The Gracie Wallpaper - Elsa’s Life
Elsa Maxwell, our namesake, was a legendary party thrower – she used to throw soirees with trained seals at the Waldorf Astoria and dinner parties with Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, Charlie Chaplin, Gershwin and the Shah of Iran. In the 1940’s she moved to Paris where she was known for throwing scavenger hunts through the Bois de Bologne and was responsible for putting Monaco on the map. Our two sets of custom friezes are odes to the two sets of her life, NYC and Paris, and each scene has a meaning behind it.
The Gracie Wallpaper - Darwin’s Voyage
Darwin’s Voyage to the Galapagos is depicted in our explorers room fresco. Seals, marine iguanas, crabs occupy the foreground as 18th century ships make landfall in the background and the Kicker Rock (also called "Sleeping Lion" or Leon Dormido) pierces the sunset.
This painting is our interpretation of the classic hand painted wallpaper grand scene. Historical versions often depict a voyage to India or a hunt through the British countryside, but we wanted something that channeled the spirit of exploration and adventure and set the tone for the library.
The Gracie Wallpaper - Garden Room Chinoiserie
Our garden room is surrounded by a handpainted chinoiserie wallpaper. We chose a combo of a classic blue green with gold foil applied to the leaves and worked with Gracie on a set of wall panels that would go up the staircase that sits on the south side of the room.
The frieze sits on top of our medium and small kitchens and is the perfect complement to our sunniest room, helping create a combo Cotswold country kitchen and Versaille summer home vibe in the space.
