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photo: Miguel Flores-Vianna
A Mary McDonald designed dining room by day. |
Sob. I miss
Domino, the Conde Nast publication that got kicked to the curb during the recession. Fortunately, I still have my back issues, and I still have the
book
. The photo above appears in that book, as well as in Mary McDonald's own
tome
. I like this room so much it's kicking off a new, sometimes series called The Scavenger, in which I'll dissect a room (not very grossly, I hope; the word just reminds me of that great Thomas Eakins
painting), showing you how to find some of its pieces at auction.
The room above is a dining room--you know, that room you never use as much as you should. Your kids probably know it as: shortcut. My point is, your dining room could quite possibly be a room that you could do more with by making it multi-functional. And the day by day, Clark Kent persona that I'm suggesting here-- that this pretty Mary McDonald room suggests--is a library. Think about it. Your kids could study here. Or you could. All you need to do is add a few stacks of books, maybe even a bookcase , some good reading lights and a few comfortable chairs. Suddenly, voila, you've given people a good reason to stop in and stay a while.
So, let's dissect that room. But first, a few more photos of inspiration...
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| Designer Bunny Williams's New York City dining area is enlivened with books. |
|
Dining room cum library, courtesy of |
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photo: Fernando Bengoechea
Albert Hadley did it in his Connecticut home...and who are we to argue with him?
courtesy of Elle Decor. |
So, first things first, it's good to have a round, or oval table. This
Hawaiian Koa table, below, from the
San Rafael Auction Company in California, up for sale on June 4th, starting bid $1,700, would do nicely, as would the
elegant 1940s Louis the 16th style table below it, at Kamelot in Philadelphia on June 11th, starting bid $1,200. And rare is the Christie's House Sale that isn't replete with
a few classic English dining tables, some oval, some square, always equipped with a few extensions, always had at a reasonable price. (Please never go to an antique shop for these!) At auction in New York on June 21st, estimate $2,000-3,000.
Okay, so we've got the table. Now for the chairs. Ahh, Kamelot. You've got some lovely rust velvet Louis XVI style dining chairs, starting bid, $1,500, and some
red, circa 1940, dining chairs, starting bid, $800, both at auction June 11th.
There's also this set of
rococo style dining chairs, below, at
Doyle New York on June 8th, estimate $1,000-1,500. Lose the pink satin, maybe even paint the frame, and these can have a very different feel.
And I love
these Spanish armchairs. So pretty and different! At Christie's on June 22nd, estimate $3,000-5,000.
A pair of bergeres, blended with your dining chairs, could fit the bill as well. Today, all the ones I like all seem to be located in New York at the moment, probably because the Belle Epoque sales are all approaching. I love this
pair of caned bergeres, at Doyle's Belle Epoque auction on June 8th, estimate $600-900.
Back to Christie's for the following library-esque chairs, at auction June 21st and 22nd...
Add a dash of green...
I credit Mary McDonald and this room we're dissecting for my recent interest in malachite.
New Orleans Auction Gallery has those
gorgeous obelisks up for bidding on June 4th, starting bid $1,200 (the accessories might cost more than the table!)
Alex Cooper in Maryland has
the set of three boxes, above, and this
motley malachite arrangement, below, at auction June 6th.
William Jenack in Chester, New York, has this
pretty malachite box which is lined in agate up for sale on June 12th, starting bid $45.
Green pottery works too, such as this
Chinese jar at
Ivey-Selkirk, an excellent auction house out of St. Louis, at auction June 12th, starting bid, $50, or the
19th century green-glazed Chinese vase, at
Skinner in Boston on June 4th.
Throw up a chandelier, such as this
crystal and prism beauty and the
elegant regency style, both offered by
New Orleans Auction Gallery on June 4th, at starting bids of $1,000 and $1,200, respectively. Christie's has
the opulent gilt-bronze chandelier at auction June 22nd, estimate $2,500-3,000. And
Doyle has the stunning
Louis the 16th style chandelier up for sale on June 8th, estimate $1,800 -2,200.
Finally, we add a modern photograph...
San Rafael has this
montage by Sister Adele, at auction June 4th, with a starting bid of $50. Note that there are often good vintage fashion photographs, such as the one Mary used, available, it's just that, right now, I can't seem to find one, though images like
the ones below are prolific on Ebay. You could always to a fashionable montage. (Who doesn't want to dine with women in silly hats?) Happy hunting!
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