The Grand Salon

The grandest room in Petit Tresor is the Salon, otherwise known as the living room.  This room reproduces many of the features typical of the salon in an 18th century French hotel particulair.  I did a ton of research on furniture and furnishings of this period to get it right.

My thinking was that the modern family living in this house would retain some aspects of its original decor, as many French homes do.  In particular, although the room is very formal, the elaborate Versailles parquet floor, the gilded paneling, the elaborate fireplace, and the chandelier would likely not be replaced.  And the various piece of furniture are family heirlooms!

John Hodgson made almost all of the furniture, as well as the torcheres and their gilded candelabra flanking the fireplace.  The petit point chair in the left corner was made by Jack Cashmere, and the round silk ottoman Martin Pickins made for me.  I haven't found the right table for the middle of the seating (although I have bought several and abandoned them as not right) so I decided on the ottoman for the moment.  Tom Walden made the floor from the Mulvaney & Rogers instructions.

Here is a close-up of the left side.  Bill laid out all the panels with jewelry findings from JAR/JAF.  Thank you, Ray, for the idea!  The crown molding is Jim Coates' ribbon design.  The painting of Madame de Pompadour was painted especially for me by Leslie Smith.  I adore it!  I bought the green marble-topped table from someone selling her mother's estate at a Guild Show several years ago even though I had no idea then where I would put it.  The torcheres and candelabra I bought from another collector who is downsizing.  I commissioned the canapes and chairs directly from John and Sue.

I love the fireplace but have no idea where I got it or when.  Bill marbled it.  Those are Victoria Fasken's enamel urns and Keith Bourgard's boule clock.  The firescreen--are you ready--is Falcon.  I toned down the gold color with black acrylic paint wiped on and then off while it was wet.  It is exactly the right period and style for this room.  The very intricate fireplace tools were a special commission from Laurence and Angela St. Leger. 

The chandelier and sconces were made by Phyllis Tucker.  I am so happy I ordered them from her last year at the Chicago International.  They are perfect for the room.

This is the other side of the room.  That is a faux painting that I made and framed hanging above the Hodgson bombe chest.  The real version hangs in our living room and was bought at the Marche aux Puces in Paris.  It depicts village women washing in a stream and I loved it the moment I saw it.  The bronze of Venus on the left is by Joseph Addotta.  I have no idea who made the Rodin Thinker on the right -- both were picked up at a Guild Show just because I liked them. (There's a pattern here.)  Eventually there will be a Martha McLean floral arrangement in that spot but I didn't want to leave it empty in the meantime.

Finally, this is the Salon all lit up.  Isn't it pretty?