Connoisseur's Guide to Finding a Decorator | Robb Report

Connoisseur's Guide to Finding a Decorator Robb Report

You can see more of my work included in the subcategory of this title under "ASID" ... Dean *****

Angelo, Kevin, and Mario

Mario Buatta

Angelo Donghia

Kevin McNamara

Mario Buatta for Kips Bay Charity Showhouse

I was thinking of gorgeous green colored rooms - and "green" environments today since it's the famous Saint Patrick's, and immediately thought of three that I have always loved. Angelo Donghia's upper east side drawing room, Kevin McNamara's hamptons drawing room, and Mario Buatta's east side drawing room... While I don't have a proper image of each of these to post here, I wanted to share some wonderful insights about these fabulous New York designers... My friend Scott Lally worked for Angelo, and my friend Louise Cronan worked for Kevin. I worked (briefly) with Mario while employed at Bloomingdales... I did meet Kevin once at one of the Kips Bay showhouses, he was so elegant, and was lighting Rigaud candles and arranging flowers in his black lacquered drawing room. He said "Let's get some glamour going in here" Though I was never so fortunate to have met the famed Angelo, I was in his house in Manhattan, and also worked with his old Parsons roomie, Thomas Britt, another fabulous and very kind iconoclast of high style New York decorating. Here are some borrowed images... enjoy ! DF ***** PS check out the new Viceroy Snowmass, a Leed-Silver certified hotel recently completed by Kelly (Green) Wearstler !!! And check these out... Angelo and Mario: www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQEs7gOriAo and

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEeaNPsVXqE

Fifth Avenue Design Gallery Opens

Imagine how excited I was to receive an engraved invitation to the gala opening of the new Fifth Avenue Design Gallery at 365 Fifth Avenue South, Naples ! Christopher, Judith, and Dirk have joined together with many of my other former colleagues from Norris to create an exciting and very beautifully designed environment for the presentation of fine furnishings and interior design services. I'm greatly looking forward to attending this party, on Wednesday the 24th. DF*****

Chinqua Penn Plantation

The Spring Tulip Festival

The formal gardens

Pagoda Pool House...a la Tony Duquette !

Baronial Living Room

The Solarium Hall

Powder Room

Dining Room

The front entrance

The Breakfast Room

One of my favorite places in North Carolina is the less well known Chinqua Penn Plantation, near Reidsville. Founded by another tobacco family, Thomas Jefferson Penn and his wife Beatrice (Betsy) created a warm and exotic country home beginning around 1925, originally comprising over 1,000 acres. The chinqua penn name comes from a dwarf chestnut tree... This property is now privately owned, but open to the public. Chinqua Penn, like Biltmore also features an estate winery. See more at http://www.chinquapenn.com/ DF*****

Reynolda House

I can still smell the spicy boxwoods !

When I was a boy, I loved visiting Reynolda House and Gardens, in Winston-Salem, NC. The rose garden is amazing, and the grounds originally comprised 1,067 acres...Beginning in 1917, it was the home of Katherine and R.J. Reynolds, prior to becoming a house museum in 1965. I attended R.J. Reynolds High, and was fortunate to be able to, since it was the oldest and largest such school in the state, founded in the 1920's and very much like a New England prep - complete with ivy covered Georgian style buildings. Reynolda House has an amazing collection of American art, and it is definitely worth a visit ! www.reynoldahouse.org/ DF*****

Visit Biltmore - Biltmore House

Visit Biltmore - Biltmore House

Last December, my parents and I had a great time visiting this iconic property in Asheville, NC -you really have to experience this to get the full flavor. We also visited the famous Grove Park Inn, where many U.S. presidents and celebs have stayed. If you go, stay at the Biltmore estate, then you can visit the winery and all of the other incredible sites, situated within the Pisgah National Forest. DF*****

Going Green at Vizcaya

The magnificent Italian gardens at Vizcaya Museum, designed by Diego Suarez...

The Secret Garden at Vizcaya Museum, Miami, Florida

The decorator, painter Paul Chalfin

shown here in a 1915 portrait by Albert Sterner... Mr. Chalfin was responsible for much of the beautiful decor at Vizcaya, and traveled extensively in Europe with his client and patron, James Deering.

The principal architect of Vizcaya, F. Burrall Hoffman, ca. 1912

Diego Suarez, landscape architect, VIZCAYA (1967)

I just received an email from Vizcaya regarding a new film being shown there, as part of the ongoing film series at Vizcaya. "One Water" is all about preserving one of our most important and vital resources. Did you know that James Deering, the original owner of Vizcaya, was an early "green" environmentalist ? Here is a circa 1967 portrait of his landscape architect, the socially prominent Colombian, Diego Suarez. Click here to view a film about conservation efforts at Vizcaya

www.plumtv.com/videos/miami-vizcaya-museum-gardens You can also visit the site for this important house museum, at www.vizcayamuseum.org/ DF *****

Irish Green Velvet

Basking in the sun

Like a rendering by Walter Gay...

Color Study for green walls

Eddie Ross

Honestly, what could be more au courant than a vivid, grassy, cloverleafy green velvet ? After all, Wednesday is the famous Saint Patrick's Day...(a bank holiday in Ireland) and look at Eddie Ross in his elegant green jacket ! I always get a kick out of coming home in the afternoon, and seeing the sun shining in on this small louis XIV armchair... and I really like this moody shot looking from the kitchen into the living room... I got a kick too out of seeing the living room of Tinsley Mortimer's childhood home, with its pink sofa and lettuce green walls (her mother is a decorator) on the new "reality show" called "High Society" on the CW network. Just the random musings of a designer/decorator in Naples, who has always loved the color green... Happy SP Day to all ! DF ***** copyright Dean Farris 2010

Before & After

After
I couldn't resist adding this to my previous post about "Bermuda in Florida" ...
Click on the little arrow to see the "Before" DF*****

Eddie Ross

Eddie Ross

I've been a huge fan of the designer Eddie Ross, ever since I first saw him on HGTV. Imagine my excitement then, to find that we are now "friends" on Facebook... Eddie is so bright, talented, charming and fun. He brings a ton of humour and joy with him wherever he and Jaithan (partner) are, and believe me, these guys do get around. Just check out his blog to see more... http://www.eddieross.com/ He worked for Martha Stewart as a food editor, and has more talent in his pinky than most people will ever dream of !

DF*****

Old and Sublime

Vizcaya Museum and Gardens, Miami

Phyllis Washington Antiques, Palm Desert

Caroline Faison Antiques, Greensboro

Ah... the sublime, the love of all things old and beautiful ! I couldn't resist indulging you with some more images that lean in that direction. We all need some fantasy in our lives, and history is such a fantasy ! I love Caroline Faison Antiques, in Greensboro, NC and Phyllis Washington Antiques in Palm Desert, CA and of course, the aforementioned Vizcaya Museum and Gardens... (Miami, FL) enjoy these shots and have a wonderful weekend, wherever you are. DF *****

Danieli in Naples

The glamourous shopping bags...

Wouldn't Ralph Rucci love this ?

The view from Danieli, facing the south bay


Just a few of the many gorgeous goodies...

Lynn placed a bureauplat in front of the window...

The Lutgert palazzo, decorated by my friend Stan Topol

Did you know... that there's a Danieli in Naples ? No, not the hotel in Venice... and not the town in Italy ! My good friend and fellow decorator, Lynn Daniels owns a wonderful shop in Naples, Florida called Danieli. Years ago, Lynn visited Venice, and stayed at the famous Hotel Danieli (see my earlier post). She later came to Naples to visit a friend, and never left. So, she opened a romantic (and wildly successful) shop in the Venetian Village here, and named it after her favorite hotel, which also happens to be her name as well ! Lynn carries a wonderful assortment of designer goodies, including Manuel Canovas candles, Cristina Ferrare bijoux pour la maison,

paintings, furniture, venetian masks, chandeliers, jewelry, and more. Her shop whispers elegance, style, and the suggestion of hidden treasures, waiting to be discovered. Previously located on the north side of the village, she has now moved to the glam south side, with a killer bay view... at 4252 Gulfshore Boulevard, North. Tel: (239) 435-1448. She once had a wonderful pair of eight foot tall blackamoor torchere that I lusted after... I must ask her if she still has one hidden away somewhere. When in Naples, do visit Lynn, and lunch at Mira Mare, recently written up on Joe Ruggiero's blog... Enjoy ! DF ***** p.s. check out my mention on C'est Suzanne today ! Thanks Suzanne !