A CHAIR, A LOVE AFFAIR

(C) Dean Farris Interior Design 2016

When I first laid eyes on this Spanish copy of a painted Louis XV chair, with gilt decorations -I fell in love, it was love at first sight.  There's a long story behind my acquisition of it, let me share it with you. 

The first time I actually met Albert Hadley was when he came to FIT to give a talk to the interior design students.  He had his assistant at the time, Tice Alexander, with him.  Tice and I had been friends when we both studied at FIT- and I just happened to be wearing a bright-ish teal sweater that day- (a purchase I had spent a lot of time agonizing over, from the old Barneys when it was still downtown)...later Tice told me that the only student that Albert thought had style was that guy wearing the teal sweater!  This was around 1982 or so.

Fast forward to 1996 or 97, and lo and behold, Albert had purchased a small cottage in Old Naples!  I was thrilled. (I had moved to Naples from NYC in 1996) One day AH and I were spending some time in the tiny guest house behind the main cottage, and I saw the chair- the chair I fell in love with- it was TEAL !  I died.  I swooned.  Albert saw how much I loved it and agreed to sell it to me.  I was able to convince a client, who had never paid any fees, to buy the chair for me, in lieu of a fee- and she agreed!  I was in heaven!  :)

While this chair still gives me pleasure, and reminds me of the days of wine and roses with Albert- I do realize that it's perhaps a little too grand for how I really live.  Not that it's museum quality, but the fragility and the provenance...I adore it!  It inspired me to pursue more objects of quality and upped my game when it comes to furniture selection.  I see it as a piece of sculpture in a space.  Not really a chair.  An art object.  An object of desire. 

Teal reminds me of my childhood, when I would see this teal Rolls Royce convertible sitting in a carport on my way home from school.  One day when I happened to be walking on Madison Avenue in New York, I saw Mrs. Petrie being driven up the avenue in HER teal Rolls Royce!  It was a fabulous sight- very glam.  I also love this color as seen in 18th century oil paintings, often juxtaposed with a tomato red.  Beautiful!
DF *****

TODD ALEXANDER ROMANO, NAPLES

Todd Romano, via House Beautiful

I was excited to hear (from dear friend Mary) that Todd Romano had recently decorated the old Albert Hadley cottage...(Naples) where I spent a lot of time back in the late 90's.

Having always been a huge fan of Todd's, I was relieved to know that he had been involved in this project, and I know that Albert would be very pleased as well.  See the circa 2000 image from House Beautiful below for the Albert version of this room...



Albert Hadley, via House Beautiful

It's a great tribute to Naples to have had not just Albert but also Todd working here, and I was thrilled to see what Todd had done, since the previous owner had used some oversized furniture that seemed to dwarf the diminutive cottage rooms... this house has sold several times since Mr. Hadley owned it, and it finally is coming into it's own now that TAR has put his elegant imprimatur on it...check out more of Todd's beautiful design work here from his interior design site. 

Beautiful, elegant, and suitable- Billy Baldwin would be impressed too!  DF *****

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Victorian Revival, Dean Farris Interior Design

Dean Farris Interior Design (c) 2016

The Victorians were into maximalism, and they loved to have something they called a "cozy corner" ~ a decorative conceit where they could lounge a la turque in high style, perhaps smoking a pipe or sipping some absinthe....here, Billy and I had fun one day creating our own cozy corner, and it gave our guests a lot of pleasure.  Enjoy!  DF *****

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John Singer Sargent

 



Dining at Bricktops, Naples

Blue Bar, Hotel Algonquin, NYC

Last night, Billy and I had great fun, while dining chez Bricktops (Naples and Palm Beach) with our new friend, Mr. Philip Norkeliunas, who was sent to us by dear Mario Buatta, The Prince of Chintz! 
Philip roomed with Christopher Spitzmiller at Saint Lawrence College.  Philip's partner, Dr. Amin Jaffer, lives in London, and works at Christie's ...and he has also written a book, "Beyond Extravagance"...click here ~we also saw our old friends from Gulf Shore Boulevard and Amagansett, Joy and Tom Edwards, which was a delightful surprise.  Tom is a very talented decorator, and a native New Yorker.  All in all, a very enjoyable evening!  DF *****

Morning Light, Early November

My new slipper chairs from Linda, Calling It Home, fabric is Robert Allen

Even though I don't shoot film anymore, I still get a kick out of using my phone for images with instant gratification...and I'm still crazy for these ultra-chic chairs that my new friend Linda gave me recently.  They're now flanking my early 20th century (circa 1915) chesterfield in newer buttery caramel colored leather.  I caught the beautiful early morning light and wanted to share it with you.



My Albert Hadley low table, with red lacquer tray

Love this image, the small bohemian glass vases were another gift, from dear friend Roberta.  Billy bought the small Imari bowl for me in a shop in Key West, that had moved down from Greenwich Village. 
As I enjoy my morning coffee here, I think of all the wonderful memories of dear Albert, and when he gave me this table while on his way to the trash bin to throw it out.  It was lacquered in a khaki-bamboo gold color and I simply brushed it with a gloss black paint.  Black accents with taupe walls and beige carpet is a smart combination, and gives a nice masculine atmosphere to my small flat here in Naples on the gulf.  Enjoy!  DF ***** 

DFID (c) 2015

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INSPIRATION: Home Sweet Home

Dean Farris Interior Design (c) 2015

I know, you're probably thinking, oh boy, here he goes again, showing his living room ~ in Naples ~ but it's home sweet home baby, love it or leave it! 
Looking forward to the weather change, and some cooler, less humid days...I chose to re-post this image today, since I just finished being awesomely and blown away- inspired by the new Schumacher News story on Miles Redd, where Dara Caponigro gave him twelve editorial pages to show whatever inspired him and his new fabric and wallpaper collection.  (see my earlier post on Miles Redd for F Schumacher) Enjoy! DF *****

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Heaven on the U.E.S.

via September Traditional Home

Kevin and Jay McLaughlin founded one of my favorite shops, now with 100 locations, called J.McLaughlin...the home of Kevin and his wife Barbara, is featured in the September issue of Traditional Home magazine, and what a warm and inviting townhouse it is.   
Working with their long time friend, architect Doug Larson, the house was re-modeled to suit the needs of their family.  The library, above, was done in a subtle glazed olive...

via September 2015 Traditional Home

I was excited to see the link to this story posted on the J. McLaughlin blog, and enjoy sharing it with you dear readers.  Lucky me, Naples has two McLaughlin shops, and a busy internet site as well.  They have also recently opened in Montecito, CA.  I just came back from some fun in the sun, on the east coast of Florida, and hope to share some shots with you from that trip soon!  So, stay tuned!  DF *****  

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Thomas B. Britt

Tom Britt, New York salon, via Love Is Speed

Another of the fabulous New York designers I was most fortunate to be mentored by was Tom Britt.  Originally from Kansas City, Tom is a dynamo of a designer, and a true man of the world.  One summer, I worked in his office, making drawings, and going on trips to the job sites- it was a bit of a shock to see how those apartments were totally demolished, and the furniture in them would be piled in the middle of the rooms and covered with tarps...the reality of what decorators do was beginning to register! 

In order to fully appreciate the immersive experience I had, under Tom's guidance, you need to know, as I did, that Tom and Angelo (Donghia) attended Parsons together.  They even shared an apartment!  So, it was so interesting to me, having already seen Angelo's very glam east side duplex, with its two drawing rooms, one up and one down- and both in satin and lacquer...to then be overwhelmed by the high drama of Tom's two drawing rooms - both in boiserie~ and the upstairs one entirely in a Rose Cumming shade of blue satin...  with the famous Rose Cumming "banana leaves" fabric in the metallic gold colorway in the downstairs drawing room.  Now, add to all of this the maestro (Tom) with his booming, unique baritone voice being broadcast throughout.  Oh, and the Baron Nicholas de Gunzberg had also kept a place in Tom's building, on East 63rd Street. 

I was fascinated and a little intimidated by Tom's powerful and exotic personality, although he was a good friend to me and always treated me with great kindness.  After all, the eminence grise himself, Prof. Stanley Barrows, had said of me that I reminded him of Tom, when he taught Tom at Parsons!  (Stanley Barrows also taught me at FIT).  And now, Julie Britt (Tom's wife) and I are friends on Facebook!  Who knew?  I had only met her briefly when I worked for Tom, as they were no longer together.  A very nice lady.

What happened to sort of derail what I think would have been a brilliant career (for me) was that almost all of my friends and colleagues succumbed to the AIDS crisis.  I was left with Tom and Mario...plus Albert for a while, but this was all after I had moved out of NY and settled for good, in affluent and conservative Naples.  Los Angeles had called out to me, like a siren, and I did almost go out there- but strangely ended up in a town known as the Palm Beach of the west coast!  I call Naples a little town with a big ego.  Armistead Maupin mentioned it in one of his later works, and not in a kind way.  I wrote about it in my sketchy little potboiler called "Diamonds In The Sun" (available on Amazon books)...and so, here I am, after all these years, I'm still here.  DF ***** click here for a great Plum TV video on Tom, and his Hamptons estate....

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The Jewel Box

Dean Farris Interior Design (c) 2015

What fun to live in a little jewel box by the sea!  This image resonates with me, it's my Naples living room, inspired by many different things~ but it does remind me somewhat of the Fifth Avenue apartment of Mary Gilbert, in New York, where I met her friend, Hurd Hatfield.  Hurd had played Dorian Gray in the movie version of the Oscar Wilde novel.

Mary's flat- decorated by the firm of Marshall-Schule, was an over the top confection, inspired by the Brighton pavilion, and Russian palaces.  It was elegant and beautiful.  Just like Mary.  Ned Marshall is a superbly talented decorator and colorist, and is living in New Orleans.  A fellow native of the great state of Georgia, he's a true Southern gent.  Happy Memorial Day weekend, and Happy Summer! Enjoy! DF *****

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The Garden District, Naples

Ready for another gala event

Seen at Garden District, Naples

Rufino Hernandez, The Garden District

Garden behind Rufino's shop

Vignette in window, Garden District

It's always fun to visit the Naples shop, The Garden District, which belongs to old friend, Rufino Hernandez.  Rufino does many of the hundreds of charity events here in town, and is very talented.  He also has a very talented staff.  Enjoy these random shots I took yesterday, while shopping for my new New York-Mediterra clients...DF ***** 

Rufino Hernandez

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My Gilt-y Pleasure

Circa 1810 French mirror, Antiques Center of Naples

I love looking into, and at, my old gilt mirror- it has such romance and mystery...it adds so much charm and character to my smallish living room.

If you've been following me, you no doubt know by now that I very much like patina, and gilt, and things from the past- I suppose I could have my old mirror re-gilded, but it might come off looking too "repro" and I LIKE the crusty old look of it as it is, don't you?  I think it suits the cottage-y proportions of my small condo.

Now, THIS is a gilt-y pleasure!  I LOVE Versailles!  When I was there, touring- I almost fainted, since I had such a minimal lunch....and I was feeling as if I was in one of my spiritual homes...such beauty!

French commode, with gilt bronze mounts

Sean Johnson at the Biennale des Antiquaires

Here I am with my "Versailles" mirror,

as interpreted by Line Vautrin...

Green paint with gilt, Palace of Versailles

I love the mirror over mantel in Mrs. Altschul's flat, by Mario Buatta

(formerly a Sister Parish apartment)

Tom Britt's New York townhouse apartment

All of these images represent something near and dear to my design sensibility- did you know- and I've been known to make a joke at my own expense- that my nickname in design school (in Atlanta) was "Putti Baroque" ? Well, it's true !  :)  Ha!  Cheers!  Enjoy!  DF ***** Check out the GILT site !  XX

A Cozy Dinner For Six

Dinner at home, chez Joe Rosen

Really, what could possibly be nicer than having some supper with old friends, in the intimate privacy of their home?  Not to mention the divine drinks and hors d'oeurves before!  Our wonderful New York pal, Joe had us over last night for a delicious and fun evening.  I loved his table setting so much I just had to post about it! Look at his creative placement.  I especially loved the peachy melon color he chose to use, and even suggested painting the tray ceiling the same rosy shade.  Oh, and lets not forget the dessert(s), and after dinner brandy and coffees!  Joe never lets his guests leave hungry!

Here's handsome Joe, relaxing in the living room, while Jimmy preps in the kitchen.  His decor' in Naples is very warm and eclectic. As I have mentioned in previous posts on JR, he once worked with starchitect, Phillip Johnson, and he MET Rose Cumming!  Not to mention a long list of other notable luminaries. What a great guy!  Below, a close-up of the console table arrangement in his living room.  

He played with seashells, palm tree lamps, faux aloe plants, and Asian pieces with an empire style mirror. He has stacks of books and current magazines everywhere, which create such a cozy, warm, and friendly atmosphere. Another thing I love about hanging out chez Joe, is the down filled cushions in his sofas and chairs!  Plus, his selection of cheeses and things to drink is totally gracious and fabulous- it's all so yummy and so good.  Coup de grace: TWO DESSERTS !!  An Italian New York Style cheesecake, and a layered ganache of chocolate, cream, and fruit!  DIVINE!  Thanks again Joe, for a wonderful, fun, relaxing, and elegant evening in your home away from home.  Cheers!  DF *****

 

2009 Castle Rock Pinot Noir

Courtesy Bleu Provence, Naples

I've been enjoying this "New World" Pinot Noir lately, and thought to share it with you, dear readers.  A product of the central coast of California- it's described as a "Burgundian varietal, with an elegant, medium body, and aromas of cherry, tea, and herbal spice".  Enjoy!

I found the above image on New York Social Diary, and thought it most inspiring- a tablescape from the Manhattan home of young Christopher Stevens, a New York decorator- he reminds me of my old colleague, the late Randall Ridless. Christopher has also worked for my old friend and FIT class mate, Marcy Masterson.  Kudos to Christopher, his chic Hermes' orange flat is quite charming, and with an enviable location, in the west village, or vill-lahge as we used to call it. Stay tuned for more exciting news on DFS ! 

Cheers !  DF ***** 

Sister, Mario, and Dean !

Concept sketch, D.F.I.D.

We're having a great time planning my new apartment- here in The Moorings- and wanted to share this designer sketch, known as an "esquisse" with you, dear readers...I was inspired by seeing a false fireplace in the office of Mrs. Henry Parish, II- and have decided to use a Louis XV style mantel in my new living room- oddly enough, the small cottage once owned by Albert Hadley, here in Naples, also had a white painted Louis XV style mantel!  As for dear Mario B, my new palette is an homage to him, since it combines the colours of a garden...

Mrs. Parish's former maisonette, by Mario Buatta

Above, notice the rouge marble Louis XV mantel, which helps to create an architectural focal point. We plan to hang the circa 1800 gilt wood mirror above my mantel, and I really like very much the refined mix that is a classic signature of Mario's work, and we hope to achieve this look in my new flat. (on a smaller scale!)  The other focal point in this view is the magnificent red chinoiserie secretary.

Above, in a vintage Palm Beach house, a gilt sunburst was hung above the mantel.  Notice there is no rug on the dark wood floor- we are also considering a dark wood floor, versus a tile floor.  I like the subtle French undertones of this room, which I had posted about previously, under Maurice Fatio.

Dean Farris Interior Design

Above, my copy of a "Versailles" style sunburst, with mirror, after a model by Line Vautrin.  This mirror was sourced from Wisteria, which is owned by the daughter of Lisa Newsome, the founder of the beautiful decor' magazine- VERANDA.  I'm not sure where it will go yet, probably above the circa 1900 cognac brown leather chesterfield sofa.  I'm mostly using existing furnishings for my new flat, and we may or may not use the ikat jute rug shown in an earlier post...and stay tuned for some exciting news! (secret) - what do you think? Should we go with a bare floor, or add a rug? Any thoughts and suggestions would be most appreciated!  Cheers!  DF *****

  

Parish-Hadley Redux in Naples

Dean Farris Interior Design

Here's the exciting new ikat printed jute rug I had mentioned in a recent post-! I'm very pleased with it, and it just reminds me so much of some of the vintage images from the P-H archives I had been exposed to while living in New York, and studying my passion, interior design and decoration...this really "woke up" my room!  As I told my good friend and fellow decorator, Judith Auclair- I may have an actual color palette going on for the first time in years, for ME, not the clients! :)  

Above, you can see the teal painted Spanish Louis XV arm chair I obtained from Mr. Albert Hadley- and I had told Judith I thought my new "palette" might be blues, cognac browns, and touches of periwinkle.  Now that the new ikat jute rug is here (Feizy Imports) I see more of the turquoise-teal in it so am thinking of adding that divine colour also - for the satin turkish corner toss pillows I'm planning for the leather chesterfield sofa.  An unexpected benefit of this made in India rug is the warm aroma of jute -like a soft masculine rope smell...which I rather like.  Thanks to the California based artist-designer, Tracy Porter (see earlier post) of Poetic Wanderlust, I now have a new casual rug, affordable, and chic, that I can get excited about!  Cheers!  DF *****(click images to enlarge)   

Get The Look!



Ronald Bricke and Associates, Inc.

I was thrilled to see this designer living room, from the private residence of Ronald Bricke, on New York Social Diary...I immediately was reminded of the time I was taken to the townhouse of Angelo Donghia- and how the arrangement in the downstairs white lacquered drawing room had a wild chic and flair.  Well- guess what?  Ronald Bricke worked for Angelo- many moons ago, when AD was associated with Yale Burge, the country french specialist.  Mentioned in the excellent piece on NYSD, was how, when Ronald was a student at Parsons, he was entered into a design contest, and Salvador Dali and the Duchess of Windsor were judges- and of course Ronald was the big winner - a trip to Europe paid for by the Duke!  A similar thing happened to me in design school in New York, and my project was published in "Interior Design" and there was enough cash involved that I was encouraged to fund the Glenn Boyles Memorial Scholarship...which I did.  Mr. Boyles had been at Parsons, and taught many of the top designers, including, I imagine, Mr. Ronald Bricke.  The 1995 Kips Bay showhouse contained an amazing bedroom by Ronald, featuring a very tall tester bed, with a baroque cornice, painted white.  The hangings were in a deep anthracite, and the walls were in a dark cocoa.  He used a rag rug under the bed, from Margareta Nettles, of Nantucket.  The fabrics were by Schumacher.  I will try and post this image for you so you can see it.  Also, tonight I met a wonderful designer, William Murphy, who just moved to town from Atlanta.  His Buckhead house was featured in "Traditional Home" - you may recall- and he is very talented.  Bill will be living down the street from me- check out his site- www.jessary.com Cheers!  DF *****   

RL Home Collection, 30 Years of Fabulous!



Designer James Andrew

I enjoyed seeing the coverage of the 30 year anniversary of RL Home in the September issues of House Beautiful, and Architectural Digest...my New York pal, James Andrew, of the blog "What Is James Wearing? " once worked for Ralph, before his time with famous Albert Hadley- and the late AH had consulted on the Laurens' Fifth Avenue apartment after it was done by Angelo Donghia, many years ago. 
Stay tuned for some exciting news regarding our upcoming partnership with the world famous RL brand!  Cheers!  DF *****

Diamonds In The Sun, A Roman a Clef



Naples, Florida

 



DITS, Amazon.com



 Currently, one of my favorite Palm Beach decorators, Leta Austin Foster, has published a wonderful story, called "Night Swimming" - on her blog, called "Decorating With Sheets"- and her post inspired me to write about the time, about five years ago, when I self published a funny little novel, called "Diamonds In The Sun, The Mitzie Newburg Chronicles".  It's a work of thinly disguised truth as fiction- known as a roman a clef- about the town of Naples, Florida, where I've been living for the last 16 years...

Here's an excerpt from one of my favorite chapters, called "The Honeymoon" -

Dinner was aboard the boat, and it slowly cruised up the coast and then turned as the sun was beginning to set.  There was a haze of mist that created a scene from a Turner painting, and the men were in black tie with ivory jackets and the ladies wore chiffon with heavy euro-style jewels.  As the boat returned to the mooring in the bay near the villa, the sunset reflected on the windows of the house and they glittered like diamonds in the sun.  Lamps were being lit in the bedrooms, and the diamonds glowed from within and reflected the sea light in a dazzling display of beauty and peace.

If I had to describe what my little un-edited work is about, I'd say it's about a lady who seems to have it all, but never has enough.  It's about how we all strive to live the best life we can, and I am inspired by people who are so creative, like Leta, and like Tyler Perry, and a writer called E. Lynn Harris, who used to sell books from the trunk of his car, before he got an agent and a publisher.  (Tyler Perry took his life savings of $12,000 and invested it in a play he created.  He kept re-writing this for about 6 or 7 years...today he is estimated to be worth about 400 million dollars).  Inspiring.



   


A view from my apartment, sunrise

I hope you'll find this post inspiring too, and maybe create something fun and interesting of your own, whatever it is.  ENJOY!  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

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