Thursday, April 28, 2011

Palm Springs On My Mind

Bougain Villa designed by William Burgess & Albert Frey


 Kaufmann House designed by Richard Neutra 



There is something so comfortingly familiar to me about
Palm Springs.

I feel as though the idea of Palm Springs is indelibly stamped into my memory, and I keep wanting to return although I have never been.

Is it because I am a child of the 1960's?


  Is it because my parents were in showbiz during the 1950's and '60's and the memories of their little showbiz world
 in Sydney Australia
and their love and admiration of all things American
 somehow echoed
 the glamorous heyday of
Palm Springs that they only heard about?


Kaufmann House by Richard Neutra

Is it a reminder of my childhood homes? 
 Our Australian version of the 'Californian Bungalow' 
which later morphed into a two storey 
Mansard/Cape Cod hybrid around 1972
 Or the 1960's sun room with its cane saucer chairs,
 the faux bamboo screens sliding across 
the Neutra style glass windows
 with their crisp white wooden frames 
looking out to my mother's succulent pebble garden?


Loewy Residence by Albert Frey

Is it the memory of the reel to reel tape which recorded not only my parents singing songs of 
Sinatra and Martin
but me at the age of six belting out
  Barbra Streisand's "My Man"
from the 'Funny Girl' soundtrack.

Is it the memories of the Rat Pack,
  Shirley Maclaine and Sammy Davis in "Sweet Charity"?
Or watching Laugh In and the Carol Burnett Show?

Miller Fong Lotus chairs 1968

Or growing up on Australia's Gold Coast during the 1970's
where our very own waterfront suburbs such as
  Miami, Palm Beach, Coral Gables, Florida Gardens and Rio Vista
were developed and flourished.


Poolside at the Kaufmann House Photo by Slim Aarons circa 1970

I have had a love for all things mid-century modern
ever since I was lucky enough to acquire my
 Grant Featherston armchairs from an upholsterer friend
 back in the 1980's 
who passed them off as his own wacky designs
 reupholstered in 
"1980's doing 1950's"
 printed lime green and orange fabric.




This was way before we were even talking about Australia's
 own mid-century designers,
 and I had not even heard of Grant Featherston


 I was only then learning about Mies and Eames!


Del Marcos Hotel designed by Albert Frey

Bougain Villa by Burgess & Frey

For whatever reason, Palm Springs and the mid-century style 
has somehow been transposed into my psyche from a young age.

Neutra's Desert House gardens at the Kaufmann Residence

Palm Springs Condominium

Palm Springs style and mid-century modernism
 will always evoke a feeling of "going home" for me.


  That feeling of familiarity, leisure time, perceived comfort,
 hope and innocence of times past. 
 And the excitement and glamour of modernism! 


 The memories and the legacy that these times encapsulate,
 will always energise and inspire me.

Viceroy Hotel


William F. Cody home designed for Bill Butler



words  J. Watson-Evans
 The Decorator


all images via 'Palm Springs Style' by Aline Coquelle 2005


Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Picasso & The University of Sydney

Rarely do you hear a story of such great thought and generosity. 
 An anonymous American donor has donated an important work by Picasso
 to the University of Sydney.

  As a condition specified by the donor,  the money raised from the sale of "Jeune fille endormie" is to be used for scientific research.   

The painting from 1927, depicts the 17 year old muse Marie-Therese Walter, whom Picasso met on the streets of Paris during that period.


Picasso's 'Jeune fille endormie' 1927

After secretly spending time at the Sydney University campus while the provenance of the work was being established, the picture is now in private showings in New York and will soon be winging its way to Europe and back to London where it will be auctioned in June.

The painting as it turns out has impeccable provenance and was once owned by Walter Chrysler
( there is incidentally a photo of the Picasso and Chrysler together), and apparently only one other owner.
  Last exhibited in 1941, it is expected to fetch around $18 million.

Funds achieved from the sale will be part of the establishment of the
 University's Centre of Research into
Obesity, Diabetes and Cardiovascular disease.

This wonderful act of generosity by the anonymous American donor
 (which also includes valuable jewellery) 
is obviously testament to the
exemplary research work carried out by the University of Sydney in the world context.



Picasso pic above from 'Goodbye Picasso' by David Douglas Duncan
  

Thursday, April 21, 2011

Pretty Purple Ashtray


found object of colour


Pretty purple ashtray sits atop my Eileen Grey sidetable


This almost makes me want to take up smoking again!.......

No.... I could not imagine soiling this pristine object. 

Although this must have happened during its life as an ashtray. 

 Now it just breathes a fresh sigh of relief each day as it sits around and looks pretty at my place!


Image via AD Espana March 2010


I am sure it would be quite at home in this little vignette also!


Ashtray Photo by J Watson-Evans

Monday, April 18, 2011

Purple Haze! The Art of Maximilian Feuerring

floral abstract by Maximilian Feuerring circa 1972

Detail of painting


Maximilian Feuerring was born in 1896 in Poland, 
and came to Australia in 1950.


We have collected a number of this wonderful artists works 
and are very proud of our collection.


Not that much is known about Feuerring except that
 apart from being a prisoner of war in Germany for five years, 
he had his first one man show in Rome in 1926,
 and exhibited at the Sao Paulo Bienal in 1965.


He was a prolific producer and his works show his talent
 as a versatile artist and great colourist.


He is represented in all the state galleries of Australia
 as well as
  Washington, Warsaw, Poland, Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Rome.


Max died in 1985 and to this day I think his work is significantly overlooked an undervalued.


Some of my favourite works in our collection
 are vintage paintings by Max Feuerring!


I can't wait to share more of these stunning paintings with you!




Photo by The Decorator
J Watson-Evans


Saturday, April 16, 2011

Don't be absurd! Everyone needs a Decorator!

Bette Davis plays the DECORATOR in the never released Aaron Spelling pilot of the same name.

Now this is a guilty pleasure!!!


Please enjoy the inspiration for the title of my blog!






What every decorator wants....... 'carte blanche'!







"Ah!  There's no place like home!"

Friday, April 15, 2011

Kravitz Rocks It Opulently!


Ali byWarhol 


Joe Colombo seat, Paul Evans commode, and chandelier by Baccarat

Bathroom featuring Pedro Friedeberg hand sculpture and Philllippe Starck 'rifle' Lamp

Extraordinary Paul Evans Buffet Sculpture
Custom made chandelier by Swarovski with Jean Michel Basquiat  painting to the left
after conquering rock, Lenny Kravitz, the man who some say was born with a "silver spoon in his mouth"
takes on the world of interiors..... 
 this private residence in Paris comes via AD Italiana.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

These are a few of my favourite things!

Ludwig II Neushwanstein Castle


Little Ludwig II Neushwanstein Castle

is my wonderful little find, from a wonderful friend who paid a mere $2 for it.

I love the jewelled colours....i am not sure if it is a 'Paint By Numbers' or not.....

it hangs in our dining room and it's one of my favourite things.......along with these 2....



My little wall sculpture by Val Jebolinski



My little elk from Copperart ( i think)


all images by The Decorator


Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Vintage Fashion Pics Extroadinaire!

I was lucky enough to spy over at the wonderful
All the way from Scandinavia, these incredible vintage European Fashion shots!

Thank you to Marie Soderberg for digging these ones up, and please take the time to visit Marie's blog Classic Style - In the City - Dream Life.



Barbara Bach in Halston circa 1966







1962 in Turkey

1966 in Turkey

1968

Sublime! Gown by Tiziani circa 1966





Vintage Chair Garden 'Love In'

This past weekend we had a little 'chair fest' in the garden. 


 We dragged the old Persian rug out to the courtyard, placed a few old chairs around...the 'old chairs' being part of my collection which include a Vico Magistretti 'Gaudi' chair,
 an originial Eames 'Bikini' Chair, a red lacquer Arne Jacobsen 'Series 7' chair, a Douglas Snelling webbing chair,
  a 1970's mass produced fibreglass chair, and a lovely 1950's occasional chair.

My husband made wonderful cucumber gimlets, which we enjoyed in the garden.
We first enjoyed these lovely cocktails poolside at the Chamberlain in West Hollywood,
 and I am pleased to say he was able to duplicate the recipe beautifully!

I also brought my Scott Redford Polar Bear out to play,
 and my lovely Louis repro chair also joined in for an airing!


A splash of MarimekkoHirst, and Bombay!
Do these chairs know how to party or what?
Party of 5 including Jacobsen, Magistretti, and Snelling
Pretty Bromiliad, bergere and the Bear!


Magistretti, Snelling & Eames


What's that  Bear? You want more gimlet?





all images by Janelle Watson-Evans
The Decorator

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