Decor tips to Personalize your home
Here are some ideas for your home using the wonderful red-haired actress Maureen O'Hara as an example. If you're a redhead, this article is especially for you. Just like fashion, your home can complement your look.
O'Hara
Maureen O'Hara 24x36 Poster |
She starred in Miracle on 34th Street, How Green Was My Valley, Jamaica Inn. Too many fine films to count. In 1991 she appeared in Only the Lonely with John Candy.
A few magazine articles dated 1941-1956 either described and/or included photographs of Miss O'Hara's home. She was married to Will Price 1941-1953. He was from Mississippi. Their daughter, Bronwyn was born in 1944 and I believe that the family moved at least once during this time period. She has a fun, dynamic personality and she updated her decor when she pleased.
Her home wasn't midcentury modern with retro furniture -- her homes were actually mid-century. These stars can give you ideas for your home.
In 1941, she talks about furnishing a home as a new bride, mentioning an assortment of possible creative Irish gifts of the era. "Every Irish bride starts out with twelve apostle spoons one each having a figure of an apostle on its handle. At a high tea you put a spoon in each saucer. But you can't get them over here."
Ancestry, Heritage: Celebrate yours, your partner's. How are they similar, different?
Miss O'Hara is very proud of her Irish heritage. She displays not only the flag in her home, but when St. Patrick's Day rolls around she celebrates with a feast and a big party. She remembered superstitions from the old country.
Heirlooms: Recognize your own family's history
Sentimental trophies filled Maureen's cabinets.
O"Hara poses with Ireland Harp Flag Winged Maiden; her Irish clay pipes displayed |
Then there's a tiny carved elephant from a Woolworth store in Ireland. It was given to Maureen when she was 11 by her best girl friend.
She has framed items, documents from her husband's Southern ancestry share such as Confederate bonds passed down from his grandfather.
Display pieces of personal collections
Acquire items in Special and Unique ways
* When you Travel
In her dining room is "an exquisite Georgian table which came from Slane Castle Maureen got it at an auction on her recent trip to Ireland. Every time she goes back to the old country."
* Items passed down through the family can find a meaningful new life in your home
* Shop Auctions; Antique, specialty shops and retail outlets
"Maureen is determined to stalk through antique shops until she finds the
"The plaid draperies in the pine-paneled library are from Sears, Roebuck and Co. They harmonize with the hand-me-down furniture."
Maureen O'Hara Living Room 1950 |
There's more to your environment than what we readily see. The fire, the music, the mood. Making people comfortable.
"There are rafters in the living room, a grand open fireplace usually merrily
Maureen O'Hara 24X36 Poster 1940's Stunning in Green |
DIY, repurpose items, don't leave things in boxes!
Because it got cold at night in California, they had their open porch aka their lanai, enclosed with glass and then furnished. Don't let space go unused or rarely used.
"One day I was rummaging around the storage basement and I came across four solid bedposts and a needlepoint bench that Will has picked up in a Mississippi antique shop. My first impulse was to use them with their mahogany finish. But Will didn't like it, so I had them painted green!" (1949)
Friends John Wayne and Maureen O'Hara made a number of films together |
Colors are very important
O'Hara is a redhead. Why do redheads look so great in green?
1948 hand-crocheted linens Irish symbols |
When looking at color charts, planning furniture placement, considering paints, wall coverings, etc for your home, don't forget to think about what will suit you best, too.
Maureen and her painter decided on sea-green for the walls of the master
1950 sea-green walls, spread painted four poster bed |
"When Maureen wears a hostess gown to one of her own dinner parties she makes sure that it blends with the green. Many actresses, in fact, know the trick of matching their clothes to their environment."
Film art directors and set designers would probably tell you that they take their lead actors into consideration when staging the sets.
1956 Miss O'Hara bedroom |
A 1956 article about the now-single O'Hara shows a couple of photos of her bedroom. The bed is different but similar. The room appears to be a brighter shade of green but there's no way to tell considering how old photos, scans and then reproductions on different screens can be misleading.
Related Books, Pages of Interest:
The homes of Old Hollywood Stars Put personality in your home: Blonde actress Carole Lombard had a Blue Room, "designed so that Carole looks her best and every other woman (with different coloring) looks her worst."
Wisecracker: The Life and Times of William Haines, Hollywood's First Openly Gay Star
Class Act: William Haines Legendary Hollywood Decorator by Peter Schifnado and Jean H. Mathison
'Tis Herself: An Autobiography by Maureen O'Hara
Famous Actresses with red hair
No comments:
Post a Comment
Welcome and thanks for visiting.
Please keep your comments topical & respectful. We can't accept links or be responsible for content of comments.