LENOX, Massachusetts – A curator who specializes in historical decoration, Lisa Singleton Boudiette, will present her talk on “Colfax & Fowler, Legendary Designers of the English Country House Style.”
She will make her visual presentation on Zoom, offered by the Ventfort Hall Mansion & Gilded Age Museum on Friday March 12th at 11:00 AM as part of the Morning Diversions series.
According to a press release, three key personalities were the first to shape the history of Colfax & Fowler and the direction the company took. John Fowler was a self-taught decorator fascinated by 18th century architecture and styles who began his career in the early 1930s. He joined Sibyl Colfax in 1938, whose business was in Mayfair, London. Nancy Lancaster was an aristocratic Virginian with important international social connections who became Fowler’s partner when she bought Lady Colfax’s company in 1944.
The English country house style emerged after the Second World War, in a world that was still characterized by two world wars and the austerity measures that followed. Chintz in faded colors, fringed and tasseled curtains, painted Regency furniture, sofas designed for years of fireplace comfort, and expertly applied surfaces that are subtly lit to show off beautiful antiques and paintings – these are the hallmarks – something Fowler called “modest elegance” “.
Colfax & Fowler has influenced some of the leading design firms such as Michael Smith, David Mlinaric, Bunny Williams and the late Mario Buatta.
Boudiette’s talk will include the homes of Nancy Lancaster and John Fowler. From Buckingham Palace to the London apartment of Ambassador David and Evangeline Bruce.
Lisa Singleton Boudiette is a heritage specialist with expertise in historical interiors and decorative arts. She is a former employee of the late US Senator Frank R. Lautenberg with a focus on art and conservation policy. She also worked for The Wiseman Group, a high-end home design company in San Francisco, California.
As an alumni of the Attingham Country House Studies Program and a founding member of the American Friends of the Soane Museum, Boudiette is a founder of the Institute for Classical Architecture and Art in San Francisco, California. She is currently completing a master’s degree at the University of Buckingham (England), which, among other things, worked as a conservation assistant at Syon House for the Duke of Northumberland.
The event is offered exclusively via Zoom. Tickets are available for a donation with a recommended donation of $ 20 and can be purchased at https://ventfort03122021.eventbrite.com. Call Ventfort Hall at 413-637-3206 for information.
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