A picture perfect royal tableau
CHELSEA, SOUTH WEST LONDON— It’s 5.30 p.m. on a snowy afternoon and we’re famished, having just completed a long day’s filming for the BBC.
If truth be known, our nerves are jangled after an icy drive from the city in weather that took the U.K. quite by surprise. Yup, it’s been a long day and, hell mend us, we need some R&R. And we fancy some beer. Some British beer. We’ve heard The Markham, long since favoured by London’s cooler echelon, has undergone an extensive refit, but we’ve yet to see the results. Or indeed sup from its hallowed pumps.
Fascinated to observe if the venue meets expectation, we battle a path through darkened doors where we’re met by a sea of black lacquered woodwork, ox blood leather upholstery and heady atmospherics. Lighting is dim but service is swift; within moments we’re seated and espying the Capital’s chic clique settled in every nook and cranny. The “brasserie with a twist” (re the design) is the perfect backdrop against which a veritable Who’s Who of media types and politicians are draped languidly at every turn. The open-plan kitchen is alive with a frenzy of chefs, diligently preparing the delicate, elegant comestibles that have jettisoned this pub’s reputation from good food to great food.
Thrilled to have an edgy new player on Chelsea’s gastronomic landscape, we scan the beer menu as a server takes our order then scuttles off to find our selection. Ah, it’s lovely being home in London, if only for a few short days.
When our beers arrive, we nuzzle their fluffy crowns and, with a jolt of alcohol hitting the mark, the stresses of a long day begin to drift, set loose amongst the buzz of the hot ticket destination. And then we notice him. Or rather them. Hell’s bells, is this a mirage? Is The Markham beer 100 per cent alcohol by volume? Our tired eyes pulling focus, we gaze first upon Prince Harry, brother of the future king, and then at his elegant dining companion, a rather dapper looking David Beckham. Sitting in a corner they’re being diligently “ignored” by other guests, although a thousand eyes are peeking over menus and, surreptitiously, through newspapers. We’ve been introduced to Harry on a previous occasion, but we don’t make a fuss, choosing only to nod when he spots us; he smiles back and continues to chatter with his close friend, the King of British football.
So what does our royalty/soccer sighting have to do with design, we hear you ask? Well, the mission throughout today’s column is to examine decorative tableaus and we’ll come back to Harry and David in just a mo. In the meantime, we hear you ask, what is a tableau? Well, a tableau is the bigger sibling of a vignette, a perfectly arranged area that can be observed from every perspective without losing visual clout.
A good tableau consists of various things: aspects that don’t necessarily share the same logic but which, somehow (when positioned together) “gloss” the overall vision. A classic tableau might be a bench, for example, dressed either side with a pair of lamps or chairs. This in mind, we can’t help remark upon the background vista where David and Harry are sitting. Sure, it’s a well decorated corner in an undeniably stylish bar, but as the lads leave it looks somehow lacking. Minus its stylish human props it just isn’t the same. And that, you see, is where good design comes alive; seen at its best when filled with people, it’s this very human content that takes the tableau to the next level.
As the celebrated duo vacates, we reach for our laptops and access relevant tableau visuals which we can use to extrapolate our point. And, after ordering another round of beers, we jot down some notes to bolster our editorial. We concur that the essence of good design is all about ensuring one’s work is as much about style as it is function. All you’ll need to bring each tableau alive (aside, obviously, from the component parts) are your friends and family. Here’s how . . .
TABLEAU ONE
Faking it: We embellished the previously white doors (and skirtings) using a faux timber finish; doing this bolstered their importance and avoided the upheaval of removal and replacement. If you’re handy, feel free to tackle a project like this using a graining kit but, if you’re unsure, consult a paint effects expert for a hassle free, professional job.
Pattern forming: If you aspire to maximum transformation, swap plain walls for pattern. Not, perhaps, for the faint hearted, this stately look exudes chateau chic and imbues our project with an air of sophistication and breeding. Look closely in the mirror and you’ll see we used cocoordinating fabric for the drapes; as far as we’re concerned, certainly, more is more with this particular style.
Focal pointing: We lavished the tableau by hanging an ornate mir- ror; this acts as an anchor piece and focuses attention. Just as a fireplace often dictates where furnishings should be dressed, our bold specification provides the perfect kick-off point in front of which to arrange furniture. You’ll find a great range of reproduction mirrors at Tanya’s (www.tanyas.ca). Pop in store or shop online.
Twin win: Two slipper chairs face each other and, in doing so, create a relaxed corner where quiet conversation could surely flow. We specified a two-tier occasional table to provide a link and it beautifully compliments the chairs and, indeed, the grand wall mirror. Tip: Creating a tableau is actually rather fun; move furniture around to establish different shapes and layouts and don’t stop until everything appears to fit.
Roll out the rug: In this application, an area rug doesn’t simply add texture, it effectively builds an island. When buying rugs you a have a couple of options; either select off-the-shelf product (and pay for the privilege) or grab roll stock and tailor it to suit your scheme. Tip: For this transformation we used an off-cut of natural flooring and had it detailed with red edging tape; the rosy banding echoes our paper and provides immediate connectivity between walls and floor.
TABLEAU TWO
Padded doors: Okay, so this is a client specific feature but its inclusion makes a statement and serves as the perfect compliment to a padded headboard (in the same faux leather finish) further into the room. We enjoy adding unexpected features when our paymasters are sufficiently brave, and the doors, as part of this tableau, certainly capture attention.
Chair: Visit consignment stores or charity outlets and you’re sure to find Queen Anne or wingbacked chairs in various finishes and condition. We’d expect to pay around a $150 for a tatty example and, as long as padding meets modern fire standards, they’re relatively easy to recover in your choice of material. Prices will vary from $350 for basic fabric, although the tooling cost to attach leather or vinyl will probably be higher.
Occasional tables: We mixed two distinct styles: an Eileen Grey side table and a Venetian Art Deco pedestal, and, while their lines are strikingly different, they sit comfortably as part of our vision. Tip: The logic behind a good tableau is to mix and match different elements, so consider building a mood board (scan www.your home.ca for a previous column on this very subject) to evaluate all your options.
Lamp and flowers: Using a lamp sourced from The Bombay Company we addressed mood lighting but tweaked it slightly to reference red, our accent colour. Grosgrain ribbon, attached to the shade’s perimeter with velcro, provides a little pop and its inclusion relates to the roses that sit on the Venetian table and the cushion that adorns the chair. Tip: Cross referencing like this is a simple way in which to make coherent statements across your scheme. What’s more, because we used velcro instead of glue, our clients can easily tweak their scheme further down the line with yellow ribbon, cushion and daffodils or green ribbon, cushion and chrysanthemums.
Artwork: What is important here is more the placement of pictures rather than the images. These, of course, will be personally selected as you set your own esthetics. Notice how both pieces are positioned at the same height, directly above each of the tables — their addition, effectively, creating sub vignettes within the greater tableau. Our project isn’t simply pushed into the available space, everything is afforded its own importance and everything relates in some way to everything else.
Whether you can tempt the young Mr. Windsor for tea (to enjoy your tableau, of course) remains to be seen . . . but one thing’s for sure; master our missives and you’ll soon be king or queen in your own royal household. And as for Mr. Beckam? Let’s not spend too much time focusing on his H&M knicker ads. Hey, might a couple of those posters, shrunk to fit, be the perfect artwork for the above category? Talk about keeping your eye on the ball! Back of the net — we’ll see you next week! Colin Mcallister and Justin Ryan are the hosts of HGTV’S Colin & Justin’s Home Heist and the authors of Colin & Justin’s Home Heist Style Guide, published by Penguin Group (Canada). Follow them on Twitter @colinjustin or on Facebook ( Colinandjustin). Check out their new candle range at www.candjhome.co.uk. Contact them through their website, www.colinandjustin.tv.