Last Vestige..........

There’s a definite fall like crispness in the air here in New England today and soon the leaves will be changing colors, pumpkins will be carved and fireplaces lit.  

So it's time to finish up the last bit of yard work and put the garden beds to sleep....

Time to move the outdoor furniture in for the winter....

Time to get the house in shape for the upcoming holiday season....

Time to bring out our sweaters and boots.......

images via Old Houses

The cooler weather keeps me indoors more reminding me it’s time to get cozy.

What does fall say to you?

Collecting habit: Tassels

French silk tassels, left is 18th century with chipped gilt header, the right 17th century

I thought I would show you one of the items I collect and being an antique textile dealer with a love of anything European this item was a natural for me, the tassel. Textiles sometimes come to me bearing only one tassel the other long lost through the ages. Since items look lopsided with only one tassel attached it wasn’t long before I had a collection.

Tassels have a long and varied history, Jesus had tassels called Tzitzit, like the one above, on the four corners of his garment or shawl. While Charles X, King of France, 1824-30, wore tassels as an embellishment. 

Array of 18th and 19th century silk and metal tassels

Who could resist them with their pure silk and metal thread that has been turned, trimmed and knotted onto gilt wooden headers. Amass they can really make a decorative statement!

18th century French wool tapestry pillow

It wasn’t long before anything depicting a tassel was catching my eye. Tassels have been woven into tapestries..... (love this orange!)

carved from wood………

French, 19th century silk trimmings

used as trimmings....

used as art work, my tassel board holding assorted tassels within an antique frame.

17th century French tassels

Most of these elaborate artistic tassels can be assumed to be French since the French widely exported their trimmings and tassels known as “Passementerie” at a very low cost that no other nation ever developed a “trimmings” industry. Both American and European artists, who charge up to $1000 for a single handmade tassel, are now copying antique tassels.

18th century French silk trims

My tassel habit became so bad I needed more of a fix that led me to fringes! Fringes with silk, fringes with metal thread, and of course fringes with tassels!

French 16th, 17th and 18th century tassels

The quintessential piece of artwork!

L' Art de la Passementerie here

Two wonderful books, written in French, all about the art of trimmings.

La Passementerie here

Now it's your turn, what do you collect?

Designer Profile: Victoria Hagan

If you don’t already know her allow me to introduce you to Victoria Hagan a New York City designer extraordinaire who owns her own design firm named Victoria Hagan Interiors here that caters to both residential and commercial projects.

Hagan began designing interiors in 1985, founded Victoria Hagan Interiors in 1991 and established Victoria Hagan Home, a line of furniture, fabrics and accessories, in 2002.

Her design philosophy is “keep it simple”, “keep it comfortable”, “keep it interesting” but most important “keep it fun”. She keeps interiors very clean with a neutral palette and isn’t drawn to any period or style but rather goes for versitility in a room. Her interiors look very relaxed and stylish at the same time.

Love the pop of red, dark wood with the clean crisp white. You get a taste of old with the new. Victoria's interiors are both masculine and feminine.

Designed by Victoria Hagan

Victoria’s style reminds me so much of Darryl Carter’s style, below, I love both. They both use a mix of the traditional and modern, the old and the new with clean lines.

Designed by Darryl Carter, pictures via Elle Decor

Designed by Darryl Carter, Washington DC Row House, photo Simon Upton

Darryl Carter used masculine looking leather-covered doors as a headboard, above. While Victoria designed a feminine leather screen, below, for her home collection here.  

The Carroll leather screen by Victoria Hagan

Victoria's furniture collection it's so stylish and clean and fits beautifully in today's interiors.

The James footstool designed by Victoria Hagan

The Wainscott chair from her home collection

                                                           Enjoy more of Victoria Hagan's Interiors here

I hope you’ve enjoyed meeting designer Victoria Hagan and seeing a few pictures of her design work. There are a lot more pictures on her website here of interiors and here of her home collection, I just love her look!