Great Danes — Interior Design Hound

I’ve been visiting my parents in Tucson, Arizona this past week…

…Arriving just in time for Tucson’s monsoon season.

I’m such a lucky Dog, Tucson was breaking all rainfall records. September is measuring up to be the wettest in Tucson’s history!

Desert Storm. Image: Arizona Daily Star

Here’s a little travel tip from the Interior Design Hound:

Avoid the monsoon season in Arizona.

Wet Dogs. Image: Arizona Daily Star

Don’t believe the natives if they tell you:

“Don’t worry, we just get a little rain now & then.”

Aye Chi-wa-wa! Image: Famous Chihuahua

Yeah, right. That’s almost as good as this one:

“It doesn’t feel hot, it’s a dry heat.”

Pah-leaze. Anyway you decribe it, 110 degrees is

H O T.

So while I dry out & recuperate from my journey, I hope you’ll enjoy some of my favorite Southwestern style pottery & tile:

Talavera.

Talavera Tile Design. Image: Tierra y Fuego

Authentic Talavera pottery & tile has been handcrafted in Puebla, Mexico and the surrounding cities for centuries.

The classic designs, developed in the mid-17^th century, work with many decorating styles in addition to the homes of the Southwest.

Mexican Talavera is a type of majolica made with a white base glaze, known for it’s beautiful, cobalt blue designs.

You’ll find examples of the pottery in many forms:

Tile
Vases
Statues
Dinnerware
Decorative Accessories

Even the kitchen sink…

Plumbing Fixtures. Image: Tierra y Fuego

…and a few other fine fixtures, including water bowls.

No, not the toilet…Dog Bowls!

Talavera Dog Bowls. Image: Canine Styles

As a matter of fact, you can find an entire collection of Talavera Pet accessories designed in cobalt blue.

I love these treat jars, don’t you?

Pet Treat Jars. Image: Barker & Meowsky

There is even a Dog bone shaped Pet Feeder available in the Mexican Talavera pottery.

Designer Pet Feeder. Image: Tails In The City

While I love the cobalt blue designs, Talavera is also painted in bold, sun-drenched colors like this Dog bowl:

Mexican Dog Bowl. Image: Surroundings

Of course, I can’t think of ”Mexico & Dogs” without thinking of the Chihuahua, but here is a new Canine breed:

The Talavera Dog.

Great Dane. Image: Talavera Emporium

Who knew the Great Dane hailed from Mexico?

Later, I’ve got to let the Dog out,

Want more? Check out what we dug up...

California Dogs: Retro Dog Bowls Are an Interior Design Hound’s Treat

How to Keep Your Dogs' Ears Out of the Water Bowl In Style.

California Dogs: Retro Dog Bowls Are an Interior

Vintage Hollywood DOGS & Home Decorating: Jane Mansfield’s Pink Palace for Poodles, Pekingese, Chihuahuas & Great Danes

Many Hollywood dames had Dogs…

But blonde bombshell Jayne Mansfield surrounded herself with a pack.

The actress had a Scottie Dog, Pekingese, Great Danes, Chihuahuas and Poodles.

Scottie Dog, Chihuahuas, a Great Dane.

Jayne Mansfield. Image: All Good Things

Jayne’s Poodle even appeared with her in a tub full of bubbles in the Broadway play (1955) Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?

The role of Rita Marlowe (a character based on Marilyn Monroe) made Mansfield a STAR.

Blonde bombshell & publicity Hound Janye Mansfield set Broadway ablaze with the show’s 444 performances.

Red Dyed Poodle & Jayne Mansfield, IDH

In 1957, Jayne Mansfield starred in the screen version of “Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?,” but her Poodle was replaced with a professional Dog actor.

The colorful satire is still fun to watch in all of its 1950’s glory. You’ll find a clip from the movie here.

Hollywood Poodle. Image: 20^th Century Fox

Mr. Universe, Mickey Hargitay, played the role of Bob Branigansky in the film, and wedding bells were soon to follow.

Jayne Mansfield married Mr. Universe in 1958 on the condition that Mickey would get her a mansion with a heart shaped swimming pool.

Jayne Mansfield was passionate about her Dogs, hearts and the color PINK…

Jayne Mansfield & Mickey Hargitay’s Home

The couple purchased their $74,000 Pink Dream House with a $2000 down payment in 1961.

In no time at all, after performinga few weeks at the Dunes Hotel in Vegas (earning $25,000 per week), Mickey & Jayne returned to Bel Air with the Dogs and paid off the house in full.

Suze Orman would have been proud.

It was time for Jayne Mansfield to decorate…

Jayne’s Pekingese& Pink Bel-Air Mansion

Images: IDH, Paint Benjamin Moore

While Jayne had her dumb blonde routine down to a science, the bombshell actually had an IQ of 163, spoke five languages and was classically trained on both the piano & violin.

But there was one thing Jayne Mansfield was not:

an Interior Design Hound.

Did I mention Jayne like pink? Gallons of pink paint was mixed with crushed sandstone and slathered on every available exterior surface.

The mixture made Mansfield’s house glisten in the California sunshine and soon it was dubbed the “Pink Palace” of Hollywood.

Even Jayne’s Pekingese was named after a Pink Powder Puff!

Hollywood Pekingese has her own Phone.

Image: Architectural Digest: Hollywood At Home

Jayne Mansfield, ever the savvy marketing & publicity Hound, “decorated” the Pink Palace by offering herself for promotional appearances in return for goods and services.

Appliance & Plumbing Fixtures
Furniture & Home Décor
Carpeting & Fooring
Building Supplies
Tile & Stone
Wallpaper
Draperies
Fabrics
Contractors
Electricians
Plumbers
Painters

It was estimated that the “dumb blonde” pulled in $150,000 worth of home furnishings & services for her Pink Palace.

I’m sure she was tickled pink!

Powder Puff, Jayne Mansfield’s Pekingese

Image: AD: Hollywood At Home & IDH

Jayne and Mickey soon settled into domestic bliss in their Dog filled Pink Palace.

The couple hung out in their Den (Or is it really one of those Rumpus Rooms that were so popular back in the day?) with their Chihuahuas “Momsicle & Popsicle” and played chess.

Yeah, r i g h t…

Chihuahua in Home Décor Purgatory

Image: AD: Hollywood At Home

What a novel design concept:

Spanish iron doors painted gold for an International accent.
Smooth & shiny surfaces that contrast the rough texture of stone. (Rocks- lot’s of ‘em.)
4” deep-shag carpet layered with a dead polar bear for warmth.
A fireplace and a copper ceiling to reflect the entire big, hot mess.
Minimal furnishings: forget the game table & chairs- just sit on the floor!

Hmmmm, that sounds very similar to something I saw on Design Star …

Chihuahua & Carpet. Image: Interior Design Hound

According to Architectural Digest:

(Seriously…Architectural Digest did a story on Jayne Mansfield’s Pink Palace.)

“Her enormous living room was carpeted with deep white shag— her Chihuahuas had difficulty navigating it…and guests removed their shoes.”

Poor Momsicle & Popsicle.

Every power couple in Hollywood needs a state-of-the-art home office. Mickey Hargitay & Jayne Mansfield were no exception.

Jayne’s IQ was evident to me when I noticed she followed Design Rule #47:

“Padded walls are a requirement for all married couples that choose to share an office space.”

Jane Mansfield’s Red Tufted Home Office Design

Image: Architectural Digest: Hollywood At Home

Maybe Jayne’s selection of the Cuckoo Clock expressed her true feelings about sharing an office with Mickey.

After all, Mr. Universe was a beefy guy.

Notice who is sitting behind the BIG desk in the picture?

Cuckoo Office Décor á la Jane Mansfield

Image: Architectural Digest: Hollywood At Home

With loads of fan mail that required answering, scrapbooks that needed filling & endless photographs to autograph; the Hollywood Star required the latest high-tech office equipment.

Jayne Mansfield’s Chihuahua. Image: IDH

The multi-tasking Jayne Mansfield had two typewriters:

A Remington Noiseless typewriter (In her favorite color pink)
And a Mink typewriter that she once promoted for “a girl who has everything.” (Life Magazine, 1956.)

While the tiny Chihuahua seemed to be Jayne Mansfield’s Dog breed of choice, she also loved enormous Great Danes.

Manfield’s Chihuahua, & Great Dane

Image: Life Magazine

“In New York, Jayne airs members of her household: Daughter (Jayne Marie Mansfield), Chihuahua and Great Dane,” read Life Magazine in 1955

I know of two Great Danes owned by Jayne. One Dog was named Lord Byron and the other was Candy.

Canines were Mansfield’s constant companions and the actress often had herself photographed with her Dogs…And why not? Dogs were usually good for publicity.

A memorable photograph of Jayne Mansfield playing the violin with her Dogs in her lap caused quite a stir in 1958…

Letter to the Editor, 1958. Image: Life Magazine

A Dog lover from Illinois wrote a letter to the Editor of Life Magazine questioning the health the Great Dane in the photograph.

Men came and went, but Jayne shared her life with Dogs until her death in 1967.

Mansfield once said: “I’d like ten more babies and ten more Chihuahuas and a few Academy Awards.”

The photograph of Jane Mansfield holding her beloved Chihuahuas Momsicle & Popsicle (seen below), sits framed and proudly displayed on the desk of Detective Olivia Benson on the set of the popular television show Law & Order.