Master of Plaster
When John Greg Ory asked Dallas-based sculptor George Sellers to create a white plaster room, he got what he asked for—and more. Sellers carved and cast the ornate moldings, created the classically inspired caryatides for the columns, and even made the walls for Gregory’s showroom. “I’m not sure anyone has ever cast walls from plaster before,” Gregory says. “I know why—it took six months, and it was the most arduous process I’ve been through.” Molds for the walls were carved first, then cast in rubber, and finally in plaster. But the results are dazzling. Sellers, who trained in Italy, also created the unusual carved plaster horse leg table on our cover, and the three white plaster nudes shown below.
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| WHITE OUT: Pair of art deco gilt-iron consoles; white Murano lamp, circa 1950; sculpture signed by Monique Moreau, 1969; French 1930s plaster vase lamp; pair of pale gold lamps by Barovier & Toso; signed Daghia burl wood credenza; 1940s Murano controlled bubble chandelier by Barovier & Toso; 1930s lacquered screen by Pierre Bobot. |
Blanc de Shine
Legendary interior designer Syrie Maugham once said, “Cut it down, and paint it white.” She found the brown Victorian furniture of the 1930s old and staid. Maugham’s all-white drawing room was a turning point in modern interior design, and somehow, all-white feels as fresh today as it did decades ago, especially when paired with such of-the-moment elements as high-gloss and chrome finishes, patent leather upholstery, and unexpected, shine-infused textiles.
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| Chair courtesy of Jan Showers; wallpaper, cube: Chris Plavidal; leathers: Danny Piassick; lamp: Danny Piassick; fabric: Chris Plavidal; tables courtesy of Ironies, Luxus | |
1. Jan Showers’ Marni chair in ivory lacquer is covered with white- hair-on cowhide, updating a classic glamorous look with a bit of edge. Available to the trade at David Sutherland Showroom.
2. New wallpapers from Gaetano feature bold retro patterns on softly reflective platinum backgrounds. Available to the trade at B. Berger Co.
3. A multisided cube in highly polished stainless steel from Brueton creates a dramatic effect as it mirrors the room. Available to the trade at Allan Knight and Associates.
4. Pure white cowhides don’t look rustic; they look downright glamorous. Choose between hair-on hides, shiny smooth finishes, or embossed patterns such as crocodile, rattlesnake, or ostrich. Available to the trade at Edelman Leathers.
5. Not since Alice went down the rabbit hole have we seen a lamp so dramatically over-scaled. In white opaque porcelain on an acrylic
pedestal with a white paper shade, this lamp dominates at 74 inches tall. Available to the trade at Allan Knight and Associates.
6. The “Lit” side table from Ironies is all about gleam. Its amber-hued translucent surface and hammered gold-toned legs trade flash and glitz for quiet, lustrous radiance. Available to the trade through Walter Lee Culp Associates.
7. Jim Thompson’s new contemporary fabric “Sprockets” evokes the image of a brilliant blue sky lit by the sun. Available to the trade at Walter Lee Culp Associates.
8. Bold and effortlessly fresh, the lacquered dining table from Luxus introduces a modern vibe to Hollywood Regency style.
Green is the New Black
The green movement is one of the biggest trends to hit home furnishings in decades. Most of the country’s furniture and textile manufacturers have realized the need to change the way they do business, and they are using a plethora of self-renewing products such as bamboo and hemp, natural dyes, organic adhesives, and other non-toxic products. Lighting manufacturers are also turning over a new green leaf, producing remarkably efficient ways to illuminate our homes. Pioneers such as Odegard, Farrow & Ball, and Innovations in Wallcoverings Inc. have championed environmental protection for years. Now most top manufacturers have launched environmentally conscious lines, from Kravet to Donghia Showroom, to Stark Carpets. But this isn’t a granola look—it’s positively luxurious and elegant. Here are some of our favorites.
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| Courtesy of ID Collection, Q Collection, Innovations in Wallcoverings Inc. Donghia Showroom, Hubbardton Forge, and Odegard; paint: Elizabeth Lavin | |
1. Creation Baumann introduces luxurious fabrics from its new Poesia Collection, which are organic designs made 100 percent eco-friendly due in part to a dye that’s toxin- and chemical-free. Available to the trade through ID Collection.
2. Easy on the environment and the eyes, Q Collection has a new range of environmentally friendly furniture. One of the best looking pieces includes the Bessie side chair, which uses green technology to produce a seat that is constructed of 100 percent recycled materials.
3. Innovations in Wallcoverings Inc. continues to create beautiful wallcoverings without sacrificing the environment for style, all the while using sustainable products that are PVC free and non-toxic. Available to the trade at Innovations in Wallcoverings Inc.
4. An iridescent wallpaper, “Mother of Pearl” from Maya Romanoff, is made of capiz shell, a plentiful and renewable natural resource. Available to the trade at Donghia Showroom.
5. 1920s Craftsman clean meets modern environmental green in this fluorescent wall sconce. It’s produced in Vermont by Hubbardton Forge, who has been pioneering new methods for finishing, reducing waste, and managing energy since 1974. The company is a three-time recipient of the Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence. Available to the trade at Hubbardton Forge.
6. Farrow & Ball has been making environmentally safe paint since 1940 without ammonia or formaldehyde, which is found in most other paints. They already exceed all European environmental standards. Shown here, “Studio Green,” is available to the trade at B.Berger Co.
7. Odegard continues to impress with its commitment to the environment. The company only uses natural fibers, dyes, and other materials in their rugs. Their hand-knotted hemp rug “Verte” is hand washable. Hemp, like bamboo, renews rapidly.
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| Paris Desk by Donghia |
American Modernism
As more and more stalwarts of traditional furnishings such as Baker Furniture and Manheim-Ruseau add contemporary collections by young designers, we are reminded of the classical roots of American modernism. In 1970, designer Angelo Donghia was quoted in The New York Times as saying, “A straight line needn’t be less beautiful than 20 curved lines.”
Donghia and design director John Hutton were among the first to straighten curves and remove swirls from traditional furniture, while keeping an eye on historical reference and maintaining classical elements. The rest is history. Donghia reintroduces the Paris Desk originally designed for his New York City bedroom in 1970. Available to the trade at Donghia Showroom.
Edward Ferrell/Lewis Mittman has introduced the Roger Thomas Collection, which features tweaked classic icons of design such as:
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 6. | Courtesy of Donghia, Edward Ferrell/Lewis Mittman, Michael Weiss Collection, Manheim-Ruseau, Baker Knapp & Tubbs |
1. Chinese Chippendale style chair, lacquered cheekily in red.
2. X-base tray table in bronze instead of the expected mahogany.
3. White lacquered bombé chest with a floating top.
4. The Rathmor Bergère from Manheim-Ruseau’s Revisions Collections is a modern take on the traditional men’s club chair—mahogany finish and generous in scale with soft curves.
5. A former bastion of conservatism, David W. Gilbert & Associates showroom has just brought in a sleek, modern line by Michael Weiss Collection.
6. A room setting by Laura Kirar for Baker Furniture illustrates her modernist sensibility with classic details and proportions. Available to the trade at Baker Knapp & Tubbs.
Texture
Innovations in technology are allowing manufacturers to create fabrics and wallpapers like never before. Ornate embroidery, embellishment, and detailed decoration, once done only by hand, are now produced efficiently and quickly. But if time is on your side, there are also a handful of new artisan-produced wallpapers and fabrics, created using classic techniques.
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| Wallpaper: Danny Piassick; chair courtesy of Mokum Textiles; mink, roses: Chris Plavidal; wall paper courtesy of Phillip Jeffries; fabrics: Chris Plavidal; pillows: Danny Piassick; paper courtesy of Bergamo. | |
1. Embroidered Marrakech fabric from Mokum Textiles is inspired by the centuries-old Berber tradition of lavishly ornamenting everyday objects and clothes. Available to the trade at George Cameron Nash.
2. A classic Robert Crowder pattern is recreated as a negative print on a high-gloss faux bois wallpaper ground. Available to the trade at Allan Knight and Associates.
3. Tessuti Uno has created a rose garden full of hand-stitched, ombre-printed nylon rosebuds. Also, from Tessuti Uno is the softest, most realistic rendition of mink pelts that we’ve seen. Even PETA could be fooled. Available to the trade at Allan Knight and Associates.
4. Manuel Canovas has taken his original Caravane design and printed it on linen then outlined it with embroidery. A little bouclé weave was added, and some hand-painting to top it off. Talk about layering. Available to the trade at Walter Lee Culp Associates.
5. Inspired by the 18th century Catherine Palace in Russia, Phillip Jeffries gives us Baroque Embroidery, delicate gold thread embroidered on jewel tone moiré wallpaper. Fit for a czarina. To the trade at George Cameron Nash.
6. Christopher Hyland’s Rossetta is a traditional silk in a damask pattern, but what makes it new is how it reverses to bold stripes. At William & Wesley Co.
7. Bejeweled, embroidered, embellished, and appliquéd throw pillows are the perfect counterpoint to today’s clean-lined furniture. Appliquéd pillows in a happy sunflower pattern, available at Allan Knight and Associates.
8. Lori Weitzner uses ancient papermaking techniques, embossing, gilding, and slicing handmade paper from tree bark. Equinox, Empress, Temperance, Oracle, and Solstice are just a few patterns from her new dynamic collection through Bergamo. Available to the trade at ID Collection.
