Steven Gambrel

There are a few interior designers whose work I always earmark, their artistry often gracing the pages of Elle Decor or the other American shelter magazines I have been ravaging for more than 20 years. In listing their names I will omit some, but off the top of my head Celerie Kemble, Jeffrey Bilhuber, Daniel Romualdez, Victoria Hagan, Robert and Courtney Novogratz, Emma Pilkington or even (when I'm feeling grown up) Bunny Williams. There is not a published project by any of these designers that I have not torn out, examined, filed, coveted.

However, my Michael Kors of interior design, my absolute rockstar, is definitely Steven Gambrel and FINALLY he has a book coming out, "Time and Place" (though sadly we have to wait until April for the pleasure.)

In "Shingle Chic" (Elle Decor, June/July 2002) the fab editor Mitchell Owens, now at Architectural Digest, described a wonderful house Steven Gambrel had renovated for a client, conjuring "a cottage that a globe-trotting great-aunt might have inherited probably back in the 1940s, filled with a transatlantic haul picked up everywhere from San Francisco to St. Tropez, a place where she partied hearty through the '60s and then left to a sporty young relation." I don't think I ever looked at an interior in the same way again. This is the special gift Gambrel has, giving a house such presence that you really can imagine a wonderful, even eccentric character infusing it with life. 

I have thumbed through the images of this Gambrel-designed pad, pictured in House Beautiful, so often that I feel like I have stayed in the house. Or at the very least visited and enjoyed a mint julep. It houses works by artists like Massimo Vitali and Marine Hugonnier, a gorgeous mix of furnishing and texture, and I particularly love the kitchen lighting. It was Steven Gambrel who inadvertently taught me that you don't need to use downlights (who knew!), lighting should be purpose placed, and shadows and dark corners are ok... a house does not need to be lit up like an airport. I'm not sure that our architects have enjoyed translating that into a lighting plan for our house-on-the-way! But I'm hoping it will give it warmth and depth in all the right places. 

House Beautiful, August 2009

3.1 Phillip Lim

I love the 3.1 Phillip Lim Spring 2012 Ready-to-Wear collection, though I by no means have spring fever (still praying for fall). I don't think I could (would) wear any of it, but I now see certain looks and hope my girls will dress like that as young teenagers, rather than getting all Abercrombie'd up (mmm). There is nothing wrong with dressing pretty, look where it's got the Middleton girls. Though I don't see the sisters Middleton in shapes like these.... they tend to take pretty in a different direction. 

images via style.com

Ann Carrington's "Manhattan Mettle"

I have "blogged" about Ann Carrington before (don't you just love the new verbs of the past decade? Still funny to think of myself using "blog", "to blog", "I blogged" in a sentence!) Anyway I'm heading to New York on the weekend with two of my girls, and am hoping to visit her "Manhattan Mettle" in the lobby of the W Hotel in Hoboken (another word I love using), as I am a huge admirer of Ann's work.

"Manhattan Mettle" is a magnetic mural, holding in place tens of thousands of objects, including dollars and dimes, New York subway tokens, spanners, saws, scissors and ship-building nails and chain. At 8m by 5m it's an incredible installation, reminiscent of the New York skyline in the 1930s (which makes me think of "Rules of Civility" again.) It's rather amazing to watch it being assembled, have a look here.

images provided by Ann Carrington

Back to Basics

This is one of my favourite fashion editorials, from Harper's Bazaar February 2009. It was styled by Jenny Capitain, whose work I often earmark, and was the first time I really noticed the ever-gorgeous Anja Rubik. I think Harper's does this type of editorial really well, where the fashion unfolds a story.... though I am not the biggest fan of the magazine any more. I'm sorry I was a big Liz Tilberis fan and I think Harper's has largely been in recovery since she died. But that's just me.

Of course it was shot by the vastly talented Peter Lindbergh, who needs no introduction. Watch Anja's character become reacquainted with her life - inspiration for us all these days.

Peter Lindbergh for Harper's Bazaar

Michael Kors Fall 2011 Ready-to-Wear

Michael Kors has always been hands down my favourite designer.... if I could afford to I would be head-to-toe, not in his diffusion lines but proper Michael Kors Ready-to-Wear. This first dress might be the most beautiful dress I have ever seen, and how good does Carmen Kass look with darker hair? He has always had a very "uptown" aesthetic, and all of his clothes somehow manage to elongate the body. This entire collection case in point. Mmmm, one problem - very heavy on the fur this season (he does tend to love it, not my bag) and even an alligator (crocodile?) jacket... I'm thinking there are customs ports around the world that would stop you for passing through in that. Please tell me there are. Anyway, digressing. Michael I do love you and when I passed you on Park Avenue about 8 years ago I swooned. Had only previously done that with Rod Stewart. That's another story.

images from style.com

Splash

Every girl loves a mermaid, or wants to be a mermaid. There's something so flighty and ethereal and fabulous about them (sounds like I'm talking about the Lisbon girls again.) Anyway I aim to please as a parent (ahem) and have installed Madison herself on the shower wall for our four girls. Did Daryl Hannah look this good? I guess she got a Kennedy out of it - I rest my mermaid case. The wonderful Maureen Elphick interpreted my vision to perfection. At shower time the girls are going to have to get in line behind girl number one (me!) If our house is ever finished, but we won't go there....