20 October 2009
Coco Chanel gained fame as a champion of the modern woman and her right to be comfortable. With a style whose hallmarks remain quality, functionality and modernity, Coco strikes us as someone who would have been right at home designing contemporary furniture. We've delved into into her life via the new movie about her pre-glory days, "Coco Before Chanel," and we can't stop thinking about her fashion-forward sense of style. We checked out her Paris apartment and can't help but wonder how she would be decorating today.
Check out this insider's look at the decor of her abode, then take a look at our picks for Coco's Paris pad circa 2009...
At Home with Coco Today
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| A modern approach to Coco's affinity for wheat. |
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| Gold patterns inspired by the Orient make Rosenthal's Persis collectionan apt choice for Ms. Chanel. |
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| A nostalgic interpretation of heirlom furniture done in extreme proprtions, style and, of course, quality. |
For Coco, the stalk of wheat meant either prosperity or fecundity, maybe both. Her gilt wheat table was a bit extreme for today's modern woman though. Coco could keep the allusion sans rococo edge with the thoroughly modern Wheat Stalk Pillow. Made with 100% Certified Organic cotton and filled filled with REFILL a recycled PET (beverage bottle) that emits zero measurable VOCs and helps reduce waste, this pillow delivers in form and function. $36.
To fulfill her unmistakable taste for gold and for the Orient, we've chosen Rosenthal's Persis collection as the dinnerware service for our modern Chanel. The filigree relief patterns are entirely hand-painted on porcelain, which speaks to Chanel's devotion to craft; and the entire collection is guided by themes of magic and mysticism, two topics that also guided the superstitious designer when she decorated. Unica Home.
To pick one item for Ms. Chanel from all that Boca do Lobo has to offer is difficult at best. We believe she might like any one of the company's limited edition works, but our top pick has to be the new Crochet chest. A jeweler forged hundreds of brass pulls into a crochet-like mesh that covers the entire surface of the gold leaf covered piece. Exclusively at Boca do Lobo.
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| Mirrored art. |
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| Fendi for the home would suit a modern-day Chanel. |
We guess that by 2009 Chanel's affinity for mirrors would have abated a bit, but a woman needs at least some reflective and glamorous surfaces in her home. Over-sized with even concentric proportions, the stars align for Coco's style and the Ray Mirror. $388.
One fashion icon might admire another, and Chanel's love for crystal (her place was dripping with it) may guide her gaze toward the Crystal Chair by Fendi. Faceted like a giant gem, this round curved chair has sculptural quality and timeless modern appeal, just like the lady herself. Prices start at $3,000.