Like Mother Like Daughter
by habituallychic
10 . 12 . 09
I was looking for this portrait of Patricia Herrera in her mother, Carolina Herrera’s red toile bedroom for a while and I finally found it on photographer Jonathan Becker‘s website. It’s actually the first photo, as it should be. It’s iconic and beautiful and makes me want to upholster something in toile.
Looks like Carolina Herrera was also inspired by her mother’s bedroom and the dress. She used the blue Le Coq toile by Pierre Frey in the master bedroom of her home in central Spain.
Mrs. Herrera also upholstered the sitting room of her Upper East Side townhouse in blue stripes by Ian Mankin in London. I used to live near the townhouse when I first moved to New York and seeing Mrs. Herrrera shopping on Madison Avenue or walking her dogs over to Central Park was the highlight of my day. She really is the chicest woman alive!
Her daughter Carolina Herrera Junior also upholstered the walls of her apartment in Madrid in the same stripes but in red. I love how she reversed the colors in both her homes.
This sweet portrait of the Carolina Senior and Junior also resided in her Madrid apartment that she later shared with her husband during the week. On the weekends, they would decamp to his estate in Extremadura which Carolina Junior said reminded her of growing up in Venezuela.
It was this beautiful estate that was featured in the Fall/Winter 2007 issue of Vogue Living. I would gladly live in the middle of nowhere in Central Spain too if it looked like this! Carolina Herrera Junior’s husband is a retired bullfighter and you can see his ring in the background in this photo.
The exterior of the estate looks very inviting!
The homes in this area of Spain are constructed with blocks of stone to keep them cool in the summer and warm in the winter. 
Carolina Herrera Junior’s studio has a table covered in a Suzani that reminds me of the fabric in her Madrid apartment. The toile on the walls is from Quadrille.
In the detail, you can see a photo of one of their dogs in New York.
A daybed is upholstered in more stripes from Ian Mankin and the Suzani fabric for the curtains came from Madrid.
Carolina enjoys decorating and does everything herself.
This room looks like a lovely place to escape the mid-day heat in Spain!
I love this blue lamp and the silver trays on another table in the same room.
I also love the blue color in the guest bathroom and that she painted the tub to match the walls!
Clearly, the antlers denote this as the old hunting lodge on the property.
Bulls that were killed by her husband’s grandfather in the ring in 1902 line the walls inside the hunting lodge.
You know the property must be large since they specially built a chapel on it for their wedding!
Carolina asked her friend, the artist Konstantin Kakanias to decorate the interior of the chapel. I don’t Mrs. Herrera’s townhouse in New York has a chapel but it’s clear that the style apple doesn’t fall far from the tree. But then again, I can’t imagine her children growing up in her fabulous home and not having her chic taste rub off on them. And more importantly, I wonder if she’d like to adopt me!Photos by Jonathan Becker, Eric Cahan and Francois Halard
23 Comments
What fantastic images you posted. I am inspired to rethink all things. Mother and daughters did just that.
I am going back to look and look again at the photos.
Thanks for a great post.
Just love these rooms-I have collected the elder Carolina’s mag features for years-She is the epitome of Chic. The portrait is indeed iconic.I have never really understood a daughter’s rebellious decorating nature for the sake of doing so-Smart daughter, wonderful mother. Great post. G
Great post! From seeing pictures, Carolina Herrera Junior’s wedding is hands down my favorite celeb wedding. What a classy and classic family!
One of the best looks. Ever.
so lovely… complete class act.
I think there’s not that many people who incarnates so much style and beauty but Carolina Herrera is certainly one of those persons. Pure style in all meanings. Thank you for those beautiful pictures.
I love all these shots…beautiful rooms and stylish women, perfection. xv
I love the way they both have mastered understated chic and the Spanish style of C. Jr.’s home is my absolute favorite. BTW, I really like your new orange banner, Heather!
Oh so chic! I love how effortlessly they mix patterns. I’m in awe.
Ahhhh….Good Monday morning eye candy! Thank you!!!
Stunning! All of it. Thanks for sharing.
Transcends time, yet embodies the spirit of Herrera. Honestly, that has to be the most classic code for design: timeless and unique at once.
To some people’s chagrin, I liken superior design like this to pure art. It has that quality.
Carolina personifys elegance, sophistication and good breeding. She was born with it.She is a throw back to another era altogether.Few women can stand next to her.
Wonderfull post, one thing that can be said, is that style is in the family.
Thanks a lot for sharing.
David
Spanish style and design to perfection–minimal, yet complete. Ohhh, to live in Spain again.
Thanks for this great post.
Mary
What a pleasure to read this post! And thank you for the wonderful pictorial.
so i loved this- until the porch. i don’t mind a little taxidermy here and there, and i am most certainly not a peta fanatic- i use leather and hide for rugs and upholstery frequently (i eat meat, too). i guess this makes me a hypocrite but that deer grave yard on the porch makes me a bit queasy. the rows and rows of deer skulls don’t say “i’m a hipster and i found these at the swapmeet- aren’t they cool and sorta macabre?” instead, they say “my family has enjoyed killing things for generations, and i’m proud of it”. the bull heads drive the point on home.
ick factor: high.
Gorgeous post today Heather!!! I’m in love with that day bed!
Going to Spain over Thanksgiving and this gave me another taste of why I want to go! Thanks for the beautiful pictures. Love the “veranda” style homes!
Ah! Beautiful people! Great post and thanks for sharing these pictures. I absolutely adore both Carolina’s sense of style and chic. Carolina senior is so elegant and her daughter brings a very earthy-boho style that is truly her own. I buy Hola (spanish version of Hello mag) every time they are featured, and would also ask Mrs. Herrera to adopt me, but she already has 4 daughters.
That first photo is just divine! I am SUCH a fan of blue-and-white pottery, and her dress very much reminds me of a beautiful accessory I would choose for a room design. So classic and lovely! I hope you don’t mind… I may share that photo on my Fab Friday blog post this week (giving you full credit for its discovery, of course). It’s just too delicious NOT to pass along to my readers, as well. Thanks for your wonderful blog!
Here is the link to my blog post in which I included the photo of Patricia Herrera and credited you for its discovery. Thanks, again, and HAPPY NEW YEAR!
http://www.knottinghillinteriors.com/blog/wp-admin/post.php?action=edit&post=4496&message=1
Just STUNNING — fabulous..thank you for sharing.