The Ease of Green

With Summer 2012 officially off the ground those with aesthetic inclinations are eager for new and interesting ways to introduce the essence of the season into their home.  While entertaining takes on a more relaxed tone during these sun-drenched months attention to detail and a freshly attended environment are never out of fashion. Having witnessed firsthand the dazzling colors being offered up by the design industry during this spring’s High Point Furniture Market I’m embracing (and suggesting) green in all its varied shades and tones  as an important player in our living and entertaining environments this summer. Whether you’re updating your wardrobe, refreshing a living room (dazzle with a fresh coat of Benjamin Moore Perennial #405) or looking for a new accessory to interject a shot of color; green is where it’s at this summer.  I can’t wait to see how you use green in your home this summer.  Snap a picture and share it; I’ll be doing the same thing as the summer rolls along. Here are a few images to stir your imagination.

Shades of Green Dresses by Frances McLaughlin-Gill for the April 1952 Glamour, courtesy Vogue/Conde Nast

Green pillows and glasses add punch for summer entertaining

Benjamin Moore, Perennial #405

A snappy vignette from Century Furniture

So many shades of green……

Green Vases from Global View

Carter & Company; On the Go

It seems like just yesterday that we attended an evening hosted at the Hampshire House by Historic New England and the Odgen Codman Design Group where our good friend Charles Spada spoke. He discussed the restoration work on his historic Normandy home, the Manoir de Berthouville. Our special thanks to everyone who made the evening such a success.

La Dolce Vita and the Living Legacy of Tony Duquette

Ah, the Good Life!

Do you know of the splendid coffee table book by Slim Aarons “A Place in the Sun"--  a collection of photographs showing the rich and famous at play during the 60's?  I can't tell you how often I indulge myself the pleasure of getting lost in these iconic images that conjure up bygone elegance and glamour, when taste was both confident and chic.  I would always conclude these indulgences with a forlorn sort of melancholy -- those days are gone forever, Michael.

Or are they??????

On the evening of Friday, February 17th I found myself dressed rather smartly in formal attire alongside my business partner Douglas Truesdale, in the back seat of a liveried Jaguar sedan winding our way up into the heights of Beverly Hills to the home of complete strangers, the Count and Countess of Alastaya.  We had no idea what expect other than a swanky party, a benefit for Save Venice.  We had only one loosely acquainted friend who we might see, otherwise, we were flying solo, or in our case duo.

Turban-wearing attendants escorted us into the entryway along with a stream of other guests and Douglas and I we're immediately aware that, as our good friend Dorothy once put it, we weren't in Kansas anymore.  By walking through the front door of the private home of Hutton and Ruth Wilkinson, aka the Count and Countess, we thus began a weekend-long odyssey of elaborate parties where attendees were encouraged to dress in 60's couture -- "La Dolce Vita" as the weekend was proclaimed --Beverly Hills style, and my fantasy of basking in the glow of that golden era, if only for a short glimmer of time, was about to come true.

Ruth and Hutton Wilkinson, Count and Countess of Alastaya

Let’s start with Count and Countess’ glamorous (jaw dropping) home “Casa Contessa” which was built three years ago and adjoins Tony Duquette’s storied property “Dawnridge.” Hutton Wilkinson was Tony Duquette’s business partner, and inherited his estate and businesses after Tony passed in 1999. Hutton now runs the various Duquette empires, but is also an incredibly accomplished decorator, fabric designer, jewelry designer and accessories designer in his own right. Dawnridge sits at the long edge of a canyon-like property high in the Hills of Beverly, and Ruth & Hutton have built their home at the narrow end of the same canyon. The two homes share one of the most fantastically imaginative gardens I’ve ever seen: Tropical plants, palm trees, fig & olive trees comingling with an Indonesian Folly; a gondola floating in a koi-stocked lagoon; not to mention the crystal chandelier fitted with a disco ball in its interior; and towering palm tree-like sculptures that have over-scaled porcupine quills as foliage!

We're not in Kansas anymore...

One enters the Wilkinson’s home on the second level; the front doors open to an expansive gallery-like space, with an elliptical stair that coils up and down on the left side of the gallery, and a glass railed balcony that overlooks the two story high living room on the right. Douglas and I were immediately awe-struck as we gazed upon the spectacle of the party that enfolded below: Coral walls punctuated with gold leaf; Venetian paintings and blackamoors; leopard pattern carpet over polished black marble floors; yards and yards of HW designed fabric for Jim Thompson and Los Angeles society decked out in their best couture and jewels. We descended to the living room to be met by our host, Hutton, who waited to greet his guests at the bottom of the stair. From there, it was if we were carried on a cloud all night… we were simply enchanted. Adding to the sensory overload was the fact that Ruth and Hutton had staged the party in three phases: Cocktails at Casa Contessa; dinner in the gardens; and dessert and dancing at Dawnridge. This allowed us revelers to see all the glories of each property, and to be fully immersed in the creative genius that conjured up these magnificent environments.  One half expected to see the Fabulous Cushing Sisters, or Cole Porter or Auntie Mame herself walk through the door at any moment. I don’t think there’s been a party like this since Truman Capote’s Black & White Ball!

Staircase at Casa Contessa

Living Room at Casa Contessa

Dining Room at Dawnridge

Ballroom at Dawnridge

After some beauty sleep, Douglas and I attended the centerpiece of the weekend’s festivities, the Fellini Ball, which was held in the Crystal Ballroom of the Beverly Hills Hotel. The 1960’s theme was in full-force that evening complete with President and Mrs. Kennedy impersonators, go-go dancers, an army of James Bonds, and the likes of Marilyn Monroe, Maria Callas & Elvis Presley making guest appearances. Of course, being LA, the Paparazzi were there too! The charming, handsome Chairman of Save Venice, Inc., Matthew White, gave a lovely toast to the assembled guests, and explained some of the important restoration work that is taking place in Venice thanks to the fundraising efforts of SVI. Did you know that Save Venice, Inc. raises more money for the restoration of art and architecture in Venice than any other organization or country? Pretty impressive!

The Crystal Ballroom of Beverly Hills Hotel

Paparazzi!

Michael and Douglas with Juan Prieto and Matthew White, chairman of Save Venice, Inc.

The orchestra coaxed one and all to the dance floor before, during, and after dinner. And in between spins on the dance floor, Douglas and I managed to make some new west coast friends. Of particular note were a group of four sisters who all flew down from the Bay Area on their private jet for the weekend’s festivities. These gals were doing it all with style, putting themselves up in the Presidential Suite at the Beverly Hills Hotel. This suite is actually a three-bedroom bungalow, with a living room, dining room, library, and most importantly, its own pool in its own back yard! The sisters invited us back to the suite for a nightcap after the ball had wound down, and we swapped stories poolside until the wee hours of the morning. Bliss!

Our new BFFs from the Bay Area

The final jewel in the weekend’s crown was a luncheon given at a gorgeous private residence in Beverly Hills. This was the time to reflect on all of the wondrous events of La Dolce Vita, and to solidify our new friendships. I can tell you, my head is still spinning from this whole experience, and I feel so grateful to have been given this peek into a glamorous life we rarely get to witness, let alone partake in.

Wes Carroll of Beverly Hills, Douglas Truesdale, Michael Carter, and the Pucci-clad Joy Venturini  Bianchi of
San Francisco

So, gird your loins, readers! All of this LA eye-candy has stoked the creative fires of Carter & Co., and we can hardly wait to share the wealth!

Michael Carter: Million Dollar Decorator

In my last blog,  I reported on the fantastic visit to Los Angeles with David Webster and John Becker of Webster & Company to view the full spectrum of all things Rose Tarlow Melrose House.  With husband David Rousseau and fellow Carter & Company designer Douglas Truesdale in tow, we explored the ultra-sophisticated collection now housed in the California-chic showroom on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. It was tremendous!

Michael Carter and Douglas Truesdale

As hoped, there were celebrity sightings of the Hollywood type: Anderson Cooper at breakfast, Geena Davis at LAX…that cute kid who plays Blaine onGlee in our hotel lobby (The London, which deserves its own blog full of accolades—so chic!). But the real bonanza for me was the plethora of designer celebrities at every turn.

Our host herself—that being the doyenne of design, Rose Tarlow—goes at the top of the column. I was completely amused by her obsession with her dog, Ollie. Rose is obviously still the creative force behind the venerable Melrose House, but I daresay that Ollie is the creative force behind Rose Tarlow! The thing she and Douglas really connected on was textiles, as Douglas has an encyclopedic memory for fabrics, and together they enjoyed remembrances of prints past.

Michael Carter visiting Rose Tarlow

Our first evening was spent dining with two celebrity designers from the hit TV show Million Dollar Decorator: Jeffrey Alan Marks and his partner Ross Cassidy. We were dining at a wonderful restaurant called Tavern, in Brentwood, and “the boys” were on either side of me at the main table as we enjoyed their very own design handiwork: the entire rear section of the restaurant, a huge, cavernous space that had been unused for years. Now, in the hands of Marks and Cassidy, it enjoyed a renaissance. But first a word or two about the show, in case you’re not a fan as I am.

Jeffrey Alan Marks, Michael Carter and Ross Cassidy

Million Dollar Decorator is the best design show ever to be aired on television. Why? Two reasons. One is its pure entertainment value, with a well-selected cast of colorful characters. The series explores the trials and tribulations, the triumphs and tragedies of real professionals, real LA designers with real LA clients, real homes, real issues. Sure it’s Hollywood, and everything is a big drama. But unlike these other ridiculous shows where rooms are done in a week for $500 or entire homes are leveled and rebuilt, landscaped and decorated in eight days (as the world watches with hanky in hand), this show comes the closest to anything I know and understand about the wonderful, glamorous and not-so-wonderful and not-so-glamorous world in which I have been immersed for the last sixteen years, with all its ups and downs. It quickly becomes apparent that lots can go wrong and does go wrong in their perilous professional world filled with high-maintenance clients, as we sit and squirm at home watching these celebrity designers worm their way out of troubles, nod approvingly at their successes and howl at their antics.

So what of Jeffrey Alan Marks and Ross Cassidy?  Well, the series would have you believe they are a bit of a circus act, but spending an evening in their company and in a space that they have created would say otherwise. They were delightful, on their game and genuinely interested in meeting us. I found out that they are filming part of the next season’s installment on Nantucket, and I’m very excited to see the project that they’re undertaking—which has a fun twist, as their client has given them some restrictive guidelines that will make it very challenging.

We also bumped into Nathan Turner at Melrose House, and shopped in his new store on Melrose Avenue where I picked up a few nifty gifts. He was quite pleasant and personable. And we spent an afternoon at Greystone Mansion, currently the designer show house in Beverly Hills where virtually all the members of the MDD cast have done a space, including Martyn Lawrence Bullard. His master bedroom suite was all in shades of black and white and grays and was nicely done—but of course nicely done with the new collection of fabrics that he has designed exclusively for Schumacher. Particularly effective was a super-size wool paisley that he used to upholster large panels of the bedroom walls. And, by the way, Martyn is a doll! We had dinner in Boston recently as guests of Schumacher, and I have to say (God forgive me), he actually is as delicious in life as he is on television (“delicious” being his word du jour!).

Martyn Lawrence Bullard and Michael Carter

The other big LA designer name, if not the biggest name, of course, is Michael Smith, with whom I also recently dined at No. 9 Park here in Boston. He initially seemed uninterested in the guests at the table, but when he did engage, I really appreciated what he had to say about managing a large firm. He said he has a staff of thirty-five. Can you imagine? And all through the evening the calls kept coming in from LA as we were three hours earlier than his office staff. Suddenly I understood. Not easy being big. I love, love, love his work!

And who is the most down-to-earth celebrity designer I’ve ever met? That honor comes back to the East Coast and goes to the legendary Bunny Williams: that hardworking, knowledgeable, ever-versatile, both country and city, no-airs, class act of a designer. Can you tell I’m a huge fan? Naturally she’s a good Southern girl, but I’m sure that has nothing to do with it!

Bunny Williams and Michael Carter

—Michael Carter

Michael Carter: Melrose House Extravaganza

It’s always been inspiring to walk into the Webster & Company showroom in Boston. From the first day David Webster opened his doors to the design community over twenty years ago, you always walked in to find something exceptional both in product and presentation. Of all the amazing lines that the Webster crew has brought to Boston over the years, the Rose Tarlow Melrose House line of furniture, fabrics, wallpapers and accessories was perhaps the most exciting—and, moreover, useful—I had ever encountered as a design professional. I realized immediately that I had a real winner, something that I could really incorporate into my own work, which satisfied my desire for a timeless aesthetic but was still chic and of the highest quality. My clients loved it because it was approachable—comfortable, casual, but clearly a step above the usual. I was the first Boston designer to place an order after the Webster introduction: a custom settee. It was a hit, it looked stunning in the client’s foyer and the room was published in Traditional Home magazine the following year.

So imagine my excitement when I was invited by David Webster to join him in Los Angeles to view the entire collection in the new Melrose House showroom! I think I said yes so fast and so emphatically that it startled him. It seemed like a golden opportunity; little did I know that it would be such an inspirational and transformative experience.

 

As luck would have it, the trip to LA coincided with my fiftieth birthday. Great!  I brought along my wonderful partner in life, David Rousseau, and my amazing partner in design, Douglas Truesdale, and off we went via Virgin America along with David Webster and collection manager John Becker. First in a long line of design accolades would be to the brand-new aircraft on which we flew. It was almost futuristic, with violet and pink mood lighting and touchscreen menus to allow full customization of  your dining and entertainment experience.

We were met at LAX by a driver named Marshall who made the next three days the most seamless and pleasurable driving experiences I’ve ever had in LA. He knew how to navigate around the infamous traffic, and during those unavoidable back-ups, we all jammed inside to the ’70s on 7 Sirius satellite radio (as a testament to our “youth,” we all knew the words to all the songs and found ourselves singing along to Michael Jackson and Stevie Nicks).

But the real red carpet rolled out as we arrived at Melrose House on Melrose Avenue in West Hollywood. This would be home base for our VIP visit, and what a home base!  This was the brand-new business headquarters and showroom that proffered the ultimate vision of Rose Tarlow and her collection. The building was impressive in its architectural statement: a whitewashed stucco structure that spices California clean and casual with a colonial South African flavor. Inside a two-storied showroom invoking a quiet calm was the hallowed hall of all things Melrose House—a  trophy room of exquisite furnishings and fabrics, soft in its mood, strong in its rich character of finishes and bold in its unique forms.

 

 

So naturally I was both curious and excited to meet this doyenne of design, the legendary Rose Tarlow (recently confirmed by Architectural Digest‘s AD100 list in December). And she did not disappoint. Ageless in appearance (somewhere between fifty and…), confident but not cavalier in her demeanor, she clearly marches to the beat of her own drum. The fun part for me was her delight in meeting David—not David Webster, but my husband David, who is a veterinarian. Almost glued to Rose’s side was her apricot poodle, Ollie, and Rose asked David three times to examine him asking, “Do you think he’ll live to be twenty-two?” On day three, David in his infinite wisdom said “yes.” Such is the benefit of a spouse who appeals to animal lovers.

 

If the aesthetic heart and soul of Melrose House is Rose Tarlow, then the business and marketing pulse is powered by Meg Touborg. A woman of many hats (figuratively speaking, as I have never known Meg to wear a hat), she and business partner Peter Sallick (of the Waterworks family) have taken a strong personal interest in steering this venerable business into the twenty-first century, leaving Rose the freedom to continue her focus on the creative side. Meg and her amazing staff guided us through the product line, its approach to quality and design as well as versatility in unique furniture finishes.  There was the amazing lighting collection to be seen along with new introductions to the linen wall coverings, one of my favorite “can’t-wait-to-use-it” discoveries.

Part of the visit included a visit to neighboring showrooms and unique antiques shops that surround the Pacific Design Center. We were given a very warm welcome (that translates to wine and yummies) by antiques dealer Lee Stanton, who has become a leader in this community of enterprises that revolve around the interior design trade.

 

There is clearly a big push, if not an outright revolution, in LA, where the emphasis is on independent showrooms that are outside the gargantuan red, blue and green albatrosses of the PDC (to me the Pacific Design Center seemed a ghost town in terms of tenants). From our own experience, we understood the appeal of shopping streets lined by palm trees and courtyards with manicured gardens and working fountains. It’s the best of Southern California, so why wouldn’t one set up business in that environment as opposed to inside a glass warehouse?

Meanwhile as part of our red-carpet treatment (all thanks to Meg’s amazing connections within the industry), the Boston contingent was given a private tour of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art. Melrose House staff member Heather Lawrence (our very own Cruise Director Julie) arranged for the group to visit a terrific exhibit on postwar California design, called “Pacific Time.”  From fashion, cars and Airstream trailers to architecture and product design, the exhibit was a visual feast and well underscored the role that California has played in establishing the modern design landscape, which we have almost taken for granted. The tour was led by LA interior designer Oliver M. Furth, a rising star both locally and nationally. This was my second introduction to him, having met him at the Lady Pepperrell House in Kittery, Maine, on July Fourth this year…small world!

And speaking of small world and celebrity designers, our brief sojourn produced a plethora of sightings, both casual as well as more intimate encounters. I’m saving those stories for my next blog installment, “Million Dollar Decorators.” Stay tuned! But to wind up on our Melrose House extravaganza, it was a whirlwind of excitement and truly a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. In terms of “Webster World goes LA,” I’m so thrilled, inspired and honored to have been included.

 

Welcome to my Blog

For those of you who know me well (which in this case means “he’s technically challenged…”), the idea of a blog may seem a bit of a stretch.  First the Blackberry, then the iPhone and iPad, and now a blog?  Michael Carter???  Well why not!  About three years ago I made a New Year’s resolution to embrace technology.  I had been desperately trying to avoid the unavoidable.    True, we may be living in a graceless age, but the competitive side of me won out and determined not to be left in the dust, I purchased my first smart phone.  So armed with digital camera and a world-wide venue, I now aim to take these tools and, even if clumsily, share a viewpoint and a vision that acknowledges the need for art, design and beauty in our everyday environment.  As an interior designer working in Boston for the last three decades, I have come to appreciate more and more those often-fleeting episodes of our existence that celebrate and value an aesthetic point of view.   And especially to those many people who devote their whole lives to this pursuit – artisans, designers, architects and gardeners – I say thank you!  And please don’t stop!!!  As my now 87-year-old aunt wrote to me in a birthday card when I was just a boy, in her always-impeccable cursive lettering:  “Seek a thing of beauty everyday”.



I took this shot when I was antiquing in Connecticut a few years ago.  It’s the garden outside of Gary Sargent’s wonderful shop in Woodstock.  I printed it off my camera and thumbtacked it onto my enormous bulletin board located over my desk.  You can see why I find it almost spiritual to study, especially on a stressful or hectic day.