My Favorite Things

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Ken Tate (http://www.kentatearchitect.com) was recently named by Architectural Digest as one of the AD100 top architects and designers. Located outside New Orleans, Ken draws from traditional styles, both the formal and the vernacular, to create houses that communicate to the spirit and the senses. In this interview, he talks about how traditional craftsmanship and materials lend both patina and depth to an estate he designed in Mississippi called Windy Hill.

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KT: Human beings resonate with materials. There is some kind of universal wisdom in the psyche that connects with the spirit of materials. If you were to build this house with new materials, the psyche would know the difference. The connection with the past would be lost. You must use real materials as often as you can to create something that is more than mere illusion.

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KT: A primary source of inspiration for Windy Hill is early Norman architecture. When I was looking for exterior stone for the house, I sent a picture of an old Norman farmhouse to David Williams Masonry in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, (http://williamsmasonryinc.com) and asked, “How can I get stone that looks like this?” David told me that we had to cut it from the face of a mountain where some parts of the stone had been exposed to the elements longer than others, creating natural variation in color and texture. So that is what we did to create an instant appearance of age and patina.

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KT: The paneling in the long room was made by a firm of  English woodworkers called Hallidays (now Hallidays America in New Jersey). After making the paneling in England from old Russian pine, the master carpenters came to Mississippi to install it. Afterward, they finished the wood with a liming paste they brought with them from England.  This is a late-eighteenth-century technique that leaves a light, waxy finish that I like because it’s a little more casual than paint and because it creates built-in patina.

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KT: I also drew inspiration from Normandy for the shape and craftsmanship of the loggia. Made of heart pine, the timber-frame loggia is constructed in the mortis-and-tendon style, with wooden pegs securing the joints. We worked with a group of local Mennonite carpenters who made the loggia in their shop. One day, I was driving by and I saw it sitting next to a farm field. The carpenters had assembled it to make sure that everything was correct before disassembling it and installing it at Windy Hill. The loggia is attached to the house by stone brackets built into the exterior wall and the support beams sit on hand-chiseled stone plinths. In the old days, timber frame structures always rested on stone instead of earth in order to keep the wood from rotting.

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KT: Because of these materials and craftsmanship, Windy Hill enraptures you a little. People who visit say, “I just love the house.” But they don’t quite know why.

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This interview is adapted from Ken Tate: A Classical Journey, for which I wrote the introduction. It will be released by Images Publishing in Spring 2010. This and other books by Ken Tate can be ordered from http:/www.amazon.com and http:/www.powells.com

The photographs for this post are provided courtesy of Ken Tate Architect. Read the rest of this entry »

Connoisseur-Shop

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What do Charleston, Orlando, Palm Beach, Thomasville and Greenville all have in common? A great way to shop for antique majolica, campaign furniture, English silver, French porcelain figures, Ottoman carpets, portrait miniatures of people and their dogs, and more, all in one day…and without wearing out your Blahniks.

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How? Just plan your trip to any of these beautiful Southern destinations to coincide with their annual antiques shows.  Organized by volunteers to raise funds for art museums, historic preservation, and children’s charities, the shows feature the best antiques dealers from within and beyond the south, as well as lectures by design professionals such as Charlotte Moss, Bunny Williams, and Bobby McAlpine.

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I’ve had to pleasure to speak at several shows over the last few years, all organized by show manager Charlie Miller, whose extensive contacts and expertise guarantee the best quality and variety of antiques. At most shows, he offers a walk-through or lecture providing tips about collecting and connoisseurship.

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Coming up soon, don’t miss the Orlando Museum of Art’s Antiques Show and Sale, organized by Council 101 to benefit the museum. Running from February 19th to 21st, the show includes a lecture by Mary Palmer Dargan, ASLA. Show manager Charlie Miller will also offer appraisals. For more information, visit http://www.omart.org/programs/antiques-show-sale

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The following weekend brings the annual Thomasville Antiques Show, running from previews on February 25th through  February 26th and 27th. The historic charm of Thomasville itself, a hunting destination of note since the early 20th century, makes the trip worthwhile. But the show is the main event, with everything from glittering jewelry to sporting art. Acclaimed design professionals P. Allen Smith, Laura Hunt, and Gil Shafer will speak, and Charlie Miller will give a talk on How to Shop the Show. For more information, visit http://www.thomasvilleantiquesshow.com

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Keep an eye out for an upcoming Connoisseur-shop article about the Charleston Art and Antiques Show, which takes place March 19th-21st and benefits Historic Charleston Foundation. For more information, visit www.historiccharleston.org.

The Southern Cosmopolitan Travels

I recently had the pleasure of staying in two of the most historic inns in the Blue Ridge Mountains –the Eseeola Lodge in Linville, North Carolina, and the High Hampton Inn in Cashiers, North Carolina.

Eseeola Lodge . . .

The Eseeola Lodge

The Eseeola Lodge

The Eseeola Lodge (http://eeseola.com) was built in 1892, four years after the wives of Linville’s developers convinced their husbands to create a resort instead a timber and mining town. Designed to capture the imaginations of mountain-going tourists, the lodge was built in a picturesque style using shingles made from chestnut bark.

Timber-pole balcony at The Eseeola

Timber-pole balcony at The Eseeola

Although the original building burned in 1936, the present-day lodge is located in an annex built before the fire.  Also covered in chestnut bark shingles, it features balconies made from unmilled timber poles and a huge stacked stone fireplace that retain the picturesque ambiance of the original structure.

The Eseeola's lobby

The Eseeola's lobby

When it was built in 1929, the annex housed only a double row of guest rooms. Since then, it has been substantially expanded to include a large living room and restaurant where guests gather and dine in a style where elegance and luxury meet rustic charm.

The bar at Eseeola Lodge

The bar at Eseeola Lodge

High Hampton Inn . . .

Twilight at High Hampton Inn

Twilight at High Hampton Inn

Civil War general, South Carolina governer, and US Senator Wade Hampton began summering in the Blue Ridge Mountains in 1800. Wade’s sister Caroline dubbed the hilltop property High Hampton, and in 1922, the McKee family purchased the hunting lodge and outbuildings, turning them into an inn (http://highhamptoninn.com) where generations of Southerners have summered ever since.

The terrace at High Hampton Inn

The terrace at High Hampton Inn

While the rooms and cottages are cozy and cool (air-conditioning is unnecessary, but wood-burning fireplaces offer welcome warmth on mountain nights), outdoor pleasures are high on the agenda. Those not inclined to fish or canoe can just sit on the terrace and gaze upon the sublime beauty of Rock Mountain.

The lobby at High Hampton Inn

The lobby at High Hampton Inn

Popular with families, High Hampton Inn has a huge lobby surrounding a stacked stone fireplace where bridge, backgammon, and book-reading are favorite indoor pursuits. Like the Eseeola, this inn burned in the 1930s. Despite the fact that there was a Depression going it, it was immediately rebuilt on the original location using the same local materials: pine, hickory, and wormy chestnut.

Front desk at High Hampton Inn

Front desk at High Hampton Inn

So . . . don’t forget to check in and check out the Southern comfort — and traditional architecture — of these historic inns. Whether it’s spring, summer, fall, or winter, these lodges will surround you with old-fashioned charm and natural beauty.

If you want to read more about the historic inns of Western North Carolina and see more of my pictures, you can read the article I wrote for WNC Magazine last summer at http://www.wncmagazine.com/feature/travel_feature/inn_style

Connoisseur-Shop

An inside look at why antiques dealers love the things they love
and what they like to do with them
Ann Koerner Antiques, New Orleans
19th-c French bench and African rug

19th-c French bench and African rug

What I love most about Ann Koerner Antiques (4021 Magazine Street, New Orleans, http://annkoerner.com), other than the updated Gustavian decor, is Ann’s skill at creating unexpected yet entirely harmoneous collages of art, furniture, and decorative objects. Rooted in history, inclusive, and surprising, her selections perfectly express Southern Cosmopolitan style.

Written about in House Beautiful, Southern Accents, The New York Times, and other publications, Ann shares the secrets of her approach to collecting and decorating with you here:

koerner-chair-detail“I always go for the really fine, extraordinary pieces like this 18th century Italian arm chair. The carving is a flawless expression of the time and place this piece represents. I also like the fact that this is the original finish. It looks old. If you leave the finish alone–and even the upholstery, if possible–the true quality of the piece comes through so beautifully.

koerner-shop-chairs2This 18th century Swedish cabinet has very fine, champfered paneling. Its size, the texture of its worn paint, and detail gives it a lot of presence in any room. The chairs (also Swedish) are rococo in style, with beautifully carved cabriole legs. I love the color and texture of the old leather seats and painted wood. They go so beautifully against the pale gray cabinet.

koerner-shop-window-resizedThe  iron-frame orangerie window (French, 19th century) is one of a pair. I mirrored the other one with silver leaf. The 20th-century Lucite chair has wonderful, true lines, which is why it can mix well with pieces from another period. I love putting modern pieces with very simple lines next to older ones. Clear pieces like these play beautifully with the light–and almost disappear.

18th c. Swedish cupboard & English regency chair

The experience of shopping at Ann Koerner Antiques is not just an acquisitive one, but an inspirational one as well. Even if you’re “Just looking…”, you’ll go home and look at your own surroundings in a new way.
Ann Koerner at home
Swedish cabinet & Balinese table in Ann's house

Swedish cabinet & Balinese table in Ann's house

Ann, who is also an interior decorator, expresses this open-ended aesthetic in her nearby house, featured in The Southern Cosmopolitan. In the living room, a Swedish cabinet, Balinese table, and 20th century American painting create a dynamic yet serene composition.
21st c. Italian glass & 19th c. chairs chez Ann

21st c. Italian glass & 19th c. chairs chez Ann

In the dining room, bold contemporary Italian glass contrasts with delicate 19th c. American chairs.

Southern Cosmopolitan Garden Party

cosmopolitan_thumbnailBeing a Southern Cosmopolitan (or a Cosmopolite Southernista, which I was delighted to be dubbed by Veranda magazine in their July/August book pages) is not only about decorating with style. It is also about living with charm, elegance, a lot of individuality, and a little bit of humor. To celebrate the launch of this online style diary (I refuse to call it a blog–it’s just too ugly a word), I’m inviting you to attend (in the virtual manner) several parties exuding Southern Cosmopolitan style.

First, join me for an extravagant garden party in New Orleans’ garden district. With guests arrayed in proper garden party attire (airy dunbar-est-in-hats2frocks and shady chapeaux for the ladies, seersucker suits and straw hats for the men), the party was thrown by one of the city’s most extraordinary hostesses (who wishes to remain anonymous). Move over Dorothy Draper, stylemaker and author of the 1941 classic, Entertaining is Fun: How to be a Popular Hostess (rizzoliusa.com). Be sure to read this book if you want to overcome The Will to Be Dreary (p. 5) by hosting elegant yet economical entertainments.

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Knowing that the New Orleans I explore in my new book The Southern Cosmopolitan combines classic style with Creole spice, the hostess selected an invitation with a tropical theme from Scriptura, a Magazine Street stationers (scriptura.com). With windtorn banana leaves and an ever-so-slightly sinister alligator, it suggests that this might not be your average garden party.

The correct hat is essential to dressing like a Southern Cosmopolitan. When Eric Mueller (designer of this website and my books) arrived indunbar-eric-at-hatman1 New Orleans for the party, I took him straight to Meyer the Hatter–which, in operation for 63 years, is the city’s oldest hatshop. After trying on a dozen Panama straw hats, from the genteel to the sharpster, Eric selected a hybrid of the two extremes perfect both for the party and his life back home in New York City and Long Island (meyerthehatter.com).

My Ascot style hat (and dress, as well) came from Yvonne LaFleur (yvonnelafleur.com), a deliciously old Paris style boutique in New Orleans’ Carrollton neighborhood.

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The hostess created jungle-madness centerpieces by anchoring dramatic arrangements of tropical foliage and flowers with natural sea sponges set in the tops of tall vases.

Eric Mueller, (contributor to Drinkology Eats: A Guide to Bar Food and Cocktail Party Fare) helped concoct a signature cocktail for the book parties called–what else?–The Southern Cosmopolitan. Pictured below, it is the velvety peach colored elixir in martini glasses. Everyone who tastes this dangerously drinkable cocktail asks for the recipe, so here it is.

For 1 Southern Cosmopolitan:

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3 sprigs of fragrant mint

1-1/2 oz peach infused vodka

1/2 oz Cointreau or other orange liqueur

1 oz peach nectar

1/4 oz fresh lime juice

Rim a chilled martini glass with a mint leaf. Muddle the mint sprigs in a cocktail shaker. Add the remaining ingredients, shake with ice, and strain into the glass. For a virgin version called the Southern Peach, omit the alcoholic ingredients, shake the mint, peach nectar, and lime juice with ice, and strain into a Tom Collins glass, topping off with seltzer. A word of warning: peach vodka and peach nectar can be hard to find, so order ahead of time.

 

dunbar-cutting-cake1This delightful garden party peaked with the presentation of a cake decorated with the cover of my book (printed in edible inks on rice paper by Haydel’s Bakery, haydelsbakery.com) flanked by macaroon trees. Tempting towers of colorful meringue-based cookies, these Parisian style confections were made by Sucre on Magazine Street in New Orleans (shopsucre.com).

 

My only regret at the end of the day was that I didn’t eat more of the strawberry, lemon, orange, and pistachio dunbar-meringes1meringues. Expecting them to taste like styrofoam (how could something that insanely perky looking actually taste good, too?), I did not discover how delectable they were until the end of the party. Since I couldn’t figure out how to sneak one of the trees home without anyone noticing, I had to make do with just a few unforgettable bites–the perfect sweet ending to a divine afternoon.

The Southern Cosmopolitan:

scosmo_thumbnailThe Southern Cosmopolitan (Rizzoli: April ’09) takes a fresh look at styles shaping the South’s architecture and interior design today. A selection of luxurious houses from Charleston, Savannah, New Orleans, Atlanta, Natchez, Alexandria, and beyond celebrates the sophisticated side of Southern style with a mix of modern art, cherished antiques, and exotic textiles. Featured in tantalizing color photographs are select private residences decorated by leading tastemakers, including Thomas Jayne, Amelia Handegan, Nancy Braithwaite, and Hal Williamson.

An immaculately restored mansion in Natchez and a collector’s treasure trove in Alexandria reveal the South’s love affair with historic European and American architecture, art, and antiques. A classic re-do of a Colonial Revival home near Washington, DC and a modern Atlanta condominium decorated with French antiques and contemporary art reveal the ease with which Southerners blend the old and the new. A Greek Revival house in Charleston filled with an international collection of textiles and an Italianate townhouse in Savannah decorated in opulent Venetian style display the South’s fascination with global tastes. This inspiring book is perfect for those who aspire to the essence of Southern style. click here to order from amazon.