The Art of Swimming

"Swim Party" by R. Kenton Nelson.

Copyright Kenton Nelson 2002.

Oil on canvas.

18 x 18 inches.

Seen in the movie Something's Gotta Give.

"Rebecca's Immersion" by R. Kenton Nelson (2001).

Oil on board.

11 x 14 inches.

Eleanor Ettinger Gallery.

"Suspender" by R. Kenton Nelson.

Copyright Kenton Nelson 2008.

30 x 40 inches.

Oil on canvas.

"Bathing Place" (2004) by Lucy Williams.

Mixed media on board.

McKee Gallery.

"Diving Pool" (2004) by Lucy Williams.

Mixed media.

McKee Gallery.

 "Picture of a Hollywood Swimming Pool" (1964) by David Hockney.
Copyright David Hockney.
Acrylic on canvas.
36 x 48 inches.

"A Bigger Splash" (1967) by David Hockney.

Copyright David Hockney.

Acrylic on canvas.

96 x 96 inches.

H is for Hermes

Letterman sweaters are back this year, reports the Wall Street Journal. Personalized bags, shoes and skirts are popular as well. Fashionable women will be wearing monograms this fall, but well-dressed rooms have showcased the "H" of Hermes blankets for years. These wool and cashmere classics provide both warmth and style on the arms of couches or folded across beds.

Studio of designer Stephen Shubel.

Photography by William Abranowicz.

Domino (May 2008).



Home of Eric and Holly Montgomery in the Berkshires, Massachusetts.

Design by Holly Montgomery and Paul Fortune. 

Photography by William Abranowicz.

Elle Decor (May 2012).

Home of Mark D. Sikes and Michael Griffin.

Interior design by Mark D. Sikes and Michael Griffin.

Photography by Amy Neunsinger.

House Beautiful (December 2011 - January 2012).

Vacation home on Sullivan's Island, South Carolina.

Interior design by Sally Markham.

Photography by Thomas Loof.

House Beautiful (June 2011).

Interior design by Suzanne Kasler.

Interior detailing by Thierry Francois, John Oetgen and William T. Baker.

Architecture by William T. Baker.

Photography by Thibault Jeanson.

Veranda (March - April 2012).



"Watersound".

Interior design by Suzanne Kasler.

Photo from Suzanne Kasler's website.

Avalon blanket by Hermes.

Living room of home formerly owned by Ellen DeGeneres and Portia de Rossi.

Architecture by Buff & Hensman.

Decorator: Melinda Ritz.

Architectural Digest (November 2011).

Sunday is my day of rest . . .

Photography by John Bessler.

Traditional Home (October 2010).

Stars and Stripes

The Olympics have inspired me to compile some images of the American flag.

"Three Flags" by Jasper Johns (1958).

Whitney Museum of Art.

"Flag" by Jasper Johns (1960).

Encaustic and printed paper collage on paper laid down on canvas.

Once owned by author Michael Crichton, who died in 2008.

Sold by Christie's for $28.6 million in 2010.

Christie's auction catalog called the piece, which sold within two minutes, "one of the greatest icons of modern art alongside Picasso's 'Guernica' and Andy Warhol's 'Marilyn'."

"La Nouvelle Chute de L'Amerique" by Roy Lichtenstein (1992).

Etching aquatint.

Keith Haring.

"American Flag" by Andy Warhol (Executed in 1976-1986).

Four stitched gelatin silver prints.

Sold by Christie's for $41,825 in 2002.

"American Flag" by Robert Mapplethorpe (1987/1989).

Gelatin silver print.

Sold by Christie's for $8,963 in 2002.

Sea Worthy

Ships are the nearest thing to dreams that hands have ever made.

Robert N. Rose

Home of designer Lisa Luby Ryan.

Interior design by Lisa Luby Ryan.

Photography by Aimée Herring.

Veranda (2008).

Home of Lisa Luby Ryan.

Interior design by Lisa Luby Ryan.

Photography by Aimée Herring.

Veranda (2008).

Canopy Designs chandelier.

Seaside, Florida cottage of Mary and Joe Clark.

Interior design by Mary Clark and Jessica Hawkins.

Architecture by Scott Merrill.

Photography by Chris Little.
Veranda (July - August 2006).

Crystal and jade ship light fixture by Claire Cormier-Fauvel.

Library of designer Muriel Brandolini.

Photography by Pieter Estersohn.

Architectural Digest (March 2011).

Crystal ship chandelier.

Interior design by Ken Fulk.

Photography by Francesco Lagnese.

House Beautiful (June 2011).

"Crystal ship" chandelier by Z Gallerie

Domino (March 2009).

Dining Room at Hibiscus Hill.
The Guest House, Harbour Island (The Bahamas).
Renovation and interior design by India Hicks and David Flint Wood.

Sailboat model in the study of David Flint Wood.

Hibiscus Hill in the Bahamas.

Renovation and interior design by India Hicks and David Flint Wood.

Veranda (May - June 2011).

A Dozen Eggs

Okay, make that a baker's dozen. Here are 10 photos featuring 13 Egg chairs by Arne Jacobsen.

Pair of vintage Arne Jacobsen Egg chairs in natural hide in Manhattan living room.

Interior design by Lee Mindel.

Photography by William Waldrop.

Elle Decor (December 2006).

Vintage Arne Jacobsen Egg chair in living room of designer Robert Stilin's East Hampton house.

Interior design by Robert Stilin.

Photography by William Waldron.

Elle Decor (June 2005).

Arne Jacobsen Egg chair in dining area of Sally Hershberger's New York City apartment.

Interior design by Joe D'Urso.

Photography by William Waldron.

Elle Decor (September 2010).

Vintage Arne Jacobsen Egg chair in living room of art dealer Brent Sikkema's Manhattan apartment.

Interior design by Corinne Gilbert.

Photography by Miguel Flores-Vianna.

Elle Decor (February 2011).

Vintage Arne Jacobsen Egg chair in master bedroom of Troy Halterman's Fifth Avenue apartment.

Photography by William Abranowicz.

Elle Decor (November 2002).

A pair of taxicab-yellow Arne Jacobsen Egg chairs in New York City apartment of Carole and Richard Rifkind.

Architects: Shelton, Mindel and Associates.

Photography by Jonn Coolidge.

Elle Decor (August 1998).

 

Arne Jacobsen Egg chair in silver leather in entrance hall of 2007 Kips Bay House.

Design by Beale-Lana Interior Design.

House Beautiful.

 Pair of Arne Jacobsen Egg chairs in library of New York City apartment.

Interior design by David Mann.

Photography by William Abranowicz.

House Beautiful (November 2010).

 Arne Jacobsen Egg chair by Fritz Hansen in Marie and Frédéric Malle's New York City living room.

Photography by Thomas Loof.

Architectural Digest (May 2011).

 Arne Jacobsen Egg chair covered in cowhide by Global Leathers in Tribeca penthouse of Yoon Kim.

Design by MR Architecture + Décor.

Photography by Joshua McHugh.

Architectural Digest (July 2011).

An Extra Hand Around the House

“I admire everything that is useless, frivolous and whimsical. . . . I do not agree with the dictum that houses are supposed to be ‘machines to live in’. For me, the house and it’s [sic] objects is supposed to be some crazy place that make [sic] you laugh.”

Quote from Pedro Friedeberg, creator of the “Hand” chair

Pedro Friedeberg Hand chair in "chamber of curiosities" in the
San Antonio, Texas home of designer Gwynn Griffith.
Photography by William Waldron.
Elle Decor (September 2011).

Vintage "Hand" chairs.
Home of Ashley Stark, creative director of Stark.
Photography by Eric Piasecki.
Elle Decor (December 2011).

 Home office of designer Kelly Wearstler.
Elle Decor.

 Pedro Friedeberg Hand chair from the 1980s.
Manhattan apartment designed by Timothy Haynes and Kevin Roberts.
Photography by William Waldron.
Elle Decor (November 2011).

 Palm Beach home of Jonathan Adler and Simon Doonan.
Photography by Colleen Duffley.
Metropolitan Home.

Pedro Friedeberg Hand chair provides "shine".
Interior design by Heather Moore for Jed Johnson Associates.
Photography by Thomas Loof.
House Beautiful (November 2011).

A gilt hand sculpture by Pedro Friedeberg.
Manhattan pied-à-terre of designer Todd Alexander Romano.
Photography by Thomas Loof.
Elle Decor (February 2011).

Piano Forte

I began taking piano lessons when I was six years old. I am so grateful to my teacher, Mrs. Stone, for sharing her love of classical music with me. I recently began looking for photographs of pianos. The following selections celebrate the instruments as if they are sculpture. Darryl Carter’s 19^th century grand piano is especially beautiful – its graceful curves and burled wood highlighted by the living room’s serene aesthetic.

 Living room of designer Darryl Carter's Washington, D.C. townhouse.

Elle Decor (November 2009).

Photography by Simon Upton.

 Interior design by Ruby Beets Old & New.

House Beautiful (July 2006).

Photography by Don Freeman.

 Interior design by Solis Betancourt.

Southern Accents.

Photography by Peter Margonelli.

Note how the rounded shape, wood, and color of the bowls echo the shape, wood, and color of the piano.

Hawaiian home of interior designer Mary Philpotts McGrath. 

Traditional Home (February 2011).

Photography by Joe Schmelzer.

Music room of designer Katie Brown. 

Traditional Home (September 2010).

Photography by Jonny Valiant.

Interior design by Martyn Lawrence-Bullard. 

Elle Decor (February 2005).

Photography by Tim Street-Porter.

The homeowner's grandmother won this piano on The Price is Right. 

Interior design by Benjamin Noriega-Ortiz.

Photography by Antoine Bootz.

Veranda (May 2008).

Casa Kulanu, the Napa Valley home of Rela Gleason, interior designer and creative director of fabric and furnishings company Summer Hill.

Bobby McAlphine, Architect.

Photography by Roger Davies. 

Architectural Digest (November 2011).

Decor by JoAnne Brosnahan of Unique Custom Interiors.

Los Angeles house by Lehrer Architects LA.

Architectural Digest (July 2012).

Photography by Roger Davies.