In the Spark of a Moment  

 

In the Spark of a Moment

September 1, 2011

I often can't find the line where fashion and interiors separate and think it's one's love of fashion that propels their appreciation of decor. Maybe it's the other way around for some but I think the two cannot be mutually exclusive. This brings to mind a favorite fashion possession: my vintage Gucci metal clutch. There is something perfect about its size and shape but mainly that the iconic GG pattern is etched on the metal imitating stitch marks and the background has a tiny pebbled texture (which has insured I have never dropped it at cocktail parties while juggling a drink, a phone and shaking a hand). Fast forward to a trip to Saigon in 2010 and seeing this same texture and having an imperceptible deja vu moment while falling in love with gold leafed shagreen. In fact it wasn't until nearly a year later when I was sourcing the material for a project did I realize the connection and how so many sources of inspiration come to us not at the drawing board or in a think tank, but in a spark of a moment where we connect the things we love and find new reasons to be surrounded by them.

  
A New Renaissance  

 

A New Renaissance

April 26, 2011

Certain designs stand the test of time, be it a fashion trend that lasts seasons or classic architecture that seems fresh and contemporary after centuries.

Our Renaissance bed falls into just that category. And even though it has been in our line for several decades, it suddenly feels new again and we are thrilled it is back on our showroom floor.

Inspired by the canopy beds at Hearst Castle on the central California coast -- where massive carvings and objects from all over Europe can co-exist -- the Renaissance bed has a timeless romantic feel and getting inside of it one may feel like they are in a room within a room, more than in a bed.

Like many Phyllis Morris pieces, the details on this bed are endless from the coffered canopy interior to the recessed reading lights, glass bead trim and silver leaf detailed carvings -- creating an overall experience that is rich and layered. A fabulous place to spend a third of your life.

  
My Gilt Complex (which is a good thing)  

 

My Gilt Complex (which is a good thing)

November 5, 2010

Recently we introduced contemporary gilt finishes on rich pastel gesso grounds in our collection. The application of water gilded leaf is a process that is usually underestimated by clients as the gilding procedure in general is pretty much a mystery. Even those who are aware of the expense and the labor of applying tiny, razor thin sheets of 22 carat gold may not realize the tremendous amount of time the preparation of the clay base takes before the leaf can be hand burnished. Techniques like this cannot be rushed, so the artist's involvement in each piece of furniture becomes a personal one -- a devotion which shows and truly adds to the patina in the finished product.

Water gilded finishes, like the hand carving we do on our pieces or the hand embroidery on our upholstery, connects us back to the art of the craft and brings for me a wonderful and welcomed slowness into our fast-paced industry.

  
The Long, Long Journey of the Richelieu Bed  

 

The Long, Long Journey of the Richelieu Bed

September 1, 2010

I have a sentimental connection with the Richelieu Bed because it was the bed my parents had while I was growing up. British actor Laurence Harvey gave this French antique bed to my mother Phyllis Morris and she later replicated it for her furniture line in the 1970s. There is something classic and perfect about the lines and the scale, so much so that it has had several incarnations over the decades.

Currently, in our new collection, we have added more ornamental carvings and beautiful acorn finials (replacing the original swan finials) and finished it in our Celadon Glaze with 14-carat white gold gilded details. We also deconstructed the elements of this bed for our Circa collection, to the point that we actually renamed it the Trousdale Bed. Any way it is finished or detailed it remains true to form as a chic classic four-poster bed that can be as individual as the client who gets to sleep in it.