Saturday, September 21, 2013

Naguib Abd Allah, Eaton Square


The Yellow Salon in the London apartment
of Naguib Abd Allah, overlooking Eaton Square.
Photo by Derry Moore for Architectural Digest.
These Derry Moore photos are from the January, 1995, issue of Architectural Digest showing the apartment of Naguib Abd Allah decorated by London interior designer Francis Roos.  "What with my Italian and French fabrics, things from several other houses and pieces from an Egyptian palace, I arrived in London with enough to fill a whole furniture store."  He added, "Francis Roos has helped me enormously."

The Boulle-marquetry-and-lacquer cabinet
once belonged to Coco Chanel.
Photo by Derry Moore.
Gold plays an important role in the décor, not just in the color of the fabrics, but also with the use of gold leaf and ormolu.  Abd Allah asked for a "yellow salon," the text revealed, to create a jewel box to house his objets d'art, paintings and silver.  This is undoubtedly an effective scheme in the often-gloomy climate.  For added light reflection, an off-white velvet-pile carpet appears to cover all the floors with small antique rugs added for interest.

A detail of a corner of the Yellow Salon.
Photo by Derry Moore.
In the Yellow Salon, the same gold silk damask is used for the walls, primary curtains, and two sofas, with gold velvet used for the other seating, and a paler gold used for the under-curtains.  Note that the largest sofa is placed against the chimney breast (with the fireplace apparently covered over), creating a seating group with a similar sofa opposite and another with a Boulle-style frame;  it is an unconventional furniture plan for a traditional townhouse, but it works to facilitate conversations.

The Lion's Room.
Photo by Derry Moore.
A smaller sitting room, the Lion's Room, is a more intimate space.  "The walls are ornamented with small trompe-l'oeil marble panels (painted by Mark Ram) framed by mouldings.  Bands of 'carved' stone, which in fact were stenciled, act as friezes around the large fresco-like painted panels."

Another view of the Lion's Room.
Photo by Derry Moore.
In relating the design process, Roos explained, "We had thought of a space entirely in faux-marbre, but that seemed slightly over the top.  The creation of a stenciled stone frieze added the necessary softening element."

The Library-Dining Room.
Photo by Derry Moore.
"My primary aim in decorating the apartment has been to maintain the ideal of grandeur I absorbed in the homes of my childhood, " Abd Allah was quoted.  Roos designed the Library to also be used as a dining room for to accommodate twelve.

A late-Victorian English gilt door knocker
and ormolu candlesticks are reflected in an
18th-century French silver mirror.
Photo by Derry Moore.
"I have friends all over the world, and my wish is to keep a permanently open house here in London, where visitors can turn up and stay for a time, just as they still do in Egypt," Abd Allah related in the article by Charlotte Aillaud.

The Master Bedroom.
Photo by Derry Moore.
A four-poster bed was requested by the client, but the designer made it largely of upholstery for a softer visual effect than the rest of the apartment.  The retour d'Egypte stools covered in tiger velvet are 19th century French.

The Master Bath.
Photo by Derry Moore.
Another client request was to have a Victorian style bath.  Faux bois gives the effect of rich paneling and the wallcovering was printed with 19th century wood blocks giving the effect of damask.  The last sentence of the article sums it up, "For Naguib Abd Allah is a man who is deeply respectful of the past yet completely frank in his appreciation of the present."

Naguib Abd Allah's Egyptian villa on the edge of the Nile, a home very different from his London apartment, may be seen on photographer Ivan Terestchko's blog, Visual Diary, here and here. 

If Devoted Readers are familiar with the name of Naguib Abd Allah, it may be because of the very public relationship he once had with Mrs. Pierre Schlumberger, the wife of the billionaire oil industry tycoon.  (More about the decorating tastes of Sao Schumberger will be featured in a future post of The Devoted Classicist, but the back story on the lady and her loves may be read in Bob Colacello's article "The Wow of Sao" from the September, 2010, issue of Vanity Fair here).

18 comments:

  1. Hi John
    What a perfect start to a Sunday morning. Earl Grey and a new Post to read from my favourite Blog! Thanks again for another well composed article with pictures to match.
    A real pleasure.
    Have a great weekend
    Simon

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Simon, what a coincidence that you are building a miniature of a terrace house on Eaton Square. I'll be checking back on your blog to watch the progress.

      Delete
    2. Yeah, spooky right? Hence my appreciation of this particular post.
      Regards

      Delete
  2. The Library! and the fabric on the sofa...!! just beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. J., I neglected to mention that fabric specialist Kirstin Williams was employed on the project.

      Delete
  3. Well...certainly the spoils of Lost Love! Poor Pierre, Poor Sao! More ill gotten gains than Princely pass me downs...but then Interiors are based on ONES fantasies.

    That said...I do love all the parts that make the whole! Certainly a look we seldom see anymore, redolent of a Lost Splendour!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. T.S., a less seldom look at the shoe on the other foot, one might say, no? Thank you for commenting.

      Delete
  4. I got a lump in my throat reading this. What beauty and taste! And what generosity and hospitality shown to his friends! What a world gone by!
    What taste; and what an eye for understated elegance. Poignant and touching and a lost world!
    Had I been Mrs. Schlumberger; I am afraid I would have run away and been in some
    hiding place with him!

    I know nothing of these people; except what you have shown me! Lump still in place.

    ReplyDelete
  5. "Lost Splendour" Indeed!

    Well said, Swan!

    Well said.....a less seldom look at the shoe on the other foot, as well!
    Lump still there. Probably stuck.

    Penelope

    ReplyDelete
  6. Agree with Penelope! Delicious post, rooms, the color, the colors, thank you!

    ReplyDelete
  7. What beautiful fabrics and beautiful interiors. It's interesting how browns — even in the paintings — take on a golden glow in these rooms.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mark, photographer Derry Moore is famous for depicting what at least appears to be natural light in his photographs. (I am not sure if the casts of late afternoon light in the Lion's Room are actually natural or not). But this is a good example of his work. Thanks for commenting.

      Delete
  8. Very, very beautiful. The bedroom was almost a disappointment though. It looks a little chilly by comparison with the other rooms!

    ReplyDelete
  9. Gesbi, they wanted a contrast, the text said, for the Master Bedroom, and they succeeded on that term. For a neutral scheme to be successful, I think, it needs architecture, either in terms of the actual building or the furniture.

    ReplyDelete
  10. John, I love the style of this London flat- so opulent, and yet so warm and inviting!

    ReplyDelete

Your interest in this blog is appreciated. Other commitments might prevent an immediate response to your comments or questions. That does not lessen the value of the blog reader's input, however. Only comments relating to the current post are eligible for publication; non-relevant comments and promotional references will be deleted. Contact me at johnjtackett@gmail.com regarding other questions. Anonymous comments cannot be accepted.