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The global roots of Marie-Antoinette’s secret garden
France’s Palace of Versailles was designed to make jaws drop. It wasn’t just its colossal size, tons of marble, and painted frescoes that stunned 17th-century visitors (and continue to impress eight million annual visitors today). The gardens were also a symbol of Louis XIV’s power, showing off the ordered wizardry and wonder that made designer André Le Nôtre’s jardin à la française, or French formal garden, widely copied in Europe. But fewer than 700 feet from the palace, the discreet Queen’s Grove stood in complete contrast with Le Nôtre’s geometric precision. Here, Marie-Antoinette enlisted the finest botanists, architects, and horticulturists to create a secret refuge from the prying eyes and rigid rules…
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A Midcentury Modern Home in Los Angeles Returns to Its Roots
But the homeowners didn’t take on the renovation and reimagining of their 2,418-square-foot abode alone. One of Lacey’s best friends, fellow storytelling commercial director and designer Claire Thomas, led the interior design project, with Rendell lending a hand on a personal hobby, carpentry. “It is incredibly surprising I fell so deeply in love with the house from the initial listing photos,” says Lacey. “What I did see beyond the chocolate brown painted ceilings and stone tile bathrooms was a really special post-and-beam architectural treehouse with floor-to-ceiling windows that invite in the gorgeous, protected canyon views.” Claire and Lacey made it their job to return the home—originally designed by surfer-turned-architect Matt…
