Tuesday, December 4, 2012

Albert Hadley in Naples, Florida

A collage by the great, late
interior designer Albert Hadley,
in his Naples, Florida, home.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House & Garden magazine.
In the 1990s, the late Albert Hadley was along with a house-hunting friend in Naples, Florida, when he noticed the 1929 postmistress's cottage almost completely concealed behind a ficus hedge on 11th Avenue South.  According to an article by Carol Prisant in the June, 2000, issue of House Beautiful magazine, he said, "I'll take it," and he did.

Albert Hadley standing in the opening
of the hedge infront of his home in Naples, Florida.
Photo by Fernando Benoecha
 for House Beautiful.
The former front porch was enclosed with windows to become an entrance Garden Sitting Room with light gray painted wood floors white walls & trim continuing throughout.  A wool hooked rug "zebra skin," one of the designer's favorite furnishings that has travelled to a number of residences, welcomed the visitor near the door with mirrored panels.

The front porch was enclosed to
become a Garden Room.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.
One end of the room holds a sitting area with a rattan sofa, a linen slipcovered slipper chair and a pair of saddle seat stools with hand-printed fabric by D.D. Tillett.

A rattan sofa in the Garden Room.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.
The other end of the room exhibits simple but interesting objects in a very Albert Hadley manner, giving a hint of what is to follow.


Another view of the Garden Room.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.
The designated Dining Room held a folding table, a small, tufted sofa, and a pair of "loop" sidechairs.  (Sometimes associated with the interior designer sister of architect David Adler, Frances Elkins, the design is now known to pre-date her use in the 1930s.  See articles in The Magazine Antiques here and here.)
The Dining Room.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.
The Living Room, too small for a sofa, contained assorted upholstered chairs instead.  A 1950s-60s gilt metal low table displays a cherished gilt-ceramic gourd container, another object that had travelled to various residences.  A gray marble Louis XV style chimneypiece was painted white and topped by a mirror in a stepped frame of Mr. Hadley's design.

The Living Room.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.
The Master Bedroom is shown with a pair of black Regency chairs that once belonged to his business partner Sister Parish and the hooked rug again.

The Master Bedroom.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.

The Master Bedroom.
Photos by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.
In the Master Bedroom, an oddly-placed air-conditioning vent is given a frame.  The neo-classical style chest of drawers was stripped.  The abstract painting over the headboard is by Zang Wei, an artist Mr. Hadley discovered selling his work on the sidewalk in front of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

A Guest Bedroom.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.


A Guest Bedroom.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.
A Guest Bedroom contains a chair, a chest, a mirror, and a spartan four poster bed.
A second Guest Bedroom.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.
Color in a second Guest Bedroom is supplied by a cobalt blue covered glass jar.  The antique spool bed is painted the same light gray as the floor.

The garden.
Photo by Fernando Benoechea
for House Beautiful.
A boardwalk in the garden replaced a cement walk to heighten the tropical experience.  Albert Hadley died in March of this year and some of his belonging were sold in auctions and an on-line sale featured in an earlier post of The Devoted Classicist.  A low Parson's table from the house was given to Devoted Reader Dean Farris;  read about it with a search on his blog Dean Farris Style.

Albert Hadley in the late 1990s.
Photo by Timothy Greenfield-Sanders
for House Beautiful.

20 comments:

  1. John,

    What a nice surprise, to be mentioned on your awesome TDC ! Wasn't Albert's cottage a dream? It's undergone a lot of transformations since he left, it was best when he had it, of course. Did you ever stay there?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have never been to Naples, a situation I am looking forward to rectify. I am sorry that I could not directly link your post about the table from Albert Hadley, but it is easy enough to find. Always a pleasure, Dean.

      Delete
    2. John,

      Come on down! We can find room for you somewhere, under a palm in a hammock?

      Dean

      Delete
  2. I love that Mr. Hadley was fearless in painting so-so antique pieces. The lightness and timeless spirit of this cottage will always be perfect. Thank you. Mary

    ReplyDelete
  3. I am enthralled by the framed aircon grill. Like radiators in colder climates, aircon grills are something best hidden, but silly to do, without eliminating the effect.

    The bird at the door in the Garden Room is presumably a photoshoot touch, but an effective one. Overall, a wonderfully simple and unpretentious house.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Isn't it amazing how grilles (and thermostats) can be located without supervision? As for the bird, I don't know the answer. But I have friends with a house in Surfside, Florida, and the little wild parrots have a lot of personality and are very funny. It is not unusual for one to approach, politely ask for food (I presume), and then complain noisily if the reaction is not fast enough!

      Delete
  4. This post was a real treat. The splashes of yellow throughout are a joy.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A continuing color scheme is particularly appreciated in a small house, I think. Thank you for commenting.

      Delete
  5. It's always been one of my favorite houses by Albert Hadley. But I never realized it was in Florida! Always assumed it was in upstate New York.

    Thanks for the beautiful images.

    Best

    Michael Hampton

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Michael, Mr. Hadley had a house on the Rockefeller estate near Tarrytown,NY, when I worked for Parish-Hadley in the 1980s, then bought a house in Southport, CT, so he could take the train instead of driving. You probably have seen photos of both. Thank you for commenting.

      Delete
  6. Thank you for this, John, and what is not to love about it or him?! I recently scored one of those hooked zebra rugs for my sitting room and I think of him every time I see it.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Frances, I always loved zebras, but growing up on a horse farm, never felt comfortable with the skin as rug. This is a happy solution, isn't it?

      Delete
  7. It's a very good example of something that looked like nothing very special at the time of publication, when it
    struck me as understated to a fault.
    A dozen years later,the point comes across with greater clarity. This was a house in which "decoration" wasn't about making splashy statements. There is no attempt at being wildly clever or reinventing the wheeel; and as such,it is a breath of fresh air.

    Toby Worthington

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Toby, I appreciate magazines showing examples for do-it-yourself-ers, and what could be a better example of a model that is easy to achieve? Editing is the key, though being a second (or third) home helps. Personally, a lot is seldom too much, but this is indeed "fresh", is it not? And a true classic. Thank you for commenting.

      Delete
  8. Just two normal-sized pillows covered by a plain white spread on each bed: what a breath of fresh air.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. There is a lot to be said for bed linens that can go in the washing machine. I love seeing lavishly-dressed beds and happily design them but the alternates can provide a comfortable night's sleep, too. Thanks.

      Delete
  9. Just marvelous--a breath of fresh air---and not nearly as easy to do as Hadley made it look

    Superb eye, and as TW says, time is only affirming that fact more

    This was fun to see---I missed the original spread, so this evening was my first time (seeing these photos, that is)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. D.E.D., it was a classic worth sharing. I am glad you enjoyed it.

      Delete
  10. The light. Warm light. Antithesis of present London.

    ReplyDelete

Your interest in this blog is appreciated. Other commitments might prevent an immediate response to your comments or questions. That does not lessen the value of the blog reader's input, however. Only comments relating to the current post are eligible for publication; non-relevant comments and promotional references will be deleted. Contact me at johnjtackett@gmail.com regarding other questions. Anonymous comments cannot be accepted.