Jeanne-Françoise Julie Adélaïde Bernard, known after her marriage as Juliette Récamier, was born on December 4, 1777—240 years ago yesterday. Had she lived during modern…
View More Madame Récamier and the Art of RecliningTag: Marquise de Rambouillet
As The Modern Salonière, I have spent many an hour delving into the world populated by the ancien régime in France, the salons of that era produced by salonières like the Marquise de Sablé, Madame de Sévigné, Madame de Longueville and the marquise de Rambouillet renowned for a reason. I have a particular respect for Catherine de Vivonne, Madame de Rambouillet, because her point of view was to elevate social behavior to a higher level than it had ever been.
I believe if she and the other notables of that time holding their salons during our modern times, they would be setting trends just as they were then. In fact, I am convinced France’s salonières could be such excellent role models for us in the home décor market today. I’ll use Madame de Rambouillet’s famous salon as an example. The Chambre Bleu was held in her Parisian château, the hôtel de Rambouillet, on rue Saint-Thomas-du-Louvre beginning in 1618. Aesthetics were so important to the marquise that she took it upon herself to act as architect and interior designer so she could create a backdrop for her life and her salon that would uniquely express her essence. It drew rave reviews during a remarkably exacting era when refinement was at an all-time high.What I believe this illustrates is that when trends are viewed through the lens of history, it’s easy to see how the strongest examples of avant-garde ideas survive to become time-honored traditions.
Any post that contains mention of the marquise will carry this tag.
My Porcelain Bucket List
When I am planning literary design adventures, I look for experiences that give me the feeling of transcendence—encounters during which I am conscious of having…
View More My Porcelain Bucket ListA Conversation on Trends in Textiles
I’m thrilled to announce that I am producing the first in my Modern Salonnière series of events during High Point Market next month. With this…
View More A Conversation on Trends in TextilesA Backward Glance on rue de Varenne
The narrow sidewalks push their black iron batons up out of the ground to protect the buildings hemming them; the rain turns the cobblestones to…
View More A Backward Glance on rue de VarenneDining with History
A month from Sunday, I’ll be winging my way to Paris to attend Maison & Objet, and I’m thrilled to say I’ve been invited to…
View More Dining with HistoryWe’ll Never Be Royals
Nest Nest Nest features the Alliage pattern.As I write this, I can feel the design energy draining from the Americas as the movers-and-shakers in our…
View More We’ll Never Be RoyalsAlly Coulter and the Opulent Salon
Ally Coulter’s grand salon on the first floor of the Holiday House NYC took my breath away the minute I entered the room. It was…
View More Ally Coulter and the Opulent Salon