Thank you…and some other lighting in my house

Thank you for the wonderful comments on my post about my dining room chandelier decision. If you have not read the comments, they are quite interesting and entertaining to read – click here to see them. I would also like to thank the many readers who sent me great “off the beaten track” antique chandeliers sources.

As always, I read each and every comment, and I also received dozens of emails from readers with more lengthy thoughts.

I have decided to go ahead and put ‘dining room chandelier’ high on the list of items that I will work on with my designer in early 2013, when we do phase II of the design work.   Ultimately, knowing both myself and my husband, I am aware that whatever goes in my dining room will be there for a long time, so I have to select a fixture that I really love.  And, as many of you suggested, such a key design element really needs to be found with my designer’s guidance, especially since she selected all of the other lighting fixtures in the house.   We will get something that works with the style of the house, the room, and the budget.  If that’s an antique, great.  If that’s an amazing new lighting fixture, that would be great too.  But I do think it is time to find a beautiful fixture to put in the dining room.

Many of my readers were shocked that I have a naked bulb in my dining room, after spending so much time and effort working on the design and build of the house.   If you have ever built a house, or gone through a major renovation, you can understand the mental and financial fatigue that sets in at the end of a project. That’s why I still have my old beat up reproduction French country kitchen table and 1980s style barstools in my kitchen – which are definitely at odds with the architecture and style of the kitchen -  and will be replaced next year.

But – rest assured – I do have some beautiful lighting in other areas of the house, and here are a few glimpses (taken with an iphone camera this weekend).

A simple bell jar lantern graces the front hall.

I love our kitchen light fixture – it is grand in scale, which works perfectly in my kitchen. The iron of the fixture works beautifully with the steel windows in the kitchen.

The library light fixture is alabaster and has a subtle Greek key pattern etched into the side.  It has a lovely glow at night, and truly ‘makes’ the space.  I never would have selected this fixture on my own, but my designer thought it was the perfect touch for the room – and that has proven to be the case.

The lantern in my stairs is also large in scale, and looks great from all angles, particularly important as it is often seen from below.

My favorite lantern – the Mizner by Niermann Weeks – I had my eye on this lantern for years (I would often go into the Atlanta showroom and visit it), and I love seeing it every day.

I do have one other bare bulb to show you – in my groin vault hall.  My designer wanted something very special for this place, and she has never found just the right thing.  We will find something when we do phase II.

And finally, my master bedroom.  We put a cap on this one!  We looked at a few options, but again didn’t find just the right thing.  Maybe because it is capped, or maybe because I had a ceiling fan in my old master bedroom, but I don’t miss having a chandelier in my master bedroom.  Right now the room is lit by lamps and a few small targeted recessed lights, and it works just fine – although it would be nice to find a pretty chandelier to finish off the room.

It’s interesting to see these fixtures in isolation, because I was not aware that we had so many iron fixtures in the house!  They work well with the architecture and style of the house, and are spread throughout the house, so they are not seen at the same time. There are some key rooms that do not have fixtures at all because of the design of the space– like the living room, because centering a light fixture would not make sense for the furniture arrangement given the architecture of the space (and two chandeliers would not have worked either).

Writing this post brings back memories of all the time and effort that went into selecting light fixtures – not an easy task when building a house from scratch!

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The Dining Room Dilemma

I had a realtor friend visit last week, and she said that if I only do one thing to update my house, I should replace the chandelier that came with the house. Given that I have always hated the chandelier, I thought that this was very good advice. Here is a picture of my current chandelier:

Yes, it is horrible. It looks like an insect to me. It looks terrible with my traditional dining room table and chippendale chairs (inherited, not what I would pick but beautiful in their own way). The chandelier used to bother me, but I do not even really notice it anymore. I am in the mindset that I do not want to invest in a lovely chandelier until I move into my next home. Also, the type of chandelier that would really suit my dining room table and chairs would be quite formal and probably quite expensive.

A formal dining room with a crystal chandelier, via Cote de Texas. My dining room table (120" without leaves, and there are three leaves) would be much better suited to a room this size!

Another formal dining room with a formal crystal chandelier. The chairs are slipcovered, which is a charming touch. From Willow Decor.

This is a picture from an Atlanta real estate listing. The chairs and table are very similar to mine, and the chandelier that is probably the best match stylistically is a crystal chandelier. In fact, my table and chairs were originally paired with a beautiful antique crystal chandelier, but the chandelier went to another family member, and the table and chairs came to me.

I am not even sure whether I will be able to use my dining room table in another house; it is so big (it is really supposed to be a conference room table, and came from a very grand home) and is really meant for a very large dining room. It fits in my current dining room, which is 16' x 13', but it is a bit big for the room. I do not think that I will ever live in the type of home that can properly accommodate this table. So this is another reason why I do not want to invest in a grand chandelier that works only with the table...I may not be able to use the table in a future house. Perhaps I will call up a few law firms to see if they need a conference table!

So, back to the task on hand: finding a reasonable chandelier that will work with my current table and chairs, but will be neutral enough so that a future buyer could see their own dining room table working with it.

One of my favorite stylish and reasonably priced line of lighting comes from Currey & Company Lighting. I recently visited their showroom in the Atlanta Mart, and was very impressed with the range of offerings. Here (above) is one of my favorites, a best seller for Currey and the chandelier that I was considering for my family room at one point. The retail is about $1400, but you can get it online for around $1,000. The dimensions are 36"h, 31" w. I like that this chandelier is simple and elegant. I do not see this as a chandelier that would typically be paired with a formal dining room table and chairs, and I wonder if this is the chandelier that would work with the dining room I would like to have versus the one that I actually have. But, it is subtle and unfussy, and this might make it work well when selling a home.

Here is the small version of the crystal lights chandelier in a bedroom, via Bayou Contessa. The couple had originally purchased it for their dining room, but ended up putting it in their bedroom and selecting a fabulous Julie Neill chandelier for the dining room.

Niermann Weeks makes an Italian chandelier that is similar, and I have admired it in several magazine spreads (this one is to the trade only, and is at least $2,500 if not more):

Although this room is not informal, it has very clean lines and subtle color. The simpler lines of the chandelier look great. Interior design by Caldwell-Beebe.

The airiness of this chandelier works so well with the light colored palette. Design by Anne Hepfer, via Design Smack.

Another Niermann Weeks Italian chandelier in a less formal dining room. This time, the lightness of the chandelier is a nice counterbalance to the heaviness of the table.

Most of the these dining rooms are elegant, but not super formal. The Caldwell-Beebe space is probably the most formal of the three pictures. However, the Niermann Weeks chandelier does not fit the bill of something reasonably priced that can stay with the house.

I have also seen chandeliers that seem to be in the middle...they have the simpler lines, but have embellishments that make them a little dressier. This chandelier is from Julie Neill's collection, and is called the Vanessa chandelier. I am not sure what the retail for this one is, but it is handcrafted by expert craftsmen in New Orleans.

The Isabel chandelier (also from Julie Neill) is also a good example of an elegant chandelier that is not too fussy or formal. Again, not sure of the price, but it is a high quality, hand crafted piece.

This one is my favorite: the Jenny Bubbles from Julie Neill. It has all of the elements that I love: the curves in the arms, the details in the circle, and the crystal bubbles that give it a little contemporary twist. The standard size is 40"h x 42"d, but it can be custom made to other dimensions. I am not sure how much Julie Neill's chandeliers cost, but they are all custom made in New Orleans to the client's specifications, so I am sure they are not budget chandeliers!

This is the Paris Flea Market chandelier, from Circa Lighting. It measures 33h x 32w. The finish is antique brass, which is not my favorite. The retail is $1,470.

Of course, I still love a Swedish style chandelier, but this one seems like it might be too feminine to appeal to most buyers. By Currey Lighting, retails for $2,400 but can be found for less on the internet. Size: 34"x34".

I was hoping that this post would clarify my thoughts, but it has not. Comments and suggestions would be very welcome! Which reasonably priced chandelier (<$1,500) do you think would look good in my dining room? Which style would work: ornate crystal, airy gilded, somewhere in between?

Jean Royere and Gossip Girl

I have posted several times on my obsession with sconces....specifically, on my obsession with 'the Gossip Girl Sconce'. This is the sconce that is featured in the apartment of Blair, one of the main characters on the show. The apartment is elegant and chic, both classic and contemporary, which is a mixture I love. I think this sconce reflects those qualities beautifully.



When looking through the inspiration file on my laptop, I came across this picture. I am sorry to say, I did not note whose blog is came from, but I remember it was a post on the beautiful flowery branch arrangements that add so much textural interest to a room. I appreciate the beauty of the branches, but what I focused on was the beautiful sconce above the demilune table. So substantial and archictectural is this sconce, that it is not even flanking the mirror; it is centered on the wall, a focal point in its own right. The text on this picture says that the sconce is attributed to Jean Royere. It certainly has the look and feel that I love, and reminds me a bit of the design of the Gossip Girl sconce.

I wanted to learn more about Jean Royere. One of the first things that came up on Google was 1st Dibs, the online treasure trove of fine antiques. It looks like Royere was quite the prolific designer, as there are dozens of Royere items listed. There is even a Royere chandelier listed right now by a dealer in Paris, asking price $31,500.


Finding out biographical information on Royere was no easy task. There is a blog entry about him, but it is in French, so I used the google translator to read it. The translation was a bit choppy, but I learned that Royere was self-taught and did not start interior and furniture design until he was 29. Finally, I came across a small biography that was translated to English, on the Vintage and Modern website. This looks like a 1st Dibs like site that has antiques and vintage pieces listed by dealers across the country.

Here is the write up on Jean Royere (translated from French by Denis Griesmar):
In 1931, aged 29, Jean Royère resigned from a comfortable position in the import-export trade in order to set up business as an interior designer. He learned his new trade in the cabinetmaking workshops of the Faubourg Saint-Antoine in Paris. In 1934, he signed the new layout of the Brasserie Carlton on the Champs Elysées and found immediate success. This was the beginning of an international career which was to last until the beginning of the 1970s. A key figure of the Avant-garde in the 1950s, Royère tackled all kinds ofdecoration work and opened branches in the Near East and Latin America. Among his patrons: King Farouk, King Hussein of Jordan, the Shah of Iran, who were captivated by his freedom of creation and his elegance and entrusted him with the layout of their palaces. Royère pioneered an original style combining bright colors, organic forms and precious materials within a wide range of imaginative accomplishments. In 1980, he left France for the United States, where he lived until his death.

Although Royere has a large catalog of designs, it is the lighting that appeals most to me. Here is another Royere sconce, part of a pair, that was listed last year on an antique dealer website. The price: a mere $29,500! It had been created for one of the palaces of the Shah of Persia. The wonderful blogger Jane from Ill Seen, Ill Said notified me about this, as she knew that I had been looking for a sconce like the one on the Gossip Girl set. This one definitely has the look and feel of the Gossip Girl sconce, on a much larger scale. Alas, well out of my budget! (Edit: big thanks to Jane, who spent much time and effort looking through all of her sources for sconces simialr to those in the Gossip Girl show! She is the one who led me to Royere. I never would have found his work without her!)

Circa Lighting Normandy Chandelier

Circa Lighting has a chandelier that has a similar look and feel to the Royere chandelier, at a much more budget friendly price (relative to the originals!). This one is called the Normandy chandelier.(above). Circa Lighting also makes a Normandy sconce (below) which comes in two or three arm versions. Unfortunately, the Normandy products only come in the three finishes, none of which I like.

Circa Lighting Normandy Sconce

I definitely see some Royere influence in these sconces, don't you?

Update: I have worked with a custom lighting designer, and we have created a sconce that is inspired by the Gossip Girl Sconce:

Please email me at quatrefoildesign@gmail.com for ordering information.

A Magnificent Chandelier

I spent some time in the mall this week. I am finished with my shopping, but I love the energy of a mall during the Christmas season. In one of Atlanta's more upscale malls, Phipps Plaza, I looked in the window of the new Tory Burch store. The design of the store is really beautiful; it is a little jewelbox of orange and gold, with mirrored walls and a fireplace in the middle of the store. Although there were many amazing things for sale, my eye was caught by the stunning chandeliers. There are two chandeliers, in fact, one in the front of the store, and one in the back on the other side of the fireplace.


You can see the bottom of the front chandelier in this picture; on the other side of the mirrored column is a fireplace, and you can see some of the shades of the back chandelier on the far left. The shades are trimmed in the same orange the dominates the decor of the store, and it is so effective.

It looks like the Dallas store has the same chandelier.

Greenwich apparently has it too...I see the shades on the far left of this picture.

I e-mailed the company to see who makes this chandelier, but have not heard back yet. After all, in the busiest selling season of the year, responding to a question about the chandeliers in their stores is not really high priority! However, as soon as I saw the chandeliers, I suspected that they are the magnificent Nancy Corzine Balthazar chandelier. A friend of mine showed me a picture of this chandelier recently (thinking I would like it, and she was right), so it was gratifying to (possibly) recognize it in person.

Hopefully I will hear back from the Tory Burch web site at some point, and get confirmation whether my suspicions are correct. The Balthazar chandelier is very expensive, but it is so unique and beautifully crafted.

Edit: I found this picture of the Tory Burch NYC store on the Peak of Chic blog. It gives a better view of the chandelier. After seeing the detail in the picture, I am not so sure that this is the same chandelier. The arms of the Burch chandelier are longer and project more. I will have to figure this out!

Edit #2: Mystery solved, but not entirely to my satisfaction! I am not sure if they are available to individuals. The manufacturer of these chandeliers is Garrison Rousseau, a company in the Philipines that crafts custom furniture and does special commissions for companies and individuals such as Armani, Nina Campbell, Holly Hunt, the Four Seasons, Vincente Wolf, and so on, and so on!

Click on this picture to enlarge. You can get a good detailed view of 'the chandelier'.

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Sconces, Part II

Since I did a Sconces Part I, I feel a need to follow up with a Part II!

As I mentioned in Sconces Part I, I have recently developed a love for sconces. I think that they add a special touch to a room, and are one of the details that make an interior exceptional. For a long time, I begged Joni from Cote de Texas to do a sconce post, as she uses them frequently in her designs. In response, she did an amazing post a few weeks ago. Her post really covered the design aspect of sconces; I am going to add a few pictures of inspirational sconces that are in my tear sheet file.

Fine Art Lamps Sconce, from the Portobello Road Collection. This one was featured in the sconce article in House Beautiful.

Currey & Company Sconces are beautiful. They are sold at many of the top design stores in Atlanta. This sconce is called the Eden wall sconce.

Vienna Sconce by Currey & Company. Definitely more of a traditional design, but would look great with contemporary art (a nice juxtaposition). This sconce is very similar to a much more expensive Vaughn sconce.

There is something I like about this sconce. In the right place, it would be great. Made by Fine Art Lamps, Portobello Road Collection.

David Iatesta's 'Fleur' sconce. I have seen this in person, and it is striking. There is a matching chandelier too.

Suzanne Lovell design. Do you see the modern sconces on the stairwell?

Although these are not sconces that I would use, I love the effect in this room. The sconces are by Moth Design (thanks for the tip, anonymous!). They add a great color and style component, and I appreciate that the color is repeated in the throw and pillow. I am not sure who to credit this picture to; my notes say 'WDR'.

Interior design by EKB Interiors. I think that the sconces above the fireplace are the 'Lur' sconce, by Laura Kirar for Baker (pictured above).

Beautiful sconces flank a large mirror. Interior design by Fox-Nahem Design.

Isn't this a beautiful scene? Sconces on either side of a window may seem redundant, as they are not really needed for their light, but they are very architecturally pleasing. Design by Whiteney Stewart.

Interestingly enough, not very many of the rooms featured in my inspiration files (on my computer) have sconces. If I had it my way, every room in my house would have a sconce!

Do you have a favorite? My favorite is still the Gossip Girl Sconce.......

Gossip Girl Sconce, I need to find you! Malchus Janocko is the art director of the show, and the set d
esign is by Christina K. Tonkin. Perhaps they have google alerts set and they will read this!

Update: I have worked with a custom lighting designer, and we have created a sconce that is inspired by the Gossip Girl Sconce:

Please email me at quatrefoildesign@gmail.com for ordering information.

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