Famous Homes In Art: The Stahl House by Laurence Jones

Since this is "Famous Homes" month (we just took a look at the amazing Habitat 67 last time), I thought I would share some art by Laurence Jones who is clearly enamored--and rightly so--with the Mid-Century Modern masterpiece that is known as The Stahl House. I posted about the history of The Stahl House in an installation of Famous Homes here. And Jones wonderfully captures the angular beauty of the clean lines and stunning view of Los Angeles glittering below.

See more of Jones' odes to Mid-Century architecture at his site here.

And you can visit The Stahl House...more information can be found here.

Happy designing!

Now You Can Sleep On A Masterpiece!

A collaboration between London's National Gallery and English bed-maker Savoir Beds (first created for The Savoy Hotel in London in 1905) has yielded the possibility of sleeping on any piece of artwork in The National Gallery's collection!

Savoir Beds says:
"Adorn a Savoir bed with one of the world’s finest paintings from the prestigious National Gallery in London. In an exclusive collaboration, Savoir Beds and The National Gallery have joined forces to deliver an inspiring approach that takes art in interiors to another level.

Housing over 2300 pieces of art dating from the mid-13th century to the 1900s, The National Gallery showcases paintings by the world’s greatest masters, including Botticelli, Leonardo da Vinci, Rembrandt, Monet and Van Gogh. Now Savoir’s clients can create their own masterpiece to treasure. Working closely with our design and upholstery specialists, we can incorporate and customise any National Gallery owned painting.

Once commissioned, the design is specially printed in the UK, by Andrew Martin, using the latest technology on a selection of three fabrics – lustrous velvet, textured linen viscose and versatile cotton. Finished with a bespoke plaque detailing the portrait and artist, every commission will be personally approved by The National Gallery to guarantee the design preserves the essence and integrity of one of the greatest art institutes in the world. The fine art of sleeping beautifully.

A design from our collaboration with one of the world’s greatest art institutes, The National Gallery, this Harlech No 2 features Claude Monet’s, Water-Lilies, Setting Sun. With the vast number of paintings in the National Gallery to consider, Monet was a destined choice, considering our historic connection to the iconic artist. In 1899, 1900 and 1901, he stayed at The Savoy, on a Savoir bed and it is from the fifth floor he would spend his mornings painting the sun rising over London. We’ve worked with the National Gallery closely to apply the artwork to the design, with the calming water lilies in the sunset, flowing from the headboard down to the base in a beautiful velvet specially printed in the UK, by Andrew Martin. The detail is incredible with the brushstrokes in a range of deep purple and rich pink hues, complemented by the simple bed design. Finished with a bespoke plaque detailing the portrait and artist, this bed has been personally approved by The National Gallery.

A design from our collaboration with the prestigious National Gallery, the Felix No 4 features Gherardo di Giovanni del Fora’s, The Combat of Love and Chastity. Part of a series illustrating the ‘Triumphs’ by the poet Petrarch, our design and upholstery specialists worked closely to perfectly incorporate and position the painting on the Savoir Felix design to create maximum impact. This commission is specially printed in the UK, by Andrew Martin, using the latest technology on a luxurious cotton fabric. In this exclusive collaboration, we’ve joined forces with The National Gallery to deliver an inspiring approach that takes art in interiors to another level.

The Felix No 4 with Van de Cappelle’s, A Shipping Scene with Dutch Yacht firing a Salute, is a design from our collaboration with The National Gallery. A painting that is a notable example of a calm seascape with billowing clouds is the perfect scene to be upholstered on to a Savoir bed. Savoir’s skilled design team worked closely with The National Gallery to carefully take elements of the painting and incorporated them in to the Felix design, ensuring the headboard revealed the mood of the scene and the base featuring the calming clouds. The painting has been specially printed in the UK, by Andrew Martin, in a cotton fabric, which shows the minute detail of the painting. Our skilled craftsmen then being their magic, upholstering the headboard, ensuring the exactly placement and hand tapping every nail.

Happy designing!

The Bunny Wall

I must confess I have a thing for rabbits and this time of the year makes me giddy. I always say if you want to see a grown man turn into a five year old boy, just show me bunnies. Or better yet, let me hold and pet one.

Or we can put them on the walls. And artist Hunt Slonem, internationally renowned for his colorful and expressionistic images of tropical plants and animals, has done just that with his charming new wallpaper and fabric line for Groundworks/Lee Jofa (Kravet). Based on his famous salon-style bunny walls in his own studio (which feature scores of small paintings of rabbits, some hung while still wet) seen here:

...Groundworks' Bunny Wall is a trompe l’oeil wallpaper created from a digital image of one of Slonem's many Bunny Walls in his studio and is available in a background of ivory, black, blue, or red.

And even cuter and more uniform is his Hutch pattern, featuring a sea of his frolicking bunnies, available in several different colorways.

Happy designing!

Wallpaper: Porter Teleo

I love wallpaper and I am not ashamed! I know many people shrink from the mere mention of it, but I have discovered that those people have bad memories of ugly wallpaper from their grandmother's house in the 60s or 70s. Of course contemporary wallcoverings are light years from grandma's foil bathroom. There are incredibly innovative and beautiful wallcoverings being made now and this post is part of a continuing series of the world of wallcoverings. Take for example the fantastic wallcovering company Porter Teleo--they have been on my radar ever since I saw the inimitable Kelly Wearstler using some of their wallcoverings and fabrics in her projects.

The Porter Teleo site tells their story:

"Porter Teleo is a line of hand printed, hand painted wallcovering and fabric developed by artist Kelly Porter and interior designer Bridgett Cochran. The patterns are created by employing a variety of fine art processes, such as woodblocking, painting, and chine colle.

The product enlivens the best of fine art and high design, presenting a bold, distinctive color palette with refined aesthetic. The unique styling is drawing from ancient Japanese screens, antique architectural ornamentation, and the hand of artist Kelly Porter.

Only the finest materials are used in the process - from the richest pigments to handmade Japanese papers. The wallcoverings are of the highest quality, and the splendid result offers tradition with an eclectic flair."

Their Brushstrokes pattern comes in several colorways...

...while their En Plein Air resembles large, abstracted poppies.

I adore how Floral Graffiti drips and runs down a wall...

...and Out Of The Box looks like a loose Mondrian painting!

Signs and Signifiers brings to mind the work of the great artist Cy Twombly. The scribbled-yet-organized look compliments modern interiors beautifully.

And the exquisite Tangled pattern looks bold, bright, intriguing...

Stairway by Kelly Wearstler

If you don't want to do an entire wall in a Porter Teleo pattern but like their work, how about papering a nook...

...or for high impact, perhaps a ceiling?

There are so many different types of wallcoverings out there now, and so many different ways to use them!
Happy designing!