A Fabric Story

By Haskell Harris | May 4, 2009 | Design

I am consistently obsessed with the history of things, particularly when it comes to design.

Which is exactly why I wanted to share this  style anecdote. 

A while back, I visited the very down-to-earth CEO of design powerhouse Dessin Fournir, Chuck Comeau.

He walked me through the various offices and workspaces for the Dessin Fournir brand (I met the welders at Palmer Hargrave Lighting, pored over drawings for new furniture in the Kerry Joyce line, shopped around at the retail store C.S. Post, etc.).

But my favorite stop was Classic Cloth.

In the warehouse, they had mile after mile of beautiful fabric bolts stacked all the way to the ceiling. Talk about heaven!

Then Chuck introduced me to the fabric designers who create all that gorgeous yardage day in and day out. 

One of their newest styles was inspired by a pillowcase from the Petit Trianon on the grounds of Versailles.

Chuck bought a remnant at Christie's of the original (a rustic, flax colored linen embroidered with yellow silk thread in a delicate floral). 

As I stood there looking at it, the idea that Marie Antoinette (love her or hate her) might have slept on it was completely surreal.

I only got to see one finished colorway of the pillowcase-inspired collection since the designers were still in production for the other colorways at the time. I believe it was a dark-chocolate linen. Very pretty.

The other day, though, I came across a photograph of the now complete "Marie Antoinette" collection (pictured below), and I love the hues they chose. The tone-on-tone neutrals (soft pink, pale cocoa powder, silvery gray) are perfectly subtle, but the intricate embroidery makes it fancy—like the Dauphine herself.

Bag of Gold

By Haskell Harris | April 10, 2009 | Design

Any company that got its start during the Great Depression and continues to thrive in spite of our current economic conundrum must be doing something right. 

For example, Moore & Giles, a family-run operation based in Lynchburg, Virginia, that supplies some of the most beautiful leathers in the world to the home furnishings industry.

I have always loved leather upholstery (I still have my heart set on a pair of Belgian wing back chairs covered in shiny black leather—with whitewashed wood feet and antique brass nail heads).

But before I knew this company's work, I had no idea how soft leather could be or that it could be dyed the exact color of, say, lapiz lazuli?

But it can! And then some! The range of color and texture in the collection is simply staggering.

And recently, they began crafting some of their leathers into accessories like travel bags and belts. I seem to have fallen for one bag in particular (pictured below):

It's called the Berkeley Doctor Bag, and get this: To achieve the hazy, subtle metallic texture, they tan the leather, laser cut the surface, and brush it with a finish that looks at once gold, silver, and copper.

Two words: brilliant technique.

Fabulous Felt

By Haskell Harris | February 17, 2009 | Design

As promised, I am infusing Belle Decor with more bits of design from the New York International Gift Show.

Here's a company that always stops me dead in my tracks: the Sandor Collection.

They make everything from table runners to Christmas stockings but handmade, felt applique pillows are what they do best.

We've all seen the happy, technicolor pillows of a similar ilk from Hable Construction (if you haven't, you must go to hableconstruction.com), but this entire collection is a foil to that all-American look.

Based on vintage Hungarian embroidery patterns, the Sandor pillows feel old-world and delicate, but not at all stodgy or stiff (my favorite pattern, Madeira, follows below). 

Total Charmers

By Haskell Harris | February 10, 2009 | Design

I am really picky about jewelry. A piece isn't beautiful to me unless there is a compelling story behind it.

Otherwise, it's just more useless, meaningless stuff.

Right now, I currently have a crush on two types of charms that both have a great narrative: fobs and intaglios.

Fobs (pictured below) became popular in Victorian England when pocket watches were all the rage. Often made of pinched gold, they acted as weights to keep the chain tangle-free and usually featured the family seal of the watch owner on the bottom (which came in handy back then, since that dapper generation still sealed letters with wax).

 Courtesy of limogebox.com

I love the idea of wearing a fob as a necklace for two reasons. First, the idea of wearing a seal is great. It's like a little mini work of art right there on the bottom of the charm. So cool. Second, wearing a fob as a necklace is a great way to feminize an otherwise masculine accessory. I like the allure of that contrast. You know, like when a woman wears a menswear-inspired trench coat? Um, exactly.

Okay, so now onto intaglios. An intaglio is the opposite of a cameo. It's carved INTO a stone, while a cameo is more of a raised carving. Intaglio also refers to a form of printing (on paper or on wax), a process that's been around since ancient Rome. Back then, intaglios were thought to bring good luck. They often featured pastoral or military scenes and were also worn as jewelry. In Victorian England, intaglios often displayed silhouettes. The bracelet below is a modern reproduction that includes both intaglios and cameos. All you need with it is a white T-shirt and jeans. Done.

Courtesy of extasia.com

Some intaglios are too pretty to wear and work better as art (below, courtesy of 1stdibs.com)

Imagine about ten of those framed over a little settee in an entryway. Amazing!!

Lost Art: Calligraphy

By Haskell Harris | February 4, 2009 | Design

Being an editor certainly has its perks. First among them? Meeting amazingly interesting people, like designers Chris and Kirk Bray of Billykirk leathergoods (below, an image of the Bray brothers along with an image of my favorite bag in their line).

                 

 

And interesting people like Chris  and Kirk often know fascinating people in their own right, like Betty Gilpin, a calligraphy artist in Nashville, Tennessee.

 

Betty, who recently turned 81, is one of the best calligraphers in the country. Chris (who sent the images for this post along to me) found her through word of mouth and loved her work so much that he asked her to pen the script for his company. Simple, with a slight flourish, her words look like something inked a century ago. And because I am a total sucker for anything that looks nostalgic, I love the idea of using calligraphy instead of a synthetic font for everything from calling cards to company logos. It's just a lovely idea. Images of her work for Billykirk follow below:

 

 

Here's to reviving this lost art more often!

P.S. I have not forgotten my promise to post more bits of design inspiration from the New York International Gift Show. I have some fun things in the works. Stay tuned...

Design Flash: Wiley Brothers

By Haskell Harris | January 8, 2009 | Design

Any time I come across a company that makes its product in small batches, by hand, whether it be furniture or fashion, I am always inspired.

A few weeks ago, I was at a horse race in Virginia and one of my fellow revelers had on the most amazing belt. It looked like vintage Hermés or Ralph Lauren, but less precious, more gritty and rustic. Like a belt meant to be worn. 

After a few Bloody Marys, he finally revealed his source: Wiley Brothers  in Charlottesville, Virginia. 

My favorite style, the Classic 4-loop, follows below, but the company offers a range of designs, including gorgeous woven and braided models, too.

The founders, Marcus and Peter, have been making their leather goods since 1999 and already have an impressive list of clients: Bergdorf Goodman, Beretta, J.L. Powell, Sid Mashburn, and J. Press. 

If belts aren't your thing, stay tuned for the company's possible foray into dog collars, accessories for the sportsman, and even a children's line.

DIY: Map Wallpaper

By Haskell Harris | January 5, 2009 | Design

I love pattern. The bigger the better. The bolder the better. The more color saturation the better. BUT, I like it in small doses and in unexpected places. Sort of like the way a bespoke designer might line a beautiful jacket with a silk print…it's a really luxe, unexpected surprise. An old trick, yes, but one that always works.

In my Birmingham cottage, I papered an odd hallway that needed a little love (see below).

This particular print (an antique map of Italy in chalky greens, pinks, grays, blacks, and blues) was also incredibly affordable. It's actually wrapping paper!

All you have to do is tear the paper in strips, dip them in a mixture of Elmer's glue and water (it should have enough glue in it to stay thick), and apply them directly to the wall and ceilings.

One thing to keep in mind: this particular wrapping paper was relatively thick, so it stood up to the glue and water mixture without losing its texture. If you try it at home, be sure to pick one that feels sturdy and experiment with a small patch before you tackle a whole wall.

This idea is also really fun for closets, small bathrooms, and the backs of bookshelves or dining cabinets.

Happy pasting!