The belle of the ball on April's issue of Architectural Digest is Helen Mirren. Mirren and her husband, Taylor Hackford's New Orleans home is featured: a precious bungalow situated in the lower Quarter and painted in bright yellows and greens.
We don't always connect with AD, but this particular issue seemed more appealing to us than usual. The pieces we liked most:
• Let There Be Light: A Tribeca loft renovation by architect Robert Kahn. An incredible model train set that takes over the entire mezzanine level is the highlight of this home.
My favorite AD feature is the $5,000 solution--when a top designer redoes a home in that budget--although they have resources I don't like design assistants to paint, furniture in their warehouses, etc.
You mean you don't have handymen, carpenters, electricians and painters in your backyard just waiting for something to do??!! Why, all design shows assume we do. And apparently these people work FOR FREE!
I know AD gets hammered a lot in these forums, which I think isn't altogether unwarranted. I suppose the magazine sells the "American Dream".
About a year ago, I did see a feature that had some interesting stuff regarding some famous architects, but more often than not blah.
The cover they're showing in this feature makes me gag, just my two cents.
Who on earth wears a dress like that?! Mary Poppins? The rest of the get up in the room looks a little overblown as well.
I guess I'm supposed to know who the person is as well:)
shoshana:
When do they have this $5,000 feature- is it every month?
Duncan:
I think the dress is meant to evoke emotions and images of New Orleans.
Duncan--
She's this year's winner of the Oscar for Best Actress, and the elegant British half of a Hollywood power couple. And if someone like THAT can't get away with a dress like that, well, then I feel REAL silly wearing that same dress as I type this!!
I suspect Mirren's dress is a reference to Bette Davis in _Jezebel_, with the infamous red dress worn by the heroine.