Duke of Duquette: Hutton Wilkinson

Hutton Wilkinson, the "Duke" of Duquette

This past week I spent some time with my friend Hutton Wilkinson. Name sound familiar? Well if you watch HSN he has a lot of jewelry and home decor items but what you don't know is that he's owner of the brand Tony Duquette, an interior design firm, brand of high-end fabric and furniture and also fine jewelry.

Tony Duquette was an interior design icon of the 20th century. Hutton joined Tony when he was 17 years old as an intern. After years of working together, then apart, they became business partners and when Tony passed in the 90s, Hutton became owner of the brand expanding into textiles and other items.

Hutton and I had dinner at Franco, drinks out and I visited him at SAKS Fifth Avenue earlier on in the week where he was showing his new line of fine jewelry and signing his new book. (see below).

Below are some images from the Tony Duquette brand and I hope you enjoy... !

Tony Duquette

Bullock's Department Store, ca 1935

What people don't realize is that Tony Duquette decorated the Chase Park Plaza.

All that remains are the conference rooms and the lobby of the older building,

The Chase Residences.

One of the gorgeous pieces Hutton designed for the fine jewelry line

available through SAKS Fifth Avenue.

Christmas is coming.. so buy not one but 10 of these books to give to your friends.

Available at your local bookseller or at Amazon.com

Interior of Tony Duquette's personal residence still in tact and part of the estate in L.A.

Gorgeous malachite rug designed by Hutton for Tony Duquette

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Woolworth-Wise

Priscilla Woolworth, a candid moment.

As a designer I'm constantly coming across websites to help not only design a person's environment, but also maintain and make that environment more nurturing. In my own life I'm taking steps to take care of myself in terms of food, nutrition and taking an active step in my small footprint to make sure I'm acting in a responsible way.

I spoke with Priscilla Woolworth a few weeks ago. Her website priscillawoolworth.com has so many great things you can use for your home to create a balanced and conscience lifestyle... I particularly love her blog where she shares her thoughts on seed collecting [something I did myself with my grandparents growing up on the farm]. Here's some things we discussed... and after reading, you'll fall in love with her just like I did.

Knowing that you spent the summers in Maine with your Grandmother… what were some traditional things you’d do each year that you’d look forward to?

I'd look forward to the Sunday lunch feast at her house. It was amazing! When I was younger: digging with a pitchfork in her rhubarb patch for worms and going fishing off one of her docks, and sitting in the middle of her vegetable garden eating her peas and strawberries. Playing Capture the Flag at night was de rigeure and everyone had to play; it was so much fun. Drives to the Maine coast for fresh steamed lobster at an authentic lobster shack, visiting Jamie Wyeth on his island, Union Antiques fair in August, and twice a week runs to the local farmer's market.

If you and I were to go to a farmer’s market near your house and I gave you a bag to do my shopping what would you fill it with for the week … and what would you avoid?

I would fill it with fresh farm eggs, organically grown fruit and vegetables in season and a bag of fresh mushrooms. I would avoid buying conventionally grown produce as much as I could and any produce not grown locally.

What inspired in life to influence the development of your website that has both an almanac and an online store?

Recently released photo from NASA of Earth.

Being a concerned citizen of the world, I wanted to do something to be part of the movement of change. A store on the Internet is an effective way of reaching many people beyond your own city and the almanac is the platform I use to share information on how to make changes to our lifestyle. The store provides the products that help make those changes possible and the almanac provides curated information about what is going on out in the world that is positive and inspiring.

What are some of your favorite memories of growing up in France?

St.Paul de Vence.

I had a magical childhood in the south of France. I was very lucky because I lived in this wonderful old Villa in Cannes, with many rooms to play hide and seek. I also spent a lot of time at my granparents's house which was at the foot of St.Paul de Vence. They had a huge fig tree I used to sit in and read the latest Tintin or Asterix and when I needed a break, I would walk up to the village and slide all the way down the hillside to a ravine at the bottom. I remember finding the sweetest peaches on a tree and bringing them back for my grandmother. She is still talking about those peaches! Eating Pan Bagnats on a picnic on an outing in the hills outside Cannes, picking cherries from trees by the sides of the roads, spying on Picasso in his garden in Mougins while I was on a playdate, and going to the farmer's market with my grandfather.

Knowing that you’re all about GREEN, what is one misconception that people have about going green and how do you dispel that thought?

It's much easier to make changes in your lifestyle than I thought it was going to be. Over the past 10 years, I have made changes gradually which have become the norm for me, rather than doing everything at once.

You have what I would call a creative lab at your house where you create and test things out for sale on your website. What are you testing or working on right now?

Since we are all polluting our houses with all manner of detritus we bring in, I am testing out a sticky doormat that pulls all the dirt off from the bottom of your shoes before you walk in the house. I also have some non-toxic shampoo and non-toxic lipstick that I am trying out. I test everything out before I carry it in my store or recommend it. I want to make sure it's worth your while and besides, I am my own best customer! I wouldn't sell anything I wouldn't use myself.

If you could give your girls one piece of advice to give to their children, what would it be?

Only buy what you really need. Make that choice wisely because everything we buy impacts the world.

Good advice, don't you think? Next time: some ideas for the upcoming Showhouse in St. Louis I thought you might enjoy.

Perfectly Pruned Plot... Part 2, the Gardens of Parkwood Estate

This base to an old garden armillary (the armillary part missing) was dated 10 years before Parkwood gardens. Adorned with Mr. McLaughlin's monogram, one could only assume the family brought this with them from their previous house. I noticed it while strolling the grounds.

In the last post, I showed the interior spaces of Parkwood Estate and now ... Part 2.. the gardens one of the few remaining grand garden designs in tact by Harries & Hall, Dunington-Grubb and John Lyle.

I've seen the gardens of royal palaces, the lovely estates of Winterthur, Vanderbilt (Ashville) and ones at Cheekwood. All have a story, all have a personality. I have never seen a garden like the one at Parkwood... there's an art deco surprise at the end... so look through all the photos.

I'll post these photos with a bit of commentary... but photos speak a thousand words... don't you think?

To the right of the entry of the house was this arbor with a 1930s statue at the end.

Some of the more interesting trees along the walk...

This window led from the dining room out to the gardens. Most rooms on the lower level led to the outdoors.

This ancient plant was pruned to allow visitors up the stairs and onto the terrace.

A spectacular shot of one of the statues in the Venetian Garden, Sam McLaughlin's private garden which could only be accessed or seen from his personal office. Rarely would visitors or even his family be allowed in this sanctuary.

Another view of the Venetian Garden.

Strolling, I shot this view of the back of the house.

One of many rose gardens, this one was near what was the vegetable and herb garden and also the white garden.

Are these not amazing?

At the end of the official tour, I climbed up onto a support and took this photo looking into the Venetian garden through the guarded and enclosed lattice work, sticking the camera precariously almost dropping it. It was worth it.

Like hallways in a house, a garden has to have a vista or a destination. Placing this pavilion at the end of a path makes the pedestrian want to go forward. A painting or sculpture at the end of a long hallway has the same effect.

The Sunken Garden now used for parties and weddings.

This was the children's tea house. The children would go and, with the help of a servant, learn the proper way of drinking tea and outdoor entertaining. Behind and attached is a gardner's storage shed.

A drink and a book (or my iPad) please.

Amazing no matter where you are on the property.

We walked and then came upon a surprise. Designed and built by John Lyle (the same one who added at the same time, the Art Deco bedroom for Sam McLaughlin in the previous post)

A pair of these urns flanked the pool house where we had lunch. What a way to enjoy a nosh looking over the reflecting pond. So relaxing.

Although deco in design, Sam McLauglin wanted to celebrate Canada so art deco inspired Canadian Geese were integrated into the wall fountain at the far side of the reflecting pool where Poseidon himself is making sure the garden is nourished with water.

Oshawa Gem: Parkwood Estate, Part 1

Parkwood Estate is located about an hour and a half drive from Toronto in the town of Oshawa. I'm breaking this post into two parts: 1. The House and 2. The Gardens.

R. Samuel McLaughlin was Chairman of the Board of General Motors(GM)-Canada and V.P. of GM worldwide. Parkwood was the family home of the McLaughlins (Sam, Adelaide and their 5 daughters) from 1917 until 1972. The 55-room house is one of the few surviving homes from the early 20th century and contains the majority of it's original interiors less some paintings that were donated to museums and some few minor bedrooms converted over to staff offices and storage.

Designed by the Toronto architectural firm of Darling and Pearson, Parkwood cost over $100,000 and the family employed 40 staff members to maintain the house and property.

I'll take you for a quick tour so please enjoy... I certainly did. Can I please go back now and move in?

The Billiard Room's woodwork is enhanced by the McLaughlin coat of arms.

The room is dominated by a large snooker table.

A sequence of upper-wall murals in the billiard room are based upon the McLaughlin family recreational activities, painted by well known Canadian artist Frederick S. Challener.

A portrait of Admiral Sir George Pocock, painted by Sir Joshua Reynolds, resides in the library... one of three paintings by Reynolds the family owned. (not shown)

The piano, bought at Eaton's was brought to the house. Thought to not be

'quite right'... it was shipped to Italy for painted ornamentation.

A room addition, the loggia was added onto and this sunny living room was

added for an additional entertaining spaces.

Note the parrots painted in the ornamentation of the ceiling.

Each bird is different... reinforcing attention to detail.

The arched loggia used to be the outdoor area.. the room addition was added only about 10 years after the house was built.

The back of the house shows the addition onto the loggia.

Three panels entitled The Enchanted Wood appears on the wall in the side hall. Painted by Canadian artist,

Frederick S. Challener.

Care for a game of bowling? This entertainment wing included a

family sitting room and greenhouse area (to the right of where this photo was taken).

This bowling alley integrated an early version of an automatic pin-setter for both five and ten pin bowling.

In the distance you can see the office area of Sam McLaughlin.

If you were standing where this photo was taken, behind you would

walk to the indoor pool and locker rooms

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The walls of the Dining Room were adorned with portraits of his 5 daughters.

One of his daughters was a painter and was influenced by the Group of Seven,

a group of well-known Canadian painters in the 20th Century.

Below, the painting 'After the Bath', 1889 by Paul Peel acquired eventually by Sam McLaughlin.

This painting catapulted the Canadian artist to fame after winning

a bronze medal for the painting in the Paris Salon of 1890.

The original painting is now in the Art Gallery of Ontario. A copy is here in its original place.

Bedroom designed by John Lyle (note: he also designed the Novia Scotia Bank Building which is now part of the Parliment Library complex.)

In the next posting... I'll share the gardens.. you won't want to miss it. I've never seen anything like it.