Our guest blogger today is Alexis Audette, Operating Vice President of Beacon Hill Design and Merchandising. The exclusive textiles created by Alexis and her team are internationally inspired, and feature dynamic designs and qualities.
Alexis Audette
Beacon Hill and Christie's have joined forces to celebrate the eclectic interior through vignettes that marry fine fabrics
from Beacon Hill with extraordinary art, objects and furniture from Christie's Interiors Sales.
Christie's Interiors Sale on June 21-22 will feature objects from the estate of revered antiques dealer Amy Perlin.
Perlin's favorite maxim was "I love strong pieces that show their age," and this pair of chairs from her estate is the perfect example. These 20th Century French Bergeres have lovely frames and beautiful lines, but they had seen better days. So, we decided to give these chairs a new life and at the same time, showcase the art of the slipcover.
First, Christie's engaged restorer Michael Rahklin to rebuild the chairs' frames. We then selected master craftsman, Al Harary, the proprietor of Martin Albert Interiors here in New York, to re-upholster the chairs and create their slipcovers.
We selected Beacon Hill's Ashland in color Driftwood for a more traditional slipcover. The linen and wool blend is woven by a family-owned and operated Italian mill that was founded in 1934. Their artisanal approach to their craft is typical of Beacon Hill's suppliers; everything is custom made.
An Egyptian cotton and linen blend, Laurel Stripe in color Frost is the fabric we chose for the shorter, more modern slipcover. An American-made textile, Laurel Stripe illustrates how one American mill revived the lost art of weaving and finishing linen in the United States.
The chairs were reupholstered in Natural Linen in color Linen. This certified organic linen is made of flax cultivated in Dutch polders, land reclaimed from the sea. Such "virgin" soil has never known pesticides or chemical fertilizers. This fabric is finished without chemicals as well; it owes its supple hand to olive oil.
Two beautiful chairs! Much like a wardrobe, slipcovers can provide different looks for changing seasons or changing moods. Moreover, they can protect fine fabrics used to upholster special pieces.
You can bid on this pair of chairs or other items in Christie's Interiors Sale on June 21-22. To learn about Christie's online bidding, visit www.christies.com. To see the interview with Alexis on the art of the slipcover in the Christie's Interiors Sale Catalog, visit beaconhilldesign.com.