Elegance is an attribute that I have always admired in
others, and at times tried to emulate myself, but somehow I feel it has always
eluded me – I have come close, but never close enough to be or feel truly
elegant. It is also an attribute we see less of now. There is a saying in
France that elegance is the privilege of age, so true - but women nowadays will go to all kind of
lengths to hang on to their youth rather than gracefully age and glide into a style that defines their age,
wisdom and experiences (I myself am guilty of trawling through endless websites
that promise recapturing youth). An elegant
women is one who is not only put together on the outside, but has an
assuredness about her that tells you she looks on her past life with good
humour, has no regrets and enjoys each waking moment to the full, because she appreciates
life. I think the battle with age should be fought philosophically, because no
amount of surgoen’s knife can obliterate the insecurities that plague women’s
minds. Wouldn’t it be wonderful, if we all accepted our age, revered the wisdom
that came with it, and effortlessly exuberated
elegance and style that younger generation could only wish for?
And just like truly elegant people are few and far between,
truly elegant interiors, or designers who know how to pull off an elegant style
are few and far between as well. One designer, who I have followed for more than
a decade is +Barbara Barry -(and when I say followed, I don’t mean in a horrible
stalking way but professionally kept up to date with her designs) - and I can
assuredly say about this lady that she has never, ever fallen short of elegance
in her personal style or her interiors. Her designs and style ethos always resonates
home with me. I always feel like ‘Yes! That’s how I would have done it’ every time
I see her interiors in a glossy magazine.
One thing I have in
common with Barbara is designing furniture – (she has her own line of furniture
and I designed lounge chairs for my long
lost enterprise) - and once you start
thinking about the lines of a piece of furniture and how it would sit among
other pieces and look from different angles, you start appreciating quality craftsmanship,
you understand proportion, symmetry and harmony – and that is where Barbara excels
in her craft - she has a very keen eye,
not only for style but she knows quality when she sees it and settles for nothing
less. Her interiors are perfectly put together, with harmony and balance, nothing
screams out - you step into one of her rooms and you know you have slipped into
faded elegant comfort of a bygone era.
