Room muse: Veronica Franco
The background: 16th century Italian poet and courtesan
The inspiration: A few weeks ago I was telling my friend Darcy about our plans to honeymoon in Venice and Florence, Italy. She exclaimed that I must see the film “Dangerous Beauty” (streaming on Netflix!) and described it as a “love letter to Venice.” It’s based on the true story of Veronica Franco and is one of those guilty pleasure movies – I completely ate it up. I also became an admirer of this incredible woman who wrote two volumes of poetry, founded a charity, and defended herself (successfully) against witchcraft charges.

“We danced our youth in a dreamed of city, Venice, paradise, proud and pretty, We lived for love and lust and beauty, Pleasure then our only duty. Floating them twixt heaven and Earth And drank on plenties blessed mirth We thought ourselves eternal then, Our glory sealed by God’s own pen. But paradise, we found is always frail, Against man’s fear will always fail. ” – Veronica Franco 

The feeling: Venetian overload
The elements: anything gilded or handpainted (with gold)

All vintage and Italian… Striped Rug via American Textile History Museum, Gondola Chaise via Hudson SuperMarket,  Handpainted Venetian Stool via John Jay Gredler, Vanity via Joseph Anfuso, Vanity Mirror via Verruno Antiques, Literary Classics via VandM, Screen via Lamberty

I’m bringing back the Room Muse series in 2012 and here’s the first installment. Happy weekend all!

The muse: Ernest Hemingway
The background: writer, hunter, manly man, husband (4x)
The inspiration: I’m reading The Paris Wife: “He was such an enigma, really – fierce and strong and weak and cruel. An incomparable friend and a son of a bitch. In the end, there wasn’t one thing about him that was truer than the rest. It was all true.” Completely absorbing.
The feeling: global, classic, masculine, warm, strong
The elements: animals, wood, glass, typewriter

All vintage… Table via VandM, Chair via Pariscope Design, Rug via Peter Pap, Gold Frame via Encore Prints, Chandelier via Buck House, Bear Trophy via Moonula ,Liquor Bottles via Hobart Collectables, Globe liquor bottle via FishboneDeco, Typewriter via Me Sew Juicy, Task Lamp via Hartong International, Ernest photo via The Hemingway Project.

My favorite part of doing these Person Place Thing posts? Falling into the rabbit hole. Luise Ranier, Anna Held, Flo Ziegfeld, The Great Zeigfeld, Joseph Urban, Mar-a-Lago… it quickly becomes an overload  of… well, awesomeness. 

Luise Ranier image via Brie, Luise Ranier’s Oscar Winning Performance, Mar-a-Lago Dining Room, Luise at Home

Singing cherubs via, Living Christmas Tree via, Carolean carved furniture via

Decorating my tree is an annual highlight. My mom gives us a new ornament each year so going through the collection is a trip down memory lane. I even have the clothespin reindeer that my cousin Em made for me when we were kids! BC and I went to dinner Sat night and then spontaneously decided to buy our tree on the way home. We turned on the holiday music, trimmed the tree, and lit our hallway with icicle lights!

Elsie Schuenemann, Pac-Man Tree, Aluminum Tree via Uber Modern