The Tastemaker Series | Barbara Eberlein

I had a mad romp through this intriguing sale and discovered treasures at every turn: one leather, one wood, one glass, one tortoise and one silver… All my favorite materials!- Tastemaker Barbara EberleinFor the first installment of our new Tastemaker Series, we invited award-winning Philadelphia interior designer Barbara Eberlein of Eberlein Design Consultants Ltd., to join us.  With an influential voice in today 's dynamic design community, she has built a national reputation for expertise in the restoration of significant historic structures of the 19th and early 20th centuries. She is a sought-after lecturer on classical architecture and design. “I studied archeology, and I love history and classical beauty,” she says, “but I do contemporary work, too, and that keeps me facile.” Barbara paid a visit to Freeman's Thursday afternoon for a private tour of works being offered in our upcoming English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts and Silver & Objet de Vertu auctions. Specialist Veronica Renton guided her through the galleries while we took the opportunity to ask Barbara more about her creative thought process, and to tell us of some of the pieces that caught her eye in the exhibition room. FREEMAN'S What is the one thing you can 't live without?BARBARA EBERLEIN Color, the reflection of all emotions.FREEMAN'S What is your style philosophy?BARBARA Be expressive, have fun, find your confidence, explore the visual world, keep learning and embrace beauty in all its forms.FREEMAN'S Tell us about the last indulgence you treated yourself to.BARBARA Ten days in Myanmar lunching with Buddhist monks and watching the sunrise from a hot air balloon floating above gilded 14th century temples.FREEMAN'S Can you tell us about some of your favorite lots you saw today?BARBARA Here's what I'm obsessing about right now -  Lot 108 in English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts, a Louis Vuitton steamer trunk circa 1920.  I love this reimagined as the ultimate bar! Fill the canvas baskets with crystal decanters, champagne coolers, silver ice tongs and embroidered cocktail napkins! This party will never end…  Lot 19 in English & Continental Furniture & Decorative Arts, a fine pair of George III carved mahogany hall stools, circa 1760. These elegant “S” shaped legs inspire a cascade of “S” adjectives: sculptured, sleek, simple, strong, sophisticated… These chic benches would command any entry hall with their subtle power.Lot 25 in Silver & Objets de Vertu, a rare Victorian silver teapot designed by Christopher Dresser for Elkington & Co., Birmingham, 1885-86  As a tea aficionado, this tea-for-one pot is perfect self indulgence.  And who better to indulge with than Christopher Dresser? Of course Dresser was years ahead of this time when he designed this prescient masterpiece giving us a glimpse of the future Art Deco through the eyes of an Aesthetic movement genius. Find out more about Barbara Eberlein, and Eberlein Design Consultants, Ltd.