The Gray Door Expands

 

 

 

 

When Donna Temple Brown first opened The Gray Door – the name was particularly fitting.  Chosen as a play on words, the name both alerted clients of Donna’s love of painted antiques and helped clients remember its location on West Gray Boulevard.   After more than  a decade on West Gray, Donna recently moved to West Alabama, an exciting and busy shopping destination.    They say that competition brings in customers and West Alabama is teeming with both decor and antique shops, perfect for attracting more shoppers.     Now on West Alabama, the name The Gray Door connotes a shop full of mystery and riches that lay beyond the front gate.    How true it is.  

The new shop, located inside a mid century designed building, is large and filled to capacity with French, English, Swedish, Belgian and Italian antiques hand picked by Donna on trips to  Europe.   There is a large amount of the gray painted pieces, along with the beautiful fruitwood finishes associated with French antiques.   All the furniture is freshly recovered in a creamy muslin or linen – creating a sea of bright and light in the showroom.   Donna runs a welcoming business.   She is friendly and warm, and most important in this business, honest.    She and her long time business partner, Linda Gale White, have a wonderful eye for finding exactly the antique that is desired for this moment.   Now settled into West Alabama, Donna deliberated on how to make it better, if at all possible.  Fate stepped in and recently she invited two new dealers to share the space.   As usual her choices couldn’t be more right.

 

 

 

Houstonians who visit the Round Top Antique Fair will be very familiar with the two who now share space at The Gray Door:   A. Tyner Antiques from Atlanta and Roussett Antiques and Textiles from Austin via New Orleans.   Both are antiquarians of note.   Alice Tyner who owns A. Tyner specializes in Swedish antiques and her merchandise fits in perfectly with The Gray Door.   All the painted gray and white finishes, the sexy and curvy lines of the Mora clocks, the chests, the desks, the settees of Swedish antiques visually blends with The Gray Door’s Louis XV and XVI furniture. 

Kathy Alexander who owns Roussett Antiques and Textiles closed her popular New Orleans shop after Hurricane Katrina and settled in Austin, opening up a store there on Burnet at The Courtyard Shops.    An expert on antique textiles, her antiques are mostly fine French and Italian.  Scattered throughout The Gray Door, her regal merchandise add a certain class. 

 

 

With both Roussett and A.Tyner now in Houston, a trip to Round Top may no longer be needed.  I know I used to go to see the Swedish antiques that A. Tyner brought because we don’t have a dealer in Houston with such extensive Swedish inventory – until now, that is.   Donna couldn’t have made two better choices to join her on West Alabama than Roussett and A. Tyner.    If you haven’t visited  The Gray Door lately – be sure to stop by.     All three, The Gray Door, A. Tyner and Roussett are also on 1st Dibs. 

 

The Gray Door:    3465a W Alabama @ Marquart.  Contact @ 713-521-9085

 

 

The main showroom at The Gray Door.   All the furniture is newly recovered in creamy linens and muslin – creating a soothing and cohesive atmosphere.

 

 

The Swedish corner cabinet is one of two.   The Swedish settee is period Rococo – one of the finer pieces from A. Tyner.

 

 

 

Swedish cabinet and day bed – to die for!

 

 

 

 

  Painted Swedish chairs mix well with French antiques.   I fell in love with this vignette.  The table has a beautiful patina.

 

 

Roussett Antiques and Textiles specializes in 16th and 17th century tapestries.   Roussett also has a fine collection of vintage Fortuny fabrics.

 

 

 

 

The Italian chandelier over this pair of demi lunes is huge and gorgeous!  Perfect for a two story entry hall or large dining room.

 

 

 

Donna says she would put this console in a kitchen.     Pictures of Donna’s own beautiful townhouse follow.

 

 

This pair of lanterns caught my eye, as did the chairs and ottoman. 

 

 

 

I love the santos mixed with the rustic garden table and dressy Swedish chairs.

 

 

 

There are beautiful pillows made of antique fabrics from Roussett scattered about.  As always, I love using a high end table as a tea table since there are no true antique coffee tables.  

 

  

 

Great mirror and beautiful chairs left uncovered – their insides somehow are prettier without new upholstery. 

 

 

  A. Tyner has a huge selection Mora clocks.  If you don’t see what you want, just ask, there’s more.

 

 

  Centuries old set of vellum books.   Whoa. 

 

 

 

Old doors with beautiful hardware were made into two matching cabinets. 

 

 

 

The curves of this sofa are so appealing.  If I could take just one piece home…….

 

 

More great cabinets – these are filled with a line of new basket accessories that The Gray Door carries. 

 

 

This cabinet is painted gray and is shallow – good for tight spots.   The French chairs are upholstered in old tapestry.

 

 

 

Roussett has a great selection of Fortuny covered shades.    The table is one of a pair.

 

 

 

Beautiful hardware makes this piece exquisite. 

 

 

 

               Great breakfast table or coffee table.  The settee has wonderful lines. 

 

 

One of three showrooms that make up The Gray Door. 

 

 

 

  Another beautiful Italian chandelier.  

 

 

This Spanish styled table is covered in fabric with large nail heads!!!   What a wonderful game table. 

 

 

 

These chairs are stunning.   So is the table. 

 

 

 

And lastly, there is a good selection of painted headboards. 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s obvious from The Gray Door, that Donna Brown has impeccable taste and it is no surprise that her townhouse has been featured in several magazines and books.  Donna has filled her house with antiques from the store – I’m not sure there is even one new piece of furniture anywhere!   The house is bright and airy and although very sophisticated, it is warm and inviting.  It’s one of those houses that when you leave you wish you could bomb your own house and start over.   Trust me on that, I’ve been there.     Here, from Veranda is her front courtyard that you walk through to get to the front door.  I love how she used antique and vintage furniture outside – so much more interesting than store bought sets.  

 

 

Walking into the front door is a staircase on the left and the living room/dining room on the right.  A large collection of Chinese export plates are displayed on the wall.  

 

 

To screen off her staircase, Donna hung a piece a fabric that is semi transparent.  Such a great idea to copy!!!

 

 

Her living room and dining room have traded spaces (although Donna told me she recently changed it back again!)    I love the old, rustic shutters instead of the regular built in shelves found in townhouses.    Gorgeous dining room chairs surround a skirted table.  And her chandeliers here and in the living area are drop dead gorgeous.

 

 

Another view of the dining room – with sconces added in this picture. 

 

 

  The dining room looking out towards the front courtyard.  She slipcovered the wood bench.   Every piece of furniture, table, lamp – is so wonderful! 

 

 The living room – love, love, love!!!  I love the French tea table, the iron side table, the gorgeous tapestry, the lamps, the chandelier – I love Donna’s taste.  Period.

 

 

Her famous kitchen.   She completely torn out the brand new kitchen that came with the townhouse.  The cabinets are stored in her garage, ready to be replaced when she sells.   This is an earlier picture – she now has a skirt attached to the console next to the stove.

 

 

A view of the sitting room off the kitchen.   Beautiful!!!  I love the wine tasting table, the stool, the painting above the chest – everything! 

 

 

Another updated view of her kitchen and sitting room.

 

 

 Beautiful sitting area in the guest room.  I love all her little iron tables throughout.  

 

 

 

The master bedroom – that giant hydrangea is gorgeous.

 

 

Swedish bookcase and French chaise and chair.

 

 

 

The charming guest room with French headboards. 

 

 

To visit The Gray Door – 3465a W Alabama St. @ Marquart.  To call:  713-521-9085

Web sites: 

The Gray Door HERE.

Roussett Antiques and Textiles HERE.

A. Tyner Antiques HERE.

 

 

AND:  in other news:

My daughter’s recently remodeled bedroom – featured on the blog Color Outside The Lines.

 

Artie, who writes the blog Color Outside The Lines about his house and life near Niagara Falls, NY,  has written a long blog story about ME!   Artie is so sweet and talented.    Sometimes I just click onto his blog to listen to his music playing.   Please click over HERE to read the story and see pictures from my portfolio.  Thanks for everything Artie – you’re the BEST EVER!!!!!!

 

AND the new Skirted Roundtable featuring architect Bobby McAlpine is now up.  Go listen, bring your brain along with you.  You’ll need it.   HERE.

Hanham Court by Cabbages and Roses

This week on the Skirted Roundtable we welcome Christina Strutt, the founder and head designer of Cabbages and Roses, an English based fabric, clothing, and home decor company.    As the name implies, Cabbages and Roses has a romantic look, similar to Laura Ashley and Rachel Ashwell.  Their fabrics are checks and stripes, roses and chintz, all in wonderful colors.    Strutt has also written many books, and her most recent, At Home With Country, was just released.  In her new book, she features many houses, most in the United States,  outfitted with Cabbages and Roses fabrics.     Besides all the stateside houses,  she also includes her own wonderful house in Bath.   Another  English house, really a historic castle near Bath,  featured in the book is Hanham Court.    Hanham Court is the country estate of the famous garden designing couple – Isabel and Julian Bannerman.   The Bannermans have designed gardens for such elites as The Prince of Wales at Highgrove, Lord Rothschild at Waddesdon Manor, the Duke and Duchess of Norfolk, Sir Andrew Lloyd Webb, John Paul Getty II at Wormesley, and the list goes on and on.  They also won the competition to design the British Memorial Garden at Ground Zero in New York City.  

I have been planning to do a blog post about the Bannermans for over a year now, so having Christina Strutt on the Skirted Roundtable discussing her new book with its chapter on Hanham Court gave me the incentive to finally tell their story!  

 

The Bannermans live at Hanham Court with their three sons. The gypsy caravan they keep at Hanham Court is often photographed.

 

The historic house, Hanham Court, located between Bath and Bristol, started life in the 11th century and has been added onto a multitude of times.    The Bannermans have lived there for 15 years, spending much money and effort on recreating the lush gardens which were bare when they arrived.     Besides running their thriving garden design business, the Bannermans have turned Hanham Court into a tourist destination.   It is open for daily tours, overnight visits and is a popular  party venue.    Since there is also a chapel, a mediaeval abbey, connected to the house, many weddings are booked here too.    Throughout their residence, the Bannermans have created many romantic gardens, secret walkways with gates, along with ponds, fountains, and a pool.   Almost every historical era in design is represented on the estate.  The barn dates from Norman times, the gables and gatehouse are Tudor, the main building is Elizabethan, there are Georgian era additions and an Arts and Crafts Kitchen wing and loggia added in the early 1900s.   In the 19th century there was a regothification to the exterior and interior. 

 

  An aerial shot of the large estate showing how many different buildings make up Hanham Court.

 

Inside the estate, the rooms are the very definition of English Country Manor cluttered style.   Every wall, table, and shelf is jammed full with prints, books, papers, and knickknacks.  The interiors are very, very casual and quite messy.   Surprisingly, this past April, Christie’s held a large sale of the Bannerman’s many collections and possessions.   A total of 300 items went up on auction.   The Bannermans said the sale was needed to provide funds in order to focus their attentions to the gardens.   Seeing photographs from their gardens, it’s hard to imagine what else it could possibly need, but they said “it is time for surprises in the garden…we have been aching to get on with.”    The sale brought in around $1,600,000 – much higher than estimated.      To be able to sell over 300 items from one’s house and still have enough left over to furnish a castle is proof of the Bannerman’s collecting bug.   It will be interesting to see what changes will be made to both the inside and the outside of Hanham Court now that they have done the spring cleaning to end all spring cleanings.

 

Hanham Court shown in 1900.   You can see how bare the gardens were. 

 

  And, even earlier, in 1861.

 

 

 

Upon arriving on the estate, a glimpse of the house seen through the flowering shrubs.  Beautiful stone wall.

 

 

The  main section of the estate with its round tower.

 

 

A view of the English styled gardens.

 

 

Entering the estate through its  ornamental iron gate.

 

 

The walkway flanked with topiaries leads to the front door.

 

 

Tulips planted in a large tub.  The wisteria climbs over the front side of the estate.

 

 

 

Close up of the terrace in front of the round tower.

 

The old coach door, opens unto the green lawn, shown below.

 

 

A view from inside of the vast lawn with gardens on each side.  The swimming pool is hidden behind the gardens on the left side of the lawn.

 

 

 

Same view in spring.  To the very right is the top of an ornamental gate on the property (shown below.)

 

 

 

 

The wooden ornamental gate to the right of the lawn.

 

The swimming pool – so pretty!

 

 

The same view in the dead of winter.

 

 

 

Another walkway through an arched stone gate.

 

 

The back of the house with its arched loggia where wedding receptions take place and plants are sold to tourists visiting the gardens.

 

 

Inside the house – the grand staircase is lined with the best of the Bannerman’s oil paintings.

 

 

This photograph is from Christina Strutts’ book, At Home With Country.  The pillow on the chair is from the new Cabbages and Roses fabric line in blacks and grays and whites (my favorite!)

 

Centuries old staircase – amazing!  I assume this is in the round tower, but I’m not sure. 

 

The stone floor hallway leads off the dining room, kitchen stairs, grand hall staircase, and entrance hall.   The dining room is to the left.

 

  The dining hall was once dark before a former owner lightened the wood.   The Bannermans recently limewashed the wood. 

 

 

A close up of the dining hall.  Notice the old stone flag floor. 

 

Looking the other way at the fireplace in the dining room.  Towards the door – you can see the main staircase shown before.  The round medallion above the fireplace was sold at the Christie’s auction.

 

 

A main sitting room with green wallpaper, blue wood paneling, and seagrass.

 

 

A closeup of the cluttered fireplace mantel.  This photograph comes from Strutt’s At Home With Country.   The framed intaglios were sold in the Christies auction.  OK – who wants to just run their arm over the mantel and knock all those vases off?????  Me first! 

 

 

This photograph is from At Home With Country.  The chair and pillows are covered in Cabbages and Roses fabric.

 

 

The same chair went up for auction – the chair dates from 1815 and sold for $2,884.    I would have to make a new seat cushion!!!

 

 

 

 

The red library is one of the most used rooms in the castle.   The bookcase and fireplace are gothick styled.  The bookcases were sold at auction as were the two chairs and the center table.   I wonder what the room will look like after it is redone.

 

  Looking back out the windows in the red library.   The fireplace mantel is amazing.

 

From Strutt’s At Home With Country.  Here the red library looks deep pink, ,which is the true color.   The chair wears Cabbages and Roses fabric.   Through the door is the stone hallway off the main staircase shown before.

 

 

Another photo from At Home With Country.   The small bookcase in the corner is shown below at auction:

 

The small bookcase from 1860 went for $4,999.

 

 

The large Irish bookcase from 1820 sold for over $18,000.

 

 

The library’s 1870 center table sold for over $9,000.   Even more from the library was sold at auction.  I wonder where they will store their books now?

 

 

 The kitchen wing was added during the Arts and Crafts Movement in the early 1900s.  I love the huge window. 

 

 

Here is a closeup picture of the kitchen.  The range is on the back wall set inside a mantel.  Notice the barn style door on the right leading outside.

 

 

A guest room photographed for the book At Home With Country.  All the fabrics are Cabbages and Roses.

 

 

The master bedroom is painted turquoise and features a bed made from antique pelmets.   Love this so much!!!

 

 

The master bedroom.  The chest on the stand sold at auction, too, as did the chairs in the room.

 

 

Aw, I love this!   The above picture of the master bedroom has been on the cover of a magazine before.  The sofa “makes” the room!   Why sell it for $6,700?   I guess they needed that money too! What a shame.

 

 

 The late 17th century cabinet sold for over $16,000.   Now, that’s worth it to sell even though I love this piece in the bedroom too.

 

 

 

 

One of the son’s bedroom has William and Morris wallpaper in it, along with a fabulous canopy bed.

 

 

 

 

A photograph from a recent wedding held at Hanham Court. They matched with his gold pants and tie and her gold stripe trim at the hem of her dress.   

 

 

I hope you’ve enjoyed this visit to Hanham Court.   To visit the Christie’s web site for the Hanham Court auction, go HERE.  To visit Hanham Court and the Bannerman’s Garden Design web site, go HERE.

 

 

To order the book At Home With Country, go HERE. 

 

 

The picture above is from Christina Strutt’s home in Bath, England, showing the red and pink fabric line from Cabbages and Roses. 

To visit Cabbages and Roses web site, go HERE.    And please, don’t forget to listen to Christina Strutt’s interview on The Skirted Roundtable,  HERE.  Tonight, we will be interviewing Bobby McAlpine.  Wish me luck!!!!