Amelia Handegan, Rooms
Welcome to the first installment of the Chateau Lumiere book club! Collecting monographs of interior designers has long been a passion of mine. It seems like every decorator has a book these days, and honestly, some of them just stand out from the others. Maybe ‘book club’ is too organized and formal for what I’m trying to achieve here; however, I do want to highlight volumes of work that bring me endless inspiration. The purpose of this blog is to celebrate beauty and color in life. I hope these designers and their books bring you as much joy as they have brought to me. Grab a big ol’ glass of red wine (or white, we’re all friends here), settle into your favorite bergère, and let’s dive in.
When I daydream about my imaginary Tradd Street home in Charleston, I dream about comfortable formality. I dream about beautiful, warm colors and an afternoon breeze gently ruffling the drapery. I dream of centuries-old furniture towering over wide-planked, natural wood floors. I dream of...hiring Amelia Handegan.
Charleston-based designer, Amelia Handegan, has perfected the art of Southern interiors. If ‘Old World Charleston’ was an official style, and it should be, Handegan would be the grande dame.
At least to me, a well-decorated room should appear as if it simply has always existed. You should not be able to tell if the decorator signed off on the project yesterday or 10-20 years ago. Amelia Handegan’s rooms are delightfully fresh in 2024, and yet, they appear as if they could have existed in 1824 just the same. She creates her classic, timeless interiors by weaving together layers of antiques, color palettes that glow in the Lowcountry sun, and an exuberant use of texture.
Handegan’s 2016 book with Rizzoli, ‘Rooms,’ is a beautiful compilation of her work. From formal Church Street drawing rooms to easy-living island bedrooms, ‘Rooms’ highlights her deep understanding of the Lowcountry’s lifestyle, history, and enduring charm.
Cover Photographed by Pieter Estersohn
The vast majority of photographs for ‘Rooms’ were done by Pieter Estersohn, a renowned architectural and interior design photographer. Estersohn’s photographs bring Handegan’s work to life. Not only are his images perfectly composed, they capture the natural light in such an imaginative way. In these images, Estersohn manages to convey the ‘feel’ of the room — not just the appearance.
I’m almost ashamed to admit this, but Thomas Ravenel’s former drawing room featured in Bravo’s Southern Charm (if you know, you know) was my gateway to Handegan’s work. The room was photographed by Tria Giovan, and it is gloriously displayed in the opening pages of ‘Rooms’ (shown below).
Photograph courtesy of Tria Giovan
For me, Ravenel’s drawing room was one of those rooms that you see once and it is forever stuck in your mind. The warm glow from the apricot color palette is enough to bring you in, and those gorgeous drapes and endless layers of texture will get you to stay. Be honest, have you ever seen a more beautiful pair of antique chairs than those adjacent to the sofa? I’ll give you time to think.
I think this Church Street room perfectly illustrates Handegan’s elegant, less-is-more approach. As you will see throughout the book, this single image has all the hallmarks of a Handegan classic — the drapes, the warm colors, and the perfect mix of antiques. I love dark wood furniture, and I think this book absolutely makes the case that it’s still desirable and relevant in design.
The drapes on display throughout ‘Rooms’ deserve their own discussion. Truly, this book could be a reference textbook on drapery. Handegan’s typical style of straight, perfectly gathered and trimmed drapes are stunning. They add so much to the overall design, but they don’t overpower the finer details of the room.
Handegan’s ability to layer texture and color is apparent throughout her book. She effortlessly brings together a kaleidoscope of color, fabric, polished silver, beautiful lighting, glass, porcelain, antique woods, and Southern charm.
I’ve used this book as a reference since its release — many, many moons ago at this point. Every time I tackle a decorating project in our home, this is one of the texts I pour myself into before making the first decision. Please, please research more of Amelia’s work on your own — this is only the very tip of the gorgeous, antique-laden, colorful iceberg.
For your own copy of ‘Rooms,’ click here
To see Amelia’s work in a Folly Beach home, click here
To see Amelia’s work at Rose Hill, click here