Mar. 04
Bulgari and Tony Duquette’s Dawnridge
By Lynn Byrne. It couldn’t be more fitting that Bulgari chose Tony Duquette’s Dawnridge as the setting for its current ad campaign with Julianne Moore. When I first saw this ad, I was so mesmerized by the jewelry (those drop dead emerald earrings!) that I didn’t much focus on the background. When I learned the ad was shot at Dawnridge I couldn’t get over the genius of choosing that site.
The colors and shapes in the ads, with the green, purple, peacock feathers and the exotic cockatoo, are so “Tony.” Here is a shot of the famous “Phoenix Rising from its Flames” sculpture as lit at night in the garden at Dawnridge that perfectly channels the feel of the ads. 
Here is another shot of the garden, just because it is so cool. Look at all of those pavillions, everything designed by the Duquettes.
I tried studying my two Tony Duquette books, to see if I could determine where the ad photos were taken, but I couldn’t figure it out. One interesting thing to point out is that Dawnridge is not a grand manse.
In fact, Tony and his wife Elizabeth (nicknamed Beegle), were strongly advised not to buy the property because the site perched on a steep ravine and had no front yard. Of course, they didn’t listen.
The house shown below shortly after it was constructed in 1949, was quite box-like and consisted of a grand drawing room with a balcony, a tiny kitchen and powder room, two miniscule bedrooms and baths downstairs and a one-car garage. Tony quickly turned the garage into a dining room. Essentially, it was a 30 by 30 foot cube. Doesn’t look like much from the curb. 
Fifty years later in the 1990′s, the house’s front entrance has been significantly dressed up. 
Here are some shots of the interior, which completely belie the original, rather stark exterior. This is a corner of the drawing room, c. 1980. There are those lovely peacock blues and greens again. 
Here is a full-on shot of the drawing room, c. 1990′s.
Photo via Habitually Chic
Another corner of the drawing room, followed by a close up of the fanciful window treatments. In the close up, don’t the feather-like shapes on the top of the lambrequin (type of valance) remind you of the cockatoos in the Bulgari ads. 
Finally, here is a shot of the “green” dining room. Remember that this originated as a garage. The dining room showcases, Duquette’s signature Malachite printed cotton. A perfect foil for those gorgeous Bulgari emerald earrings. 
Another reason, I think it was genius of Bulgari to choose Dawnridge for the setting of its ad campaign is that Tony Duquette was a most creative jewelry designer. There couldn’t be a better association for another manufacturer of fine jewels.
Here are some of Duquette’s jewelry designs.
He did a necklace for the Duchess of Windsor that she wore throughout her life. 
Here is Ann Blythe wearing one of his necklaces as a headdress. The fish brooch in front is also his design. 
More of his brooches. The one on the left features the malachite he so loved. (Michelle Obama has been noted to love brooches. I wonder if we will ever see her in a Duquette design.) 
Finally, the wedding ring he designed for his wife. 
Two books on Tony Duquette have been out for a while. Here they are; both available on Amazon. Can’t get away right now? Looking through them will transport you to another world. 
More is definitely more.
There is no doubt that Bulgari wants its Duquette inspired ads to encourage you to want more too.
(Can one ever have enough jewels?)
Photos of the gardens at Dawnridge via Philip’s Garden Blog. Interior photos of Dawnridge, except as noted above and except for the close up of the window treatment and the dining room from tonyduquette.com. and they retain all copyright and other proprietary rights thereto. Window treatment close up and dining room photo, plus all Duquette jewelry photos from the book, Tony Duquette, by Wendy Goodman and Hutton Wilkinson.
