I am trying to find images of a room I remember reading of when I was a tiny gayling - an all-white salon or possibly a library in London owned by a titled lady. It was evidently considered shocking at the time. I thought it might be by David Hicks, but nothing I am seeing of his work suggests the pictures I remember. Does anyone have a clue as to what this space might be? I feel it must have inspired the episode of AbFab with Max and Bettina, but that has proved a dead-end as well. Any help would be greatly appreciated!
Datalounge tasteful friends/detectives, HELP!!
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | February 24, 2021 6:06 PM |
Are you sure you’re not thinking about Ann Margaret in Tommy?
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | February 24, 2021 7:59 AM |
fuck off
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | February 24, 2021 8:01 AM |
Did it feature Asian or Anglo-Indian furniture painted white? I remember Barbra Streisand photographed in such a room.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | February 24, 2021 8:03 AM |
No, R1 and R3, it was in London - I feel there was a "sunken" aspect to the room. And the client was a titled lady.
R2, eat shit, then eat some more shit. Then continue eating shit until you find the pile marked with a sign saying "please do not eat this shit".
Take the sign off the pile, throw it away - and live the dream.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | February 24, 2021 8:09 AM |
Most likely the designer was Syrie Maugham who was known for her white interiors, though the only true one was her own sitting room. She did design for Margaret Campbell who was Duchess of Argyll, but I haven’t found any corresponding picture to her work for her.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | February 24, 2021 8:24 AM |
But, before her Charles Rennie Mackintosh had a revolutionary all white room in his house.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | February 24, 2021 8:26 AM |
R5 David Niven got her pregnant.
He grandson, the present Duke is quite sexy.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | February 24, 2021 8:30 AM |
How about a year reference or range?
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | February 24, 2021 8:34 AM |
It was 1928 when he got her pregnant.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | February 24, 2021 8:38 AM |
r5 for the win.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | February 24, 2021 8:48 AM |
R8, sorry, yes, early 1970s or late 1960s.
It was cited in what I read as revolutionary in London (although it looked a bit tame by the standards of, say, Malibu or Chicago).
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | February 24, 2021 8:48 AM |
Only a wild card guess -- because it's far off OP's description in key ways, but photos of the room were/are widely known — Cecil Beaton and Horst photographed it. Not minimalist, not all white (though it has a lot of white/light to it and always seems whiter/brighter in my memory) but it got lots of attention particularly the use of white and the brightness of the look despite pattern everywhere.
Lee Radziwill's Orientalist fantasy drawing room in her house at 4 Buckingham Place, London, designed by Renzo Mongiardino whose work much influenced Radziwill in her own design "career."
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | February 24, 2021 9:37 AM |
Well, there is The White Drawing Room at Buckingham Palace. H.M. The Queen is certainly a titled lady.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | February 24, 2021 6:06 PM |