Don’t know a Bergère from a Fauteuil? Wouldn’t know Ormolu from your neighbor Emmy Lou? Our Word of the Week will help you sound like a pro!

Pembroke table
-noun
English

A Pembroke table is a small, drop-leaf table with center drawer(s)  and two hinged leaves that can be raised to increase its size. It is said that its name was derived from Henry Herbert, 9^th Earl of Pembroke (1693-1751), an amateur architect.

This portable piece is characteristic of Neoclassical and Federal styles including those of Chippendale, Sheraton and Hepplewhite. The Pembroke tables are typically made of mahogany or satinwood and are often decorated with inlay and painting.

Parlez vous le meuble? Do you speak French furniture?

If you’re like me, you might only think you do!

As Anglophones, when we hear the word “Commode” we think of a toilet, but in France a “Commode” is not usually in the loo – instead it is a chest of drawers and is considered to be the finest piece of furniture made for a house!  The word commode comes from the French word for “convenient” or “suitable”.  This piece of furniture was much wider than it was high, raised on high or low legs and with enclosing drawers.  While Anglophones tend to use “chest of drawers” for storing clothes, the French would use a “Coffre”.

One of the most popular books that we sell at Foxglove Antiques is “An Affair With a House” by one of our wonderful clients, Bunny Williams.  By her own admission, Bunny has been having a passionate affair with 18th-century New England home for nearly 30 years.  In this book, the celebrated and respected decorator describes how she and her husband, antiques dealer John Rosselli, restored a well-worn house room by room.  They not only restored the house itself, but also revived the abandoned gardens and filled the home with family and friends.  Bunny offers a rare inside peek at her weekend retreat and opens up about the joys, challenges, obstacles, and day-to-day realities of creating a beautiful and cozy country home.  Check out this excerpt from “An Affair With a House”:

“Up in the attic, I found a trunk labeled Manor House, with some musty old World War I uniforms inside. There’s a stenciled design on the floorboards up there, symbols of some sort that may date from the time this was a safe house for slaves, or at least that’s the rumor. The house comes with stories. I like to think they’re true.”

Bill Cunningham of the New York Times says, “The book is a perfect reflection of an affluent American style of comfort and taste, the exact opposite of a gilded grandeur.”

Bunny is delightful to work with, and we are proud to have her as a client!  Don’t forget to visit Bunny’s website to read more about this design maven!

Photo credit: Bunnywilliams.com.

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