OH, BABY
There are always stories about how far designers go for the benefit of their clients—way beyond merely picking fabrics and advising paint colors. But this is a new one even to me: interior designer Margaret Chambers, ASID, has to keep secrets from her clients (or at least one couple she works for). That’s because when the Pogues get pregnant, Chambers is the only one who finds out the sex of the baby—not the parents, not the grandparents. It’s only Chambers and the doctor in the know. Why? Well, the Pogues approve two different nursery schemes, and Chambers covertly makes her pink or blue purchases and goes to work. Mom and baby arrive home from the hospital to a darling, fully outfitted room. Though unusual, this sort of above-and-beyond service is becoming the norm. A trusted decorator becomes part of the family—arbitrator, therapist, lifestyle coach, tastemaker, and children’s manners instructor.
Local designer Joseph Minton and Kevin Peavy recently returned from a week in Ireland with the Irish Georgian Society. The society was formed 50 years ago by Desmond Guinness in order to save the 18th-century manor houses that were being torn down to build modern houses and apartments. A chapter was formed here in the early 1970s by decorator Nita Carol Cervin, and local members include Nancy Dedman, Mary Faulkner, Betty Gertz, Beverly Field, and other antiques connoisseurs. The national society raises millions of dollars to encourage an interest in the conservation of endangered Irish art and architecture. So, Minton, Peavy, and friend and antique dealer Betty Gertz lived like royalty for a week at some of the finest examples of Georgian architecture in the world. Considering the formidable knowledge and taste among the three of them, they probably knew every lineage of each of the treasures they saw. From accommodations in County Kildare at the Carton House to a dinner for 200 at Castle Town, formerly owned by Desmond Guinness, to teas at other houses, they were regally entertained. The annual meeting of the distinguished Ghost Club, collectors of antique Rolls Royces and Bentleys, was happening at the same time. When Minton tarried a little too long at Leixlip Castle and was left by his group, he very quickly accepted the invitation for a ride back to Carton House in a vintage Rolls Royce. “There I was, driving through the misty Irish countryside in a 1935 Bentley, surrounded by other vintage cars, some convertibles with drivers in leather helmets and goggles. I felt like I was in a Merchant Ivory movie,” Minton says.
After enjoying such highbrow culture, one needs to get a little down and dirty. So, it was on to London for dinner with Jerry Hall, who was in the market for a couple of handsome escorts to the wedding of the daughter of Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood at his Holmwood House estate. Local art rep Kristy Stubbs, who represents both Jerry and her sister Terry’s daughters’ artwork, was there and actually snuck a forbidden camera into the ceremony. It was a perfect midsummer night’s dream, and the setting would have made Shakespeare proud. Acres of gardens were festooned with twinkling lights, and little people dressed as elves wandered around keeping things interesting, though they were hardly necessary. Guests included the Rolling Stones (of course), Pattie Boyd (the inspiration for Eric Clapton’s classic song “Layla”), model Kate Moss, Issey Miyake, and artist Tracey Emin. This probably dates me, but I love seeing those old rock and rollers just keep going.
I’m seeing a certain Native American influence in the showrooms. Don’t worry, I’m not talking about that faux Southwest style with howling coyotes and turquoise beads. I’m talking about the sophistication of pattern that was part of the original American style. You can’t see a David Hicks fabric or a Bottega Veneta couture bag without noticing the concentric circles and zigzagging designs that were first seen on blankets and hides. Jim Williamson, creative director at ID Collection, notes, “I see how both Native American and African-American art tie in closely as inspiration for the new geometric designs and textures, including the new embroidery patterns from Malabar.” Edelman Leather has introduced Wild Hide, a free-range cowhide tanned in the original manner and colors of buckskin. It’s all completely natural and authentic. Also, check out painted hides with an adaptation of the Indian symbol for friendship. You might even get your own dream catcher—the ancient spider web weaving used to put over your bed to capture your good dreams. In this economy, you just might need it.
