The Blue and White Table - Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta - Vogue

From Oscar and Francoise de la Renta's New York City townhouse circa 1971. The stunning table is set with blue and white and chinoiserie. Oscar de la Renta had such great style. Not just in fashion, but his homes were gorgeous. His house in Punta Cana is a great favorite of mine.

Couture Raffia

Oscar de la Renta

I can't get enough of natural elements in my home like wicker, rattan, bamboo, straw, jute, raffia, and such. And I wear straw handbags virtually every day here in Florida. But this is definitely next level - a couture gown of raffia.

A Blue Champagne Bucket

Oscar de la Renta Champagne Bucket

A decade ago, fashion designer and master of entertaining Oscar de la Renta debuted a tropical-inspired line of home accessories infused with the breezy sophistication of his beach house. I bought several pieces at the time at Saks Fifth Avenue before the line was discontinued, but there are several pieces I didn't get and have been tying to track down ever since. They would go especially well in my Florida home.

Oscar de la Renta

Oscar de la Renta - Punta Cana

When we think of Punta Cana, most people think of the gorgeous home of Bunny Williams and John Rosselli. One of the most beautiful rooms of all times was at the late Oscar de la Renta's residence in Punta Cana. Note all the blue and white Chinese porcelain and all the wicker chairs.

I especially love the table piled with books and the red coral branches in the photo below.

Slim Aarons

Chairish

I had a great day yesterday. I decided I definitely want a Slim Aarons for CCC. Slim Aarons was an American photographer known for photographing socialites, jet-setters, and celebrities. Interestingly, he never used a stylist or makeup artist. His most famous quote is that he liked "photographing attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places." 

My daughter Kate who has a great eye helped me choose one for my home - he had quite a large body of work to say the least. I ordered a 40 inch by 60 inch without frame so it should make quite a statement and also decided on the framing. The one above is not the one I chose, but look how great it looks with ginger jars, Greek key, seashells, and orchids. I will share more details down the road. 

Today I am finalizing all the art placement for my day Thursday. So it's art week at CCC pretty much.

Slim Aarons photo in a vignette by Amanda Lindroth

And a Slim Aarons photo of Oscar de la Renta - check out the blue and white, rattan, and blue and white Chinese garden stools. It looks like it was taken today.

Oscar de la Renta by Slim Aarons

What a great photo.

 

Chinoiserie Gone Wrong - No - It's Fabulous!

Oscar de la Renta's Dining Room - circa 1969

Last Monday, my Chinoiserie Gone Wrong post featured this photo below and everyone agreed this lamp looked ridiculous on the Chinese garden stool.

Chinoiserie Gone Wrong

I have always loved seeing pictures of Oscar de la Renta's homes and when I found this I just had to share. The dining room is wonderful, but he has a pair of Chinese lamps on garden stools. LOL! He gets a pass, the room is gorgeous, but I thought it would be fun to share. Here is another shot of it - note the animal print Chinoiserie on the ceiling, table, and chairs. The lampshades are different colors in the two photos as well. I prefer the white, but doesn't it look like they still have the cellophane wrap on them?

The fabric on the ceiling, chairs, and table is Brunschwig & Fils Chinese Leopard Toile.

 Here's my Margot on her miniature chaise that was originally in my daughter Kate's nursery. It is upholstered in a vintage Brunschwig & Fils fabric from their Winterthur Collection circa 1974 "English Leopard" - it reminds me a bit of this room's style.

My Japanese Chin Margot

A Happy and safe Easter to all. Stay tuned for a really unbelievable Chinoiserie Gone Wrong tomorrow.

Timeless Blue and White

Oscar de la Renta's home - 1969

Blue and white Chinese garden stools, Chinese Chippendale chairs, blue and white Chinese porcelain, a chrome faux bamboo console table, blue and white Chinese lamps, blue and white wallpaper and fabrics - the presentation might be a bit old school, but the elements are still as popular today.

Timeless Blue and White

Oscar de la Renta - Vogue

Oscar de la Renta's NYC apartment with his first wife - Chinoiserie wallpaper, Greek key linens, and a Chinese Chippendale bedside table.

Chinoiserie Dogs

Architectural Digest

 Genevieve Faure's dog perches on an Oscar de la Renta fretwork chair. Speaking of dogs, this is Beatrice, our new Japanese Chin at 3 weeks, who will be joining our family in October. Our other two dogs shown below, Margot and Izzy, are looking forward to a new playmate.

Beatrice

Margot, our Japanese Chin, dressed as a lobster last Halloween

Izzy, our Tibetan Spaniel

Pagoda Canopy Beds

Miles Redd

I love the use of the pagoda canopies in these bedrooms - a whimsical choice that is a delightful mix of Chinoiserie, cabana, and big top circus.

Joanna Fisher Interiors

Oscar de la Renta for Century Furniture Canopy Pagoda

Setting the Blue and White Table

I have a weakness for china, but I have collected so much that it takes something really extraordinary to make me pull the plug. I have always loved Oscar de la Renta - in fact, my wedding dress was a couture ball gown of his in midnight blue silk organza over silk taffeta that I had made as a wedding gown in ivory. I also adore his collection of furniture for Century. His home furnishings line was conceived in tandem with Miles Redd who serves as his creative director.

His new Dot and Dash and Brushstroke dinnerware are on my Christmas wish list. I love them both. If you have white china, these would be fabulous to mix and match with it, picking up a set of the dinner plates, salad/dessert plates, or the cocktail plates, for example. I also like that this china would work equally well in a formal or casual table setting. There are interesting stories about both these designs. The "dot - and - dash" was taken from a 1970's silk dress designed by de la Renta. The brushstroke was his attempt at calligraphy while in Japan.

Sunday Inspiration - Miles Redd

Miles Redd

This Chinoiserie bedroom by Miles Redd is utter perfection. I love bedrooms that include Chinoiserie wallpaper, a wrought iron canopy bed left undressed, white bed linens, leopard carpet, a mirrored piece of furniture, and a great pair of lamps. This has it all -
*Canopy bed by Oscar de la Renta Home for Century Furniture
*Leopard carpet by Stark
*Chinoiserie wallpaper by de Gournay
*Bed linens by Schweitzer Linen
*Yellow double gourd lamps by Christopher Spitzmiller
*Mirrored chest
*Antique settee

Oscar de la Renta Punta Cana Chinoiserie

Here are my favorite rooms from Oscar de la Renta's Punta Cana beach house. Above, quite a collection of blue and white Chinese porcelain in the living room. It's a wonderful contrast to the dark wood floors and furniture. Below, the orchid in a Chinoiserie cachepot and the pagoda are lovely touches in this vivid green bedroom. Although not strictly speaking Chinoiserie, I had to show you this staircase with shells on brackets after my post yesterday on Thomas Burak's pagoda bedroom with the collection of blue and white Chinese porcelain on brackets.

Pagoda Bar Cabinet

The Pagoda Bar Cabinet by Oscar de La Renta for Century Furniture.

Oscar de la Renta Chinoiserie

These are some of my Chinoiserie favorites from Oscar de la Renta's gorgeous collection for Century Furniture.