illustration by julia rothman (a very limited edition of prints are available in the julia rotham shop)

Spring is in the air (this week, at least!), which means one thing – flea market season!  Here on the East Coast, most flea markets pack up for the winter and dealers go off to restock, but then resume with force in the spring.  The d*s team will be heading up to Brimfield in May and I’m already making my wish list and saving my pennies. White ironstone makes my list each and every flea market trip – I just can’t get enough!

collection of stoneware from 1840-1870 via 1st dibs

Ironstone is a type of stoneware that was first produced in Staffordshire, England by 19th century potters looking for a cheap alternative to porcelain that could be easily mass-produced in English factories. Most of this early ironstone was decorated to imitate Chinese porcelain.

the masons ironstone china factory is on the right in victoria square, fenton – the square also housed a drinking fountain (center) and a public urinal. photo c.1915 via thepotteries.org

The name ‘ironstone’ was patented by Charles Mason of Staffordshire in 1813. Many Staffordshire potteries had similar products known by a variety of names – semiporcelain, opaque porcelain, English porcelain, stone china, new stone – but all referring to essentially the same thing. Mason’s patent ran out quickly and other Staffordshire factories adopted the name ‘ironstone.’

white ironstone and flowers from Sprout Home

White ironstone has definitely become highly collectible so you might have to hunt for a bargain. Don’t shy away from a piece with a little staining – see below for cleaning tips!

CLICK HERE for more ironstone!

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murphy bed illustrations via murphy bed company history

After my very first past & past column back in August. I had some requests to address the history of the Murphy bed. It’s only taken 6 months and some nudging from Grace – but here’s some insight into the Murphy bed!

image from the Decorator and Furnisher, vol 17 (Jan. 1891)

The practice of hiding the bed became a 19th century art form and practical solution to the lack of space. The parlor was the defining room from 1850 – 1900 and signaled the social circle to which the family belonged. The parlor’s decorations illustrated the social refinement of the family and was where all the best things would have been displayed.

parlor cabinet/bed opened and closed, 1870 in the Decorative Arts collection of the Brooklyn Museum

For middle class families, the folding bed would have allowed a single room to serve as both the parlor and the bedroom. (Even before the advent of cabinet bed, the parlor would have been the sleeping place for the head of the household. In the mid-19th century propriety suggested that the bed and bedroom should be kept out of sight.)

convertible bed in the form of an upright piano, 1865 in the Decorative Arts collection of the Brooklyn Museum

My favorite convertible bed is the piano above. This piece would have allowed one to have the ultimate status symbol – a piano – and an extra bed all in one piece of furniture!

the piano bed opened, Brooklyn Museum

Ok – so at this point you’re probably wondering why you still haven’t heard of a Mr. Murphy. Well, there was indeed a Mr. Murphy who was born in California in 1876. When this Mr. Murphy was newly married and living in a one-room apartment, he wanted a way to hide the bed so that the young couple could entertain. A Murphy bed is technically a bed that seemly folds right into the wall via a cabinet or closet. Mr. Murphy patented his bed in 1900. (You can still buy your Murphy bed from the “Original Murphy Bed Company“!)

an inebriated charlie chaplin battles the murphy bed in one a.m.

Perhaps the reason the Murphy bed stills hold such fascination is the bed’s comedic potential. One surefire way to get a laugh? Fold someone into a Murphy bed! From early Charlie Chaplin (watch Chaplin battle the Murphy bed in the 1916 short One A.M.) to Popeye’s battles with a tiny mouse in Shuteye Popeye (1952) – a Murphy bed gets laughs. The bed even has dramatic potential – James Bond was shut up in a Murphy bed in You Only Live Twice (1967) (watch Sean Connery’s close encounter with a Murphy bed in the movie’s trailer here).

Books to Read

1. There’s a Bed in the Piano: The Inside Story of the American Home by Myrna Kaye – this book gives an inside look into the American home and pays particular attention to the development of furniture for the American interior

Facts to Know

1. The word “Murphy” was also a slang for sleeping. The word probably derived from “Morpheus” – the Greek god of dreams and sleep.
2. 19th century Americans weren’t the only ones who liked to hide their beds in the wall! For example, in 17th century Holland, the bed was commonly placed in an alcove and hidden behind a curtain.

CLICK HERE for a great roundup of modern murphy beds and beautiful spring bedding options after the jump!

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Billy Baldwin certainly loved his brown and his lacquer. Billy once said that every country house needs a dog so I couldn’t resist including a greyhound in homage to the painting in his own home. Billy abhorred leggy furniture saying it made the room feel restless, but I was just not into the box pleat slipper chairs – I hope he’ll forgive me.

[from left: rare books, vintage 1950s tulu carpet $1800, JF Herring Sr print $15 slipper chair $950, mirrored side table $89.99, greyhound, pouf $109-299, brass candlestick $50-65, oxford style heels $80.06]

For our goodbye to Billy Baldwin, here are a few of his favorite things – rattan, chinese wallpaper and moss covered terra cotta – nearly 40 years later, they still look pretty good!

[from left: faux tortoiseshell mirror $100.03, chinese wallpaper print $6.66 -133.14, rattan hamper set $495, x-stool $179, patent eco-leather clutch $145, terra cotta planters $38, 70 dendrobium orchid stems $128.88]

illustration by julia rothman

I don’t have much of a fashion memory, but when I was looking at Billy Baldwin interiors all week, I kept thinking about Gwyneth Paltrow’s Oscar dress in 1996. I’ve always loved that dress – it was all white, and she just looked clean, casual and effortless. (She also had Brad Pitt on her arm so that helped). (This is the only good picture I can find of that dress.)  Baldwin’s style was crisp, elegant and a little slick, but it was above all simple and practical. (He always said that the best way to update a room was to simplify.) Baldwin’s style became defined as the American style, and he decorated homes for Cole Porter, Jackie Kennedy Onassis, Diana Vreeland, and Greta Garbo as well as homes for your average millionaire. He was called the “dean of decorators” and was endlessly quotable.

billy in his mid-1970s new york city apartment via billy baldwin decorates

Nothing is interesting unless it is personal – Billy Baldwin

Baldwin believed that you should surround yourself with things that you love and he detested what he called, “the sterility of perfection” saying that if you think you can spot a Billy Baldwin room, then it wasn’t his.

on the bookshelves of this Baldwin-decorated dining room are little mushroom paintings – good reminder of the trend life cycle! via billy baldwin decorates

Stick to the things you really love. An honest room is always up to date.
- Billy Baldwin

He preferred a more casual personal look. He believed in breaking the rules of decoration and loved to see pattern against pattern. When decorating, he always believed in using some furniture that the client already possessed as a way to make sure the home retained their personality.

cole porter’s library with the famous bookcases via billy baldwin decorates

Nothing is in good taste unless it suits the way you live. – Billy Baldwin

Born in Baltimore in 1903, Baldwin briefly studied architecture at Princeton then worked with his father selling insurance before finally settling on interior decoration as a profession. He designed the homes of some Baltimore families before catching the eye of Ruby Ross Wood – a big name New York City decorator – who offered Baldwin a job in Manhattan in 1935. Once in New York, his career took off!

CLICK HERE for more Billy!

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Tartan Round-Up

With all this tartan talk, I’ve begun noticing tartan everywhere! And although a little plaid goes a long way, here are a few of my favorites!

[image above: long plaid chain necklace $19.99, tartan tape shade $128, audrey wallpaper £35. antique tartan print $120, henning sofa $3,998, ralph lauren chair $649, set of 6 coasters $14. 95, converse sneakers $44.80, brockhampton knob $2.95, laugharne blanket £71.00]

[image above: vintage plaid stamp sign $75]

[image above: tartan dessert plates $48, computer case $107.50, plates memo tray $9.99, tartan baubles bracelet $28 matteo scarf $60, tartan playing cards £5.99, plaid steamer truck $84.59, plaid locket $26.00 throw blanket $70]

[image above: throw pillows £34.00]

image above by julia rothman

If you’re thinking of a Scottish textile, chances are you’re thinking about tartan. The design was originally based on a simple two-color check, but today you can find an enormous variety of tartan patterns. So pour yourself a glass of scotch (OK – so it’s only 10am and we don’t live on the Mad Men set – but a girl can dream.), and let’s delve into tartan! (And many thanks to the ever-brilliant Amy Merrick- who just did a tartan project – for the idea! If you have a suggestion for a future column, please leave it in the comments!)

Difference between plaid and tartan?
Here’s the million dollar question. And it seems like nothing gets historians arguing quite like tartan! Here’s the basics: historically – plaid referred to a material/garment, while tartan was that checked pattern that we all know and love. A plaid was actually a large long shawl – usually 10 x 5 feet – the kilt was known as the belted plaid. Later the word ‘plaid’ came to mean any fabric that had a tartan pattern.

sir james macdonald (1741 – 1765) and sir alexander macdonald (1744 – 1810) by william mosman in about 1749, national galleries of scotland

Clan Tartans
The 18th century painting above of the Macdonald boys is often used to illustrate the point that the association of tartan patterns with a particular family was a 19th century invention rather than an ancient tradition. The boys are wearing three different tartan patterns. (By the way, note the date of 1749 on the painting, we’re coming back to that!) Historians believe that tartans had an association with the location in which they were produced rather than the particular family who chose to wear them. But because the tartans with similar color ranges would have been found in the same location (due to the use of local dyes) those living in close proximity would have worn the same colors and patterns. (So for example, tartans in the west of Scotland were produced in blue, black and green and worn by the MacLeod, MacNeil, and the MacDonalds, while tartans in the north-east used blue or black and green stripe on a red ground and were worn by the local families such as Macintosh, Robertson, and MacGillivary.)

an incident in the rebellion of 1745, david morier

Tartan and Rebellion
In 1746 the English defeated the tartan-clad Scots at the Battle of Culloden. As part of an effort to assimilate the Scottish Highlands and thwart their ability to revolt, the Act of Proscription made the wearing of tartan illegal. (This section was referred to as The Dress Act) Remember I told you to note the date of the MacDonald boys painting? It was painted in 1749, during the time that wearing tartan in Scotland was prohibited by the Parliament.)

CLICK HERE for more Tartan history after the jump!

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illustration by julia rothman

I find it pretty amazing that we decorate our homes with furniture forms that are thousands of years old. You might know this stool as an x-stool, but it’s also a curule, a Dante chair, Savonarola chair, a Faldistorium or even a scissors chair! (The form tweaks a bit as the name changes, but the consistent feature is that x-base). Every once and while the curule chair (or x-stool) pops up in the pages of magazines (or in the occasional d*s sneak peek!). It’s one of those classic pieces that can easily be incorporated into any decorating style.

Copy of the wall painting from the tomb of Huy, an Egyptian official who lived during the reign of king Tutankhamun (1336-1327 BC). Thebes.

We begin our x-stool journey with the Egyptians! The Egyptian folding stool was constructed from a pair of wooden frames with a slung leather seat and was developed as a portable chair for the commanding army officer. (Can you spot the folding stool above? It’s a “Where’s Waldo” for the Decorative Arts!)

sella curulis depicted on a Roman coin via coin archives

The ancient Romans took the form of the Egyptian folding chair in about the 6th century b.c. and it became used as a chariot chair and as a camp-stool for magisterial commanders in the field. The chair, called the curule, was usually made of or decorated with ivory. The heavier chair was not always able to fold, but it still conferred the same sign of prestige as the Egyptian version.

The October 2003 excavation by Museum of London Archaeology Services of the tomb of a Saxon king from the 7th century AD. Above is a folding stool that was thought to originate from Italy or the area which is now modern Slovakia/Hungary. details here

a curule in the home of samatha reitmayer of style/SWOON

After 24 centuries of use in home decor, the curule still looks pretty fantastic in the modern home. See some additional examples of the curule, and a little round-up of modern x-stools!

CLICK HERE for the full post! (Including “Books to Read” and “Facts to Know!”)

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This column is not about the cozy little cottages that dot the English countryside. Instead we’re focusing on those grand English country homes that were the power houses for the country. When I was younger, in addition to devouring Jane Austen novels, I spent an absurd amount of time pouring through my parents’ copy of the 1978 book, Life in a Medieval Castle. But the ultimate was I Capture the Castle – a childhood favorite of my mom’s – written in 1948 by Dodie Smith about a young girl who lives in a rundown castle and dreams of being a writer (It was also adapted into a movie in 2003). I thought it would be fun to take a look at the history behind these grand homes!  After all, the custom of afternoon tea? Developed in an English country house. The American love affair with a green lawn? Imported from the English country house, of course!

great chalfield manor completed in 1480 has a moat, a gatehouse, oriel windows and a great hall. the manor is part of the national trust.

For centuries, the ownership of land was the only means to power. These ambitious land-owners were not farmers, but secured power and wealth as the ultimate landlords. Not only did they collect rent from their tenants, but they could also call on those tenants to, in the early days of the country house, fight for them, and to vote for them in the latter days. From the Middle Ages until the 19th century, anyone who acquired wealth built a country house to insure their power. The kind of house built was the absolute advertisement of that power and ambition.

As a nod to the tea drinking English, I have a mini tutorial on creating a rubberized tea set! Yep, those pretty pink handles have been rubberized!

CLICK HERE for the full post complete with a “books to read” and “facts to know”(and the rubberizing diy project!)

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illustration by julia rothman

So for my first column after my little hiatus to finish up some d*s book projects, I thought it would be fun to take a look at the history of a craft room staple – decoupage! The art of decoupage is thought to have its roots in East Siberian tomb art.  It was perfected in China where it was used as early as the 12th century for decorative objects. But our little look into decoupage is going to focus on the craze that overtook Europe in the 18th century!

18th century Italian lacca povera semaniers, 1st dibs $15,900

Decoupage was first used in Europe by resourceful Venetian artisans as a way to capitalize on the craze for lacquerware that was being imported from Asia. Those artisans developed the technique of taking sheets of engravings which were hand-colored, and cutting and pasting them onto the surface of furniture. Several layers of varnish were applied to create the high-gloss sheen reminiscent of traditional lacquer work. The Venetians called this relatively inexpensive technique lacca povera.

Spanish lacca povera box sold at Christies, $17, 436

In 18th century France, the technique was renamed découpage (taken from the verb découper, ‘to cut out’) and was extremely popular amongst a circuit of fashionable ladies (and some men!). Finding suitable prints to cut up was a little more difficult in 18th century Europe (no Kinkos color copiers!) and engravers offered prints for sale that were specifically aimed at the decoupage artists.  It was difficult to satiate the decoupage artists appetite for new images, and they would take their scissors to anything.  At the court of Louis XVI and Marie Antoinette, the ladies cut up original paintings by Boucher, Watteau and Fragonard in their quest for new decorations for their decoupage fans, boxes or screens.

And if all this talk of decoupage leaves you hankering to try your hand at the centuries old technique, I’ve included a little DIY for a decoupage pencil holder!

CLICK HERE for the rest of the post including “books to read” and “facts to know”!

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Want to have your own Audubon print? This blue heron hand-colored engraving from 1837 could be yours for $80,000.)

There has always been a relationship between interiors and nature. In light of the current and (seemingly never-ending) John Derian-esque craze for all things nature, I thought it might be fun to take a look at one of the most well-known naturalists – Audubon.

from left:  Flamingo, Gyrfalcon

It’s nearly impossible to look at a bird print and not think of John James Audubon. And there’s a good reason for that – Audubon’s Birds of America, published between 1827 and 1838,  was comprised of 435 images all drawn life-sized. The book was a result of 18 years of work. Not only did Audubon trek across the United States searching for his subjects, but he spent nearly as much time looking for subscribers for his volumes. In light of Audubon’s enormous achievements, it’s extraordinary to realize that he likely never would have pursued his career as a naturalist if his life had worked out the way he had intended. It was only when Plan A didn’t work out, that he turned to drawing – and he pursued his passion for birds with a dogged determination.

from left: Wild Turkey, Yellow breasted chat from the New York Historical Society

John James Audubon was born in Saint Domingue (now Haiti) in 1785, the illegitimate son of a French sea captain and plantation owner and his French chambermaid, who died of infection shortly after his birth. His illegitimacy would be a source of embarrassment for his entire life and something that he successfully concealed from all but those closest to him.  After the death of his birth mother, he was taken to Nantes, France where he was raised by his father’s wife.

An original Audubon print can run you into the tens of thousands of dollars, but this DIY Audubon paperweight is less than ten dollars! It a quick and fun way to bring a little nature into your home or office!

CLICK HERE for the rest of the post – including an easy Audubon-inspired DIY after the jump!

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