Monday, July 09, 2007

High-Dowager Decor




A few weeks back I posted about old fashioned prints, and it reminded me of the Upper East Side home of Camilla and Carl Sorenson (published in Elle Decor, Dec/Jan '05). With the help of designer Steven Sclaroff, they set about decorating their apartment using "high-dowager decor". Inspired by the very English rooms at Chatsworth, they used a melange of old-fashioned prints; florals, stripes, and Chinoiserie prints are used together to give the apartment a slightly eccentric, slightly matronly, and altogether fresh look. What I like most about this home is that the overall design scheme gives a nod to the history of this pre-war building in a slightly cheeky way. This dowager decor will definitely grow old gracefully.

(To read my related post on old-fashioned prints, click here.)


The dining room is papered in a 1940s Chinoiserie print purchased from Secondhand Rose. The fabric on the sofa is Christopher Hyland's "Giuliana", and the armchair is upholstered in Maharam's Aria cotton velvet.


For a similar look, Secondhand Rose has this vintage Chinoiserie print on their website.


Another shot of the dining room, and a view of the living room with some fabulous gray and white cabinetry designed by Sclaroff. The armchairs' striped fabric is "Rayure Chenille" by Clarence House.


Top left: the master bedroom's sitting area with a sofa upholstered in Colefax & Fowler's Beaumont cotton-viscose fabric.
Bottom left: the dressing room with Clarence House's "Gothik Fretwork" wallpaper.

Photo at top: Another view of the living room; the sofa is upholstered in Scalamandre's "Foret" cotton.

19 comments:

  1. Love the alternate wallpaper you sourced! Very interesting dining room.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Clarence House, Scalamandre & Colefax & Fowler are all top fabric houses. I don't think you could go wrong using any of their fabrics. But to use them all together as was done in this home is a stroke of genuis. Not for the faint of heart. Good post. Thanks.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Thanks Courtney! Patricia- so true. Takes a bold person to mix and match as such.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Yes, that wallcovering from Secondhand Rose is a great, and I love the gray and white cabinetry too!

    ReplyDelete
  5. GMG- Love the cabinetry too. Gray and white is such a great color combo!

    ReplyDelete
  6. so exotic and romantic, I love that red wallpaper and I can't think that room would be so beautiful without it.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Michelle- I think you're right- that red wallpaper makes that room!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Loved this layout from the start - that CH fabric is still in the back of my mind - hope to use it someday. Dowager Chic is right up my alley - I was a little bit 60 even when I was 6.

    ReplyDelete
  9. okay ,this is TOO weird!

    bought a new bed and moved the old one out last night. i happened to find this exact issue under the bed and re-fell in love with this apartment!

    i absolutely love everything about it...

    ReplyDelete
  10. Le Lion- That is weird; we must be on the same wavelength or something!

    ReplyDelete
  11. How funny, I was going to do a post about the same apartment this week. I'm loving Steven Sclaroff's stlye at the moment - between this apartment and the one he helped Kate & Andy Spade decorate, the man is a legend!

    ReplyDelete
  12. This is my all time favorite apartment. The sofa and fabric are amazing.

    ReplyDelete
  13. Anonymous2:25 AM

    Well, I can now say that my style is "dowager" - I know I am getting old but........... LOL

    ReplyDelete
  14. Great post! I just love all the rooms. Each one is so warm and cozy. But I especially love the living room. Thanks for the inspiration.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Love the wallpaper from Secondhand Rose and I also love the wallpapered closet!
    XO
    Anna

    ReplyDelete
  16. this is by far my favorite post of yours thus far. i have ALWAYS loved that chinoiserie wallpaper at second hand rose. and i love seeing it in action.thank you for all of this fantastic info...

    ReplyDelete
  17. Anonymous7:08 PM

    Love all the wallpapers but love the blue floral wallpaper in the hallway the most!! Any ideas what wallpaper that is.

    ReplyDelete
  18. Anonymous- I wanted to know what that paper was too, but it didn't say anything about it in the credits. Perhaps I overlooked it? Let me see what I can find out!

    ReplyDelete