Happy Birthday to a Design Mentor!

 

 

My living room with inherited French antique chairs

Ask any interior designer who their mentor was, whose style first influenced them, who introduced them to a certain look - and most likely they will have a long story about that person and how important they were in shaping their aesthetic.  Ask me and I'll answer with two words:  Betty Rae!

Betty Rae - just the name itself goes so far in describing her:  A southern lady, gracious and beautiful, with an accent that matches her name.  I always say that Betty Rae's style influenced mine more than anyone  - bar none.  Who is this Betty Rae you are probably wondering?

Legally, she's my step-mother, but we don't use the word "step" - she's my mother in every sense of the word and today is her birthday.   I've been wanting to write about her and how she influenced my design style, so today - her 78th birthday, seemed the perfect time to do it. 

Betty Rae came into my life when I was 14,  after my mother, Sonia, died unexpectedly at the age of 42.  My father had one date and was hooked.  Who wouldn't be?  She was beautiful with dark brown hair and eyes, sweet and loving, and very stylish.  She introduced me to antiques and french design and for that I'll always be grateful.

 

 

That us, me and Betty Rae at my high school graduation.

Thinking about it, I guess you could say I came out of the womb interested in design.   When I look back,  it must have been well known in my family that I was into decorating.  One of my more vivid childhood memories is when a elderly cousin brought me all her old home magazines.  I was so excited to get them - in those days back in the 50s, there weren't a lot of design magazines like today.  I remember after my cousin went home, I sat down to look at the magazines and was utterly disappointed.  She had brought me her old magazines and I was expecting new ones!  They were probably from the 40s (ones I would kill for today!) and were such a let down.  I must have been only six or seven years old at the time - I know this because we still lived in our old house.  A few years later, my parents built a home across town and that experience was a further strengthening of my interest in interior decoration.  They let me help design my room all in lilac and white, I even had a lilac sink!   We all pored over the architectural drawings for months and this fueled my fascination with floor plans.  For years, I drew plans - doodling them in school instead of listening.  At that time, it was thought I might become an architect - but those hopes were dashed when the reality of my lack of math skills became apparent.  And so, when our lives changed for ever, and I ended up with a new mother - her sense of style was an extra bonus in the package.    Betty Rae was into French antiques, two words I knew nothing about, but which would form the basis of my design aesthetic forever. 

In contrast, my own mother who had immigrated as a teenager to the United States on the heels of Hitler invading Poland, knew nothing about interior design.   A redhead and a natural comedienne,  she only knew to hire someone to fix up our house in the popular "modern" style of the 50s and 60's.    Because of this,  modern design was all I knew - everyone in my life decorated their houses this way.  It's not that I wasn't interested in other styles, I just had never been exposed to them.  French antiques weren't a part of our lives or of our neighbors.

When I first met Betty Rae and her two daughters who would become my sisters - they were living in a fashionable high rise apartment, something that was an anomaly to Houston at that time  and something that was extremely exotic to a teenager from the suburbs.    I can remember that apartment vividly:  the living room was designed around a blue and green flowery fabric on a cream background which covered a down filled sofa.  There was a light blue velvet skirted table in the room and French antique chairs were scattered about.  The family room had an antique bakers rack (what's that?!!) that doubled as a tv stand and a bar.  The master bedroom was done  in blue and white, with a french headboard and a huge, fruitwood antique armoire that housed the tv.  Picture this:  Jacqueline Kennedy's personal space in the White House and you can get an idea of what the apartment looked like.  It was as if Stephane Boudin had decorated it himself, instead - the french antiques and reproductions were bought from a Mrs. Handy. 

I can not begin to explain the effect that this apartment had on me.  It was so beautiful, so feminine, so foreign to me.   I just loved everything about it then and still do today.  My love of french antiques was born on that day I first visited them in their apartment.   They say good taste runs in families, and Betty Rae's was no exception.  The youngest of three daughters, they all shared great style.  Her  two sisters both lived in New York, so their more cosmopolitan exposure trickled down to Texas.  At one point, Betty Rae and her best friend opened a small antiques store that specialized in accessories.   The two went to England to stock their inventory and were nice enough to let me work there sometimes on the weekends.   Over the years, as I became more and more exposed to french antiques, Betty Rae was always there to help guide me and teach me about them.  We would often go to antique stores and shows together, along with her daughter - my sister - Cathy.  We had so much fun antique shopping together, most times not even buying, just looking.  We even flew to Dallas to antique there.  We would go the Round Top antique fair twice a year and slosh through the mud to find some great piece of Masonware for Cathy or transferware for me.  We still will rehash the new Veranda or Southern Accents over the telephone or talk about some great new design book.   For fun, we'll go together to someone's new home to admire their antiques and ooh and ah.  In short, Betty Rae and I developed a great closeness centered around our love of French antiques.

Betty Rae's taste has remained impeccable and she can "kill" something with a just a glance.  She will quietly say, "Oh, I don't...know...." and she might as well of have shouted "I hate that with all my might, don't buy it!!!!"   She's my best sounding board and I never make major decisions about decorating my house without talking it over with her first.  When I bought my own armoire, I needed her and Cathy to approve it and say, "buy it" and the decision over which buffet a deux to choose - I left to Betty Rae to tell me which one I should pick.  Her vote of approval, whether it's for a dress or a husband, means the world to me and I would have trouble making a choice she didn't approve of, even though I'm 53 years old now and not a shy teenager any longer. 

My mom and dad:  This was taken on Betty Rae's birthday a few years ago.

While I still love French antiques and live with them, Betty Rae's tastes have evolved over the years.  She and my father now live with Biedermeier antiques.  Their look is more sophisticated and eclectic these days.  But, whenever she gets lonesome for her old furniture, she doesn't have to travel far.  In fact, much of the furniture from that first apartment that I so admired is now in my own house, slowly accumulated over the years as Betty Rae's furnishings and houses changed.   The french chairs in my living room are from that apartment and so is the french secretary in my entry hall.   Her bakers rack is in my breakfast room along with her antique tole light fixture.  I have her french desk and antique nightstands from her master bedroom.  The armoire?  She sold that to someone else!

I hope that one day my daughter will share my love of antiques and that we might be just like Betty Rae and I are.   I even secretly hope that one day Elisabeth will join me in my interior design business, but she doesn't seem to have a great love of it, like I did at her age.  I was really lucky in my life, to have met Betty Rae who always encouraged me to put my heart into my home and fix it up and I try to instill that in my daughter.   I wonder, sometimes, if I had not met Betty Rae and she wasn't my mother, would I even be into antiques and French design today?  I honestly don't know that answer.   Maybe, but I'm not positive about that.  We talk about how few families out there get along with their stepmothers and stepchildren and we count ourselves so lucky that we aren't like that.  Not only do we get along, we are all the best of friends.

And so, today, Betty Rae, even though you are sick with a "full fledged" cold, happy birthday and thank you!  I love you!

Betty Rae, Happy Birthday!

Money for Something

The very large and vocal response to my critique of a house in a design magazine took me by surprise.  To me, it was just a little Saturday afternoon rant – to you, it struck a chord.  I didn’t name the magazine or the designer on purpose, because it wasn’t my intent to “out” anyone or to put them down either – just to have some snarky fun.   But rather, it was supposed to be a lesson in design 101 – something all of us can use reminders of.   Still, concentrating on the negative feeds more negativity.  So, instead of all that – let’s look at what I DO like coming from this design magazine in the last few months.   One of my personal favorites was the story of the NYC pied a terre of Alessandra Branca.  But of course I would love her apartment – I had named Branca to my Top Ten Designers list here.  I adore everything she touches.   Branca’s design style is the antithesis of edgy.  She uses classic fabrics – preferring stripes and linens and damasks and toiles.  She favors a symmetrical placement of furniture and lamps and paintings.  She likes to use black and red as accents – and it does seem that almost every room she designs has both colors in it.  The most “out there” thing I’ve ever seen her do is use an oversized lighting fixture!  Branca has a look – a room designed by her is instantly recognizable.   But, that’s what I like about her – her signature style.  I love stripes and damasks and symmetry.    I love black and red accents and I adore antique chinoiserie – so I would love her work.  Branca is not trendy – she doesn’t use ikats or suzanis because they are in – in fact I’m not sure I’ve ever seen her use either.  Rather, she sticks to what she loves and she has been consistent throughout the years – her designs don’t date because classic doesn’t date.  Branca’s work is certainly worth the price of a magazine – it’s money for something.  This story appeared in the May 2009 Elle  Decor.  

 

 

Branca was born in Rome and still maintains a house there, but she lives in Chicago where she runs her design business and a decor shop.  This apartment is her get away place for work and shopping trips in NYC.  The apartment is just over 1,000 ft. and is located on the second floor of a townhouse.  With just two rooms, Branca chose to turn the bedroom into a library/dining area/office to greet clients and, in turn, a small dressing room became the bedroom.  The main room is rather large and features all the design elements that Branca loves:  black & red, lanterns, damask, stripes, paisley, chinoiserie, and antiques.  She divided the room into three different sitting areas.  The main sitting area features a sleeper sofa – for visiting children – and is covered in a beige linen-velvet.    Two adjacent painted Italian armchairs wear red and white Fortuny and red and white stripes.  The sofa is placed directly across from the fireplace - which is in the middle of the room.  An antique settee flanks one side of the fireplace.   On the other side is an upholstered banquette, used for dining.   Between the high windows – perfectly balanced is a large chinoiserie armoire in reds and blacks.   A little short, Branca lengthens the visual line by topping the armoire with gorgeous apothecary bottles, set off against a red tribal African hat.    Notice the lantern – she put whimsical red shades trimmed in black onto the candles.   Wall to wall seagrass covers the entire apartment, creating a sedate backdrop to all the color pops of reds and blacks.

 

The middle section of the large room is anchored by a black and gold chinoiserie screen and the custom made sleeper sofa in linen velvet.  Red and white pillows play off the red and white Fortuny covering the painted Italian arm chairs.  A red Oriental coffee table finishes the vignette.  Notice the lamp shades here – covered in antique pieces of paisley – another favorite fabric of Branca’s.

 

To the left of the fireplace is the custom made banquette upholstered in beige and white damask – perfectly matching the wall color.  The pillows repeat the red and white Fortuny covered chairs next to the sleeper sofa.  More black chinoiserie is found in this coffee table.  And even more black shows up in the antique English spoon back chair.  Above the banquette are a series of botanicals painted by Branca’s mother, a well know Italian artist.  Notice how perfectly the size of the botanicals are for the space.   The oversized black pedestal  holding the Oriental jar is a trademark of Branca’s as are the red silk lampshades.     I love this corner of the room – a more perfect visual arrangement would be hard to imagine!

 

 

This picture shows Branca perched on the antique settee found on the right side of the fireplace.  Upholstered in a typical Branca stripe, the settee sits under a large collection of red seals, framed in black.

 

 

The fireplace – with the banquette on the left and the settee on the right is the focal point of the living room.   Large oxblood vases balance out an ornate mantel clock, while two benches provide extra setting.  

 

 

The bedroom became a library/office/dining room – more functional for Branca and her husband.  The shelves are lined in red and are filled with red and black accessories.  The desk – an 18th century antique doubles as a dining table when needed.   I love how Branca utilized the space the way she needed it, not how it was expected to be used.  

 

The long, narrow dressing room became the bedroom.  Branca designed all the bedding and curtains, using linen in creams and red and white stripes.  The striped fabric walls give the space a tent like effect reminiscent of another era.    A canopy helps make the room appear wider and turns the custom designed daybed into a focal point.   I love the clock!!!   Behind the bed, is a comfortable chair piped in red – of course! and a desk. 

 

 

 

The outdoor space was fixed up by Branca to enlarge her living area.  The space was enclosed with black trellis and red wood furniture was added along with bright blue Madelyn Weinrib rugs.   The table is covered in a Bennison linen. 

 

To see more of Branca’s beautiful designs, be sure to visit her web site here.   I sincerely hope this expertly designed apartment has helped to restore your faith in magazines’ ability to sometimes get it right!!!!    The truth is, we bloggers depend on magazines to provide us with the beautiful photographs we show you day after day.  Yes, we do also show original work here by designers in Houston and others who send in their work to share – but the vast majority of images come from the expensive photoshoots that magazines have to pay for.    One comment sent in by a local scout asks that we be more sympathetic to magazines’ plight.  The bad economy has hit their industry hard and advertising revenues are drying up.  The scout said we should think about subscribing to a year’s worth to help fill their coffers in order to help the situation.   Not a bad idea I think.   So while magazines have to gain our trust and our loyalty, we also owe them a thanks for many years of pleasure!   If we didn’t care, we wouldn’t be lamenting all the losses of this past year.  

New Southern Living Book: Style

 

One of the benefits of being a blogger is you get free design books in the mail!  Books that you didn’t even ask for or even know were published just show up on your doorstep.  But, with that – you do feel obligated to blog about the book and say buy it, but it!  I’ve tried to only review the ones that I really like, but still, even then – I would recommend you look up the reviews on Amazon first before you decide to buy a book recommended by me or any other blogger.   That said, the new Southern Living book – Style – was sent to me and it took me back to another time.  It’s more like a blog in a book than something fancy written to grace your coffee table.  It’s filled with helpful tips, and how-to’s, just like those found in the magazine.  The pictures are great, and many are old favorites from Southern Accents – and they are a rare treat.  It’s not filled with houses decorated in colors and patterns that don’t match just to be hip.  The rooms instead are cluttered with books and accessories and pleasing fabrics.  The interiors are like old friends.  They are comfortable and cozy, warm and inviting.   Some of the book’s images I hadn’t seen before, and others I hadn’t seen in ages.   Truthfully, I couldn’t put the book down. I read it through twice and still go back just to browse.  It’s like a super huge issue of Southern Living  mixed a bit with Southern Accents – all without the endless advertisements.   If you like those two magazines and Southern style in general, I can assure you, you will enjoy this. 

 

Remember this cover of Southern Accents???

 

The first section of the book is called “Defining Southern Style” and I had to laugh.  Their list of what is Southern Style sounded a lot like my list of Top Ten Essential Decorative Elements (even though I haven’t even finished up the series with #10 yet!) 

Here is their list of their Southern Style elements:

Color and Pattern/Slipcovers/Collections/Monograms/Wicker, rattan, and bamboo/The Hearth/Painted Floors/Luxe Curtains/Portraits/Antiques

And here is my list of Top Ten Decorative Elements, but I guess I should call it Southern Style now:

Linen/Slipcovers/Seagrass/Curtains/Light Fixtures/Wall Décor/Antiques/Symmetry/Trends/tba

OK, so I didn’t name monograms, nor even mention them as something essential to a room, but some of our lists is so alike:  slipcovers, antiques, wicker, rattan and bamboo – (I’d put that under my seagrass element,) fireplace – (a typical symmetrical device,) curtains, portraits – (I named mirrors and portraits under Wall Décor.)  

Their list didn’t mention trends – I suppose southern houses are so classic, that they think trends are forbidden.  But their list and my list were more alike than not.  No wonder why I loved the book!  And it really got me thinking.  I always call it a “Houston” look, but it probably is just Southern Style.  See, your education never ends.

 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                         This beautiful living room by Gerrie Bremermann is used to define their section on Slipcovers.  I also used this same living room to illustrate slipcovers in my Top Ten Elements #2 (here.)   Spooky, I know. 

 

                                                                                                               

This living room by Fiona Newell Weeks is shown in the Color and Pattern section.  I would have put this in my Seagrass settings. 

 

 

This photograph illustrates the Collections section – but really, I think of this as antiques.  Who collects anything that isn’t an antique?

 

This corner of a living room represented the Antiques section, but it could be Collections also.  Beautiful!

 

 

This photograph of curtains by Lars Bolander used in their Luxe Curtains section was the same one I used in my curtain chapter (Here.)  I mean of all the photographs in the world – we used the same one to illustrate gorgeous curtains?  Well, these are pretty much perfect.  You know what they say, great minds think alike!

 

 

Some images in the book are new to me, like this one.  I must have missed the original story.  Anyone remember it?

 

 

Who could ever forget this Southern Accents cover of a living room by Amelia Handegan?  That mural!!!  I’ve used this photograph on my blog many times before.

 

 

Houstonian and Indulge shop owner Cynthia Davis’ house was featured several times in the book.  Here, her breakfast room first shown years ago in the old magazine “Cottage Living” was the first time I had seen the now famous Kooboo wicker chairs – and I’ve loved them since then.

 

 

 

Davis’ headboard, a huge seller at Indulge, is also shown.

 

 

There are lots of how-to stories, so well done by Southern Living magazine.  This one takes a wire shelf….

 

 

And turns it into an office.   So cute!

 

Along with the book, Southern Living sent me a copy of their new magazine.   It really struck me how much it has changed in the past few years.   It’s much more sophisticated than it used to be, appealing to a wider audience, including younger women.   The images are bigger and the stories are longer now.  This month they had a section on comfort foods that had my mouth watering just looking at the pictures of home made macaroni and chicken.    Their feature of Interior Designer Fran Keenan’s house illustrates what Southern Style is all about and then some.   It does seem that the houses they show seem more of a cross between Southern Living and Southern Accents, which is a good thing. 

I’m still hoping that when the economy picks up, the magazines will come back strong.  Blogs are wonderful, but it takes a team to produce their photographs of houses that we all show, over and over again.   Bloggers continually need fresh blood and the magazines supply a lot of that.  Most design blogs couldn’t operate without magazine’s photographs.    Yet, despite bloggers needing magazines,  Southern Living does seem to be reaching out to bloggers.  In this issue, a before and after of a bedroom that famous blogger Eddie Ross did is simply amazing.  Plus, there is a column called “Ask Phoebe Howard” – which is exactly like a regular feature on the interior designer’s own blog HERE.   Despite all the changes at Southern Living, there are a few suggestions I would make if I were invited to a decision making meeting.  I think the layout and design of the fonts and pages needs a bit of an updating.  But, this throwback to another era might be intentional.   Southerners don’t do change well.  And I would also suggest they put out a huge book on the fabulous houses that now defunct Southern Accents featured over the years.  Maybe even a series of two or three books.  I think it would be a hit!

To order Southern Living Style, go HERE.

 

 

Bloggers Make the Best Friends

In case you didn't know, or have been hiding under a rock, I've been on vacation for the past few weeks in South Padre Island, a little bitty island at the tip of Texas right across from the border of Mexico. You can't get any further south and still be in America than here. Being the dutiful blogger, I wrote a few posts about the island and showed off the beach here on Blogger. Imagine my delight (and surprise) when I received an email from a stranger who reads my blog, Cote de Texas, but has never left a comment. Her name is Teri and she told me that she lives in Harlingen, a small city 30 minutes away from South Padre Island, and she, also, has a family bay home on the island. She was flabbergasted to read that I was here visiting. Would we want to meet for a drink or dinner? Now, I don't know about you, but meeting a stranger over the internet is not my idea of a good time, but somehow, knowing that Teri was reading my blog seemed to make it all ok. Well, almost ok. I still hesitated to say "yes."

It's a small world out there people, beware!

I have good friends from Harlingen and, in fact, one of those friends is down here with me now. Her name is Julie and we vacation together every summer in South Padre Island. Julie was born in Harlingen but moved to Dallas when she married. Is it possible, I ask my new blogger friend, does she know Julie? Well...she not only knows Julie, but grew up right next door to her, AND had just been with her at a party on the island last Saturday night (while I spent that night alone!) There were many twists and turns and coincidences to this story, too many to get into here, but suddenly drinks and dinner with a perfect stranger didn't seem dangerous at all, in fact, it sounded fun.

The three new friends at dinner: Julie, MOI, and Teri

So tonight, Julie, my new blogger friend Teri, and I had dinner together and talked about blogging, and decorating, and French design, and furniture, and interior decorating and all those good things that decorating bloggers like to talk about. Julie was a little bored with all the design talk, but she was a trooper! Thanks, Jules! Tonight Teri explained to me how she discovered my blog to begin with. She was reading Absolutely Beautiful Things, a delicious blog from Australia and ABT had my blog, Cote de Texas, listed under favorite reads. Of course the word Texas attracted Teri, being from Texas and all, so she clicked right over to my blog. Little did she know that when she first clicked onto my blog, she would be making a new friend. And so, what is the best part about meeting a new blogger friend, besides promising to get together every summer for dinner down at South Padre Island???? Teri brought me the new Elle Decor AND Veranda magazines !!!!! Yes!!!! You can't get those magazines on the island and I've been DYING to read them. Thank you Teri!!!

S0 Bloggers, have YOU ever met someone in real life who reads your blog? Or have you been too afraid to do so? Tell us YOUR story!

The two new blogger buddies: Moi and Teri

The two old Harlingen buddies: Julie and Teri

Having a great time at dinner ON THE BEACH: Julie, Moi, and Teri

Besides being interesting and adorable and having great taste in magazines, Teri is also very chic. She drove up in her new car, a Mini Cooper. To die for! This has to be the cutest car in all the world:

Even cuter is the dashboard. Check out the speedometer, it's the size of a basketball! Too cute:

The Hottest Photographer Going

 

The latest Town and Country magazine has a spread on the gorgeous house of Cosima von Bulow.   Her living room is especially beautiful, with its cranberries and blues.   But it’s the photograph over the sofa that really got my attention.   Taken by Candida Hofer – she is the hottest thing in upscale decorating according to the design magazines out this month.  I counted three of her photos used by different designers just this month alone.  When was the last time that happened? 

 

 

Here’s #2 - in October’s Elle Décor – Frederic Fekkai’s dining room featured a photograph by Candida Hofer, interior design by Robert Couturier.  Notice how large the photographs are.   In recent years, Hofer’s photographs have gotten bigger and bigger.

 

And #3, in the latest Veranda, this apartment by Timothy Whealon featured a Candida Hofer photograph on the landing.  Notice the gorgeous walnut door!  Whealon told All The Best Blog that his most prized possession was a Hofer photograph HERE.   Three magazines, one month, three houses – all Candida Hofer. 

 

 

The Trinity Library – Whealon’s most prized possession is this photograph.

 

 

And, a little different angle from Whealon’s web site – showing the photograph more clearly.

 

 

 

 

 

The Museum of Archeology in Venice – this is the photograph in Whealon’s Veranda spread.

 

 

 

Looking through a few older magazines showed evidence of more Candida Hofer:   Jill Stuart’s NYC apartment by Annabelle Selldorf – seen in Elle Décor, October 2009.  The Hofer photograph is seen behind the sofa on the left.

 

 

Seen in Metropolitan Home – a Hofer photograph over the mantel.   It’s almost impossible to figure out which photograph this is.

 

 

 

And another Hofer of an Opera Theatre, seen in a dining room.

 

Elizabeth Mayhew also talked to Ronda of All The Best Blog – HERE.   Her most prized possession is her art work, including this Candida Hofer library photograph.

 

 

So, who is Candida Hofer who has attracted the attention of so many of the finest interior designers and art collectors?   Born in Germany, Hofer trained under avant garde German photographers Bernd and Hilla Becher.    She first gained notice with her series on “Interiors,”  “Rooms,” and “Zoological Gardens.”   While her early work showed exteriors and people, her later work became increasing devoid of people and featured interiors exclusively.   She says she does not do landscapes.   Her later, most famous work concentrates on libraries, theatres, museums, and a series of works in Italy, all published in gorgeous coffee table books. 

 

The artist stands in front of two of photographs.

 

I am not an art critic, but I know what I like – and her images of public buildings are beautiful.  Always taken from a dead on perspective, the interiors seem so alive, though not a soul is captured.     I can see how this contemporary art work works so well in interiors that are neither strictly contemporary nor traditional.     But, the art does seem much more at home in a New York highrise than a Texas ranch in Round Top.   There is much written about Hofer on the internet, if you are interested in perusing it.   I had a field day reading all about her in detail.  Most of the reviews are positive, there is very little negative written about her work.    Below are some of my favorite images – most are rather recent works, as opposed to her earlier, more stark and depressing subjects. 

 

 

Le Louvre – Candida Hofer did a series of photographs at the famous Paris museum.

 

 

Another photograph from the Louvre Museum

 

 

Salone di Castel Capuano, detto anche “Salone dei Busti”

 

 

 

Palais Garnier

And, Palais Garnier set for a dinner.  

 

Her photographs of libraries are spectacular.  Here, Naples.  This would make such a stunning image in a living room or library. 

 

 

 

The gorgeous Abbey of the Library at Saint Gallin.  A rare photograph that includes people in it. 

 

 

 

The State Library in Naples.  Incredible building. 

 

 

Naples State Library – another view.  What a gorgeous library, the tiled floor, the carved wood shelves.  Beautiful.

 

 

 

This library has beautiful marble floors and carved wood columns.

 

 

Philadelphia Library.

 

 

Amazing.  The books are so incredible.  I couldn’t resist showing this image so large, you can see so much more detail this way!  Look at the handrails!    Remember, put your monitor on maximum view.   

 

 

 

Hofer has taken many photographs of beautiful theatres, here - The Theatre of Naples.  Gorgeous!  Another photograph that I can see in a living room or a dining room, especially in a room with dark blue velvet.  

 

 

 

Masonic Temple in Philadelphia.

 

 

Masonic  Temple in Philadelphia.

 

 

Theatre royal de la MonnaieKoninklijke Muntschouwburg

 

 

What does one cost?  I don’t know, but in 2006 – this signed photograph of which there are six, sold for $90,000.00.  Yikes!

 

 

By contrast, this lithograph, of which there are 100, sells for around $4,000 – much more affordable!

 

 

1976, a series of Turkish workers,  included people, of course – something her work never shows today.

 

 

In my opinion, not all of Hofer’s photographs would be as desirable to hang in an elegant dining room as others.  Some of  her work is depressing or unattractive – not nearly as beautiful as a photograph of a Venice museum.

 

 

Other Photographers:

 

What if you can’t afford an original Hofer?   Photographer Don Menges took this shot of the Monroe County office, emulating the style of Candida Hofer.  I’m sure his work goes for a fraction of what an Hofer does.  Look at more of his work HERE.

 

 

 

Other photographers that designers like to use:    Here Miles Redd used a Andrew Moore photograph on the right in this apartment.

 

 

Two Thomas Struth photographs flank an Andreas Gursky photograph in this Metropolitan Home feature story.  Struth and Gursky are both peers of Hofer and they all studied together under Bernd and Hilla Becher.

 

 

 

 

 

This photographer is shown a lot - David Armstrong.   The blurry images are confusing to me. 

 

 

 

Candida Hofer Books:

Here are a few of her more popular books – order from Amazon by clicking on the title:

 

The book on the Bologna, Italy series:

Candida Hofer: Bologna Series (9788877572127): Ludovico Pratesi, Filippo Maggia, Candida Hofer: Books ISBN: 8877572124 ISBN-13: 9788877572127

 

The gorgeous book of libraries:

Libraries (9783829601863): Candida Höfer, Umberto Eco: Books ISBN: 3829601867 ISBN-13: 9783829601863

 

The book on the Naples, Italy photographs:

Candida Hofer: Napoli (German Edition) (9783829604246): Angela Tecce: Books ISBN: 3829604246 ISBN-13: 9783829604246

 

And finally – Candida Hofer’s most acclaimed work – Architecture of Absence:

Candida Hofer: Architecture of Absence (9781931788489): Constance Glenn, Virginia Heckert, Mary-Kay Lombino, Candida Hofer: Books ISBN: 1931788480 ISBN-13: 9781931788489

 

 

 

AND – WHOA!!!!   The new Elle Décor features Suzanne Rheinstein’s pied a terre in NYC.  It’s beyond gorgeous.  The gray murals are unbelievable.   Just look at them!!!   And those gilt French chairs.   The velvet stools.   SWOON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!    This apartment also stars in her new book.  I got my book today and it’s a killer if you love Suzanne.  First – this apartment is shown, along with her own L.A. house showing rooms never seen before.  Her most famous job – the Virginia house - is also shown – the master bedroom has been UPDATED!!!!!!   Many of the houses have been seen before, but each shows newly refurbished updates and never seen before rooms.  The book is fabulous!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Her choices of antiques floors me – the chairs, the tables, the accessories, the mirrors, it’s all mostly French, a little Swedish, a little Italian and a little English.  GAWD.  Kill me now!!!!   I want this apartment.  Seriously.   I want this!!!!!     AND Suzanne is scheduled for the Skirted Roundtable, along with David Easton, Haskell Harris, Kathryn Ireland, and Chris Madden.   What a line up!!!!     To order the Rheinstein book,  go here:

Click on the title below:

At Home: A Style for Today with Things from the Past (9780847834099): Suzanne Rheinstein, Pieter Estersohn, Margaret Russell: Books ISBN: 0847834093 ISBN-13: 9780847834099

 

 

NOTE:     I will be having a fabulous giveaway in the next few days – be sure to watch for it!!!!!