A Modern Regency Fantasy?

My oh my! Wouldn't you say this home is rather... exuberant? And it certainly does catch one's eye. The two rooms were decorated in the late 1950s by Raoul Guiraud, a Parisian decorator.

Let's start with the dining room. It has a lot of my favorite elements: a tented ceiling; striped walls; Greek key motif. If I were to mix all three together in one room, I'd err on the side of subtlety. But I don't think that's what M. Guiraud had in mind. Instead, he chose bold blue stripes and a large scale Greek key. It's like a Neoclassical/Regency fantasy. Had George IV been alive in the 1950s, I think this is what his dining room would have looked like!

The salon seems to be more evocative of 1950s design. Guiraud chose a gutsy blue for the walls, pale blue carpet for the floor, and a bold blue, black, and orange print rug. The large scale black and white toile used for the cushions is an interesting contrast against the black upholstered furniture.

So, what do you think? Chic? Over the top? Just plain tacky? Though the look is too flamboyant for me, I admire Guiraud's bold point of view. What about you?


The dining room (this image and that at top)


A view of the Salon