Located in Monroe, Louisiana, I have admired this gorgeous 1936 Georgian-style house ever since originally seeing images of it designed by the legendary Mark Hampton. So when I saw it featured in the March 2017 issue of House Beautiful, transformed by designer Melissa Rufty, I took note. This was the childhood home of the late American novelist and playwright Speed Lamkin, sometimes known as “the poor man’s Truman Capote.” After establishing his career in Manhattan, Lamkin returned to the family home and commissioned Hampton to decorate. There was another homeowner between Lamkin and the current owners, Rufty explains, “so I didn’t have to perform the sacrilege of taking Mark Hampton’s rooms apart – they were already gone, except in pictures.” Here it is today, via House Beautiful with photography by Kerri McCaffety…
Click here to see this gorgeous home featured in the March 2017 issue of House Beautiful, and here to read an interview about the transformation with designer Melissa Rufty. To see this house as designed by Mark Hampton and featured in the September 1981 issue of Architectural Digest, please visit The Peak of Chic. It is also featured on pages 52-55 of one of my favorite books, Mark Hampton: An American Decorator.
A South Carolina Landmark Designed by Mark Hampton
A Glamorous New Start for Danielle Rollins
A Dreamy Texas Farm House by Cathy Kincaid
March Musings: Easter, Joan Crawford’s Home, and a Little Nip and Tuck
Great.
The Glam Pad is perhaps my all-time favorite website! I'm blown away by the articles, pictures. I learn something new every time, & it's such a joy!
Thank you so much, Tina! That is the nicest compliment ever!! 🙂
XOXO,
The Glam Pad
I always learn something from you blog! I love it!
Just came across these pictures of this house in Monroe, LA (altho I know you posted them ages ago) and BOY am I glad. These particular rooms teach so much about the value of ELEGANT RESTRAINT and just well done beauty and comfort. I study images of interiors all day every day passionately and never have I found that almost EVERYTHING about a certain house speaks to me immensely. (Okay – one exception – the brown abstract painting in the brown room). But not until I went back and found the pictures of the Mark Hampton interpretation could I see how much a dark, overdone, heavy style of decorating could be lightened up SO elegantly and could feel so airy yet elegant. I know Mark Hampton was a legend but I have trouble even breathing when I see this former rendition. I know the times had a lot to do with it – in those years I guess elegant meant HEAVY. The new version is nothing short of a breath of fresh elegant air.