At Home with Gwyneth Paltrow - Behind the Scenes

As I mentioned earlier this week, I love photography and always check the photography credits in magazines. Another favorite photographer of mine is Eric Cahan. You may not have heard of his name but you have surely seen his work. He recently shot Patricia Herrera Lansing and Carolyn Murphy for House and Garden which I loved and had to post on my blog. Eric apparently googles himself quite often because he always seemed to know when I profiled his work and was one of the first people to leave me a comment. He was also and still is very encouraging and supportive of my blog from the very beginning. I joked it was just because I kept featuring his work but I really appreciated his kind words. So my loyalty and hard word was rewarded this week when Eric offered me a peak behind the scenes of the photo shoot!

I think it is so much fun to see the different set ups and how they resulted in the final photos like the cover shot at the top and the photo above. Notice how they changed out the artwork? The three soft-focus works by photographer by David Armstrong usually hang above the fireplace below.

And the two sunrise pieces usually hang above the little sofa...or maybe it's the other way around. Who knows?! See how stylists move things around in order to get the best photo. Very tricky!

Eric works his magic on the cover girl in the next two photos while Gwyneth practices her poses.

Below, Ms. Paltrow checks out some of the photos on the laptop. It used to be that photographers shot on film and never knew what they had until it was developed back in the darkroom. As you know, all that has changed in the digital age. Now the photographer as well as the editors, and in this case, the model and home owner, can check out the photos immediately and make any necessary changes or adjustments.

It's also fun to get too see the large painting that didn't make it into the final magazine feature. I wonder who it's by. Any guesses?

Decisions decisions. Wonder what they are discussing! Look at how many people and equipment it takes to make it all happen!

And look who wanted to get in on the fun. First she tackled the interior design of her own home and now it looks like we might have a budding photographer on our hands!

Is there anything she can't do??? I hate her! Just kidding! I love her! She's fabulous and so is Eric Cahan! I'm working on trying to repay his generosity by having him shoot one of our celebrity clients. I really hope it happens so I can get my own first hand account of the behind the scenes action of a photo shoot. Until then, I hope you enjoyed this sneak peak into what it takes to create your favorite magazine!

Photos courtesy of Eric Cahan

At Home with Gwyneth Paltrow - Part One

I have to say, the November 2007 issue of House and Garden magazine is already one of my all time favorites. It might be because it's all about New York with fabulous interiors of fabulous people or it could be because I was granted access to a behind the scenes look at the Gwyneth Paltrow photo shoot in the Hamptons. Either way, it's spectacular! I thought it would be fun to show you the photos from the magazine first and then in the next post, I'll show what went into creating them. Enjoy!

Gwyneth describes the aesthetic of her home in the Hamptons as minimalist with a feminine twist and that's clearly evident from the preponderance of pink! Apparently Chris Martin is in touch with his feminine side as well. The home is surprisingly modern yet completely homey and comfortable looking. In the living room above, pieces from the Domus Design Collection are paired with Madeline Weinrib's Hollywood Regency chair and china and vases from Calypso Home.

In the foyer above, a Bolero chair by Mariette Himes Gomez for Hickory Chair is upholstered in Schumacher's Lace in Aqua while a Directions' Glam console table topped with a découpage barnacle lamp from John Derian. The art is actually needlework by Ann Carrington and seems to be a cheeky nod to Chris Martin's English heritage and their other life in London. I love the mix of patterns of the aqua chair fabric against the Zoffany Cordoba wallpaper in Gray.

"Paltrow took charge of the house's design nearly from the beginning. The spec house was already under construction when she first came upon it, but she worked with Washington, D.C.-based architectural designer Michael Minkoff to tailor the house to her family and her taste." She also had a little help from House and Garden editor Kim Gieske who gave her design source suggestions and produced this feature for the magazine. Tom Dixon's Mirror Ball pendants, from Property in New York hang over the staircase.

Paltrow splurged on the Tord Boontje blossom chandelier in the dining room but saved on the appetizer plates from CB2.

One of my favorite rooms in the house is the kitchen and apparently, I'm not alone. Photographer Eric Cahan told me that it was getting a lot of attention. Probably because we all dream of having a kitchen that spacious and beautiful. I usually prefer white kitchens but I love the dark grey/black cabinets. There is something slightly English looking about it. Also, a little Kelly Wearstler looking too. I am definitely rethinking my dream kitchen after seeing it!

"The kitchen is lined with custom cabinets by Minkoff while the pair of striking chandeliers are by Home and Co. for Birgit Israel in London. Seamless concrete counters are by Remik Studio, in Brooklyn, NY, and are punctuated with a stove from Jade Range, Brea, CA. The island's butcher-block top is from Bally Block Co., Bally, PA. Windows and doors throughout by Kolbe & Kolbe Millwork Co."

Paltrow's daughter, Apple, chose the fabrics for her canopy bed. I'm having flashbacks to my own pink canopied bed from my childhood. The custom canopy bed by Jonas in New York. We use Jonas for a lot of projects and I can attest that he is the best! The showroom with all the furniture styles in muslin is so much fun to wander through. The fabrics are from Raoul Textiles. Monogrammed pillows by Lori Jayne Monogramming and More, Palm Beach, FL, and the headboard is Ballard Designs' Stevenson. The floor is covered in Stark Carpet's Silverton in White.

I wish there were more photos of the master bedroom but I guess I can understand the desire for some bit of privacy. From what we do get to see, it looks dreamy. The bed is Usona's Thurman and is covered in Edelman's Cashmere Calf in Super White, and Wendell Castle's Muse side table topped with Vaughan?s Lausanne Crystal lamp. Wallpaper is Wook Kim's Feu in Gray. Carpet by Tai Ping. All bedding by Donna Karan.

When Paltrow couldn't find a vanity that she liked, she had one made out of a Paul McCobb dresser. I love the little kiddie stool. So cute!

Photo shoots can't be all work and no play right?! And they're probably even more fun when you're wearing a dress by Etro.

And now for the part of the tour that made me VERY jealous! Ms. Paltrow has her very own tea house looking pilates and yoga studio! Biatch! Ok, that wasn't very nice or professional of me to say that but you know you were thinking it too!

I was surprised to see the interior look to be covered in what appears to be plywood. Paltrow says she would like to cover the walls, floor and ceiling in bamboo so maybe that's the reason. Oh yeah, and in case you weren't already really jealous, the pool house has furniture by Janus et Cie and her dress is Calvin Klein. Sigh. Must be nice.

Photos by Eric Cahan

House and Garden Surprise

I'm much too busy to write a proper post today. Truth be told, I'm actually a wee bit hung-over so I thought it would be best if I didn't write whilst popping Advil and hoping that my headache finally subsides. But, I did want to tell you that I am working on a super fabulous post to which you will be granted behind the scenes access to an amazing interior design photo shoot. I'll give you a hint, it has to do with the November issue of House and Garden. Can you guess what it is???

Hej Stockholm!

All I really want to do is take a vacation where I sit on the beach and do nothing for a week but for some reason, I keep getting talked into cold weather vacations. I can't really complain, I'd rather go someplace cold than no place at all, so when a Swedish friend in New York asked a few of us if we wanted to spend New Year's in Stockholm a few years back, we jumped at the chance. I will have to dedicate a real post to the trip but most of it involves snow and it's just too soon for me to think about that right now!

While in Stockholm, we stayed at a fabulous boutique hotel, The Rival, owned by a former member of ABBA. It's a really great place to stay and I will get to that in another post but while we were there, we made it a point to stop by The Grand Hotel for lunch one day. At that point, the Grand Hotel was nice but a bit dodgy and a little musty. A place your grandmother would enjoy but not anymore. The Grand Hotel has undergone a huge renovation and so have the restaurants. Mathias Dahlgren has opened two restaurants in the famed hotel and they are getting rave reviews not only for the food but for the decor, designed by the renowned British interior designer Ilse Crawford.

The gilded screen in the photos above was created by Studio Job and depicts culinary tools, Swedish icons and Viking ships and marks the entrance to the restaurant Mathias Dahlgren with a great flourish. It reminds me of all the wonderful cut wood crafts that you can find in the Scandinavian countries.

There are actually two restaurants, the first is Matsalen ("The Dining Room"), seen above. It is more formal yet also very simple and elegant. Just what you would expect for a Swedish interior, even if it was designed by a Brit.

In the more formal restaurant, Ilse Crawford chose finer finishes and products, including a Carlo Scarpa chandelier. Crawford says she "was drawn to the idea of a new Swedish kitchen that would be global and local without being, you know, fushion. I'm not a historicist. But I like the idea of DNA, and what was interesting was to find the Swedish roots, things that are incredibly evocative of the context, and take them forward."

Matsalen also has reupholstered Grand Hotel chairs and a table designed by Carl Malmsten, one of the most famous furniture makers in Sweden. An interesting note is that the designer was apparently brought up in the house that is now the restaurant and made the table for his family in 1926 which means the table has never left the building!

The floors are a grey oak herringbone and the other tables created by Crawford have curvaceous iron bases and there are velvet covered Chesterfield sofas as banquettes.

In the more casual restaurant, Matbaren ("The Food Bar"), the cooking is more basic and classic and the decor is robust. "We used solid public spaces - feeling materials - zinc, oak paneling that gives you the feeling of a Stockholm bar, a tile floor adapted from the stairwell floors in the building (actually an adjacent 1878 residence annexed by the hotel)," says Crawford.

There is also a mix of Swedish and global she says citing the juxtaposition of rough 18th-century tables and with Jorn Utzon's Tivoli pendant lights and red can-bottomed chairs by Vico Magistretti. Chef and owner Mathias Dahlgren claims the design is reminiscent of a typical Swedish farmhouse kitchen.

All I know is that after seeing this amazingly beautiful restaurant, I have to plan a summer trip to Stockholm. One when the sun is shining for almost the entire day and there is no snow on the ground!

Photos courtesy of The Grand Hotel

The Apple Doesn't Fall Far from the Tree

I always check the photography credits in magazines. I think a great photographer is an essential aspect to any magazine spread but especially so for a design feature. A great photographer has the ability to bring life to a home and make you want to move in right away. A bad photograph by a bad photographer makes you turn the page without even a second glance.

One of my favorite photographers is François Halard. He is one of the photographers of choice for Vogue magazine so you know he must be good. But I never really knew anything about him until I was going through some back issues of House and Garden and found a feature on his parents, Michelle and Yves Halard. Let's just say the apple doesn't fall far from the tree in this family, or maybe I should say pommier.

Michelle Halard is a designer and decorator, best known for the interiors of the restaurant Pierre Gagnaire and the hotel L'Oustau de Baumaniere in Provence. She is also designing faiance dinnerware for Gien and other projects for silver and fabrics. The home shown here in Provence, a former hunting lodge, is where the couple relocated to after selling their castle in central France. Yes, I said castle. Must be nice! They also have an apartment in Paris where Michelle stays when she is working. Now I know why François has become a fabulous photographer of interior design!

The library above runs the length of the house and holds their vast collection of books and bound magazines, as well as Yves collection of vintage toys and mirrors. The white side chairs are mentioned in the inventory of the Chateau de Versailles and sit on a 19th-century Aubusson carpet next to leather stools from the flea market.

Wouldn't you just love to sit outside in the esplanade courtyard and have a long leisurely lunch while sitting on vintage garden chairs? I'm not sure how I feel about the cacti but I'm sure I could get over it very quickly!

The dining room is one of the only rooms with it's original neoclassical moldings, gilt detailing, and Italian marble mantel. And the vivid splashes of color are apparently a Halard signature. Yves chooses and mixes all the paint colors. Why should his wife get to have all the fun right?!

In the bedroom, the canopy and bedspread were designed with vintage fabrics, a passion of Michelle's who has boxes and baskets of textiles arranged by color that she has collected for nearly 50 years! While in the bathroom below, an 18th-century screen that belonged to her mother was employed to help make the room more warm and elegant.

The Halards apparently have an open door policy at their home in Provence. Michelle says "When visitors come, I want them to feel good, that they've been welcomed with open arms - and lots of wine." Hmmm...I wonder how she'd feel if a random American girl just happened to stop by?

Photos by François Halard mais, bien sur!

Vogue Living Update

I thought you might be interested to read what will be included in the new Vogue Living: Houses, Garden, People book that was edited by Hamish Bowles and should hopefully be released at the end of this month.

"The archives of Vogue have yielded these thirty-six spectacular houses, gardens , and vacation retreats whose owners come from the worlds of fashion, music, art, and society. Included are Oscar de la Renta's Palladian coral-stone fantasy in the Dominican Republic; Marella Agnelli's exotic water garden in Marrakech; shoe king Christian Louboutin's Egyptian houseboat; Donna Karen's sleek New York penthouse; Julian Schnabel's bohemian-chic Spanish-style New York loft; the Provencal estate of Janet de Botton with it's glorious garden and maze, and a breakfast room lined with 18th-century faience; and Karl Lagerfeld's collection of astonishing residences. All of these and more are lavishly illustrated with photographs by Francois Halard, Bruce Weber, Tim walker, Sheila Metzner, and others."

Personally, I'm not only looking forward to the book's release but to the launch parties that will accompany it. The Vogue parties are some of the best ever but then again, would you expect anything less from Anna Wintour?

A Fashionable Read

It's Paris Fashion week right now so I thought I would start the week off on a fashionable note. There is a gorgeous new book out now that pays homage to the ultimate king of fashion, Valentino, who also recently celebrated his 45th Anniversary in the business with a three days of decadent parties in Rome.

"Signed by the legendary designer himself who is renowned for his sophisticated red carpet gowns, Una Grande Storia Italiana - Valentino Garavani documents Valentino's illustrious career through an extensive selection of archive images and newspaper articles as well as interviews with his closest friends and collaborators from Vanity Fair special correspondent Matt Tyrnauer. With contributing authors including US Vogue editor-in-chief, Anna Wintour, renowned fashion journalist Suzy Menkes and actor Rupert Everett, it's sure to be a good read - but only if you can get your hands on a copy. Retailing at $1000 and limited to a print run of just 2000, it's a collector's item for any fashionista with each book individually numbered and finished in an elegant six-colour silk screen-printed book cloth, presented in a clamshell box, also in silk cloth and tinted in Valentino Red."

Sounds like a fashionable read to me, especially since Valentino has just announced his retirement from fashion. Former Gucci designer Alessandra Facchinetti will replace Valentino at the fashion house and will be in charge of the couture and ready-to-wear collections, as well as the RED and Roma lines, once Valentino steps down in January. So sad.