Farrow and Ball and Emma Jane

There is a rash of new design books coming out this fall in time for the Christmas shopping season. My pre-released order with Amazon is obscene: I owe them a king's ransom for all these soon to be released books. But that's ok, this is my only hobby, so I indulge it. These new books are just starting to trickle in. Alex Vervoordt's came the other day and it's a winner, totally gorgeous. Another one that's arrived is the new Farrow and Ball: The Art of Color. For those who aren't familiar with Farrow and Ball: F & B is an English company specializing in paints. Not paints as in Sherwin Williams, but paints like those made centuries ago. With names like Cooking Apple Green and Book Room Red, part of the appeal is in the romance of times gone by. Their palette is extremely limited, only 132 colors as opposed to the thousands of colors made by other paint companies. Their paint is made the old fashioned way without "modern" cost cutting measures taken. Besides paint, they also manufacturer wallpaper of the highest quality. Their designs are traditional stripes and damasks, but recently they came out with a few hipper colorways.

A company that produces such high quality goods deserves to be written about and now, they have been, twice. I wasn't taken with the first F & B book, Paint, but the new one The Art of Color is a completely different story. The photography is luscious at times and moody at others, the lens' subjects are breathtaking. One chapter that really stands out is Emma Jane Pilkington's apartment. I'm not sure if it's ever been published before, I googled for awhile and couldn't find any hint of it anywhere. So, forgive me if you've seen her apartment before.

Emma Jane, an Australian by birth, but raised in Greenwich, is a young, hot decorator who has received volumes of national press. Her apartment for Ivanka Trump is a work of art, done in bright shades of blues and reds. In fact, most of Emma Jane's published work is bright and happy. Her apartment, though, is anything but. Mainly painted in three shades of Farrow and Ball paints, the apartment is neutral in color. With a combination of modern art pieces and antique furniture, it shows Pilkington's sophisticated knowledge of classical design and refined taste for art instead of the more trendy look we've come to expect of her. Take a look at these pictures to see a side of Emma Jane that might suprise you.

Pilkington's apartment for Ivanka Trump, young and dynamic, exactly like it's owner. The colors are bright, the prints are bold.

Another design by Pilkington, here she uses Raoul Textiles in bright pinks and yellows.

And now, for something completely different, Pilkington's apartment. Modern sculpture by Mauro Corda plays against antiques such as the gold mirror. An obvious book lover, she displays them on a center table, an antique from a Rajastani palace.

Here, she mixes antique furniture, a pair of crystal chandeliers, and a stunning modern art piece just reflected in the antique mirror.

A close up of the sculpture by Verner Panton.

A contemporary sculpture by C. Jere sits atop an antique settee. Nearby is a spoon back Regency chair.

A corner of the living room with an antique zograscope and Buccellati silver atop an antique Tric Trac table, from 1760.

The study, with an antique directoire daybed juxtaposed with a leopard print contempory chair.

Close up of the daybed and another gorgeous antique mirror.

The classic kitchen with a wall of antique mushroom prints.

This bathroom is so atmospheric with the moody candlelight and marble tub. The hanging basket under the antique prints with just a touch of color from the purple flowers.

A close up of a Venetian mirror from the 1840's.

The master bedroom, with a gorgeous wall of mirrored closet doors.

Another view of the bedroom and it's unusual antique lighting fixture.

If you enjoyed these pictures, I would suggest you pick up Farrow and Ball: The Art of Color. These are just a small sample of the wonderful images from the book.