The Enchanting Interiors of Bunny Mellon

The houses of Mellon and her husband Paul have become icons in the field of interior decoration, filled with fine antiques, blue-chip works of art (with an occasional Van Gogh, Cezanne, or Degas left unframed and propped on a mantel or against the back of a chair), comfortably upholstered furniture, and collections of dishes and bibelots all displayed in Mellon s inimitably sophisticated and charming way. Campbell was employed by Mellon in 1970 for six years, after her college graduation, to document in paint several Mellon residences presented here as a group for the first time. This book the culmination of an unfinished project that Mellon was organizing in her later years presents Campbell s paintings capturing the colors, light, and ambiance of rooms and gardens, as well as intricate patterns and details of furnishings in rooms arranged with help from renowned decorators John Fowler and Bruce Budd. Three residences in New York City, Washington, DC, and Upperville, Virginia are the focus, with texts by society chronicler James Reginato describing Mellon s decorating style and how she used each property for escape or as a backdrop for her and her husband s hospitality. Opening the doors to a life of superb taste and connoisseurship, this volume is an homage to the outstanding interiors of a renowned couple and the extraordinary work of a young artist.