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| Aerin Lauder - House and Garden |
Today's Chinoiserie Gone Wrong is about scale. Above is a photo of Aerin Lauder's East Hampton home's foyer from a 2007 House & Garden Christmas issue. The scale of that short and wide palm in a blue and white Chinese porcelain pot does not work at all in that space. Perhaps it was just pulled in for the photo shoot, who knows, it is just wrong. Not to mention that the poor thing would have perished in that dark corner. Here below is the same space more recently with furnishings in scale.
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| Harpers Bazaar Arabia |
I love a potted palm in a home. But please use a large blue and white Chinese fish bowl with a big palm and add some drama! Here is a perfect example in a Ralph Lauren room. If in doubt, go larger, as opposed to small. Dinky does diddly-squat in a room. I am not a houseplant fan anyway, with a few notable exceptions. I love potted orchids. Trader Joe's are the best quality and price. Feed your orchid three ice cubes a week and it will last for months. I love a large potted palm or a large potted fiddle leaf fig. Put them in either a blue and white Chinese fish bowl or a beautiful big basket. But with both, go bold or go home.
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| Ralph Lauren |
Ralph Lauren, like Carolyne Roehm are masters who instinctively know what's right and aren't just play acting. Their interiors have gravitas and depth few others ever come close to.
ReplyDeleteA single blue and white (token) porcelain pot (looks like delft) does not a "Chinoiserie" look make. And yet I see it ALL. THE. TIME. from people who ought to know better.
Absolutely - they are brilliant.
DeleteNo body does it better than Ralph, in my opinion, and whoever styles his photos is brilliant.
ReplyDeleteYou are so right.
DeleteHave you had the pleasure of visiting his flagship store in NYC,UES? Absolutely and gorgeously styled. Hint: the bathroom in the basement is worth a visit as well. ;)
ReplyDeleteYes, a favorite of mine and I have gotten some great ideas from there.
DeleteWe have two giant bird of paradise plants in our dining room. (I'll link to the photo in my name.) When we first got them I was worried I'd picked ones that were too large, but, like you, I now think going larger just looks more interesting!
ReplyDeleteI bet that is very dramatic!
DeleteI smile when I have images of you and the puppies driving over to the new house in the convertible. ;>)
ReplyDeleteIt is their favorite thing in the world to do.
DeleteOK, BETH and Lisa, You MUST SHARE!! I bet that cute pic is a "Framer"!
DeleteAgree with all of the above, and I think that weird, furry rug is too small and looks odd in the first pic--
ReplyDeleteYes, so true, really odd.
DeleteYes it's the rug! Where did the stuff go that would normally be in that foyer - I am sure Aerin Lauder knows better than that - so odd.
ReplyDeleteI can't imagine she was delighted with that magazine feature.
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