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Sometimes our decorating plans just don't work out, & then they work out for the best. After moving into my little Tudor, I was determined to use one of my all time favorite fabrics (mine & hordes of other Madeleine Castaing devotees) Clarence House's
Coppelia. I did! There is a small-once said to be a housekeeper's room-I say-poor house keeper- it is if nothing else an oddity. Small-very small.
This little oddity- became a dressing room- I always wanted one. One enters the room by going up a small step into a low ceiling space about 4' x 6', then just beyond a step down (a deep one) into a 5' x 7' space. On the bright side- there was a window. Envisioning a Madeleine Castaing dressing room- I choose the ONE & only
Coppelia. The window-
Coppelia. The two chairs-
Coppelia. In the dressing room I added a freestanding dressmaker's rack, 1920's satinwood chest, a black Empire cabinet & a favorite piece - a black Japanned dressing table. Strange little walls-very LOW, then HIGH- but it all worked. It was lovely-but It was never used. Visitors stuck their heads in, occasionally taking the step up-rarely the step down. Comments of Oh!- I love this!, my favorite room, etc. etc. The room displayed scads of jewelry on the satinwood chest, a few prized textiles- a late 18th c. French blue silk lampas with leopard beribboned tendrils floating about-Yes- they were doing leopard even then-So, nothing new. Some favorite Indian saris pre-independence India made in France-much sought after- were hanging along the walls tossed over iron rods. The dressing table- under the window
(Coppelia) held some old perfume vials on a silver tray along with perfumes of all sorts.
Madeleine Castaing
(
Coppelia is tacked to the back of the tufted muslin covered chair)
I had my vintage kimonos and Chinese coats hanging and some pretty gorgeous jackets- favorites too, Richard Tyler (black wool-pale pink velvet collar, cuffs-full of floral embroidery), two Chanel jackets (black- is there any other?), Issac Mizrahi-before he was targeted & Mark Jacobs, along with the others. Great clothes- but rarely ever worn now- they might as well be in the closet- and that is where they went.
The little room was converted into a closet. I needed more storage. Though I have resolved my clothes issues-I have yet to resolve some of my issues with letting go of- furniture & the like. A decorator never knows when she could sell a piece of furniture, or a mirror, or a lamp, or a-Well you know. So now I have a walk in, step down, turn around, step up Closet. Everything is pretty much still right there in the tortured maid's chamber- the clothes, the satinwood chest, the fabrics (now folded & put away) , along with lots of other stuff. I did move the dressing table to my bedroom, it is-as I said- a favorite.
...and Madame Castaing? She went off to a cozy corner in the breakfasting area (that's the portion of the kitchen with
(see pics) & a long handmade cherry dining table and chairs-my Mother's). The curtains, the chair it all went- the other Madame Castaing chair is in the sitting room (that's the tv room) at a very cluttered desk.
Everything is being used- well, practically.
Much better.
wax fruit my grandMa made in the 1960's
(I said I still had some issues about letting go-this fruit Never!)
want more
Coppelia & Castaing visit Emily Evans Eerdmans
here . She is writing the book! Literally-& I can't wait.
or stop by the Peak of Chic
here.
