Classic Wednesday, white and blue

Very few color combinations is as classic as blue and white. A combination that has been used since the time of the Ottoman Empire and in places as exotic as Morocco, it's been adopted by American Design since the longest time. Blue and white is a timeless combination of which one never gets tired, because as someone recently said: “it's in nature.” That is probably why we never get bored of it. Below are a few images of white and blue rooms dating back as old as 1966 to prove it.

Hotel Mystique in Santorini, Greece

Inman Cook 1966

Mario Buatta 1977

Madeleine Castaing via

Madeleine Castaing. God I love this lady!

Ceiling of The Blue Mosque in Turkey.

Oscar de la Renta gorgeous table setting via

Michael S. Smith
Below, more modern ways of using this combination today.

via Elle Decor

Two previous images Todd Alexander Romano's apartment recently featured in Architectural Digest February issue.

In a more transitional way by Miles Redd.

via Lush Belle

Mathilde Agostinelli at Home

After my last post, posting something like this is actually daring. I don't think the two of them can ever relate but I wanted to open the day with something more inspiring. Last week I made reference to the book of Madeleine Castaing which brought me back memories of this Paris flat designed collaboratively between Jacques Grange and its owner Agostinelli. This chic Parisian apartment, where Le Style Castaing can be appreciated at its best belongs to Prada executive Mathilde Agostinelli. You've probably seen it before since it was featured a few years ago in House & Garden. Its traditional furnishing is modernly displayed with colorful fabrics and modern pieces around the house. Castaing "Carrelage Castaing" carpet covers the entire apartment floor, making it a unified platform. The "Rayure Fleurie" fabric covers the walls in the master bedroom where a Lalanne table and stool are used (perhaps) as make-up station or writing desk(?) Because this house was featured in 2006 I wonder if it looks the same today. If I were Agostinelli I would not have changed a thing.

The urns on the mantle once belonged to Castaing.

Le Style Castaing

Last night I started reading World of Madeleine Castaingby Emily Evans Eerdmans and I can hardly put it down. It's the most interesting book I've read lately, maybe because it studies the fabulous and inspiring life and work of a fascinating French antiquaire and decorator who is still influential today. As an interior designer and a woman I love nothing more than a woman with strong will and individuality which Madeleine Castaing was a master of. What I especially love about reading this book is how easily I can transfer myself back to the 1920's to the cafe La Rotonde in Paris and almost watch Castaing, her husband Marcellin and her more than fabulous friends holding court and trading art for wine.

"It was interesting to witness the whole movement. Everyone was in Paris. Every language could be heard, and in the evening all the painters were at Montparnasse. What fascinated me was that I caught sight of Trotsky, Lenin, and the big Derain strutting around, too. Picasso, no, never. He didn't go down to Montparnasse much. He stayed in Montmartre." - Madeleine.

Recently I spotted two of Miles Redd's works that bear resemblance to Le Style Castaing.

Castaing's former antique store in Paris.

Below is Miles Redd's famous townhouse. Both have a very similar atmosphere.

Below, a part of Madeline Castaing's house. She was famous for her frequent use of blue.

Below, the gorgeous breath taking breakfast room designed by Miles Redd recently featured in Town and Country. Miles also favors the color blue.

Good quality design gets reinvented and reinterpreted every time. It never dies out.

images scanned by me from Town and Country.