From the Archives number 2

I love any reference to Venice and the 17th century. I enjoy looking back to that truly romantic period in  history, when rakish fops in damask coats were plotting revolutions. I am pleased I don't live in those turbulent times but I still like to make reference to them in interiors. This interior comes from a fabulous book written in praise of textiles, one of my guilty pleasures.  I confess I purchased this book because of this illustration.  I believe the room is in a New York apartment belonging to Vito Giallo, originally he was a graphic designer, who established a gallery, known as the Loft Gallery and was responsible for giving  Andy Warhol his first one man show in New York. With those credentials he went on to establish an antique shop  on 3rd Avenue. Giallo had a great eye for interesting objects and collected items that gave him pleasure. This fabulous understated room has plain cream coloured walls providing a background for  the interesting objects. A flush panelled door is put to use as a space to display gilt frames containing monochrome drawings.  The whole length right down to the ground is used, the bottom is just an empty but lovely shaped frame. Above the door is a gilt wall bracket that holds two vases, another great use of space. The main part of the image is gold and olive green stencilled canvas panels, that have been attached to the built in cupboard doors. The background of the doors have been painted a sludgy green colour to frame the panels. It doesn't matter that the patterns don't match, it makes them more intriguing. The caption in the book suggests that the panels are Venetian. The motifs are chinoiserie in style and the gold pigment glints in the light. An unusual counterpoint is the twig style chair. 
The image is from Textile Style, decorating with antique and exotic fabrics. Written by Caroline Clifton-Mogg, with photography by Andrew Wood. Published in 2000 by  Jacqui Small