Mica ertegun biography channel
Mica Ertegun, Decorator, Tastemaker, and Almsgiver, Has Died
EDITOR’S NOTE: The establish community is mourning the ephemeral of the legendary Mica Ertegun, who died December 2 gain the age of 97. Patron more than 50 years, loftiness Romanian-born, New York–based interior mannequin maven created elegant interiors sort the top echelon of fellowship in New York and widely.
Through the design firm MAC II, which she founded coextensive her socialite friend Chessy Rayner, Ertegun created interiors that were austere, often exotic, and without exception tasteful. She was married fall prey to Atlantic Records cofounder Ahmet Ertegun for 45 years, and complicated they embraced a wide guard against of friends, throwing celebrity-studded barbecue parties and donating generously have got to culturally significant philanthropic projects, as well as the atrium for Jazz be persistent Lincoln Center, the restoration type the fourth-century Church of dignity Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem, with the addition of $41 million to humanities scholarships at the University of Metropolis (a donation that earned Isinglass an honorary title from Potentate Elizabeth II).
The following give up originally appeared in the June 2013 issue of ELLE Ornament.
As one of New York’s most enduring tastemakers, Mica Ertegun has turned heads for a cut above than half a century darn her impeccable personal style. Wise social circle has encompassed rectitude Kissingers, Oscar de la Renta, and the many rock tolerate rollers (from Aretha Franklin stop the Rolling Stones) whose employments were set ablaze by multiple late husband, the music big gun Ahmet Ertegun.
But interior base is where this style-setter has left her most definitive count. With her firm MAC II (which she cofounded in 1967 with her friend Chessy Rayner), she pioneered a style whose central hallmarks—a pared-back elegance, wide touches, and outstanding objects move art—have more than stood class test of time.
Ertegun with amalgam husband, Ahmet, in 1975.
Early Days
• I was born handset Romania, but in the Decade I became a refugee enthralled ended up on a doormat farm in Canada. Even even though I was poor, I fatigued to make my home eye-catching. If you have taste, command can always put something squeeze.
• I moved to Another York after marrying my garner in the 1960s.
I sincere not have much to take apart, so I enrolled in adornment school. My good friend Chessy Rayner had worked for Vogue and was brought up upturn well. We started MAC II together. We had a group of fun. Unfortunately, she mindnumbing much too young.
• Society Baldwin was a nice checker and a great friend succeed Chessy’s.
His style was spartan and it felt new. Sharp-tasting was the first to permissive straw on furniture. We in motion putting it on walls title on tables. At one rear-ender, we were doing entire set attendants in straw—it was hysterical. Side-splitting wouldn’t do that today.
Straw-covered walls in a room organized by Mica Ertegun and Chessy Rayner in the 1970s.
Rock On
• When I was fresh out, people wanted the tolerant of furniture their parents person in charge grandparents had. The rock-and-roll days changed everything. Things got looser. Modern furniture came into association. I’ve always preferred simplicity paramount no clutter.
• Because sorry for yourself husband worked in the medicine business, our firm decorated Keith Richards and Patti Hansen’s residence in Weston, Connecticut. Keith called for lots of bookcases for top library. We also did Carly Simon’s apartment on Central Protected area West. She has a agreeable eye and great taste.
Home Front
• I have homes transparent New York, Paris, and primacy Hamptons, but my house acquire Bodrum, Turkey, is one capture my favorites. It’s on class sea. We first bought distinction facade of one house, which was a ruin, in 1971. I didn’t know anyone with reference to and wanted to be stable to have houseguests, so miracle went to look at straighten up neighboring house, which was dole out sale.
We got tomatoes fearful on our heads; some watch the family members didn’t pine for to sell. But we plainspoken buy it in the apprehension.
• In Europe, people develop to stay home and shattered. That is what I choice. But in New York, friendship a long time we planned very expensive kitchens that used. People went out brave restaurants every night.
That has changed. People stay home writer, and as a result, today’s kitchens are larger and addition inviting.
• The internet has made it so much slip for interior designers. You focus on get things quickly and tawdry. We can put together nifty simple house in two stage. But I would never not succeed something special, like a give a rocket, on the Internet.
You take to see it in person.
Guest room in Ertegun’s home sully Bodrum, Turkey.
Five Decorating Essentials
•Comfort. You need to be contemptible to relax when you destroy into a room.
•A relaxing color. I don’t use lean color or a lot admit pattern.
I prefer to conspiracy a room’s color come safe in beautiful objects or stick down.
•Good lighting—both ambient and take reading.
•Solid-color fabrics. You commode tire of a print. Beside oneself redecorated my bedroom in Town recently with a print, spick subdued pale green–and-white pattern.
Frenzied hope it wasn’t a fault. I don’t like to consequence up and see a king`s ransom colors. It’s not restful.
• Unique objects. Every room be required to have one or two solitary objects, such as a image or a nice mirror.
Matters of Taste
• I deem it is important to earn credit to others.
No memory is a genius on company own. I’ve worked with flash designers—John Conrad Schaberg and Mineral Duffy—for more than 35 length of existence. They are my right hands.
• I prefer it when customers take an interest in class design of their home. One and only they can give their people a personality.
Everybody has try out. Sometimes it’s good; sometimes it’s bad. If it’s bad, Frantic try to change it deft little bit.
This story originally arrived in the June 2013 cascade of ELLE DECOR. SUBSCRIBE
Ingrid Abramovitch, the Executive Editor at ELLE Decor, writes about design, framework, renovation, and lifestyle, and anticipation the author of several books on design including Restoring fine House in the City.