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I Heart Hamish!

by habituallychic

05 . 10 . 10

I have been stalking the newsstand for weeks trying to find the latest issue of Australian Vogue Living and was excited to finally find it Saturday. I was even more excited to open up and find a profile of Hamish Bowles’ New York apartment! I think I might have actually squealed! It’s just as spectacular as his Paris flat and is seriously making me consider painting my apartment pink. I actually know where Hamish lives and after seeing these photos, I am tempted to camp out in front of his building until he lets me see it in person. But I’m too afraid of being banned from Vogue forever though so I won’t actually do it. What I like best is that although it’s chock full of furniture and accessories, it doesn’t actually look cluttered. It has a wonderfully collected look because it was all lovingly collected during Hamish’s travels.

The entrance table by Karl Springer is topped with lots of pink books and Fez hats. I love how Hamish has propped up art against the mirror and tucked in postcards and photos into the frame.

Hamish visits Tangier, Morocco every summer which is the reason behind the bedazzled Fez hats from eBay.

The living mixes lots of colors with antiques with two plastic ghost chairs to prefection. The sofa is from Sister Parish Design and the Louis XV chair is upholstered in purple tweed. I don’t remember if they have this shade purple but Holland & Sherry is my favorite place to find soft tweeds.

At first I thought this was the entry table restyled but turns out that Hamish owns two Karl Springer tables and two plaster cornucopia lamps. He’s also hung a mirror above both and a drawing over both mirrors. This drawing happens to be Truman Capote by René Bouché and was the drawing from the original dust jacket of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Everything in Hamish’s apartment has a back story or a fabulous provenance.

This 1940’s French bowl was found at the Paris flea market. Looks like a Jeremiah Goodman watercolor interior is framed behind it too.

I thought this view of the living room from Australian Vogue Living looked a little different from the photo of it from The World of Interiors below until I realized it must be another fireplace in the apartment since it’s not flanked by bookcases.

But I am still wondering if the apartment was previously painted lavender or just looks like it in this older photo. Either way, I like both the pink and purple!

I feel like getting out my magnafying glass to check out Hamish’s vast book collection! I already spot a few David Hicks books!

You can notice better in this photo that the shelves are metal which Hamish calls “a butch slightly ironic solution to my massive book collection.” Hamish also collects vintage clothing which is kept in a warehouse in Queens. I can only imagine how fabulous that must be!

The guest bedroom houses more books and a Chippendale secretary that was given to Hamish from Eleanor Lambert. It’s amazing how all the different patterns look perfectly at home together in this room too!

I had to include this photo of Hamish in the room so you can see that the wallcovering looks more pale aqua or robin’s egg than it does in the previous photo.

The master bedroom combines a darker plum colored rice paper wallpaper with a bright green lamp and chair cushion. The fabric on it looks like the Tony Duquette malachite print.

Even Hamish’s closet is full of color in the form of ribbon belts and ties. I really love this apartment and it definitely made the March/April 2010 issue of Australian Vogue Living worth the wait!

25 Comments
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  1. Sanity Fair May 10, 2010 | 2:53 am

    wow – now I need to stalk the shelves looking for this one!!! Fabulous! Thanks for sharing!
    -Sanity Fair

  2. Cindy May 10, 2010 | 3:28 am

    Am loving the pink!

  3. Dandy May 10, 2010 | 4:10 am

    I just saw him speak at SCAD. He was great! the emphasis was on fashion rather than his interior design work, though. Very charming, and he is funny and droll, and much more handsome in person.

  4. TheIconicBlog.com May 10, 2010 | 6:44 am

    What a fun and inspiring place!x

  5. Tabitha May 10, 2010 | 8:39 am

    It’s just bursting with personality and originality, which makes it timeless.

  6. Tabitha May 10, 2010 | 8:41 am

    Oh I’ve just ordered the Martinique wallpaper, thank you for your help with that!

  7. Kelly Green May 10, 2010 | 10:57 am

    I loved this issue – if you have trouble I’ll send you mine! (preloved but worth it….) KG

  8. the NEO-traditionalist May 10, 2010 | 11:17 am

    I’ve been trying to get my hands on a copy of this! No such luck here in the boonies : ( I heart him so much…the pink make my heart swell. Saving every image to my inspiration file!

    XX katie

  9. Lady Grey May 10, 2010 | 11:50 am

    I love this!

  10. Dandy May 10, 2010 | 11:50 am

    P.S.-He showed slides of the dresses in his private collection. Interestingly enough, they were mostly bright solid colors, rather than prints. But beautiful!

  11. Sally J May 10, 2010 | 12:34 pm

    This was a fun read. I love the colors and the whimsy of his design. It’s all very personal as all great design should be. Thanks for sharing. I might be lucky to score a copy here in Big D.
    http://www.divinedistractions.blogspot.com

  12. Razmataz May 10, 2010 | 3:56 pm

    Love the Fez hats, and the business and “controlled clutter” of all his Bits….lovely

  13. Elizabeth Sullivan May 10, 2010 | 5:08 pm

    Wow is right! I am not a fan of chintz fabrics and things that are too feminine, but I am definitely considering painting my next entry pink because of this! I love that they didn’t photoshop out the lamp cords and left things looking real and slightly messy.
    -elizabeth
    http://www.modern24seven.blogspot.com

  14. Life of Style May 10, 2010 | 6:40 pm

    wow, this is amazing, one of the most unique and chic interiors I have seen in a long time. Love it!

  15. Heidiopia May 10, 2010 | 7:20 pm

    Not only do I love the pink, but I’m suffering from serious book envy! I’m a collector of books and how wonderful to see them displayed in such quantity and so invitingly!! May to copy some of these ideas!

  16. wishful nals May 10, 2010 | 7:56 pm

    i love, love, love the flowers!

  17. Ragland Hill Social by Gwen Driscoll May 10, 2010 | 9:12 pm

    Must get this spread ASAP. I’m a lavender freak and this place is just beautiful. Thank you for sharing. As always, Habitually Chic is a feast for the eyes.

    Hope you are well.

    G

  18. Marcus Design May 11, 2010 | 3:38 am

    Wow, that Louis XV chair in purple tweed is amazing!! It’s gorgeous, as are all the rest of these photos!
    Nancy

  19. Renata May 11, 2010 | 11:16 am

    Stunning!!! – I love all the purple, plum and lavender shades and accents – very regal!!!

  20. Love of the Sea May 12, 2010 | 1:53 am

    This look is nice from some angles but then somewhat suppressive from other angles. Has very pretty pieces…but then seems to squish way too much stuff into too small of a space.

  21. Da B May 13, 2010 | 1:40 am

    His apartment is amazzzzinnnggg I love the mix of classic elements with BRIGHT pops of color and of course all his sprinkles of fashions

  22. Her name was Lola July 13, 2010 | 7:58 pm

    Words can’t describe how fabulous this post is!

  23. Ree March 14, 2011 | 11:43 am

    Such charming and beautiful things cleverly arranged…Hamish touches the soul of design…Woo-Yay

  24. Keith fitzpatrick August 24, 2011 | 7:49 pm

    I Love his style. Especially he’s spread in World Of Interiors, October 2009 – so great. Would absolutely love to meet him in person and pick his brain. I love these sights as it pulls together so many like minded people – from the get – go we understand each other. I love how we pull from different backgrounds and geographic areas and still relate. I just loved how he pulled some many things that he collected over the, years and jut made it work – with yummy colors.