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House of Mr. Henry Ford II; Grosse Point, Michigan; 1950s

Artist/Designer: McMillen McMillen Inc.

Project Location: United States

Figure 1: Entry Hall of the Henry Ford, II, house in Grosse Point, MI. From The Finest Rooms by America's Great Decorators (1964): "The soft pinks, blues, and off white of the Adam rug set the tone for all the furnishings in the main hall of Mr. Ford's house and provide a lustrous background for fine furniture and paintings. The curtains are pale green faille with a deeper green and blue border. The gilt Adam chairs (from Battle Abbey in England) are covered with an off-white and sharp green cut velvet copied from an eighteenth-century design. Off-white silk with green and off-white gimps and tassels cover the banquette. Candelabra on the Adam consoles and the superb chandelier are both antique Waterford crystal. Over the fireplace is Manet's 'Portrait of Guillaudin'". ( Source | Accessed : October 10, 2017 )
Figure 2: Library of the Henry Ford, II, house in Grosse Point, MI. From the book The Finest Rooms by America's Great Decorators (1964): "Mr. Ford's fine collection of old books has found exactly the right setting in this beautifully paneled library. The Grinling Gibbons carvings over the mantel, the wing chair covered in antique Hungarian needlework, and the Queen Anne coral lacquer secretary add notes of elegance and comfort. The painting over the fireplace is 'Pagans et le Pere de Degas' by Degas." ( Source | Accessed : October 10, 2017 )
Figure 3: The Morning Room of the Henry Ford, II, house in Grosse Pointe, Michigan. "soft yellow-green walls, a neutral rug, and gay quilted chintz curtains and upholstery provide a light and cheerful atmosphere. The painting is 'Paysan en Blouse blue' by Cezanne." ( Photographer: photographer Henry S. Fullerton. Published in 1964 in The Finest Rooms by America's Great Decorators, page 90. )

Style/Period(s):
Revival Styles

Primary Material(s):
Fabric, Wood

Function(s):
Residential Structure

Related Website(s):

Significant Date(s):
20th Century, 1950-1959

Additional Information:
This is the residence of Mr. Henry Ford II at Grosse Point, Michigan.

Brown, Erica. Sixty Years of Interior Design: The World of McMillen (New York: The Viking Press, 1982).

Tweed, Katherine, ed. and Russell Lynes. The Finest Rooms by America's Great Decorators (New York: The Viking Press, 1964).

Lewis, Adam. The Great Lady Decorators: The Women Who Defined Interior Design, 1870-1955 (New York: Rizzoli, 2009).

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