one of my favourite wallpapers is the grand PEMBROKE DAMASK by Clarence House-
Here-at Nantclwyd Hall- John Fowler used Double Damask, (later known as Pembroke Damask.-but more about this later) The hall was given an oversized dentil when redesigned in the 1960's. Fowler balances the dentil with the Damask in a brown and white colourway-the Prince faced many of these balancing tricks throughout the decorating process at Nantclwyd. I love the mellow brown of the paper- picking up the oak colour in the doors. Everything works here, the beautifully framed portraits, the worn patina of the desk and the pair of chairs. This is just one of the spaces that Fowler comes across as a "Working Designer." He actually joined the project after Sir Clough Williams-Ellis, the architect, had added these oversized dentils, which by the way, I like, because the wallpaper is so perfect. Fowler found some of the juxtapositions Williams-Ellis added as obstacles to his work-another common problem designers face in decorating. The rooms Fowler completed are another example of his= Working It Out- beautifully resolving the issues. Though Fowler saw the rooms as moderately sized, he wisely decorated them as full blown Georgian rooms.
Keith Irvine-legend in his own right- studied with Fowler for several years and recounts his initial interview with Fowler. Having written the Prince a number of times- 'You are the only person in the world I want to work for.' Adding in his wonderful book Keith Irvine- A Life in Decoration- that "he has advised many people over the years to try the same ploy, since for me it worked." Fowler pointed out Irvine's lack of any design knowledge and passed on the young apprentice. Three weeks later the call came- Can you start on Monday? Anyone with an interest in John Fowler must read Irvine's book! His Introduction alone is priceless. I will save the details for your own perusal- but, he sums his work for Fowler up by saying it was "part paradise and part reign of terror!" It is obvious that he learned a lifetime of experiencefrom the Prince in the several years he worked with him. Imagine! Irving went on to a brief disappointing stint with Sister Parish in the States and opened his own firm.Irvine's English country house look in America has graced many homes: Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis, Katharine Graham and Rex Harrison to name a few.
following in the Fowler tradition, designer Keith Irvine uses Clarence House's Pembroke Damask in this townhouse foyer. The John Fowler hand blocked paper- Double Damask- one in the same. Keith Irvine shares the Damask's Story:
"Fowler had discovered old fragments of this paper at Wilton House in Wiltshire when he was working there for the Earl of Pembroke, and he prevailed on the wallpaper company Coles to cut new blocks for it. As far as I know, it is the most expensive wallpaper in the world-but probably not!" The version of Pembroke Damask Irvine uses is a sharp salmon colour with white pattern and he has paired it with a paneled dado to beautiful effect.
I have recently discovered that new blogger MAGPIE worked with Keith Irvine through a comment left on a previous little augury post on Fowler and Haslam-"I love both these designers. I long for a return of interesting window treatments. Let us hope they come back soon. I worked for Keith Irvine, who started his career with John Fowler. He also was a founder of Clarence House. I'm extremely proud to be a little bit in that bloodline. The great traditional designers are the most creative, imaginative and wild, really. Just wonderful." dandy
I hope in future-"dandy will regale us with some authentic Fowler- Irvine stories.Visit here.
and thank you Dandy-aka Magpie for inspiring this post.
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