A Royal Residence
by habituallychic
11 . 29 . 10
Since some of the Duchess of Windsor’s jewels are up for auction again tomorrow at Sotheby’s, I thought it might be fun to take a look at one of The Windsor homes. Continuing our French theme, we will first look at 24, boulevard Souchet. It was a large four story house located in the Sixteenth Arrondissement where they made their home after the abdication. These photos were all taken in 1939 and I found the description of the home in The Duchess of Windsor: The Uncommon Life of Wallis Simpson.
They leased the home that included a small garden until 1949. They then rented a house at 85, rue de la Faisanderie in Paris from 1949-1953.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor.
The entrance hall with black and white Carrara marble floor and caryatids wearing crowns of candles. “A Louis XVI clock, whose face was set within the center of a gilded sunburst, hung above an antique gilt console on which stood red and gold visitor’s books.”
A sketch of the banquette room by Alexandre Serebriakoff.
The Duchess of Windsor consulted Stephane Boudin of Maison Jansen and often hunted for antiques with him.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor in the banquette room.
“The banquette room reflected a whimsical side of Wallis’s character. The walls were formal, painted white with elegant boiserie, but the carpet was green and white lattice pattern, and the furniture was clearly different: Against one wall stood a large green velvet banquette covered with white and green pillow. A sofa and matching chairs, also covered in green velvet, stood facing the antique mantelpiece, dominated by an Italian Renaissance clock.”
A detail of a desk in the banquette room.
The Chinese lacquered desk in the banquette room.
The white and gold salon.
The walls of the dining room were “painted cream, with the delicate boiserie picked out in gilt, and pierced by arched windows draped with crimson curtains tied back and hung with enormous gold tasseled cords at two levels. Each window was fitted with matching mirrored shutters on the inside that could be pulled closed to magnify the candlelight on formal occasions – an effect heightened by the immense mirrors that cloaked the doors, stood above the fireplace, and filled the alcove against one wall in which stood the carved and gilded rococo sideboard.”
The Duchess of Windsor at her desk in the upstairs sitting room.
The Duke and Duchess of Windsor in the second floor sitting room.
“A large sitting room, decorated with overstuffed modern sofas and chairs covered in bright English chintzes, a Chippendale table, and a crescent-shaped desk used by the Duchess separated the Windsors’ rooms. It was used for informal, private entertaining; on occasions when the Duke and Duchess were alone in the evening, the dined here at the small table.”
Unfortunately, I didn’t find photos of their bedrooms but there is a cute photos of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor with their terriers. You can tell this was early on since they don’t have their famous pugs yet.
Photos by William Vandivert
15 Comments
Lovely rooms, lovely dogs, but weren’t they although stylish actually a bit horrible?????MM – anyway lovely post as always.Have a lovely first Advent!!
What a stylish couple! Love the curved writing desk, and the watercolor of the green room.
what a great post! such a glamorous life! She certainly wouldn’t be sitting at that desk in her yoga pants reading blogs! 🙂
Such a handsome couple. Just lovely and I love that desk.
Heather,
Please, tell me how can you post twice a day and with such quality posts?
Do you ever eat? LOL
Bravo! Again! 🙂 I love all the photos… I love seeing old photos, older times… so interesting to compare to “now”, isn’t it?
xo
Luciane at HomeBunch.com
Very chic, indeed. Cold and heartless, maybe, but beautiful, too.
Lovely. I especially like the dogs! Did you see the article in the October Vogue about their residence near Versailles that is now owned by Isabelle Townsend and her husband? It’s gorgeous, too.
So Wonderful!!!
XOXO
Judith~
Totally biased comment: Cairn Terriers are fabulous dogs. (We currently have two.) The photos brightened my morning. Thanks.
I always feel a little sad when I study photos or read about the life of Wallis and the Duke. I cannot imagine a life so dictated by shopping and being seen, far from England where he was raised to be king. But these spaces are gorgeous and the dogs, great babies!
I love the banquette room! The sketch shows such beautiful colors! I could live there today!
~ Christie
The pics with the terriers are wonderful!
Oh my goodness……great looking dogs! So cute and such personalities, one can only imagine why one has a bandaged rear paw!
L.
Hello! I just stumbled across your blog and LOVE that you post on the history of buildings in Paris. Having gone to grad school for a year in the 16th arrondissement, I simply had to look up the 24 blvd Suchet address. Apparently it’s now being used as the Embassy for the Ivory Coast. Thanks for the wonderful story and images!
Love this- especially the mirrored panels in the dining room and that amazing lacquered desk. Looking forward to following your blog!
Nice.