Natural Fashion

Every December I return to the House and Garden Holiday Issues-there is always something to become reacquainted with.

I'm dreaming of an HG Christmas
just like the ones I used to know
Where the Roehm Tree glistens
and Carolyne listens to hear Westies in the Snow
Oh-
I'm dreaming of an HG Christmas
with every Christmas Cover I sight
May your days be stylish and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white

I'm dreaming of an HG Christmas,
just like the ones I used to know
May your days be stylish and bright,
and may all your Christmases be white
and may all your Christmases be white
-apologies to Irving Berlin

So much for nostalgia- Since HG is gone with the slush and salt. Here's what some of the House and Gardens of OLDE had to say about the holiday:

from 1927 "We know, as surely as we know anything, that happiness which comes without effort, without sacrifice, without bother, without disturbing the even tenor of work and living, is rarely worth either the giving or the receiving. The Christmas that hasn't caused bills to mount up isn't worth celebrating. If it doesn't leave one tired out, it isn't worth remembering."
What? Obviously the date tells us it was written before the crash of 1929.

from 1936 HG puts "on its Christmas thinking cap and shows five ways of decorating your house without using conventional mistletoe or holly." Sadly in 1936 HG likely did not imagine the advent of silk wreaths, mistletoe and holly Ah! Those were the days. Get something LIVE for the house. Other ideas from making a new look in your Christmas decorations-Set up a creche in the fireplace(don't use the fireplace-Just a suggestion), tack up blue cellophane with silver stars in a window (Child's play) & finally hang a swag of pineapples and leaves over a mantel. That sounds lovely, like a load of work, possible runny sticky pineapple juice about the mantel-but if the colonials of Williamsburg could endure- It might be worth a try. Interestingly- Colonial Williamsburg as a preserved area had only begun in 1926 with Reverend Dr. W.A.R. Goodwin, rector of Bruton Parish Church &philanthropist John D. Rockefeller Jr., being the city's historic building restoration patron saint.

from 1941 "Use a light touch with the holiday greens."
try "An UPSIDE down tree to save space in a small apartment."-Edward Steichen. The man lived to be 94 years old, he was 62 when he came up with this one- It may have been one of the firsts in this not attractive-idea.

from 1987- One of my favourite covers- a cat tea party by Setsuko, wife of Balthus. This December issue features Chalet Balthus in the Vaudois region of Switzerland & NOT ONE Christmas decorating idea. These were the loftier House and Garden days when editor in chief Louis Oliver Gropp was still producing serious(ly) beautiful stories, perhaps- upon reflection- in the vein of World of Interiors.

a beautiful Holiday edition-December 2007- House and Garden's last and many blogs are revisiting this season.

In starting to write this blog- I had many things on my mind. Well- I started thinking about writing it in the summer- so I had other things on my mind- BUT now as that a new year has begun- I have more prescient things on my mind. As mentioned in other posts- the loss of my friend and my dog- both and all of us three interconnected by a house and love. Love presents itself in many forms and from there-takes many roads.

I hope Moses and Peele are loafing in green pastures together- and raising a little hell too! For me, I have another chapter to write and a new dog -Zetta-to help me find it.

I received the most wonderful gift from a fellow blogger Patricia-go there now and see it for yourselves. What a warm welcome from pve.

Portrait of a Dog.

Moses by Patricia van Essche of pve designs and her blog of the same name.

Moses in the Sitting Room I decorated with him in mind.

The "once" room for Moses designed in 1998 , as he observes from just in range of the camera. See his beautiful velveteen ears in the foreground.

I've waxed about Edith Wharton in several posts- well, here she is again. A great dog lover, pictured with one of the many dogs in her life.

Young Edith Jones with friends-

Edith Wharton's library at the Mount full of her books and doubtless, her "little old dog, a heartbeat at my feet."

The incomparable Elsie de Wolfe with the dogs in her life- Her breed, the Pekingese.

A room in Elsie's Villa Trianon at Versailles. I can SO see- Elsie's dogs here in the Long Gallery. The warm honeyed camels were an inspiration in my little sitting room designed for Moses.

I love this room by Elsie de Wolfe- designed for her once lady friend Elisabeth Marbury. It is modern, comfortable and full of books, just as all rooms should be- along with dogs!

The late Pauline de Rothschild-with her dog Gogo. My personal style icon (how could anyone resist or dispute?), photographed by Horst. The balustrades in this picture at Mouton are trompe l 'oeil red ochre and gray marble.

Pauline de Rothschild and the Baron in the Living Room at Chateau de Mouton-again the mellow camel- a design favorite of my own.

Stylish and creative, Carolyne Roehm, Bill Blass referred to her as the "ultimate tastemaker." Her breed of choice- West Highland Terriers- pictured here- Her country dogs come to the city, Lucky and Lady.

(photographs are by Miki Duisforhof)

One of Roehm's wonderful rooms with both masculine and feminine strengths~

I don't know why?, but I feel I know Bunny Williams. Maybe it is because of her own intense love for dogs and her perfectly designed interiors- custom built for style, comfort and intimacy-and just for her client eyes only. It doesn't matter that the entire design world wants to watch.

Bunny Williams with her dogs- a true breed of their own-Charlie and Lucy.

(photograph by Pieter Estersohn)

Bunny's room- all dogs love this color palette- Again mellow, mellow.

Bunny Williams office- no doubt her dogs are frequently here too and if I'm not mistaken her friends and their dogs too, as the photograph of Kitty Hawks reveals. Actually these two designers and friends created a dog show for dogs of mixed breeds in New York that focused on the importance of adopting dogs from shelters and just all round good care for the dogs we love.