A Chat With Charlotte Moss

A Southerner by birth and upbringing, Charlotte Moss, born in Richmond, was an executive on Wall Street before transitioning to the world of interior design. Since her career change in 1985, she has written design books and created rooms that exude warmth, luxury, and a delicate touch. Visit her shop on New York's Upper East Side, and you'll come away with a sense of awe at her use of pattern and color, as well as her consummate style.

Southern Accents: What does a signature Charlotte Moss room look like?
Charlotte Moss: I like to think more in terms of the atmosphere the room exudes -- a feeling of invitation and hospitality, a room that makes you feel at ease.

SA: What interior designers from the past have inspired you?
CM: To be honest, it's a broad list. However, I admire the fearlessness, theatricality, and layering of Tony Duquette and Renzo Mongiardino.

SA: What were some of your inspirations for your fabric line with Brunschwig & Fils and your carpet collection with Stark?
CM: The fabric collection was based on documents from Brunschwig & Fils' collection, along with some of my own. It was about visceral responses to beautiful things and an opportunity to bring them back to life. The inspirations for the carpet collection with Stark ranged from vintage scarves to decorative wall paintings in a château. It's diverse and based on things I love.

SA: Chinoiserie is a common thread in your work. How can people bring this element into their own homes and make it look appropriate?
CM: You can start with something as simple as a chinoiserie tea caddy, a tray, a screen, or a wallpaper panel framed as a piece of art. A black lacquered secretary is a good choice because it's not as bold as a whole room done in chinoiserie, like my dining room in New York. I'm drawn to this style for its exotic nature. I love the characters and landscapes because they all tell a story. The same is true for a chinoiserie toile; it wants to have a conversation with me, and I love that.

SA: What are your favorite furniture styles, and what would you love to get your hands on?
CM: My preferences are more toward Italian furniture and French Directoire or Empire pieces. And I'd love to get my hands on a French bestide to house them.

SA: Your work reflects clever detailing on upholstery and curtains. What are some tricks our readers can use to emulate the Charlotte Moss touch?
CM: I don't think there are any real tricks. I think the details all come from studying history, whether it's books, museums, or historic houses. Just open your eyes; all the lessons are there in front of you. If you're buying a period bergère, you should understand how it would have been upholstered. On the other hand, if you're reupholstering a reproduction, those rules don't apply. That's the time to make up your own rules.

SA: Your rooms appeal to both men and women. How do you achieve a feminine look without being cloying or alienating men, especially in the master bedroom?
CM: Trying to appeal to both, you could end up with a master bedroom that's nowhere rather than one that speaks to the lady of the house. Men don't want to admit it, but they want to feel like they are being invited into the bedroom. You don't want a master that is a navy pinstripe. It should be all about the lady of the house.

SA: What would be your idea of ultimate luxury?
CM: A week alone in my library with a good supply of Bordeaux and Oscar, my Cavalier King Charles spaniel.

SA: How do you like to decorate your tree for the holidays?
CM: White, silver, celadon, and whatever else I've accumulated over the year in terms of ornaments. That is my general palette, but it's always subject to change. You never know what a decorator may stumble upon.

SA: When entertaining for the holidays, how do you like your house to look?
CM: I probably have more magnolia leaves in my house than any house in Aspen. It's my Southern Christmas in the mountains. I try to do as much green and white as possible. When red is used, it's always done with a little bit of a twist, such as terra-cotta or claret. This year, I'm moving to a new house in Aspen, so it will be an experiment. White and greens play into the table decoration, but my white linens are always the foundation: white damask tablecloths, oversize white antique napkins, and lots of candlelight. Blinking lights and all of those overpowering Christmassy smells should be avoided. Fragrances should be kept off the dinner table.

CHARLOTTE'S POINT OF VIEW

Embrace...
Color: Your own taste.
Art: Pieces that move you.
Lighting: Lamps, silk shades, and candles (I'll make no apologies).
Accessories: Things you love that are well-chosen and well-edited.

Avoid...
Color: A palette established for you that doesn't feel right.
Art: Buying just because it has a big ticket or a big name.
Lighting: Fashion statement equals fashion victim.
Accessories: Things dotted around and looking ditzy.

CHARLOTTE'S FAVORITE PAINT COLORS

Acadia Green by Benjamin Moore
"It's the 'noncolor' perfect color of 18th-century boiseries," she says.

Young Wheat by Pantone
"This color is in my shop on the dining room walls. To me it looks like lettuce. A dining room color should be fresh and appetizing," says Moss.

Vintage Claret by Benjamin Moore
"I call it cerise. It's beautiful when lacquered on the walls of a library, dining room, or den," she says.

Kentucky Blue by Pantone
"I love it because it's more of a hyacinth or periwinkle, but it goes with blue, pink, imperial yellow, chartreuse, and violet," says Moss.

Pearl Blush by Pantone
"This Barbuda pink reminds me of the color every girl wants her complexion to be," the designer says.

Sunlit Mesa by Pratt & Lambert
"Taffy is too juvenile a description. I prefer summer ermine, which sounds soft, sexy, and rich," she says.

CHARLOTTE'S FAVORITE FABRICS

Silver Jubilee by Clarence House
"It makes the most beautiful curtain panels. I use it for curtains rather than upholstery," says Charlotte Moss.

Digby's Tent by Charlotte Moss for Brunschwig & Fils
"I would love to see it in a pool house with all the upholstered furniture covered in it. I would use it the way the French use toiles -- everywhere. I don't subscribe to mix-and-match decorating," she says. "It would also look great in a bedroom draped on a canopy bed, like a big party tent."

La Riviere Enchante by Pierre Frey
"It is so exotic. It would work well in a pavilion with limestone floors, palm trees, French wicker, and trellised walls," the designer says.

Jardinières and Citrus Trees by de Gournay
"Yummy in a dining room or a bedroom. You can custom color it and make it your own," she says.

WHERE TO SHOP

Didier Ludot, Paris
For vintage clothing near the Palais-Royal. 20-24, galerie de Montpensier, Jardin du Palais-Royal; 011-33-1-42-96-06-56; www.didierludot.com.

Fouquet, Paris
Pick up some candied violets and mint leaves for gifts. 22, rue François; 011-33-1-47-23-30-36; www.fouquet.fr.

Librarie Galignani, Paris
"My first stop upon arriving for my book and magazine fix," says Moss. 224, rue de Rivoli; 011-33-1-42-60-76-07.

WHERE TO STAY

La Bastide de Gordes, Provence
Le Village, Gordes; 011-33-4-90-72-12-12; www.bastide-de-gordes.com.
La Colombe d'Or Hôtel, Saint Paul de Vence
011-33-4-93-32-80-02, www.la-colombe-dor.com.

Hôtel Avignon la Mirande, Avignon
4, place de la Mirande; 011-33-4-90-14-20-20; www.la-mirande.fr.

Hôtel Costes, Paris
239, rue St.-Honoré; 011-33-1-42-44-50-00; www.hotelcostes.com.

La Villa Gallici, Aix en Provence
Avenue de la Violette, 011-33-4-42-23-29-23, www.villagallici.com.

WHERE TO EAT

Les Andéols, Saint-Saturnin-lès-Apt
Great for alfresco dining. Domaine des Andéols, Les Andéols; 011-33-4-90-75-50-63; www.domainedesandeols.com.

Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, Saint-Jean-Cap-Ferrat
Reserve a table on the terrace. 71, boulevard du General de Gaulle; 011-33-4-93-76-50-50; www.grand-hotel-cap-ferrat.com.

Ladurée, Paris
When you need a break, an omelet at Ladurée will do the trick. Four locations: 16, rue Royale (011-33-1-42-60-21-79); 75, avenue des Champs Elysées (011-33-1-40-75-08-75); 62, boulevard Haussmann (011-33-1-42-82-40-10); and 21, rue Bonaparte (011-33-1-44-07-64-87); www.laduree.com.

Le Voltaire, Paris
A family-run restaurant since 1939. 27, quai Voltaire; 011-33-1-42-61-17-49.

RESOURCES: Charlotte Moss, 212/308-3888, www.charlottemoss.com; Brunschwig & Fils (T); Stark (T); Silver Jubilee, #32611, special order from Clarence House (T); Pierre Frey (T); de Gournay (T); Benjamin Moore, 800/672-4686, www.benjaminmoore.com; Pantone, 866/726-8663, www.pantone.com; Pratt & Lambert, 800/289-7728, www.prattandlambert.com.