Tuesday Inspiration: Patrick Dunne, The Epicurean Collector

Southern Accents

Patrick Dunne is the owner and proprietor of Lucallus, a culinary antiques shop in New Orleans, as well as Breaux Bridge, Louisiana.

Although I have yet to visit his shop, I'm still very much inspired by his love of epicurean old things and also his philosophy. He writes with great intelligence and wit about history, antiques and all things culinary.

Coastal Chic

As an antique dealer, decorator and cultural analyst, Patrick Dunne has a lot to say about the art of fine dining and embracing objects from the past: "The dining table is the last retreat of the old values and more human scale of the past."

Southern Accents

He also says this: "The use and reuse of old things can be functional as well as beautiful.

People often think a kitchen has to be new and up to date, but food preparation is really an ancient process."

Southern Accents

In his own kitchen are a collection of copper pots, which he uses daily.

"I'm into using. I'm not much into display."

Coastal Chic

He designed this kitchen for a client who was looking to capture the light and color of Provence. Because Mr. Dunne also owns a house in Lyon, France, he has a feel and intimate knowledge for Mediterranean style and is a genius when it comes to color.

This is also where he scours the area for antiques to sell in his shops.

Southern Accents

In his own dining room, the walls are painted a pale pink so as to flatter his guests.

"I think that at the table there should always be a little drama, a touch of showmanship and lots of people."

"The carnival spirit should always inform."

Can you see why I'm so inspired?

Oh how I would love to visit his shop for inspiration, come home and create a tablescape, a 'la Patrick Dunne style!

Starting with beautiful, fine linen napkins...

...gorgeous sterling napkin rings.

Fabulous antique china and silverware...

...beautiful crystal too.

For now, I'll just have to be content with his book, The Epicurean Collector until I am able to visit New Orleans! You can order it here.

I leave you with another quote from Mr. Dunne:

"Like all history, the story of how we eat is really just another part of the long tale about being human, one necessarily full of vast communications and contradictions."

I'm joining Marty for Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life.

Still Life Musings

Whether designing a tablescape, arranging objects on a buffet, displaying collectibles, or staging the various mantels and tabletops in our homes, in essence we are creating our own still life art.

vignette design

Often times called a vignette or a "moment," we are experimenting with form, light and composition, just like an artist would.

Velvet and Linen

Maybe we aren't painting the scene we have created, however we are compelled to photograph our vignettes, forever capturing a still life moment.

vignette design

Whenever I arrange or stage objects, I am experimenting with different forms and how the light plays off the various textures.

For this still life photo, I had about five minutes of the late evening sun to work with.

vignette design

The early morning light was my muse for this photo...

vignette design

...as well as this photo.

vignette design

When creating a tablescape, I'm inspired by the still lifes painted by famous European artists like Gauguin, Monet and Cézanne, as well as the Dutch Masters.

Paulette Tavormina photo

The Dutch call it stilleven, the French call it nature morte, Its stilleben in German and natura morte in Italian. The very definition is "an arrangement of inanimate objects, such as flowers or fruit, in painting or photography."

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"Wine and Cheese Still Life"

What Katie Ate

"Still Life With Pomegranates"

Kevin Best photo

"Blood Orange Still Life"

vignette design

"Still Life With Pottery"

vignette design

"Still Life in Italian Cafe"

wikipedia

"Still Life With Flowers"

Flamant

"Kitchen Island Vignette"

flickr

Several years ago, we visited the studio of Paul Cézanne in Aix en Provence. I was fascinated by his collection of inanimate objects at the ready to arrange and paint.

Cézanne's "Still Life With Fruit Basket"

vignette design

Almost all of the art in our home is a still life, like this painting of roses and apples.

I guess I have always been drawn to them!

vignette design

As a blogger and an amateur photographer, the still life form, or vignette is what I am always trying to capture. Maybe I should change my name from "vignette design" to "still life design!"

Do you have a photograph of a still life or vignette from your home?

I would love to do a follow up post on this subject, featuring still lifes from other bloggers or followers. Please feel free to send me your favorite photo. I will link back to you when I post it.

I'm joining Marty for Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life.

Following My Own Advise!

Following my own advise from my previous post, I created a January centerpiece vignette for the dining room table. The runner is stenciled burlap from Bella Inspirations.

Dressing up the paperwhites are birch "sleeves" from Pottery Barn, last year. Birch pillar candles keep with the theme.

Mercury glass hurricanes and candleholders add a little glamour to the rustic centerpiece.

My favorite mercury glass candleholder though is this one, a gift from my special friend and fellow blogger Netierose at After Glo Vintage Baubles.

I am glad to put away the Christmas greens and flowers. I've been waiting a while to use the burlap runner, and no doubt it will show up again in a future tablescape!

The hutch got a January makeover too. Gone is the red transferware, replaced by neutral brown tranferware and white ironstone. More mercury glass, this time as mini vases holding white flowers, leftovers from the Christmas arrangements.

In the living room, the mantel is a work in progress. I got rid of the dried up cedar garland, but kept the burlap for now.

A few family photos are a nice transition from the Christmas mantel decorations.

Later, I'll put away the burlap and photos and simplify the mantel for Spring.

I'm not even thinking of Spring yet, but learning to love the simple beauty of Winter in January.

I'm joining Marty for her 46th Tabletop Tuesday at A Stroll Thru Life.

I'm also joining Kim at Savvy Southern Style for her BTB Party for the first time.

Be sure and check out both blogs for lots of ideas and inspiration.

Christmas Tree Grove Tablescape 2010

Christmas Tree Grove by Spode, was the star attraction for my Christmas tablescape 2010.

A variation of the classic and most loved Christmas Tree, it is it's dressed-up cousin!

All season long, I planned on using my Tartan plaid plates. Until I fell in love with these!

Is it weird to fall in love with a plate?

Well, I did! And I fell hard! Smitten by a plate!

Mr. A was all too happy to call the newest set of plates my Christmas gift!

It worked for him--he didn't have to hit the malls!

A departure from the usual red and green theme, the Christmas Tree Grove pattern has a lovely border of roses in subtle colors, giving it richness and warmth.

I used a combination of red, purple and green stemware to bring out those colors.

I used Santa napkins from World Market last year. They compliment the plates perfectly.

For the centerpiece I used a brown linen runner layered with fresh greens. In the middle, a copper wine bucket with fresh flowers of the season bring out the brown in the plates.

Christmas Tree Grove by Spode. Isnt' she a beauty?

Plates: Replacements, Ltd.

Chargers: Target

Silverware and stemware, vintage

Napkins and copper wine bucket: World Market

Linen runner: Pottery Barn

Savvy Southern Style for Wow Us Wednesday

 Stroll Thru Life for Tabletop Tuesday
Between Naps on the Porch for Tablescape Thursday.