Looking for Valerian Rybar

Some of you may remember that while reading Empress Bianca, the alleged roman à clef about international socialite and philanthropist Lily Safra, I became obsessed with finding out who the real-life version of Bianca's decorator, Valerian Rybar, was. (Click here and here to revisit Safra style.)

Well, apparently Valerian Rybar was the real Valerian Rybar, and according to the NY Times, he was the world's most expensive decorator, boasting a roster that included Rothschilds and Greek shipping magnates.

My dreams of seeing veritable Rybar rooms were soon realized when I espied the 1980s tome Decorating for Celebrities by Paige Rense on a friend's bookshelf. Lo and behold, an in depth interview with Mr. Rybar in which he muses on his craft:

The difference between a decorator and a designer: "A decorator should have a taste for selection; a designer should have a talent for creation."

If you are decorating your own home but can't do everything at once, make a master plan and then execute it. "Don't buy something because you love the way it looks whenever you happen to see it. Be very sure it fits into your total concept."

Rybar has many wise words, although I would beg to differ with his statement that "today, for a room of quality, you have to spend at least thirty thousand dollars. And that does not, of course, include art and antiques." Instead, I would suggest, you could spend all the money in the world and still not achieve the results that a good eye and a spark of imagination can create.

Photos: top, #3 by Pascal Hinous; #4 by Nathaniel Lieberman

"You can go to Sears-Roebuck for a self welt!"

So said a friend as she was advising me on the recovering of several items. Gimp, fringe, tape, cord, tassels - the world of passementerie can be an overwhelming one to navigate, but it is these details which can transform a plain Jane chair into a Zsa Zsa Gabor.

While revisiting the Safra sales catalogue last week, I remembered how struck I was by the beautifully detailed upholstery when viewing the sale at Sotheby's a few years ago. As I am increasingly in a Castaing frame of mind, it is probably no surprise that I'm responding to the many Napoleon III touches Mrs. Safra and her decorator Howard Slatkin adopted.

Here are a few for your pleasure....

a set of 6 Directoire painted and parcel gilt chairs

Mid 19th Italian Painted and Parcel Gilt Stool in the form of a chaise longue

Le Style Safra

So Empress Bianca is now on her fourth husband and they have just moved to New York where she is determined to climb her way to the loftiest heights of high society. Her first step is to acquire a twenty-four room duplex on Fifth Avenue in one of the best buildings. She then picks up one of the sharpest weapons in her arsenal , decorator Valerian Rybar, with whom she forms "one of the most compelling relationships of her life." Besides providing Bianca with a suitably opulent backdrop from which to realize her social ambitions, Valerian gives her the skinny on everyone worth knowing and all the things they did to become so.

Naturally, my curiosity was aroused as to who was the Valerian Rybar to Lily Safra, the alleged real-life Bianca. The answer is Howard Slatkin about whom I know very little, except that he is very exclusive, very discreet, and has impeccable taste (and that his brother Harry has a scented candle line).

Below are several rooms he did for the Safras in various residences - all photographed by Fitz von der Schulenberg for the Sotheby's 2005 sales catalogue of the property of Lily and her late husband Edmond J. Safra.

This room looks as if one were meant to just pass through. It seems a bit cold, but the pair of side tables were too fantastic to not show you.

I initially found the dining room wall color a surprising choice, but by candlelight it probably glows. Billy Baldwin loved brown walls for entertaining as they are warm and flattering.

Although it is all undoubtedly exquisite, I prefer more color and a little less perfection - what do you think?