The Most Iconic Chair of the 20th Century

The Series 7 chair by Arne Jacobsen is my favourite chair of all time!  I have continued to use this versatile design classic in my work since the 1980's.  Not only is this chair wonderfully comfortable, (actually I am sitting on a dark brown stained vintage version from the 1970's as I write), I find that the chair works in a plethora of different interiors. With its wonderfully curved back, it has been the most copied chair in modern design history. The Series 7 is just as happy sitting along side traditional antiques as it is in a typically modernist setting.

Jefferson Apartment Main Beach

Here are the stunning red lacquered versions which we have combined with a wonderful
 painting by Australian artist Melinda Harper.
Also featured is Phillipe Starck for Kartell Gnome stool.

View to the Pacific featuring Scott Redford's Polar Bear and Campari Light by Ingo Maurer

I simply adore this wonderful moulded plywood Danish classic designed by Arne Jacobsen in 1955!

Interior Design in both pics above by Watson & Watson  2007

More More More Green is Good!

Bringing the outside in against the stark white, again with a splash of yellow!
Love the 1930's Torchere.

You have got to love the David Hicks geometric carpet, not to mention that amazing coffee table!

Images from "So Chic Glamorous Lives, Stylish Spaces" by Margaret Russell and Elle Decor

Green is Good!

Traditional Indian lime green walls play beautifully with crisp white chairs and trim.

Touches of green in palm, pears, and paintings,  pop with white walls and timber floors.

The interior above is perhaps of the"when in doubt paint it white" mindset, to compliment the beautiful wood flooring.  I just love the white on white table lamp on the Parsons table, and the addition of a simple potted palm and a bowl of pears!

Green can do no wrong in my mind.  It's cool,  fresh and goes with everything.  After all it is the colour of nature and I always love bringing the outside in.  Go all the way and paint it lime!


Look how wonderful these traditional colours of India work in this stunning apartment in Jaipur, below.  The glimpse of hot pink in the distance gives a sense of guilty pleasure to the eye,  and of course the crisp white contrast adds just enough relief!


  

Pablo's lime green robe and pure white Y fronts!

Picasso, the quintessential colourist of the 20th Century knows the value of coordinating crisp white and lime green!

Brave colour choice of lime green goes all the way in this fab vintage interior!

Paint it all green,  upholster everything in the same green on green tropical palm print, add a 'white elephant' and a hint of sunflower yellow!

1.  Elle Decor So Chic "Glamorous Lives, Stylish Spaces" 2.  "House & Garden's Complete Guide to Interior Decoration 1970"  3.  "Goodbye Picasso" 4.  "House & Garden's Complete Guide to Interior Decoration 1970

Scott Redford tells the story of Reinhardt Dammn in Living Colour!

Fiorucci Made Me Hardcore is the stunning new show by artist Scott Redford at Gould Galleries in Melbourne, Australia.

Reinhardt Dammn:  U Could B Mine/ Pink Palms 

Reinhardt Dammn:  U Could B Mine/ Ned X 

Reinhardt Dammn:  U Could B Mine/ Hanoi

Please go immediately and drench yourself in pop colour!

Exhibition runs from now until the 13th November, 2010.

All images works by Scott Redford courtesy of  Gould Galleries

Saturated Blue Interior!

This image of a wonderful saturated blue interior was found in a vintage design book in my possession.


"The House and Garden's Complete Guide to Interior Decoration 1970".  The credited designer is Ronald Ferri.

Well I just have to say Ronald,  that I so admire the bravery of you and many of the decorators from this period.  I just love the unabashed use of this incredible blue, and the fact that the old parquetry has been given a truly POP rework by slapping on the white paint.  This provides a wonderful contrast to the "YVES KLEIN Blue" style walls.
The splash of primary red and the faux zebra rug which is actually painted onto the floor with a red outline, is genius!

Found object of the day!

This wonderful vintage painting can be found at Babalou

Sixties sunflower painting complete with metallic faux bamboo frame!

the original edition of photographic style bible  "Allure"

                                                            

Diana Vreeland Lover of Colour

Diana Vreeland described this interior as "THE GARDEN OF HELL"!

The incredible Billy Baldwin interior in Park Avenue

Red Persian motifs are always a joy in my opinion, whether in maximalist layer upon layer as seen here, or just with the use of one or two pieces in a room, say a classic Persian area rug or Persian style scatter cushions!

Diana Vreeland Lover of Colour

Diana at home in one of her wonderful interiors!

I just adore the co-ordinated striped fabric and wallpaper, not to mention the beautiful convex mirror.

The Timeless "Allure" of Diana Vreeland

No wonder everyone in Blog world is talking about the new edition of the wonderful "Allure" by Diana Vreeland.  First released in 1980, I bought this book when I went to Paris at the age of nineteen.  I have treasured my original copy for many years and it has always been on high rotation as a favourite coffee table book.  The woman had that iconic 20th Century style that so many of us have always found so deeply "alluring".

BABALOU at Kingscliff Australia

It was a wonderful experience putting together the amazing pieces at Babalou.  There are so many incredible vintage things to be had in this world and boy did we source them!
We successfully filled the brief of creating an "eclectic and bohemian" mix of furniture, objects and art!

Thank you Scott Redford for creating the signature art for the Record Library entitled "It's only Rock and Roll".  It was a great ride working with you on the BABALOU project!

Babalou at Kingscliff Australia

The Record Library at BABALOU

Porters Chairs, surrealist art and the table from Barramundi Street.

A nod to Ms Wearstler at the Powder room at BABALOU

Decoration and design at BABALOU, Australia by Watson & Watson

Viceroy Hotel by Ms Wearstler

 The Viceroy at Santa Monica, which is the signature project by American designer Kelly Wearstler, is still a design 'monument' after seven years.  I am pleased to report that the hotel is in perfect order and does not disappoint.

Apart from a peanut mishap with my daughter Della who is 13, we did have a wonderful stay.  I am pleased to also report that peanuts are no longer on the menu and not part of the Viceroy's complimentary, unlabeled fare after this incident!  It's a shame that poor Della had to be the 'test case', but I am happy that the Hotel has been made aware of the potential danger of serving peanuts.  It is unfortunately becoming a very common allergy amongst children nowadays.

The Viceroy Hotel, Santa Monica

The "kelly" green subways in the powder room in the foyer of the Viceroy, still look as surprising and as captivating as they did 7 years ago when the hotel opened.

The yellow wing backs are still breathtaking.

Della in relaxed recovery, in the Powder Room

Photos by Janelle Watson-Evans The Decorator

The Decorator: We went NUTS at the Viceroy!

The salon hang of beautiful plates is always a great design option.

The Decorator: We went NUTS at the Viceroy!: "Well I might as well start somewhere! And why not the oasis in Santa Monica otherwise known as the Viceroy Hotel? We checked in on Sunday 19..."

We Went NUTS at the Viceroy!

Lamplight at the Viceroy,  Santa Monica

We went NUTS at the Viceroy!

Well I might as well start somewhere! And why not the oasis in Santa Monica otherwise known as the Viceroy Hotel?
We checked in on Sunday 19th September 2010 after arriving back from NYC.

Lolled poolside, drank champagne and ate tasty tapas while we waited for our room to be serviced.

After a lovely drive around the Pacific Pallisades with our good friend otherwise known as USA Dave, we finally made it to our Viceroy room.

Waiting for us was a complimentary plate of assorted cookies, which unfortunately included not only choc chip but a couple of peanut offerings as well.

Up until this point, (that is the last 13 years) we have been able to manage our daughter Della's anaphylactic allergy to peanuts, extremely well.  We have never had to administer the EPIPEN remedy!

After a long flight and feeling very hungry,  Della decided to sample the peanut cookie!

 The poor girl's stomach pained, throat swelled, and body broke out in the worst hives I have ever seen!

Because of USA Dave's local connections, the wonderful paramedics from the nearby Santa Monica Fire Station knocked on our hotel door within minutes and wheeled Della through the Viceroy hotel reception to an awaiting ambulance.
After a few hours of intravenous Benadryl at the nearby emergency room of the Santa Monica Hospital, we were able to return to the Viceroy.

Luckily after a very frightening episode, Della fully recovered and was able to enjoy a hearty breakfast the next morning back at the Viceroy.

Thank you so much to the guys from Santa Monica Fire Station.  If it had not been for your prompt action, we may not be looking back on our stay at the Viceroy with such fond memories.

A stunning final day poolside at the Viceroy. Just love those cabanas.

Photos by Janelle Watson-Evans The Decorator