SHOPPING: Useful for presents or an indulgence

...Go to Holland Street, off Kensington Church Street, London, W8
www.yastikbyrifatozbek.com
www.willer.co.uk

LIVING BY DESIGN: Make the best of a view

SILK TAFFETA CURTAINS EMBROIDERED IN BLUE, with an unstructured blind behind to guard against glaring light or sunlight.  In the foreground, crushed velvet and blue check--also velvet--cover the chairs, the blue relieved by pistachio green, silk cushions.  The walls in this New York apartment are stencilled blue on blue.  The colour scheme harmonises, or contrasts with, the green trees of Central Park beyond and the grey, staggered skyscrapers .  

FABRICS: Love Butterflies?

John Stefanidis Fabrics

"Butterflies"

Attractive large scale check with butterflies bordered by delicate lacy curlicues - inspired by decorative paper found in Venice.

Available in 3 colours:
Denim, Café au Lait and Candy Pink

Available from:

London, UK - Tissus d'Helene

Showroom: Chelsea Harbour, London, SW10 0XF

Phone: +44 (0) 20 7352 9977

Email: tissusdhelene@mac.com

Website: tissusdhelene.co.uk

Miami, USA - Monica James

Showroom: 40 NE 40th Street, Miami, FL 33137

Phone: + 1 305-576-6222

Email: sales@monicajames.com

Website: monicajames.com

Los Angeles, USA – Harbinger

Showroom: 752 North La Cienega Blvd,West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone: +1 310 858 6884

Email: Info@HarbingerLA.com

Website: harbingerla.com

Melbourne, Australia – Tigger Hall

Showroom: 720 High Street Armadale Vic 3143

Phone: +61 (0) 3 9509 6456

Email: info@tiggerhall.com

Website: tigger hall.com

John Stefanidis Fabrics Website

stefanidisfabrics.com

HYDE PARK IN AUTUMN

Sunday November 20


A perfect day with the sun shining ...a  swan on the Serpentine in Hyde Park is unperturbed by the delighted shrieks of terror coming from the  Winter Wonderland fairground, now an annual prelude to Christmas.

BOOKS: The Swerve by Stephen Greenblatt

A REMARKABLE BOOK - RIVETING!  

How the Renaissance began...so illuminating about the Papacy...manuscripts burnt, lost and found. 

Humanist of classic texts in monastic libraries of Europe...  

LIVING BY DESIGN: Use of Wood

Oak is a wood that can shine golden or be dark and depressing. The same can be said of mahogany. 

Here are some examples of my projects:

Dining Room, Mayfair, W1

19th Century panelling restored to its former glory with carvings of masks and foliage, typical of 1870's nostalgia.

Bathroom, Mayfair, W1

In contrast, the oak here is much lighter with only a vast shower [not shown], counter top and bath surround in marble.

Library, Mid West, USA

Carefully chosen, book-matched mahogany of good colour.

Note: John Stefanidis Coffee Table with marble inlay.

Hall in a Rotunda, USA

We designed this inlay wooden floor which I like to think is as brave and bold as those found in the palaces of St. Petersburg, Russia.

John Stefanidis Fabric: Baskets

A light-hearted design inspired by a Venetian paper print with alternating bands of butterflies and floral baskets printed on a superior quality of bright white linen

Available in a range of six colours:

Indigo, Candy Pink, Slate, Charcoal, Mahogany and Pearl Grey

 


Available from:

London, UK - Tissus d'Helene

Showroom: Chelsea Harbour, London, SW10 0XF

Phone: +44 (0) 20 7352 9977

Email: tissusdhelene@mac.com

Website: tissusdhelene.co.uk

Miami, USA - Monica James

Showroom: 40 NE 40th Street, Miami, FL 33137

Phone: + 1 305-576-6222

Email: sales@monicajames.com

Website: monicajames.com

Los Angeles, USA – Harbinger

Showroom: 752 North La Cienega Blvd,West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone: +1 310 858 6884

Email: Info@HarbingerLA.com

Website: harbingerla.com

Melbourne, Australia – Tigger Hall

Showroom: 720 High Street Armadale Vic 3143

Phone: +61 (0) 3 9509 6456

Email: info@tiggerhall.com

Website: tigger hall.com

John Stefanidis Fabrics Website

stefanidisfabrics.com

PARIS

The pleasures of Paris cannot be extolled here.

I have yet to see the Cy Twombly ceiling at the Louvre and there are so many marvels to gape at….!

When in Paris, I always try to go to Prunier, 16 Avenue Victor Hugo, 75016, Paris, the most elegant Art Deco room, delicious food and Prunier caviar delectable – and French!

Liwan, rue St. Suplice, 75006, Paris is a cornucopia of slippers, sandals, tablecloths, scarves and kaftans, and jewellery from the Lebanon – perfect for presents and indulgence. Johnny Depp and Mick Jagger are customers [Lou lou de la Falaise designed jewellery pieces for Liwan].     

Go to Moulie for flowers - fresh, colourful, plentiful [an auxillary shop sells orchids] – the best and in a very handsome place.  

Moulie, 8 place du Palais Bourbon, 75007, Paris.  

GARDENS: November Survivors

Euphorbia hypericifolia 'Breathless' displayed in simple clay pots to great effect in my London garden, and below, lush leaves of Acanthus mollis support the scene....both triumphant in November! 

URBAN BLIGHT
MATURE TREES CUT DOWN & KNIGHTSBRIDGE DARKENED!

Ebury Street and Cundy Street, London, SW1

Johnson House is about to be pulled down, no great loss [a utilitarian but ugly building], it will be replaced by flats with an adequately designed, modernist façade overlooking Ebury Square, and a dismal facade on Ebury Street – an uninspired attempt to fit in with the terraced houses and TODAY THEY ARE CUTTING DOWN SEVEN MATURE TREES.

Alas, I became aware of this new urban blight too late, after Westminster Council had granted planning permission. The existing space between the building line and the pavement is to be gobbled up, puny new trees are to be planted on the pavement. 

It is despairing how the planners, the architects and the developer do not ‘get it’ and have come up with yet another banal solution - and boy, are there a lot of these in London!

No.1 Hyde Park, Knightsbridge

Many a Londoner watched in horror while these buildings were built and overwhelmed their surroundings – now they are complete, you can judge for yourself.    

No. 1. Hyde Park has fetched record prices for its apartments but it is an urban blight.  Qatari investors or the Candy Brothers cannot be blamed nor, indeed, Richard Rogers, he is, after all, a world-renowned architect of talent.  The culprit is Kensington & Chelsea Council for allowing buildings to be erected which need double the land area to ‘breathe’ and for substituting a pleasant central entrance into Hyde Park for a slip entrance [which is easy to miss], a dark and dingy passage leading to the park.

John Stefanidis Fabrics - Pelargonium

Floral design in a 'sketch' style with sprigs of geraniums.

Available in 3 Colours - Salmon, Spring Green & Grey/Charcoal

Available from:

London, UK - Tissus d'Helene

Showroom: Chelsea Harbour, London, SW10 0XF

Phone: +44 (0) 20 7352 9977

Email: tissusdhelene@mac.com

Website: tissusdhelene.co.uk

Miami, USA - Monica James

Showroom: 40 NE 40th Street, Miami, FL 33137

Phone: + 1 305-576-6222

Email: sales@monicajames.com

Website: monicajames.com

Los Angeles, USA – Harbinger

Showroom: 752 North La Cienega Blvd,West Hollywood, CA 90069

Phone: +1 310 858 6884

Email: Info@HarbingerLA.com

Website: harbingerla.com

Melbourne, Australia – Tigger Hall

Showroom: 720 High Street Armadale Vic 3143

Phone: +61 (0) 3 9509 6456

Email: info@tiggerhall.com

Website: tigger hall.com

John Stefanidis Fabrics Website

stefanidisfabrics.com