Jan.

19

Me & Madeleine

Madeleine Castaing

Style maker. Taste maker. Trend setter. From what I’ve read about the eccentric and glamorous antiques dealer and decorator, Madeleine Castaing, I’m not so sure that she would describe herself that way. After all, history teaches us that trailblazers forge new paths rather than accept conventional wisdom and they don’t compromise their aesthetic for anyone. That’s why we admire them. They march to the beat of their own drum, and they inspire us to have the courage to do the same.

Dolce & Gabbana

Madeleine was one of the most admired decorators in 1950s Paris, and with no formal interior design training succeeded in creating some of the most iconic rooms in the contemporary, neo-classical tradition with brushes of that trademark Castaing whimsy and practicality.

Aerin Lauder's Hamptons Home

Her decorating style, which became known as Le Style Castaing featured her trademark blues & greens, black lacquer, and the infamous ocelot carpet, or leopard print, which is still popular today, not only in fashion, but also in interiors.

Ashley Whitaker

I know some design bloggers rail against touches of leopard as a design element in modern interiors, but I’m with Madeleine on this one. Visit me at home and you will see a faux leopard throw in the family room, a piano bench cushion covered in leopard in the living room, and accents of leopard in the guest powder room.

Miles Redd

And it appears I am not alone because influential tastemakers like Miles Redd and Michael Smith are fans, as well as other designers who found it chic to add a bit of leopard for subtle impact in places like a children’s room and even in their own bedroom.

Susanna Salk's Room for Children

On safari, the leopard is the elusive cat that you spend your evenings hunting for and when you discover one, usually hanging out in a tree, you sense the elegance and confidence of the Big 5 cat, but on reflection, the leopard still remains a mystery. And wasn’t it Madeleine who once said, “Beauty in a room derives from a touch of mystery”?