Geoffrey Bennison: Master Decorator

Thefirstmonographontheworkofrenownedtwentieth-centuryBritishdecoratorandantiquesdealerGeoffreyBennison.GeoffreyBennison(1921-1984)ranksamongEngland'smostinfluentialdesigners，defyingconventionalnotionsofstyletoconjureupmagnificentsettingsfordiscerningclientswholovedhistheatricalandromanticsensibility.Themasterofthelayeredlook，heusedantiquetextileswithhisownfabricstoachieveacomplexmixofscale，pattern，andcolourininventiveshadessuchashisevocativeRedRidingHoodRedandPrussianBlue.Histalentforcombiningeclecticobjects，hisunerringeye，andhisdeepknowledgeofantiquesearnedhimareputationforsophisticatedoriginalityequalledbyveryfew.Eventoday，leadingdesignersturntoBennisonforinspiration.ThislavishvolumeopenswithanilluminatingtextaboutBennison'sfascinatinghistory-fromhisearlydaysattheSladeSchoolofArtandhisworkasanantiquesdealerinLondonduringtheswingingsixtiestohislatercareerasaninteriordesigner.AllofBennison'sinteriorsareshowcased，frommagnificentcountryestatesandretreatstoelegantlyappointedapartmentsandtownhousesfilledwithpricelessFrenchandEnglishfurnitureandcuriosities，makingthisbookamust-havefordesignlovers.Review""GeoffreyBennison：MasterDecorator"(Rizzoli)surveysthecareeroftheinfluentialinteriordesignerandantiquesdealer...Thebookispackedwithphotographsofthehomes，richwithpatternandtexture，thatBennisoncraftedforEuropeanstarsandsocialities：aFrenchCountryhouseforBaronDaviddeRothschild，aLondonbachelorpadforactorTerrenceStamp，aChelseahometurnedintoafloralfantasiafortheDuchessofBeaufort."-"ElleDecor""OneofthemostinfluentialBritishdecoratorsofthe20thcentury...Knownfordefyingconventionalnotionsofstyle，Bennisonearnedareputationforrefinedoriginalitymatchedbyveryfew."-"FlowerMagazine""WrittenbylongtimeshopassociateGillianNewberry，whocontinuedGeoffreysworkposthumouslybyfoundingBennisonFabricsin1985，wegainentreeintohisfascinatingworld.FromhistimeatSladeSchoolofArtwhereheshowedearlyartistictalent，tohisyearsasanantiquesdealeratmanyLondonoutpostsandadventuresduringtheswinging60stohiscareerasanin-demanddecoratorforthemostdiscerninginternationalclients，["GeoffreyBennison：MasterDecorator"]isawildandsumptuousmagiccarpetofarideindesign."-"Quintessence.com""GeoffreyBennisonwasandremainsoneofthemostinfluentialEnglishdesignersyouveneverheardof.Thatis，unlessyouworkintheesteemeddesignstudioofMichaelS.Smith，wholaunchedhisdesigncareerseveraldecadesagowithhisownsuper-polishedanddeftlydesignedroomsthatpaideleganthomagetothetea-dyed，fadedcountrygentrylookthatBennisonfirstperfected...."GeoffreyBennison：MasterDecorator，"byGillianNewberry，withaforewordbySirJohnRichardson(Rizzoli)isthemostbeautifultributetogeniusBennison.Itslusciouswithimagesandideas.Itsafeastoffabricsandsoftlyfadedtones，andhighlyunderstateddesigns....Designersandarchitects，inparticular，shouldkeeptwocopiesonhandatalltimes.Makethatthree.IjustwishthelateMr.Bennisoncouldbeheretoenjoythefussandtosignsomebooks."-"StyleSaloniste.com""Ifyouareadesignstudentoranew-to-the-professiondesigner，["GeoffreyBennison：MasterDecorator"]willnotonlyintroduceyoutotheworkofoneofthetwentiethcentury'smosttalenteddesigners，butitwillalsoeducateyouaboutthesignificantrolesthatquality，craftsmanship，andconnoisseurshipshouldplayininteriordesign.Andifyou'reanold-handindesign，thisbookwillremindyouofthedayswhenallthreequalitieswereconsiderednoblepursuits."-PeakofChic"MasterdecoratorextraordinaireGeoffreyBennisonisconsideredalegendintheartofinteriordecorationanddesign，withcontemporarydesignersoftenturningtohisoeuvreforinspiration.ThisbookisafirstofitskindchroniclingBennisonslifeandtimes，fromhisearlydaysasanantiquesdealerinLondonthroughtohislateryearsasanacclaimedinteriordesigner.Fromlavishcountryestatesandmagnificentretreatstotastefullyexecutedapartmentsandtownhouses，BennisonsinteriorswereashowcaseofhisdesignsensibilitiesthatcombinedhisknowledgeofEnglishandFrenchfurniture，hiseclecticmixofcuriosities，andauniquesenseofscale，pattern，color，andfabrictexturetogetherwithhisdiscerningtasteinantiquesandaflairforthedramatic."-"BlouinLifestyle""AbouttheAuthorGillianNewberryworkedatBritishVogue，DavidBailey'sphotographicstudio，andtheRoyalCollegeofArt'sfashionschoolpriortoassistingBennisonathisantiquesshopandwiththeproductionofhisfabrics.AfterBennison'sdeath，NewberryandherhusbandfoundedBennisonFabricsin1985.SirJohnRichardsonisaneminentarthistorianandPicassobiographer.