Renowned interior designer and author Bunny Williams is coming to Pittsburgh. She will be speaking, selling, and signing copies of her new book, Life in the Garden, at the annual ON DEC fundraiser presented by the Women’s Committee, Carnegie Museum of Art. Tickets for the luncheon and lecture are available online.
Bunny Williams Comes to Carnegie Museum of Art in April
Ms. Williams is celebrated nationally and internationally. Among her many accolades, she was named to the prestigious AD100 list. She is also a member of the Interior Design Hall of Fame and the recipient of the Giants of Design award from House Beautiful.
Her skillful way of combining traditional design inspirations with a la page lightness and style lets her shine. Her new book follows her around her very own garden and home, an 18th century manor house in Connecticut. She shares charming anecdotes, expert advice, and hundreds of stunning photographs. At every turn you will see nature and symbols of nature, suggesting a fresh and relaxed way to living indoors and out. Her talk at the ON DEC event at Carnegie Museum of Art will no doubt add layers of wit and wisdom to what you will love poring over in her timely tome.
A popular stop on Connecticut garden tours, Williams’ shares her parterre garden, her year-round conservatory, a lush vegetable garden, fruitful orchard, shaded woodlands, an aviary with exotic fowl, and a rustic poolside Greek Revival–style folly. The folly is quite memorable. It emulates the shape of a Greek temple, but in naturally aged wood rather than marble. At once ancient and comfortably relaxed, its shaded interior invites a leisurely conversation.
All About Bunny Williams’ Garden
Moving throughout Williams’ Garden, the book offers a directory of featured plants—from native ferns and succulents to a wide variety of flowering perennials. Northeastern American readers can take inspiration from her choices to add to their own landscape. Attendees of the lecture will have a chance to ask Williams herself about what might work best in their garden.
Throughout the book, illustrations by accomplished photographer Annie Schlechter show us how Williams brings the outdoors inside with flowers from the garden, potted plants, inviting tablescapes, and lovely holiday vignettes. Sometimes a rescued bird’s nest rightly commands as much attention as a prized bit of collectible china or silver. At other times, long stems of hydrangeas from the garden bring an easy spark of life to a sitting room. You cannot label any of Williams’ interior or exterior. Formality gives way to ease. Rustic elevates to elegant. The polished and the weathered live happily side by side.
Both book and April 24 lecture will help us better understand how Williams works, and how we might follow suit!
Photos from Life in the Garden taken by Annie Shlechter and courtesy of Rizzoli
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