Lobo-Wright, American Chic

March 28, 2014

It’s always a nice surprise to discover a new source of inspiration – especially when that source is a designer whose life story you just want to dive right into. George Stacey was a decorator for society ladies in the 1930s – the kind of society ladies with the wit, charm and independent spirit to break the rules and standards of the time. The types of ladies you want to drink one too many martinis with in their gorgeous living rooms while chatting into the night (i.e. Grace Kelly, Diana Vreeland).

A new book is about to be released April 1 about Stacey called George Stacey and the Creation of American Chic. It’s a fascinating look at his work and life. Stacey had a knack for the unexpected and for forming glorious mash ups of the high and low. He had no qualms about filling an abandoned chicken coop with cheateau furniture or making his summer home inside the squash court of one of his clients. Once his signature mix of antiques and repurposed furniture was arranged, Stacey made himself right at home, pouring cocktails for guests in a space that truly embodied American Chic, right down to the court lines and white walls that the owners insisted he keep. That’s the kind of bohemian, original spirit that’s all too hard to find today. That’s the kind of spirit we love, and the type of person who can create rooms that are comfortable enough in their own skin to not try so hard; rooms that can truly tell the stories of their owners.