Borne
Trianon Palace hotel in Versaille
If you are going to walk the walk, you should talk the talk.
What is a borne?
BORNE:
A type of settee, usually round or oval, with a pillar in the center.
When the settee originated in France, it featured lavish tufting.
A Louis XV style circular gilt wood borne settee
Borne means “milestone” in French, suggesting the importance and large size of this design. This type of settee demands a grand setting. For this reason, it is more commonly seen today in commercial spaces like hotel lobbies where the pillar is sometimes topped with flowers or even a fountain.
Residential Use
Interior designers, however, also have used this settee in residences for years.
Madeleine Castaing had a borne in her iconic living room. Bonus points for readers who spot the blackamoor.
Madeleine Castaing’s living room
Another legendary designer, Albert Hadley, installed one in his living room in 2003.
Interior Design by Albert Hadley
And who can forget Windsor Smith’s fabulous house with the settee in her foyer?
Foyer in designer Windsor Smith’s home
Given their grand scale, t’s not surprising that the borne is comfortably at home in large English Country Manor estates. Here is one in the National Trust home Basildon Park in an unusual square shape.
Basildon Park
The form is captivating in all of its variations.
We even see it in art, like this painting by Toulouse Lautrec.
If you want one in your own home (a large dressing room would be a fine place, in addition to the more typical living room or foyer), this example by Christopher Guy is charming. Doesn’t it look great all styled up?
