One of my favorite decorators.

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Biscione

A rather unimpressive room, seeming only like failed Baroque. Perhaps it's not a good reflection of his abilities. It's acceptable, but pedestrian at best. Although you consider it to be tasteful, and I hate to get into a debate of preference, the room actually goes against tradition in a way that I'd dub gaudy. Look at the work of Mongiardino: he is generaly considered to have been the finest interior designer of the 20th century who focused upon gilded tradition.
Duquette's ability was his knack for combining cheap goods with extremely expensive goods without making it look like a thrift shop or just bizarre. He was also a theatrical designer so you would expect a bit of the "gaudy." Mongiardino seems more traditional, which isn't quite as ingenious as combining a a hubcap with 18th century paintings and gold mirrors. Another decorator--or firm really-- I'm fond of is Jansen, very midcentury swank.

Here is Duqeutte's office:

 

[Biscione]

If you read AD, you'd find that Mongiardino's trompe l'œil interiors are considered to be amongst the most ingenious and artistic examples of interior design historically. The final picture you posted only serves as an illustration of how I previously labelled him. As a matter of interest, where do you come from? In Milano, decor like that would be laughed at. Do you know of David Hicks (well, you will after a quick google search)? Although he had some low points, he was remarkably successful in mixing modernity and quirk with tradition.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Biscione

If you read AD, you'd find that Mongiardino's trompe l'œil interiors are considered to be amongst the most ingenious and artistic examples of interior design historically. The final picture you posted only serves as an illustration of how I previously labelled him. As a matter of interest, where do you come from? In Milano, decor like that would be laughed at. Do you know of David Hicks (well, you will after a quick google search)? Although he had some low points, he was remarkably successful in mixing modernity and quirk with tradition.
I don't read Architectural Digest as I find most of the interiors pretentiously bourgeois. Edith Sitwell once said that Good Taste was the worst vice ever invented, and I believe you indulge in that vice too frequently. Whether or not it would be "laughed" at in Milan is neither here nor there; what do you think of Gio Ponti? I like his interiors. Yes, I do know David Hicks; he was known for his tablescapes and such. I don't like him particualrly; I prefer Madeline Castaing frankly. She painted the exterior of her traditional Beaux-Arts storefront entirely black and the interior tended to look like an expensive junk shop. Plus, she wore a conspicuously obvious wig that was held via a chinstrap.

 

[texas_jack]

Originally Posted by Biscione

If you read AD, you'd find that Mongiardino's trompe l'Å“il interiors are considered to be amongst the most ingenious and artistic examples of interior design historically.

The final picture you posted only serves as an illustration of how I previously labelled him. As a matter of interest, where do you come from? In Milano, decor like that would be laughed at.

Do you know of David Hicks (well, you will after a quick google search)? Although he had some low points, he was remarkably successful in mixing modernity and quirk with tradition.

Yeah, I think you're barking up the wrong tree with Labelking.

 

[Biscione]

Italian AD may be different to what you read. However, I suppose a lot of that has to do with one's background. I come from an old Italian family with castles and palaces scattered around the region, so what may seem pretentiously bourgeois to some is the status quo to others.

'Good taste' is a multi-layered concept. It's not as simple as something that isn't challenging and is completely banal. What is considered to be tasteful can absolutely exceed parameters of normality: that's how art progresses. Conversely, can the bizarre be mixed with the traditional? Of course. Do I think that Duquette did so with any success with his interiors? Absolutely not. Honestly, his interior design seems quite nouveau riche, and represents an ostentatiousness that vastly exceeds anything I've seen in AD. Distincly American.

I indulge in the tasteful almost always. Is it a vice? Absolutely not: I'd pick foie gras over MacDo any day. However, we must make the foundation that what is/isn't tasteful is completely subjective, so there's little that can prove the quality of one decorator over another, nor Picasso over Velaquez, so I suggest we stop this interraction: it's never going to progress.

In fact, the line about Milano is absolutely relevant. It's a society that places a great pride upon interior design, and has a strong tradition in it.

Naturally, I like Ponti, although along with most Milanese I detest the Pirelli Tower.

texas_jack, with all due respect, your opinion means absolutely nothing to me in this matter.

 

[texas_jack]

Originally Posted by Biscione

texas_jack, with all due respect, your opinion means absolutely nothing to me in this matter.

English is your second language, right?

 

[Biscione]

It's my fourth.

 

[texas_jack]

Originally Posted by Biscione

It's my fourth.

Regardless, "barking up the wrong tree" is an american colloquilism that means your line of reasoning is pointless with this individual. The person I know as Label King enjoys overwrought and oppressive things so a statement like "the room actually goes against tradition in a way that I'd dub gaudy" would be considered a good thing by him rather than bad.

 

[Biscione]

Wow, well I was very wrong. I've heard the idiom before, but it was explained differently. Sorry about that, and as it turns out, I suppose what you posted is of great relevance. Thankyou for the lesson! I'm actually using the forum to practice English more than anything else, so that was exactly what I needed

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Biscione

Italian AD may be different to what you read. However, I suppose a lot of that has to do with one's background. I come from an old Italian family with castles and palaces scattered around the region, so what may seem pretentiously bourgeois to some is the status quo to others. 'Good taste' is a multi-layered concept. It's not as simple as something that isn't challenging and is completely banal. What is considered to be tasteful can absolutely exceed parameters of normality: that's how art progresses. Conversely, can the bizarre be mixed with the traditional? Of course. Do I think that Duquette did so with any success with his interiors? Absolutely not. Honestly, his interior design seems quite nouveau riche, and represents an ostentatiousness that vastly exceeds anything I've seen in AD. Distincly American. I indulge in the tasteful almost always. Is it a vice? Absolutely not: I'd pick foie gras over MacDo any day. However, we must make the foundation that what is/isn't tasteful is completely subjective, so there's little that can prove the quality of one decorator over another, nor Picasso over Velaquez, so I suggest we stop this interraction: it's never going to progress. In fact, the line about Milano is absolutely relevant. It's a society that places a great pride upon interior design, and has a strong tradition in it. Naturally, I like Ponti, although along with most Milanese I detest the Pirelli Tower. texas_jack, with all due respect, your opinion means absolutely nothing to me in this matter.
I don't come from a Western family, but I understand and respect the classical Western tradition and canon of decoration. However, it simply becomes redundant at one point. I've never read Italian AD, but I suspect it's better than the U.S. version like other Italian versions of U.S. magazines--such as Vogue; I like Anna Piaggi's contributions to the magazine. Much like I'm perfectly capable of putting together an elegantly conservative outfit, I'm also capable of putting together a classically proportionate room, but I usually choose not to as I tend to find it slightly stuffy though for certain things, I vastly prefer the traditional: shaving brushes, fountain pens, watches, cars. Duquette was more about transgression in taste than simply "rebelling" against it. It was rather Postmodernist before such a concept was realized. Is it for everyone? I should think not. It tends to be oriented for a particular type--or force--of personality like Diana Vreeland or perhaps your own countryman, d'Annunzio whose own residence, Il Vittoriale was nothing short of ornate though more traditional in its flamboyance. Your comment about McDonald's is interesting. Though I'm not quite fond of the place myself, I like a certain low element sometimes, but not precisely as pedestrian like McDonald's, but more sordid like Jean Genet.

 

[Tsintaosaurus]

Originally Posted by LabelKing

this room made my monocle pop out

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by Tsintaosaurus

this room made my monocle pop out

Switch to pince-nez:

 

[SoCal2NYC]

Best give it up Bisc. LK is a man of taste and style that has cultured himself via the internet and every hidden aspect that Google can drudge up. In no time he's gone from the run of the mill Asian youth in San Jose to a eccentric internet dandy and judge of arbitrary taste.

 

[LabelKing]

Originally Posted by SoCal2NYC

Best give it up Bisc. LK is a man of taste and style that has cultured himself via the internet and every hidden aspect that Google can drudge up. In no time he's gone from the run of the mill Asian youth in San Jose to a eccentric internet dandy and judge of arbitrary taste.
Best not to link to your interior decor.

Asian youth--both the term and its attendant associations are almost as despicable as faux-Tuscan. Actually, that bothers me: simply because a person is young means they're not allowed to have taste or intelligence or they're seen as precocious, which in people's eyes is somewhat of an undesirable trait. Why? Because it's usually the adults who feel threatened. I mean, a 17 year old has a better eye or is better-read than some 55 year old? Sacrilege!