In-House Couturière on … CURTAINS

As Dorothy said at the final curtain call of The Wizard of Oz, "There's no place like home." I hear you, Sister! After the must traumatising or tiring of days, home wraps me in a huge heartwarming cuddle, even before the first glass of wine is poured. I love my fortified castle of kaleidoscopic cosiness with furnishing treasures from a mish mash of eras, collected from a life zigzagging across borders and continents. World of Interiors feature-spread it is not!

Tweed Tea & Wellies meets Cirque du Soleil

In the  living room alone, there’s a George Kovacs Arc Floor Lamp c1970, French slat armchair c1800 (its twin in the dining room), oversized crewelwork upholstered armchair, hot pink velvet upholstered Queen Anne armchair (its twin in my bedroom), Téo Jasmin tea ceremony cushion, hand-painted faïence lamp from the Provencal perched village, Moustiers-Sainte-Marie, antique brown leather sofa, original tiled fireplace c1890, and an oversized patterned hot pink velvet ottoman, only marginally smaller than the average London apartment. Each piece beautiful in its own right... but collectively just a rotating stage and some high-wire acrobats away from being the latest set for Cirque du Soleil. And I love it!

The curtains however are my bête noire. Like the hopeful young things rejected on Britain's Next Top Model for being 10cm too short, unfashionably thin and just plain dull… my curtains are seriously lacking Star Quality!  If that wasn’t bad enough, they worse heat retention qualities than Emilio Pucci pajamas (although nowhere near as stylish). I can almost hear you shouting at the computer, “Get NEW curtains then!!” Believe me, I would... but potential post-cognitive nervousness prevails. Next to the sofa, curtains are a room’s centre of gravity. Make the wrong decision and that’s one big elephant sitting in your room. Much easier to be a cowardly lion and live with a donkey.

Then winter arrived and now my horse's derriere is freezing. Enough's enough. I have to open the window and kick that short, thin donkey out once and for all. After a quick mental flip through my Rolodex of Style, I realised there were only two people who could help me through this milestone. Interior designer and textile specialist, Melinda Ross and the entire European race. Quick credentials check.

Melinda has been working in the textile industry for almost 30 years, and as such clicks her ruby slippers three times a year, landing in Europe to attend design exhibitions; Maison et Objet (Paris), Decorex (London) and Milan Furniture Fair. Like the main international fashion shows, these are the high profile catwalks for furniture, fabric and homewares to showcase their latest and greatest. Travel envy to one side, Melinda's quintessentially elegant style, close relationships with Europe's best textile mills and encyclopedic knowledge of interiors history make her the Queen of Curtains.

Naming Europeans as curtain aficionados is hardly "Quelle surprise!" With vast, drafty castles on every hilltop, European silk mills and ateliers interwoven with history and centuries of Royal Courts swagged in voluptuous fabric....suffice to say, ther’ is couture in them thar’ curtains.

With field trips to castles now a 15,000 flight away, Melinda was appointed my In-House couturier.  "Get some couture curtains up now!!" I yelled (in my head). But wait. First a road trip to Melinda's Ballarat home to decide between French pleats, Pencil Pleats or Eyelets. I always thought eyelet finished curtains were the antithesis of  luxuriousness, but Melinda's curtains tell a different story. Grand billowy fabric falling from over-sized metal eyelets into sumptuous fabric puddles are the epitome of how the classics are traversing modernity. Okay that decision made. Oh and puddles please!!  Next stop, Melinda's Daylesford showroom, Topham Traders, to view her stunning range of pre-made curtain (who has the time to wait 4 weeks to get curtains made?!). This must be what Anna Wintour feels like sitting on the front row of Fashion Week; torn with indecision over which moment of fabuousness to put on the next front cover of Vogue. Sensing we were in for the long haul, Melinda popped on the kettle, pulled up a cushion and walked me through details of the latest curtain trends coming out of Europe.

Romanticism (1712 - 1864)
Romance is back! Well thank goodness… my love life has been seriously dull over the last few years and is desperately in need of some poetic justice. It does seem ambitious to expect one’s curtains to act as the fabric equivalent of Match.com, but if the Style Aficionados of France, the world’s most romantic nation, say so… I’m there.

Topham Traders, Valentino, Van Gogh

The return to the Romanticism Era for inspiration in interiors (and fashion) is a natural response to the uncertainty and unpredictability of the world we live in. A reaction not dissimilar to Europeans subconscious quest for reprieve from the over-intellectualised, scientific vernacular of the Enlightenment era (1633 – 1792), the greed of the First Industrial Revolution (1750 – 1850) and political intensity of the French Revolution. With seemingly simplistic insight, the Romanticism movement reminded the world of the importance of emotion and beautiful aesthetics, using the symbolism of Nature as its heroine. It’s interesting how life goes full circle, and the reminders that were needed two-three hundred years ago are just as relevant today.

Flayosc, Provence

As new centuries and eras came and went, the French held on to their Romantic side. To my delight, I discovered this first hand within weeks of moving to Provence. Back then international bank transfers were positively archaic, my money got lost somewhere between NZ and France. There I was at Christmas time in the little village of Flayosc, with no furniture, bare cupboards and snow barricading my front door. So I stood on the Juliette balcony overlooking the village square and shouted “Au secour! Au secour!” Not great for first impressions, but desperate times, desperate measures. Finally the local baker and his wife came to my rescue.  An hour, two hot chocolats and a mountain of butter-crisp croissants later, in the local café, I shared my dire financial situation with Monsieur and Madame Baker. Their subsequent advice was priceless, “If you’re down to your last 10 Francs, spend it on flowers, not baguettes. Flowers will give you more hope.”  Two days later the Bakers arrived at my doorstep with six dining chairs and a Van Gogh Poppies & Butterflies print. Their heartwarming generosity and kindness is forever embroidered in my memory.

So it's not surprising that with Romanticism causing a revolutionary hubbub in the interiors world, French fabric houses are leading the charge. Even Valentino is turning his couture gowns into a tribute to the Great Love In. As if introducing me to a date with destiny, Melinda opened the antique armoire full of French Romanticism-inspired curtains, with an arm waving flourish. There tucked inside  all with warm intimate colour palettes, embroidered detailing and floral accents. Its like Van Gogh himself had a  hand in weaving together these romantic settings. I do love a little Romance. Also in the back of my head is Mother saying, "Hurry up with the Romance. We're not getting any younger!"

Renaissance (1453-1650)
If there’s one period throughout time that deserves a curtain call, encore and flowers, it’s Renaissance. The blockbuster era of over-achievement; let’s see…Christopher Columbus discovered America, Michelangelo painted the Sistine Chapel and William Shakespeare wrote his way into history. With all these Type A personalities dominating the limelight, it would be easy to overlook one of the fashion and fabric world’s most influential icons; Anne Boleyn (1501-1536). Forget her snippy and controlling ways; this girl was one seriously fashion-forward A List Celebrity. Her most gutsy move; mixing classic Tudor heavy baroque brocade and beading with delicate metallic silks… in one garment! The Royal Court must have been aghast at such audacity, but Milanese silk mills saw the vision. Prago. Prago. Prago. Et Voilà! Metallic threaded silks are immortalized as a symbol of Renaissance style.

Topham Traders, Anne Boleyn, Dolce & Gabbana AW 2012

Now history is repeating itself with elaborate Renaissance–inspired fabrics inheriting this year’s diamond tiara of glamour.  On international catwalks across Milan, Paris and London, models donned richly embroidered black capes, metallic silk brocade, jeweled headbands and tapestry shoes.  The crowning glory being Dolce & Gabbana’s sumptuous autumn 2012 collection. A medieval affair filled with art inspired tapestry, elaborately embellished brocade, heavy jewels, thick gold embroidery and all the lavishness of the Renaissance infused with D&G’s signature sleek and sexy aesthetic.

Equally as noble, Alice Temperley and Caravan AW 2012 collections were just a Tudor castle away from Renaissance decadence at London Fashion Week. Models wrapped in Renaissance paintings transformed the catwalk into an elaborate meandering museum. I’m not sure about wearing a modern museum piece, but having one framing my windows sounds wonderful. Renaissance curtains might not be Romantic, but they certainly have sex appeal.

So which curtain style will turn my home into a castle? Am I a Renaissance girl or deeply Romantic? Such a difficult choice, but I've finally decided to channel my inner royal and go all Renaissance. New curtain rods go up next week then the Coronation. So that's curtains pulled on romance then.

Theresa... will you EVER be bridesmaid?

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