth avenue in NYC in conjunction with the extinct firm Parish Hadley... Billy sold this peacock shown in the dining room that Ann fashioned for Alexis in San Francisco! I met Alexis's mother, Elizabeth, through Bill when she came into the (Naples) shop he used to work in called Maison Auclair, now closed. this is all just more decorating trivia, but I wanted to share it with you, dear readers and followers! Enjoy the week! DF *****

Room of the Week, San Francisco

Interior by Ann Getty Associates, San Francisco

Antique reproduction chair, Ann Getty Associates

Just as James Andrew (What Is James Wearing?) was inspired by Ann Getty, and her house in San Francisco which was decorated by Parish-Hadley many years ago, so I have been inspired by her own Ann Getty Associates commissions. When I worked with Tice Alexander, I learned a lot about Mrs. Getty, since he had worked directly on her Fifth Avenue apartments, and was often in Paris shopping for her. Lacquer screen panels were cut and used in boiserie, banquettes were ordered up in high Napoleon III style, and the drawing room was created such that the repeat on the silk stripe wall upholstery was totally evenly placed, even in the corners! A set of important chairs anchored that room, and they set a record for price at that time. I found this entry foyer on Mrs. Getty's site, and was inspired to publish it here, as my "room of the week". A famous banquette was used, a la Michael Taylor, as well as a favorite fern fabric favored by him and Elsie de Wolfe. I look forward to seeing more of Ann Getty's work. Happy Saint Valentines Day! DF *****