Apprompronou Dormaa, Cote d’Ivoire [11/32 World Cup Countries]

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! AND in the spirit of the season - in order to give thanks to good interior design, here’s a story about what good design is all about. For years, a shopping trip to Dallas’ Design District included a must visit to East & Orient Company, the 18,000 sq ft, antique décor shop owned by Betty Gertz. Opened in 1979, it remained a Dallas institution until Gertz shuttered its doors, after holding a final store wide sale in late 2016. A Google view of the East & Orient shop – covered in ivy with a green and white awning. Past the front door, you entered an courtyard filled with plants and trees. This type of courtyard entry will be repeated in Gertz's newest home. Inside the front courtyard of East & Orient. A few years ago, in 2015, Architectural Digest published a story on Betty Gertz new home decorated by the one of the world’s most admired designers, Axel Vervoordt. The Architectural Digest house was actually the second project that Vervoordt and Gertz had worked on. Their first project was published in Southern Accents, back in 2002. It’s not often that you see work by Axel Vervoordt in Texas. I never even imagined that he had even been here, but there it was - the proof in the 2002 Southern Accents. Decades before, the Belgian designer who had turned the world of interior design upside down, had met Betty Gertz and her husband Melvin at the Paris Biennale des Antiquarian. After that meeting Betty and Axel became collaborators and friends which led to him designing her Georgian styled house on beautiful Beverly Drive in Highland Park. Betty stocked her shop with goods bought from Axel. After the long hours shopping, she stayed over with Axel and his family at the Vervoordt's castle where their friendship deepened. The Vervoordt’s Castle – gorgeous. Perhaps Betty and Axel’s most well known collaboration became known as the “Hatcher Cargo Collection” from 1984. Christie’s was auctioning off Chinese porcelains from a 1640s shipwreck salvaged by Captain Michael Hatcher. The sunken cargo netted about 25,000 pieces of porcelain of which Christie’s was offering a few thousand of them. Axel and Betty were at that auction – and they both made large purchases. Read about this auction and the subsequent Nanking auction HERE. Years later Christie’s again auctioned off those pieces - bought by Betty at its original auction. Betty first displayed her Hatcher collection in the Georgian house on brackets that Axel designed. Later, those pieces were placed in her new home’s pool house, featured in Architectural Digest. And of course, many of the pieces were sold at East & Orient. Gertz’s East & Orient was certainly one of the most respected antique shops in Dallas and with that, Betty Gertz was one of the most respected antiquarians in Dallas. A visit to the shop was a romantic trip with its endless vignettes in beautiful settings. A list of customers who had shopped at East & Orient is incredible: Princess Michael of Kent, Bill Blass, Charlotte Moss, Bunny Williams, Viscount David Linley, and the late designers Mario Buatta and Mark Hampton – these are just a few of their discerning clients. Betty and her husband’s personal friends included Moshe Dayan and Aristotle Onassis. It is a truly amazing group of people – friends and clients - even though I’m sure this is a highly edited list. Betty’s office at East & Orient was hidden behind a jib door, camouflaged in the bookcase. Her office inside, though, was the crème de la crème: Betty’s beautiful French office at East & Orient. Wow. My jaw just dropped at this photo. It is so pleasing to the eye, right? The Sales After 37 years running East & Orient, Betty decided to sell. The 18,000 sq ft shop was too large for someone her age to manage and for a while, she entertained the thought that she might open up in another, much smaller space - something she never did. After her children sold the East & Orient building, the time came to sell its contents. Antique lovers were shocked but thrilled when the sale opened. Some bids started at just $1. - there were many bargains to be had. Over 1,100 objects sold in just two days. It was a sale that Dallas wouldn’t soon forget. But there was more to come. (Read two stories about the closing of East & Orient HERE AND HERE.) After the 2015 Architectural Digest story on Betty Gertz’s new house, I didn’t think about it again. Not living in Dallas, I wasn’t even aware that East & Orient had closed. But, by accident, a few weeks ago, I came across an online real estate ad for the sale of Betty’s Architectural Digest house which reminded me of the AD story. A fee Google searches later, I discovered the sale of East & Orient and the subsequent Christie sale of the contents of her house and the two auctions of her Hatcher porcelains. An article about Gertz noted that she had sold her somewhat still new home, saying it was too high tech for her. She never could turn on her TV and at night, she struggled with the lights. She moved to a smaller place, without the technology. I thought you might want to revisit the 2002 story on the Georgian house and a look at the real estate photos of the Architectural Digest house – both designed by the incomparable Axel Vervoordt. Vervoordt in Texas? It’s such a rarity, it deserves a second look. The 2002 cover was of the Georgian house designed by Axel Vervoordt. From Southern Accents. The white Georgian was built in 1913 on the toniest of streets, Beverly Drive in Highland Park. The Gertzes raised their family here. Later, as a widow, Betty sold this house and moved to the smaller house featured in the 2015 Architectural Digest. This house is such a beautiful classic - so what happened after Betty moved out was somewhat of a shock: In this Google view from 2008, you can just barely see the Georgian house behind a white brick fence and thick foliage. No sooner had the house been sold than it was TORN DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!!!! Here is what it looks like now. A big behemoth of nothingness. WHY?!?!?!?!? The property is now taken up with a newly built Faux Frenchifried Chateunail on a corner lot, no less. Let’s look at the Georgian house, inside, before it was demolished. The Gertzes had asked their good friend Axel Vervoordt to design the house. Was this a Texas first? The house was painted white, inside and out, decades before it was in vogue. Through the front door with its fan light, is the foyer with a classic black and white marble floor. George II console (!) and bookcase. William and Mary torchieres flank the front door. Beautiful staircase. Years later this console would be listed at the Christie’s Living With Art auction in 2017. Final price was $3,500. The sofa and the candlesticks were part of the sale, too. The console, from the catalogue. At the left side of the house is the large living room, filled mostly with English antiques. A view of the front corner with the secretary filled with the Hatcher blue and white porcelain. I love the rug covered table!! The book stand in the corner is pure Axel. Years later, the secretary and yellow chair would be included in the Christie's sale. At the opposite of the living room is this corner cabinet lavabo, used as a bar. The champagne is cooling in the receptacle. This distinctive piece was used to great elan in the new house’s bathroom. The dining room – what is amazing is the house had been designed by Dorothy Draper at some point and this wallpaper was the only remnant left of that project. I tried to find photos of the Dorothy Draper design – I looked everywhere. I’m sure there are photos somewhere, but I couldn’t find any. Dang it!!!! You can read the caption here, that Betty was advised to remove the paper because it was torn and dirty – but she refused because she loved Draper's paper. The dishes on the table are the 400 year old plates from the Hatcher shipwreck. These plates were copied by OKA – fabulous!! To see OKA’s line of Kraakware China, go HERE The designer Michael S. Smith uses the OKA dinnerware at his own home. And one of the most interesting items in the Christie's 2017 auction "Living with Art" were these 10 framed 19th century, Japanese wallpaper panels. Four large and six small panels sold for $21,250. The provenance? "From a Dallas home, decorated by Dorothy Draper, c. 1919." The wallpaper that Gertz loved too much to remove - was salvaged when she sold the house. Since the house was torn down, she was smart to remove it and have it framed. I'm not sure if she first used the framed panels in her own new AD house, but, regardless - the wallpaper lives on!!!! The sparse and modern Solarium was added off the living room. An antique chair sits next to a 14th century bronze. Later this bronze would be sold for a huge price at auction. The niche in the Solarium is the real showstopper: In the niche designed by Vervoordt, Hatcher Ming vases are on display. Isn’t this incredible? The library is so cozy. Notice the carved mantel. AND in between the fireplace and sofa – notice the salesman sized upholstered chair!! Fabulous. This tiny chair was sold at the Christie’s auction, as was the painting over the mantel. On the ceiling is a sepia toned map marked with places the Gertzes have lived. The other side of the library. Those velum books!!! There are just treasures everywhere. The salesman model! Wow!!!! This was later auctioned off at Christies. It sold for just 875. In the breakfast room, Vervoordt used 18th century Georgian chairs, while a pine cabinets holds blue & white porcelain. I love the scalloped console in the bay window. In the 2002 house – Axel used antique Delft tiles around the stove. Blue and white checked curtains match the porcelains. Now, let's look at the new Gertz house in Architectural Digest. In late 2015, AD featured a new house owned by the now widowed Betty Gertz. When Betty first showed Axel her new house, he hated it. In AD he said most houses in Dallas had beautiful exteriors and ugly interiors. He wanted to reverse that. Today, the 1984 house is now hidden behind ivy and bushes, barely visible from the street and this is exactly how Axel planned it. Before – the house was orientated on a corner lot, with the front door on the side street. You can see the house was once peach. Under Axel’s changes, this empty front yard becomes a circular driveway with a hidden courtyard that camouflages the front door. After: Here you can see how the orientation now faces the main street with the added curved driveway, hidden by a large hedge. The front door is now off the curved drive – you can barely see it here. When you enter this front door, you actually travel through two courtyards before you arrive at the house. AFTER: Real Estate Photo. This is the view of the side street as it looks today. Axel painted the once peach house white and he installed luscious landscaping which further screened the house from the street. This tall fireplace is one of two matching ones in the living room. And, the small window seen here is the kitchen. Before: Same view! Tiny, blurry before photo – the house was peach. And you can see how the front door was on the side street. This was moved to the front street. AFTER: The antique front door, off the new circular drive, that leads to the first courtyard. AD: Looking back at the front door towards the courtyard. This brick courtyard leads to yet another courtyard and then to the foyer. Above the courtyard are a series of wires that allow for vines to grow over the area, further shading the courtyard. REAL ESTATE: Looking the other direction, from the front courtyard into the second, inner courtyard. Compare this photo from the Real Estate brochure to the photo from Architectural Digest, below. Quite a difference – which shows again how much more talented professional photographers are. The same view – as seen through the lens of AD. Looking into the second courtyard. Real Estate – Inside the second, larger courtyard that leads to the front door. Real Estate: The foyer is actually a large solarium with old Carrera marble floors brought here by Axel. All furniture in the new house was once in the Georgian house, including this Khmer sculpture that was in the Georgian solarium. AD: A much more artistic photograph of the foyer, showing the sculpture and a wonderful root planter. A jib style door leads to the bedroom. The 13th century bronze netted $47,500 at the Christie’s auction. There were two root planters, this one and another – and together they went for $5,000. AD: A Chinese root table sits under a painting by Axel himself!! The root table netted $13,750 at the Christie’s auction. Wow. Underneath the table, the two Indian Lingam stones went for $2,000. AD: The house has a long, narrow design – with this hall running from front to back. Axel designed this space that leads from the foyer/solarium through to the back living room. New skylights add to the romance. You can see the front door here, at the back of the hall. Bougainvillea grows wild over the walls and ceiling. The walls are lime painted plaster. Most interesting are the pieces that were not sold at the auction, such as this console. Real Estate: Same view. But, here you can see the holes in the floor where the vines are planted!!! You can not see that in the AD photos. Really amazing. Notice how the tiles are accented around the holes in the ground – I suppose to bring attention to the holes? Across from the console is an arched opening. And on the other side is the kitchen. Notice the early 17th century Flemish marble relief subtly lighted on the wall? It was in the solarium in the Georgian house. At the Christie’s sale, it was bought for $11,250. Real Estate: AND, looking the other direction – from the foyer to the long hall to the living room – which overlooks the back garden and pool house. From the front door – you can see all the through the house to the back. Before: Orange brick walls and one large skylight. Axel replaced the one skylight with several square ones. So much better! This older skylight looks so old fashioned – while the square lights look classic. I just wish these BEFORE photos were bigger!!!! Even with this small photo – you can see how this long hall looks like an office space, where as Axel’s hall looks absolutely amazing!!!!! AD: The kitchen is beyond fabulous!!!! The marble floors continue in here while the cabinetry came from an 18th century Bordeaux apothecary!! Whomever bought this house from Betty got a steal of a deal!!! Look at this kitchen. Gorgeous. The chairs came from the old house and the Belgian blue and white checked fabric was repeated here too. The stools are early 17th century. The refrigerator is hidden in the cabinet and notice the sink cabinet. I’m so in love with this, it looks just like a Dutch kitchen. AD: The view of the range flanked by the two windows. I think this kitchen is pure genius. Compare this kitchen to a typical new kitchen in a typical house or mega mansion. This is just genius. Photography for the AD photos is by Björn Wallander. Real Estate: I hate to even show this photo. The chairs are gone, probably sold in one of the auctions. Sad. All the lights are on and it’s just a terrible photo compared to the AD ones with the natural light. Betty says the kitchen is her favorite room and where she spent most of her time. Before: A tiny blurred before of the kitchen. You can see the ceiling in much of the house was once pitched with beams – that is all gone now. Interesting that Axel didn’t want to use the beams in his design. ALSO, the wall between the kitchen and the living room which runs from side to side was open here. Axel closed this wall up. You can see the gold chair and rug and bookcase behind it – this is actually the living room. AD: Here, Axel used a mix of old parquet wood floor, taken from seven different houses!!! This is a double sided room. There are two fireplaces and all her antique chairs and chaises and tables from the Georgian house were used in this room. Purple walls are a surprise, but again – the room looks like it is in a Belgium home. The living room is also a dining room. Beautiful photo! NOTE: The wall on the left – this is the wall that was once open up to the kitchen. AD: And the other side of the room, with the sofas and large, tapestry covered table. One mantel is an original antique, one was made to replicate the original. Here you can really see how the floor is mismatched but that’s all Axel. It looks beautiful. Look at this antique architect’s desk!!!!! Isn’t it fabulous!!! I wonder if that is a TV hiding behind that two part screen??? The French mirror went for $8,125! A view to the back corner. I wonder where that large cache of vellum books are? And the real estate photos show the back windows. And across the room, towards the front. I wish there was one photo of the entire room with both fireplaces showing!!! The chaise was sold at Christie’s for only $1,125. Someone got very lucky. AND, get this – the leather chair, George III, mahogany – 1760, sold for only $1,750. You would pay more for a new one. That is a steal. And here, by the fireplace is the little salesman’s sample – the upholstered chair. OHHHHH, I just found the collection of the vellum books! By the window, in a special bookcase. This painting over the mantel was in the Christie’s auction. It netted $6,875 at the auction. Two terrible tiny blurred BEFORE photos of the left side of the living room, showing the roof line before it was lowered by Axel. Not seen in AD, the powder room. You can see how charming this is – the foyer with a stone fountain. Love the marble floors. The wood candlesticks, William & Mary, circa 1690. 1690!!!! And they sold for just $1,000. The AD photo just showed a small part of the bedroom. The side table, an 1825 yew Regency etagere, went for $2,000 at auction. The beauty though is the piece at the left – an antique Belgian secretary. Gorgeous. This piece was not shown in the auction. Real Estate: A much larger photo. The bedroom is covered in either a paper or a paint technique – I can’t tell. AD: The bathroom just kills me! The finest pieces of furniture were placed in here. The paint color is a deeper shade of the bedroom walls, but it makes me wish the bedroom was this shade too. In the corner is the fabulous piece that was in the living room of the Georgian house – all lit up with votives and champagne resting in the plant bin. It looks like Axel chose one type of the Versailles floor in here – culled from the same house. In the corner, the stunning Dutch lavabo from the 18th century sold for $5,626. The Real Estate photo of the bathroom shows the white marble shower through the beautiful wood door. The George II secretary after a Thomas Chippendale design sold for $10,625. The secretary was also in the living room in the Georgian house. The beautiful backyard. Here the view looks back on the house, where the living room is. You can see the two chimneys there. The brick was opened up in order to plant boxwood at the pool line while a new limestone coping was added. Beautiful landscaping – rows of Magnolia trees were planted, shaped like evergreens. Before: A photo of the back of the house with the old roof line. Whoa – I really like the flat roof better than it was before. It was a daring decision to flatten and raise the ceilings, but it was worth it. At the left is a pergola that was also removed. There is a pool house, below. Facing the house is this darling pool house. I think this is also the garage. Notice the front door and surround. This is from the old Georgian house. Now, remember I showed you that the new owners tore down the Georgian and built a faux chateaunail instead. The door came here with Axel and Betty! Not sure where the round window came from, probably from the white house too. Looks like a slate roof? Looks like the Hamptons. Here’s the old Georgian and the front door that was salvaged. Inside the pool room, Axel designed these white pedestals for the Kraakware plates and urns for the poolroom!!! I wish there were more photographs from there! Betty Gertz sits at the incredible architect’s desk. I don’t think she lived in this house for very long – maybe five years or less. Even though the floors were heated and the pool was kept at a toasty 90 degrees – she complained that the high tech confused her. She moved to a smaller, less confusing place. Where? I have no idea. She deserves her private retirement, she worked until she was in her 90s. She sold many of her pieces at the Christie’s auctions, including the two blue and white Hatcher shipwreck sales. I just hope she kept enough for her new home!! To see the Christie’s auction go here.

Originally built in 1864 as a movable lighthouse, it was rebuilt in 1997 by Associated British ports.

Looking east over Villefranche-sur-Mer and St-Jean-Cap-Ferrat.

Roadtrip sur la Côte-Nord du Québec : de Tadoussac à Natashquan et Kegaska, là où la route 138 se termine, on vous présente nos coups de coeur et incontournables

La côte Est de Taiwan est belle, sauvage... pas assez mise en valeur. Pour ceux qui cherchent à sortir des sentiers battus, ce coin de Taiwan est pour vous.

Wishing everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!!!!! AND in the spirit of the season - in order to give thanks to good interior design, here’s a story about what good design is all about. For years, a shopping trip to Dallas’ Design District included a must visit to East & Orient Company, the 18,000 sq ft, antique décor shop owned by Betty Gertz. Opened in 1979, it remained a Dallas institution until Gertz shuttered its doors, after holding a final store wide sale in late 2016. A Google view of the East & Orient shop – covered in ivy with a green and white awning. Past the front door, you entered an courtyard filled with plants and trees. This type of courtyard entry will be repeated in Gertz's newest home. Inside the front courtyard of East & Orient. A few years ago, in 2015, Architectural Digest published a story on Betty Gertz new home decorated by the one of the world’s most admired designers, Axel Vervoordt. The Architectural Digest house was actually the second project that Vervoordt and Gertz had worked on. Their first project was published in Southern Accents, back in 2002. It’s not often that you see work by Axel Vervoordt in Texas. I never even imagined that he had even been here, but there it was - the proof in the 2002 Southern Accents. Decades before, the Belgian designer who had turned the world of interior design upside down, had met Betty Gertz and her husband Melvin at the Paris Biennale des Antiquarian. After that meeting Betty and Axel became collaborators and friends which led to him designing her Georgian styled house on beautiful Beverly Drive in Highland Park. Betty stocked her shop with goods bought from Axel. After the long hours shopping, she stayed over with Axel and his family at the Vervoordt's castle where their friendship deepened. The Vervoordt’s Castle – gorgeous. Perhaps Betty and Axel’s most well known collaboration became known as the “Hatcher Cargo Collection” from 1984. Christie’s was auctioning off Chinese porcelains from a 1640s shipwreck salvaged by Captain Michael Hatcher. The sunken cargo netted about 25,000 pieces of porcelain of which Christie’s was offering a few thousand of them. Axel and Betty were at that auction – and they both made large purchases. Read about this auction and the subsequent Nanking auction HERE. Years later Christie’s again auctioned off those pieces - bought by Betty at its original auction. Betty first displayed her Hatcher collection in the Georgian house on brackets that Axel designed. Later, those pieces were placed in her new home’s pool house, featured in Architectural Digest. And of course, many of the pieces were sold at East & Orient. Gertz’s East & Orient was certainly one of the most respected antique shops in Dallas and with that, Betty Gertz was one of the most respected antiquarians in Dallas. A visit to the shop was a romantic trip with its endless vignettes in beautiful settings. A list of customers who had shopped at East & Orient is incredible: Princess Michael of Kent, Bill Blass, Charlotte Moss, Bunny Williams, Viscount David Linley, and the late designers Mario Buatta and Mark Hampton – these are just a few of their discerning clients. Betty and her husband’s personal friends included Moshe Dayan and Aristotle Onassis. It is a truly amazing group of people – friends and clients - even though I’m sure this is a highly edited list. Betty’s office at East & Orient was hidden behind a jib door, camouflaged in the bookcase. Her office inside, though, was the crème de la crème: Betty’s beautiful French office at East & Orient. Wow. My jaw just dropped at this photo. It is so pleasing to the eye, right? The Sales After 37 years running East & Orient, Betty decided to sell. The 18,000 sq ft shop was too large for someone her age to manage and for a while, she entertained the thought that she might open up in another, much smaller space - something she never did. After her children sold the East & Orient building, the time came to sell its contents. Antique lovers were shocked but thrilled when the sale opened. Some bids started at just $1. - there were many bargains to be had. Over 1,100 objects sold in just two days. It was a sale that Dallas wouldn’t soon forget. But there was more to come. (Read two stories about the closing of East & Orient HERE AND HERE.) After the 2015 Architectural Digest story on Betty Gertz’s new house, I didn’t think about it again. Not living in Dallas, I wasn’t even aware that East & Orient had closed. But, by accident, a few weeks ago, I came across an online real estate ad for the sale of Betty’s Architectural Digest house which reminded me of the AD story. A fee Google searches later, I discovered the sale of East & Orient and the subsequent Christie sale of the contents of her house and the two auctions of her Hatcher porcelains. An article about Gertz noted that she had sold her somewhat still new home, saying it was too high tech for her. She never could turn on her TV and at night, she struggled with the lights. She moved to a smaller place, without the technology. I thought you might want to revisit the 2002 story on the Georgian house and a look at the real estate photos of the Architectural Digest house – both designed by the incomparable Axel Vervoordt. Vervoordt in Texas? It’s such a rarity, it deserves a second look. The 2002 cover was of the Georgian house designed by Axel Vervoordt. From Southern Accents. The white Georgian was built in 1913 on the toniest of streets, Beverly Drive in Highland Park. The Gertzes raised their family here. Later, as a widow, Betty sold this house and moved to the smaller house featured in the 2015 Architectural Digest. This house is such a beautiful classic - so what happened after Betty moved out was somewhat of a shock: In this Google view from 2008, you can just barely see the Georgian house behind a white brick fence and thick foliage. No sooner had the house been sold than it was TORN DOWN!!!!!!!!!!! SERIOUSLY!!!!!! Here is what it looks like now. A big behemoth of nothingness. WHY?!?!?!?!? The property is now taken up with a newly built Faux Frenchifried Chateunail on a corner lot, no less. Let’s look at the Georgian house, inside, before it was demolished. The Gertzes had asked their good friend Axel Vervoordt to design the house. Was this a Texas first? The house was painted white, inside and out, decades before it was in vogue. Through the front door with its fan light, is the foyer with a classic black and white marble floor. George II console (!) and bookcase. William and Mary torchieres flank the front door. Beautiful staircase. Years later this console would be listed at the Christie’s Living With Art auction in 2017. Final price was $3,500. The sofa and the candlesticks were part of the sale, too. The console, from the catalogue. At the left side of the house is the large living room, filled mostly with English antiques. A view of the front corner with the secretary filled with the Hatcher blue and white porcelain. I love the rug covered table!! The book stand in the corner is pure Axel. Years later, the secretary and yellow chair would be included in the Christie's sale. At the opposite of the living room is this corner cabinet lavabo, used as a bar. The champagne is cooling in the receptacle. This distinctive piece was used to great elan in the new house’s bathroom. The dining room – what is amazing is the house had been designed by Dorothy Draper at some point and this wallpaper was the only remnant left of that project. I tried to find photos of the Dorothy Draper design – I looked everywhere. I’m sure there are photos somewhere, but I couldn’t find any. Dang it!!!! You can read the caption here, that Betty was advised to remove the paper because it was torn and dirty – but she refused because she loved Draper's paper. The dishes on the table are the 400 year old plates from the Hatcher shipwreck. These plates were copied by OKA – fabulous!! To see OKA’s line of Kraakware China, go HERE The designer Michael S. Smith uses the OKA dinnerware at his own home. And one of the most interesting items in the Christie's 2017 auction "Living with Art" were these 10 framed 19th century, Japanese wallpaper panels. Four large and six small panels sold for $21,250. The provenance? "From a Dallas home, decorated by Dorothy Draper, c. 1919." The wallpaper that Gertz loved too much to remove - was salvaged when she sold the house. Since the house was torn down, she was smart to remove it and have it framed. I'm not sure if she first used the framed panels in her own new AD house, but, regardless - the wallpaper lives on!!!! The sparse and modern Solarium was added off the living room. An antique chair sits next to a 14th century bronze. Later this bronze would be sold for a huge price at auction. The niche in the Solarium is the real showstopper: In the niche designed by Vervoordt, Hatcher Ming vases are on display. Isn’t this incredible? The library is so cozy. Notice the carved mantel. AND in between the fireplace and sofa – notice the salesman sized upholstered chair!! Fabulous. This tiny chair was sold at the Christie’s auction, as was the painting over the mantel. On the ceiling is a sepia toned map marked with places the Gertzes have lived. The other side of the library. Those velum books!!! There are just treasures everywhere. The salesman model! Wow!!!! This was later auctioned off at Christies. It sold for just 875. In the breakfast room, Vervoordt used 18th century Georgian chairs, while a pine cabinets holds blue & white porcelain. I love the scalloped console in the bay window. In the 2002 house – Axel used antique Delft tiles around the stove. Blue and white checked curtains match the porcelains. Now, let's look at the new Gertz house in Architectural Digest. In late 2015, AD featured a new house owned by the now widowed Betty Gertz. When Betty first showed Axel her new house, he hated it. In AD he said most houses in Dallas had beautiful exteriors and ugly interiors. He wanted to reverse that. Today, the 1984 house is now hidden behind ivy and bushes, barely visible from the street and this is exactly how Axel planned it. Before – the house was orientated on a corner lot, with the front door on the side street. You can see the house was once peach. Under Axel’s changes, this empty front yard becomes a circular driveway with a hidden courtyard that camouflages the front door. After: Here you can see how the orientation now faces the main street with the added curved driveway, hidden by a large hedge. The front door is now off the curved drive – you can barely see it here. When you enter this front door, you actually travel through two courtyards before you arrive at the house. AFTER: Real Estate Photo. This is the view of the side street as it looks today. Axel painted the once peach house white and he installed luscious landscaping which further screened the house from the street. This tall fireplace is one of two matching ones in the living room. And, the small window seen here is the kitchen. Before: Same view! Tiny, blurry before photo – the house was peach. And you can see how the front door was on the side street. This was moved to the front street. AFTER: The antique front door, off the new circular drive, that leads to the first courtyard. AD: Looking back at the front door towards the courtyard. This brick courtyard leads to yet another courtyard and then to the foyer. Above the courtyard are a series of wires that allow for vines to grow over the area, further shading the courtyard. REAL ESTATE: Looking the other direction, from the front courtyard into the second, inner courtyard. Compare this photo from the Real Estate brochure to the photo from Architectural Digest, below. Quite a difference – which shows again how much more talented professional photographers are. The same view – as seen through the lens of AD. Looking into the second courtyard. Real Estate – Inside the second, larger courtyard that leads to the front door. Real Estate: The foyer is actually a large solarium with old Carrera marble floors brought here by Axel. All furniture in the new house was once in the Georgian house, including this Khmer sculpture that was in the Georgian solarium. AD: A much more artistic photograph of the foyer, showing the sculpture and a wonderful root planter. A jib style door leads to the bedroom. The 13th century bronze netted $47,500 at the Christie’s auction. There were two root planters, this one and another – and together they went for $5,000. AD: A Chinese root table sits under a painting by Axel himself!! The root table netted $13,750 at the Christie’s auction. Wow. Underneath the table, the two Indian Lingam stones went for $2,000. AD: The house has a long, narrow design – with this hall running from front to back. Axel designed this space that leads from the foyer/solarium through to the back living room. New skylights add to the romance. You can see the front door here, at the back of the hall. Bougainvillea grows wild over the walls and ceiling. The walls are lime painted plaster. Most interesting are the pieces that were not sold at the auction, such as this console. Real Estate: Same view. But, here you can see the holes in the floor where the vines are planted!!! You can not see that in the AD photos. Really amazing. Notice how the tiles are accented around the holes in the ground – I suppose to bring attention to the holes? Across from the console is an arched opening. And on the other side is the kitchen. Notice the early 17th century Flemish marble relief subtly lighted on the wall? It was in the solarium in the Georgian house. At the Christie’s sale, it was bought for $11,250. Real Estate: AND, looking the other direction – from the foyer to the long hall to the living room – which overlooks the back garden and pool house. From the front door – you can see all the through the house to the back. Before: Orange brick walls and one large skylight. Axel replaced the one skylight with several square ones. So much better! This older skylight looks so old fashioned – while the square lights look classic. I just wish these BEFORE photos were bigger!!!! Even with this small photo – you can see how this long hall looks like an office space, where as Axel’s hall looks absolutely amazing!!!!! AD: The kitchen is beyond fabulous!!!! The marble floors continue in here while the cabinetry came from an 18th century Bordeaux apothecary!! Whomever bought this house from Betty got a steal of a deal!!! Look at this kitchen. Gorgeous. The chairs came from the old house and the Belgian blue and white checked fabric was repeated here too. The stools are early 17th century. The refrigerator is hidden in the cabinet and notice the sink cabinet. I’m so in love with this, it looks just like a Dutch kitchen. AD: The view of the range flanked by the two windows. I think this kitchen is pure genius. Compare this kitchen to a typical new kitchen in a typical house or mega mansion. This is just genius. Photography for the AD photos is by Björn Wallander. Real Estate: I hate to even show this photo. The chairs are gone, probably sold in one of the auctions. Sad. All the lights are on and it’s just a terrible photo compared to the AD ones with the natural light. Betty says the kitchen is her favorite room and where she spent most of her time. Before: A tiny blurred before of the kitchen. You can see the ceiling in much of the house was once pitched with beams – that is all gone now. Interesting that Axel didn’t want to use the beams in his design. ALSO, the wall between the kitchen and the living room which runs from side to side was open here. Axel closed this wall up. You can see the gold chair and rug and bookcase behind it – this is actually the living room. AD: Here, Axel used a mix of old parquet wood floor, taken from seven different houses!!! This is a double sided room. There are two fireplaces and all her antique chairs and chaises and tables from the Georgian house were used in this room. Purple walls are a surprise, but again – the room looks like it is in a Belgium home. The living room is also a dining room. Beautiful photo! NOTE: The wall on the left – this is the wall that was once open up to the kitchen. AD: And the other side of the room, with the sofas and large, tapestry covered table. One mantel is an original antique, one was made to replicate the original. Here you can really see how the floor is mismatched but that’s all Axel. It looks beautiful. Look at this antique architect’s desk!!!!! Isn’t it fabulous!!! I wonder if that is a TV hiding behind that two part screen??? The French mirror went for $8,125! A view to the back corner. I wonder where that large cache of vellum books are? And the real estate photos show the back windows. And across the room, towards the front. I wish there was one photo of the entire room with both fireplaces showing!!! The chaise was sold at Christie’s for only $1,125. Someone got very lucky. AND, get this – the leather chair, George III, mahogany – 1760, sold for only $1,750. You would pay more for a new one. That is a steal. And here, by the fireplace is the little salesman’s sample – the upholstered chair. OHHHHH, I just found the collection of the vellum books! By the window, in a special bookcase. This painting over the mantel was in the Christie’s auction. It netted $6,875 at the auction. Two terrible tiny blurred BEFORE photos of the left side of the living room, showing the roof line before it was lowered by Axel. Not seen in AD, the powder room. You can see how charming this is – the foyer with a stone fountain. Love the marble floors. The wood candlesticks, William & Mary, circa 1690. 1690!!!! And they sold for just $1,000. The AD photo just showed a small part of the bedroom. The side table, an 1825 yew Regency etagere, went for $2,000 at auction. The beauty though is the piece at the left – an antique Belgian secretary. Gorgeous. This piece was not shown in the auction. Real Estate: A much larger photo. The bedroom is covered in either a paper or a paint technique – I can’t tell. AD: The bathroom just kills me! The finest pieces of furniture were placed in here. The paint color is a deeper shade of the bedroom walls, but it makes me wish the bedroom was this shade too. In the corner is the fabulous piece that was in the living room of the Georgian house – all lit up with votives and champagne resting in the plant bin. It looks like Axel chose one type of the Versailles floor in here – culled from the same house. In the corner, the stunning Dutch lavabo from the 18th century sold for $5,626. The Real Estate photo of the bathroom shows the white marble shower through the beautiful wood door. The George II secretary after a Thomas Chippendale design sold for $10,625. The secretary was also in the living room in the Georgian house. The beautiful backyard. Here the view looks back on the house, where the living room is. You can see the two chimneys there. The brick was opened up in order to plant boxwood at the pool line while a new limestone coping was added. Beautiful landscaping – rows of Magnolia trees were planted, shaped like evergreens. Before: A photo of the back of the house with the old roof line. Whoa – I really like the flat roof better than it was before. It was a daring decision to flatten and raise the ceilings, but it was worth it. At the left is a pergola that was also removed. There is a pool house, below. Facing the house is this darling pool house. I think this is also the garage. Notice the front door and surround. This is from the old Georgian house. Now, remember I showed you that the new owners tore down the Georgian and built a faux chateaunail instead. The door came here with Axel and Betty! Not sure where the round window came from, probably from the white house too. Looks like a slate roof? Looks like the Hamptons. Here’s the old Georgian and the front door that was salvaged. Inside the pool room, Axel designed these white pedestals for the Kraakware plates and urns for the poolroom!!! I wish there were more photographs from there! Betty Gertz sits at the incredible architect’s desk. I don’t think she lived in this house for very long – maybe five years or less. Even though the floors were heated and the pool was kept at a toasty 90 degrees – she complained that the high tech confused her. She moved to a smaller, less confusing place. Where? I have no idea. She deserves her private retirement, she worked until she was in her 90s. She sold many of her pieces at the Christie’s auctions, including the two blue and white Hatcher shipwreck sales. I just hope she kept enough for her new home!! To see the Christie’s auction go here.

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Cap Ferrat – the name conjures visions of million dollar villas hidden behind massive security gates. In the 1800s, the peninsula was a popular spot for wealthy families in Nice to come for a picnic. In the 1950s, celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton discovered the town of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. Today the village is a quiet side trip on France's Côte d'Azur. View of Cap Ferrat from Eze Village The Cap Ferrat Lighthouse Grand Hotel du Cap Ferrat (top of the hill) and the seaside Club Dauphin (reached by funicular) British Architect Sir Norman Foster's 'Sail House' While staying in nearby Villefranche-sur-Mer we took a boat trip around Cap Ferrat and later explored the peninsula on foot. The local TI can provide a map but we followed the excellent directions in Rick Steves' Provence & the French Riviera guidebook. You can also get there via the #81 Lignes D'Azur bus (a one way ticket is 1.50 euro) which operates from Nice and Villefranche-sur-Mer. The nearest rail station is on the other side of the peninsula in Beaulieu sur Mer. View of Cap Ferrat from Villefranche-sur-Mer We set out from Villefranche-sur-Mer in the morning before it got too hot and were soon rewarded with beautiful views of the azure waters and large cruise ships in Villefranche Harbour. Views of Villefranche Harbour from Cap Ferrat Those large villas are there behind the gates, set in stunning locations among the pine trees and palms, oleander and bougainvillea. Villa Gates Bougainvillea and Oleander Bougainvillea Cap Ferrat Doorway The main attraction on Cap Ferrat is the belle époque Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild and its nine different theme gardens. Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild, Cap Ferrat Map of the Gardens Lunch on the Villa's Tea Room Terrace We spent the morning touring the gardens, had a simple lunch of quiche and salad on the villa's tea room terrace and then continued our walk to the other side of the peninsula to the town of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. The Promenade Maurice Rouvier runs for 2.3 kilometres between Beaulieu sur Mer and Saint Jean. Along the way you can see Villa Kerylos which was modelled after a Greek villa or peek into the backyards of the wealthy. Villa Kerylos, Beaulieu sur Mer Seafront Riviera Real Estate On Place David Niven is the villa that once belong to Charlie Chaplin and later David Niven. It was originally called Lo Scoglietto (Little Rock in Italian) but is now known as Fleur du Cap. Fleur du Cap on Place David Niven The Promenade Maurice Rouvier is a well-maintained level walkway, open to the sea breeze and comfortable for walking even in the middle of summer. Promenade Maurice Rouvier Water fountains are provided for the comfort of our four-legged friends. Canine Water Fountain There was also an unusual statue of a man riding a giant tortoise – lawn art, Riviera style. Lawn Art in a Riviera Garden As we approached the town of Saint Jean we came upon the local beach, Cros des Pins. The unusual looking stalk of an Agave Americana plant towered over the sand. Cros des Pins Beach, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat Agave Americana We followed avenue Denis Séméria past the Town Hall (La Mairie) and local Tourist Office. Despite the small town atmosphere, the champagne bottles at Le Seaside Café's wine bar reminded us we were still on the French Riviera. La Mairie, Town Hall Le Sea Side Café Wine Bar A number of sculptures were displayed on the esplanade overlooking the harbour. My favourite was Message by French sculptor ERICKH, carved from white Carrara marble. Message, by ERICKH Then we headed back down toward the port past some of the town's boulangeries, charcuteries and wine shops. Avenue Jean Mermoz, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat The Butcher Shop Saint Jean's Old Harbour was built in the 1800s by convicts from the prison in Villefranche-sur-Mer. Quai Lindbergh is lined with sea-themed planters and oversized shells. Quai Lindbergh, The Old Harbour Sea Shell Planter on Quai Lindbergh There are numerous shops and restaurants along the waterfront. We chose a shady spot overlooking the marina at Bar de la Mer and cooled off with one of their refreshing drink specials. Shop Window, Saint Jean Cap Ferrat A Harbour View and Refreshments at Bar de la Mer We'd covered at lot of ground since morning so we decided to take the bus back to our hotel in Villefranche-sur-Mer, but it was a day well spent discovering a quieter side of life on the French Riviera. More photos from the picturesque south of France can be found on my Pinterest board Cote d'Azur. Related Post: Gardens of the Villa Ephrussi de Rothschild

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Oliver Hilary Sambourne Messel, born into a well-to-do English family, started his illustrious career as a portrait painter which evolved into costume design and theatrical production. Messel was the toast of London’s theatre set, with legions of talented friends including Hollywood stars. Messel’s career behind the stage sets was highly successful, but it is his career as an interior designer that made him a household name. Surely, his Royal connections helped his popularity. Messel was a favorite uncle to Tony Armstrong-Jones, aka Earl of Snowdon, who was married to Princess Margaret, Queen Elizabeth’s fun-loving younger sister. At 55, exhausted and suffering from arthritis, Messel was lured to the Caribbean island of Barbados by Ronald and Marietta Tree, high society members who helped develop the island into an upper class vacation spot. After a stay with the Trees, Messel and his companion picked up sticks and moved to Barbados, leaving the stage in London far behind. Once settled in Barbados, Messel purchased a small, run down bay house called Maddox House which he promptly redid, using his theatrical flourishes to turn the simple house into a Baroque fantasy. He first used elements on Maddox House that eventually became his trademarks: Arches, moldings, columns, shutters, lattice work, and French doors with fanciful fan lights. Once the jet-set who wintered in Barbados saw his villa, they began to beg Messel to design their own houses and thus, at a time when Messel thought he was finally retired, a new career in interior design was born. Messel was kept very busy designing on Barbados, but a few years after moving there, his friend, Colin Tennant, the 3rd Baron Glenconner hired him to design houses on the small, private island of Mustique that Tennant had purchased in 1958 for $45,000. Working on Mustique from 1960 to 1978, Messel developed 30 house plans, 18 of which were ultimately built. Of all the houses he designed on Mustique, undoubtedly the most famous one is Les Jolies Eaux, the winter escape for Princess Margaret, Messel’s niece-in-law. Tennant had given Princess Margaret and her husband Lord Snowdon the acreage upon which the house was built as a wedding gift. To be sure, Glenconner believed that having a popular Royal living on his island would attract more wealthy customers. Princess Margaret spent many years on the island and by all accounts, was her happiest there. On Mustique, she could escape from England’s Fleet Street and live in private. After her split from her husband, she conducted her affairs with men on the island, away from the paparazzi. Princess Margaret remained on Mustique until she became frail with age. She gave Les Jolies Eaux t0 her son David Linley and his wife Serena who apparently didn’t share his mother’s love of the island. Within a year of inheriting the house, Linley quickly sold it and retreated to a new vacation house in the South of France. Despite the Royal family leaving Mustique, the island today remains popular with English society. Recently Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton returned for their third trip to Mustique. The Great Room at the Cotton House Hotel on Mustique, a Messel design. Although Messel is more known for the houses he designed on Mustique, he considered Barbados his true home and it was there that he lived until his death in 1978 at the age of 74. On both islands, Messel’s legacy is lasting. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the descriptions of holiday villas to rent on either Mustique or Barbados: most villas are described as either “designed by Messel,” “built by Messel,” “rebuilt by Messel,” or if there is no actual connection to Messel, the ad will say the house was “inspired by Messel.” One additional legacy of Messel’s is his favorite paint color, a sage color called Messel Green that adorns many of the houses on Barbados today and is still manufactured on the island. While Messel Green was used on the houses on Barbados, on Mustique, Messel chose instead to work with a vivid yellow. Messel was a short man, and one of his quirks was the placement of light switches in the houses he designed. The switches were often located a mere 18 inches from the ground, a fact that many home owners still find odd. Today, a Messel designed house on Barbados or Mustique raises it’s cache considerably. There are web sites dedicated to renting a Messel designed villa, and many owners who renovate a Messel house are careful to preserve the murals he painted and the exotic flourishes he created. In addition to the eighteen houses Messel designed on Mustique, he also was responsible for Cotton House, the main hotel on the island. On Barbados, he redesigned his own Maddox House, Leamington House and Leamington Pavilion, Crystal Springs, Cockade House, Fustic House and Alan Bay and he built Mango Bay from the ground up. The famous Messel Penthouse Suite at London’s Dorchester Hotel Oliver Messel’s memory is still alive, not only in the Caribbean, but also in his home country, England. There, the house he grew up in, Nymans, is famous for its gardens and is considered one of the 10 most beautiful in all of England. The family mansion partly burned down in 1947 and was never rebuilt, instead the ruins remain, adding an eerily romantic atmosphere to the gardens. Nymans is part of the England’s National Trust and is open to the public for tours. In London, another popular tourist destination is the Messel Suite at the Dorchester Hotel. Messel designed the penthouse suite in 1953 at the height of his first career as a theatrical designer. Scores of Hollywood legions have stayed at the famous Messel suite, sometimes for weeks on end. And finally, Messel is known for one rather odd, yet intriguing fact. Several years ago, David Linley referred to an uncle he had that was Jewish, which caused quite a stir with royal watchers. The uncle Linley referred to was Oliver Messel, who’s father Leonard Messel was indeed Jewish, descending from a long line of Jewish bankers. Yet, people asked, if Oliver was Jewish, wasn’t his sister Anne the same? And thus, if Anne was, wouldn’t her son Lord Snowdon, Linley’s father be too? And further, wouldn’t that make Linley, a grandchild of the Head of the Church of England, Jewish also? Very interesting, indeed. Messel’s mother, Maud. His father was Leonard Messel who came from a long line of Jewish bankers. Maud’s daughter Anne was the mother of Tony Armstrong-Jones, the Earl of Snowdon, Princess Margaret’s husband. Anne divorced Tony’s father and later remarried. According to Snowdon’s biographer, Anne was an infamous snob who had little to do with Tony until he became a part of the Royal family. Nymans, the Messel family home, now part of England’s National Trust. In 1947, the a majority of the house burned. The burned portion was left standing and has become an eerily romantic part of the gardens. Nymans’ gardens are considered one of the ten most beautiful in England and are visited by thousands of tourists each year. In this picture you can see this entire section of the house is an empty shell, without a roof or interior walls. The part of the house not burned is open for tours and is still used for events and garden office duties. Maddox House, Barbados: Maddox House, the simple bay house that Messel bought in Barbados. Maddox House was the first house that he redesigned on the island and other residents soon lined up to hire him to remake their own properties. The famous Messel Green paint can be seen on the upper floor shutters and awnings. Messel added all the dramatic and romantic flourishes to the old building – the urns, the fancy windows, French doors, the columns, the gates and the arches. The back of Maddox House with the terrace and open air living room. Messel was famous for his verandahs, something that was considered impractical because of the weather. Here the terrace leads down to the grounds with a pair of coral stone stairs. So beautiful! The verandah is made of coral walls and floor, as are many older Barbados houses. Touches of Messel Green can be seen on the iron work on the house. The entry hall at Maddox House is in the style of English Colonial – dark hardwood floors with mahogany furniture. Cockade House, Barbados: The beautiful Cockade House, a former sugar plantation, was built in the 18th century and redesigned by Oliver Messel for the Haywood family. Recently, Stair Auctioneers held a sale of all the household goods from Cockade House for the estate of Emma Pauline Haywood. Cockade House is thought to be one of the prettiest houses on the island. The open air verandah at Cockade House features white slipcovered sofas. The Messel designed arches, trellises, columns and balustrades add to the romance of the villa. The floors are painted and scored concrete, a design element Messel used many times. The drawing room is strictly English with Messel Green damask upholstery fabric covering all pieces. I love this room! Notice the charming needlepoint pillow on the sofa spelling Cokade – the “c” is missing!” Also notice the pair of child sized wood chairs used as magazine holders – what a great idea! The master bedroom is filled with beautiful English antiques and breezy, sunny fabrics. Messel added the arched doors giving easy access to the outdoors. The pool terrace, painted Messel green, features more Messel trademarks - lattice and columns. Slim Aarons took this picture of Pauline Haywood in 1976. It’s interesting how much the landscaping has grown up over the past 30 years. Mango Bay, Barbados: Mango Bay on Barbados was built by Oliver Messel for Pamela and Averill Harriman. As with most Messel designs on Barbados, the house has many verandahs, arches, fanlights, and pavilion like wings. The verandah facing the ocean. Shutters and curtains are used to protect the outdoor living area from the elements. The cottage on the property contains many Messel influences – the Messel Green shutters, metal awnings, lattice work, and iron railings. The house and cottage are both made of native coral stone. Notice the built in console and chairs under the open arch on the left. Utterly charming! The main living area with its fabulous diptych and white slipcovered furniture. The matching end and coffee tables are charming, as are the wooden planters. The same room with a view towards the open verandah. The verandah is smartly furnished with white slipcovered furniture. Lots of blue and white porcelains give it a summery feel. Notice the blue and white tiles set into the back wall, along with a medallion installed above. Another view of the veranda. The dining room is a Messel fantasy, with Messel Green wood chairs, shutters, and columns. Notice the detail on the shutters and above the columns. Small shelves hang on the walls around the room displaying china. A close up view of the swimming pool. Notice the Messel Green bridge and the beautiful coral and lattice fence on the left. Past the swimming pool is a dining pavilion. The dining pavilion with a coral stone table, has the same Messel Green columns and fretwork as the main house. Messel liked to use lanterns in his designs – this one is a beauty. The master bedroom as Messel probably designed it. One fabric covers all the bedding, curtains and furniture. The vanity is made of Messel Green lattice. Notice how the curtains cover the doorway to the bathroom. A guest room, also probably designed by Messel. Leamington Pavilion, Barbados: Leamington Pavilion started out as a storage building for Leamington House – the main house on the estate. In the 60’s Oliver Messel turned it into a baroque fantasy for an Ambassador who lived here. There are a number of houses on this beachfront property, each can be rented separately. In the 90’s the new English owners hired fellow countryman, interior designer, Nicholas Haslam to redecorate the pavilion. Haslam was asked to redecorate it again in 2005. The pool area with two pavilions added by Messel. Messel Green and lilac with arches, lattices, mirrors, urns and lanterns create an open air fantasy room shown redecorated by Nicholas Haslam. Another view shows the open air room with the architectural elements that Messel created to turn a storage building into a villa. The loggia room by Haslam, first redone in the 1990s. Haslam documented this project in his book Sheer Opulence in 2002. Thanks to an eagle eyed CdT reader for that reference!! This bedroom leads off the fantasy room above. Haslam created the arches with fan lights above, set off with stone moldings. The built in canopy is dressed in blue and white toiles with sunny yellow accents. The same bedroom as originally decorated by Haslam in the 1990s. I like this design better than Haslam’s updated version. Which do you prefer? Notice the floors were updated too. Before Haslam redesigned the house, all the floors were this blue terrazzo. Haslam kept the bed, the prints, the corner pedestal, and the bench, but changed out the desk and the fabrics. A view of Leamington Pavilion’s back facade shows all the additions and flourishes that Messel added to the former storage building. The louvered doors and balustrades, arched windows, loggias and urns turned a simple building into a baroque fantasy. Leamington Pavilion’s dining room is open to the back terraces. A fantasy of shells and stone, Haslam says this dining room is considered the prettiest on the island. The living room as updated by Haslam in 2005. This rooms opens to the back verandah and swimming pool. Another view of the living room showing the card table. The verandah outside the living room. Messel designed the outdoor room with curtains and columns. Another Leamington Pavilion bedroom redecorated by Haslam. Fustic House, Barbados: The Messel Green gates lead to Fustic House, the largest private estate on Barbados. The front circular driveway with Messel-designed chinoiserie styled lanterns and benches. Aerial view of Fustic House Fustic House is considered Messel’s greatest contribution to the island of Barbados. The property is the largest private estate in Barbados, located on over 11 acres overlooking the ocean, though the property is not ocean front. There are three houses on the estate; the original building, called the Great House, dates back from 1740 with Jacobean architecture. The Great House is built of coral stone as are many of the older buildings on the island. Messel was first hired to restore the Great House. The second house, the Messel Wing was built by Messel when the Great House was redone. The third house, the Plantation Wing was added recently in the style of Messel. The large swimming pool at Fustic House was created by Messel to resemble a lagoon. It remains one of the most beautiful areas on this remarkable estate. Fustic House sleeps 12 people, for a one week minimum. While very pricey, divided by each person, it is the cost of a luxury cruise. For more information including floor plans go here. The Great House of Fustic: The Great House, the original house on the sugar plantation of Fustic, was built in 1740. Messel redesigned the building, adding trellises, fan windows, and other decorative elements. The Great House sitting room. Messel painted the concrete floors Messel Green, then scored and sealed them. The white walls, green floors and slipcovered furniture is used throughout two of the houses on Fustic. The sitting room and library in the Great House. The master bedroom in the Great House. All the bedding and curtains are the same throughout the property. The fabrics are in Messel Green. The bathroom in the Great House with white marble. sd The second bathroom in the Great House. The balcony in the Great House that Messel added – painted Messel Green, of course! He also designed the decorative railings. The second building is the Messel Wing, which he built for Fustic. There is, as always, an open air living area, this time with a terrace on top. The bedroom in the Messel Wing. These bedrooms are stylistically matched to the first building for continuity. The second bedroom in the Messel Wing, with the trademark green concrete floors and green and white linens. Ahhhhhhh - the view of the ocean from the Messel Wing. The Messel Wing and the Great House connect at the terrace where most meals are eaten outside. Shutters replace doors in this wing. The terrace at night set for dinner. There is an indoor dining room, on the ground floor of the Great House, but most meals at Fustic House are eaten outdoors. The open air sitting room with white slips in the Messel Wing, overlooking the ocean. The Plantation Wing: The newest building, the Plantation Wing. Built after Oliver Messel worked on Fustic, Messel Green paint was used throughout. The house actually more resembles the houses Messel built on Mustique, than on Barbados. Borrowing from Messel’s use of verandas, other features that he used were added here, such as columns, fanlights, and shutters. . The Plantation Wing’s outside sitting room, furnished in the popular Caribbean style, English Colonial. The bedroom in the Plantation Wing. The high ceiling with exposed rafters and beams is reminiscent of Messel’s Mustique houses. Outdoor shower in the Plantation Wing. The second bedroom in the Plantation Wing with it’s raised ceiling and English-Anglo decor. The lagoon-styled swimming pool that Messel designed and built at Fustic. The pool was made by blasting its form out of coral stone. At night, the pool is uplighted for midnight swims – I’m game! The deck overlooking the lagoon pool. At Fustic House, ancient caves have been discovered on the property and are being excavated. Fustic remains the most private and romantic estate on Barbados. Along with the lagoon pool, there is a natural lake on the property. A running tract is being built that will encircle Fustic House, and there is a large park consisting of centuries old mahogany trees. The house comes with a staff of 14, including one of the most famous chefs on the island. Guest have full use of the beach club five minutes away and a speed boat comes with the estate. Fustic House is said to be Messel’s favorite project. I’m so ready to go!!!!!!!!! I just need to find 11 more people. The Mustique Years: Oliver Messel during his Mustique years Since the island of Mustique was relatively uninhabited when Glenconner purchased it, there were few romantic sugar plantations for Messel to restore. Instead, he drew up plans for thirty houses to be built, though only 18 ever were. Without a doubt, the most famous house on Mustique that Oliver Messel designed was Princess Margaret’s Les Jolies Eaux, built on the acreage that Glenconner gave her as a wedding present. Although Glenconner and the Princess were friends (his wife was a lady-in-waiting to Princess Margaret,) Glenconner obviously saw the advantage of having royalty on Mustique to help lure more of the titled set. In the end, after almost 30 years of fun on Mustique, suffering the after effects of strokes, Princess Margaret gave the house to her son David Linley who then promptly sold it. Princess Margaret was said to not be too pleased. On Mustique, Messel abandoned his beloved Messel Green for a bright, sunny yellow. Today, many of the houses on the island are still painted this vivid color. The typical Messel designed house on Mustique consists of a series of rooms, connected together, each with its own roof – which allowed for vaulted ceilings made of pecky wood rafters and beams. The houses resemble small attached pavilions and are more contemporary in style than his Barbados homes, many of which were centuries old. Some of the Mustique houses don’t have the verandahs that Messel was so famous for on Barbados. The Mustique houses are indeed unique to the island. Today, a Messel designed house on Mustique is highly coveted and the ones that are rented out proudly advertise their provenance. Messel’s influence on Mustique remains strong. Aerial view of Princess Margaret’s house on Mustique. This view shows the “pavilion” style of home he designed on Mustique. When the new owners of the villa decided to update, they added the infinity pool and the two guest pavilions next to the pool. Princess Margaret and Lord Glenconner were at first worried the owners would tear down the house and rebuild. When visiting the newly remodeled villa, Glenconner was quite pleased to find it still retained the feeling of the original Messel designed house. The new infinity edged swimming pool is flanked by two recently built guest houses. The living room, redecorated. A view of the living room, across to the dining room. The bedroom with its English-Anglo styled four poster bed. This bedroom is located in one of the new pool pavilions. Dining room in the main house. There is another dining room in one of the pool pavilions. A bedroom with a chinoiserie styled bed. A beautiful, tanned and relaxed Princess Margaret at her villa on Mustique. I love the blue and white batik fabric on the sofa and prefer it to the fabric that replaced it! After her divorce, the Princess continued to vacation on the island, seeing boyfriends here, away from the paparazzi. Proving that English Royals still come, Prince William and his girlfriend Kate Middleton have vacationed on Mustique three times, though they don’t stay at his aunt’s villa. Instead, the last time they visited this past year, they stayed at an Oliver Messel designed house - Rocina. Here they are shown at a party celebrating the 40th anniversary of The Mustique Company. The couple on the water in Mustique. Kate’s parents and sister were believed to be with the couple on this trip. These pictures of the bikini-clad Kate caused a furor because taking photos of famous people on the island is rare as paparazzi aren’t allowed on Mustique. Rocina, where Wills and Kate stayed, is more contemporary in feel than many of Messel’s Mustique villas. The open air veranda at Rocina, furnished in typical beach style with wicker and white slips. The main living area of Rocina overlooks the verandah. The new owners built an addition to the Messel villa that added seaside bedrooms. I wonder if this is the room where Prince William slept? Kate probably stayed in one of the main house’s bedrooms. :) Pelican Beach, a bright yellow Messel Mustique house with a celebrity past. A few years ago, Mick Jagger bought Pelican Beach for approximately 4 million dollars. At the time, this was to be his third home on the island and was rumored to have been bought for his ex Jerri Hall’s use. His nearby main house is available to rent but beware: renter’s application must be personally approved by Mr. Jagger himself, who, it is said, is quite picky about the people he lets rent his villa! At the Mustique Company 40th Anniversary party, Mick Jagger was reported to have serenaded Wills and Kate, along with the other party goers. Other stars who have lived on Mustique include singer/songwriter David Bowie, whose Bali inspired villa recently sold for mega millions. It, too, is now available for rent. Tommy Hilfiger has a gorgeous mansion on the island, which, unfortunately, he does not rent out. Sea Star, a Messel designed Mustique villa that retains original murals drawn by the theatrical designer Messel. The living room of Sea Star with the original murals drawn by Messel. This room overlooks the horseshoe shaped dining room with even more murals. Yellowbird is one of the original Messel designed houses on Mustique in the bright yellow color that distinguishes his houses here. The pool at Yellowbird. This closeup of the house shows traditional Messel details – fanlights, French doors, gingerbread trim, and columns. Yellowbird’s living area is on the second floor providing a better view of the bay. On Mustique, no houses are allowed to be built above the treetops, thus securing views up the hillside. The dining pavilion at Yellowbird. The master bedroom with dark hardwoods, bright white walls, and English styled curtains. Blue Waters: The front side of Blue Waters, another yellow house on Mustique designed by Messel , is replete with beautiful fan lights, shutters and French doors. The landscaping at Blue Waters has much of the romance more typically found on Barbados. Blue Waters, white floors and white walls, with yellow and blue fabrics. Zinnia, a large house on Mustique, retains much of its original fanciful Messel design elements. It appears the owners have done what several others have – added a pair of pavilions flanking an infinity edged swimming pool. Just as at Princess Margaret’s villa, this leaves the houses with two swimming pools. The dining room at Zinnia retains the murals drawn by Messel. The spiral staircase with its skylight and Messel murals of columns, birds and palms. The living room, overlooking the dining room and spiral staircase at Zinnia. Columns are used to separate the rooms. Phibblestown is a charming smaller Messel Mustique home, painted the bright yellow. The front of Phibblestown with its open verandah and romantic pond. Phibblestown’s mango orange living room with the raised roof that Messel used in many of the Mustique houses. Point Lookout has one of the most unusual and beautiful locations on the island of Mustique. Point Lookout, a series of Messel designed pavilions, overlooks two sides of a peninsula. Grasshopper, a small, Mustique bright-yellow pavilion styled house. And Grasshopper, shown here, remodeled with it’s classic Messel porch, columns, and railings removed. The pecky wood ceilinged living room at Grasshopper after…… And before. I like the before decor much better. Many of the web sites for the villa rentals show different decor stages of the same home. Sometimes it’s difficult to tell which is the remodeled view and which is the older view. Clonsilla is unusual for a Messel Mustique home as it is not bright yellow. The living room at Clonsilla, bright and cheery with the beautiful fan lights and French doors Messel is famous for. What a view! The lantern in Messel Green is a sentimental decorating choice. Clonsilla has beautifully designed interiors. Shown is the typical Messel loggia with arches and fan lights. Again, the same lantern was used. Messel favored lanterns on the islands over chandeliers and of course, lanterns are the traditional choice for a windy beach house. The marble topped dining room table might be a design of Messel’s - in some houses, he designed furniture for the owners. In one non-Messel designed villa, the owners advertise that their dining room table was made by Messel – showing just how important it is that the Messel name be attached to the rental pool! Gingerbread, a sprawling beach house named after it’s Victorian styled trim. The porch on Gingerbread looking out towards the beautiful Caribbean waters. Notice the railings – they appear to be the same as what Messel designed for the beautiful Fustic House on Barbados! And finally, FINALLY (are you still reading?) Oliver Messel was responsible for the design of the Cotton House, the main hotel on Mustique. Glenconner hired Messel to redesign the centuries old sugar mill and warehouse into a small hotel. At first, guests were not charged to stay at Cotton House, rather the villa owners used its rooms to house their overflow vacationing visitors. The Cotton House has grown over the years and recently was extensively remodeled. For years, it remained the only hotel on Mustique, though now, there is also a five bedroom boutique hotel on the island. A view of the lobby at the Cotton House with the wood rafters and raised roof found in many Messel designed Mustique villas. For more information on Oliver Messel, see a retrospective of his film work at the Victoria and Albert Museum here. Messel is the subject of two biographies, available here and here. A small book Messel wrote on costume design in 1933 is available here. The wonderful book, Architecture and Design in Barbados, has several Messel houses detailed in all their glory, available here. Additionally, his sister, Anne, Countess of Rosse and mother of Lord Snowdon, created The Messel Family Dress Collection, which consists of over 500 dresses worn by five generations of Messel women, Oliver’s mother Maud and his grandmother included. The dress collection shown in several museums is the subject of a book, available here and online information about the Messel dress collection is here. For information about visiting the Messel home and gardens, Nymans, please see here. And last, for information on the Messel Suite at the Dorchester in London, go here.

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