Displaying items by tag: decor

Cheekwood is taking important first steps towards the historic restoration of its Mansion, which is slated to debut in 2017. Further building on its reputation as “one of the finest examples of an American Country Place Era estates in the nation,” Cheekwood will refurnish the lower levels of the Mansion to reflect the lifestyle and setting of the 1930s era; originally used by its first residents, Mabel and Leslie Cheek, and designed by legendary landscape and structural architect Bryant Fleming. Several rooms in the 1929 Cheek family home will be restored to furnishings and décor representative of the original period, including rooms that have never before been on view to the general public.

To spearhead this initiative, Cheekwood has hired Leslie B. Jones as its new Curator of Decorative Arts & Historic Interpretation, following her time as the Curator and Director of Historical Resources and Programming for the White House Historical Association in Washington, DC.

From the utilitarian mid-17th century cabinets to the playful curves of the Louis XV style and the straight lines of the late 18th century, the upcoming exhibition “The 18th aux sources du design: Furniture masterpieces from 1650-1790” at the Palace of Versailles will offer visitors a crash course on the evolution of early furniture design.

The exhibition aims to showcase the avant-garde nature of some of the techniques and shapes used at the time by presenting the 100 or so items of furniture against a contemporary backdrop rather than the ornate Versailles décor, showcasing each piece as a work of art on its own right.