As the 45th annual New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival approaches, Christine reflects on how travel and culture have inspired her throughout her lifetime. Not only have her own personal voyages inspired her, so have the excursions and backgrounds of some well-known interior designers and art enthusiasts. This month we will focus on Angèle Parlange and Mario Villa- two of Christine’s “Crescent City” and “Windy City” favorites.
On the left is an image of an interior designed by Angèle Parlange. Angèle’s childhood was spent in New Orleans where she gained inspiration that can be seen in each of her designs. In addition to the interiors she creates, Angèle strives to represent the style of New Orleans in fabrics, as well as china. As a longtime admirer of this elegant and decadent city, Christine often looks to Parlange’s technique when interpreting her own artistic visions. She selected her wedding china from Parlange’s collection and it continues to grace her family’s holiday gatherings and tablescapes.
Shown here are two chairs designed by Nicaragua-native, Mario Villa. Villa has imagined a collection of contemporary furntiure and light fixtures using neo-classical design themes with allusions to Greek and Roman mythology. These functional art pieces are hand-crafted in steel, bronze, copper and brass. Villa has also skillfully created jewelry inspired by Greek, Roman, Byzantine and Renaissance influences. Christine’s first visits to Villa’s galleries initiated her young adult love affair with connecting art to life in the realm of interior design. Because of this, Mario has become another trademark figure who has played a role in the ingenuity of Christine and her design team.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” – Marcel Proust