Fashion sketch from Lucile (Lady Duff-Gordon, 1863-1931), c.1922 from the Collection at FIT .

Thanks Louise for sending!! I love your handwriting…very Jane Austen. 😉
Yes, I think I can make this into a garden… I love this sketch…and I loved reading about Lucy Kennedy who was famous for making dresses like this for early 20th century for film stars and the Ziegfield Follies.  Seems unfortunately, like so many today, her business couldn’t withstand the economic downturn of her day.

But her style was amazing…and the colors are so pretty.

I have to say, I am really enjoying these little design challenges….I would be happy for you to send me more pictures to have fun with. Here goes, let me know what you think….

Maybe a a focal point for the garden could be a mosaic  in deco patterns that draw in the dress colors. Could the mosaic be on the table, the wall, in a fountain, inset in the paving?…I think any would be nice..

image by pinkmoose

Brick would play nicely in the garden.  At least color wise.  This picture of the brick pattern in the Piazza Del Campo  of Sienna  Italy reminds me of the subtler shades that can be achieved with age worn brick.

image by 14da

I think these fabrics would capture the spirit of the dress and I would use them for cushions, and tablecloths partnered with billowy sheer outdoor drapes (probably in orange).

Both fabrics from the outdoor collection at Laneventure. http://www.laneventure.com/

This bench is stunning, and while beautifully made for  indoor use, I think the shape is easily replicated in an outdoor appropriate wood  and finish (ipe, cedar, redwood) .

image found via furnitureseen and designed by Tomas Frenes.

Top it all off with beautiful planting (Rainbow Canna, Echinacea, Orange Coleus, Phormium and Cosmos)

1. Red and green canna leaf, 2. Echinacea, 3. Wall Springs Park Palm Harbor, Florida USA, 4. Orange Coleus, 5. Phormium ‘Jester’, 6. Pink cosmos

Do you remember that Pennoyer Newman container I featured a while back in my Architectural Digest Round-up — the one with the chinese symbols on the side….I think the phormium, the coleus and the canna’s would be a lovely container combo in those pots.   Or maybe in the absence of containers, wall plaques like these (also from Pennoyer Newman) could be added.

So that is it… what do you think?   Are you enjoying this as much as I am?   It is like the design work that I don’t often get to do for real people.   Send more ideas…I think I am up for it…