Ralph Lauren Home Collections Archive ... PART THREE

Well, this is it. The finale of the Ralph Lauren Home Collection Archive posts. If you missed where this all started, with Ralph Lauren's 2013 Architectural Digest Cover and Story on two of his lovely homes, you can view that post by clicking on the link. Then I tried to catalog some older collections of the uber popular Ralph Lauren Home Lifestyle Collections from the distant past, in PART ONE and PART TWO.

As I put together this post, I keep going back to PART TWO, and my absolute favorite collection, La Boheme: 

I know that this isn't everyone's perfect room. For some the asymmetry is frustrating, and what I call layering is just clutter. But for me, and anyone who has followed along with this blog through all of my many home transformations, you know that this look, is where my heart is. So, I hope, that somewhere in one of these collections that I've searched so deeply across the web for, you've had a similar breathtaking moment where you said, "YES! I found my happy place!!"

Now this time, I'm not posting about a lot of other collections. Fact is, there just aren't many pictures available for the older ones. But in my digging, I did find some clever reuse on the part of Ralph Lauren that just called for feature. Remember the California Romantic Collection from PART ONE? 

It wasn't my favorite - but I do like it. What's great about this collection, is that it's been used before. Before it got it's revamp with neutral Aztec inspired rugs and loosely draped furniture in soft linens ... it was called La Hacienda: 

I think I actually like that one better! Before I move on to the end of this post, I was asked to find the Safari Collection from the 90's. I looked, and found two lone photos. I didn't remember this collection, likely because I was only 8 years old when it debuted, but I sure wish I could find more photos! 

I've had a lot of fun searching for these photos and getting so much Ralph Lauren Home legacy in one place through these posts. As we roll the credits on this series, I can't help but wonder what's next for Ralph Lauren Home. This Fall, he's set to debut what may end up being the most elaborate of collections yet: Apartment No. One. Named for the residence at London's Kensington Palace, which will be home to Prince William and Kate Middleton, who is not yet a Princess - rather a duchess, countess, and baroness. What will Prince William and Kate's Apartment look like in the eyes of Ralph Lauren?

Well, I know this much ... it's inspired by Prince Edward VIII, Duke of Windsor, who served as King of the United Kingdom for a brief period of time in 1936, before abdicating the thrown to marry an American divorcee. His brother, Prince Albert, father of the now Queen Elizabeth, took the thrown. Many of you have probably seen "The King's Speech", recounting in the way only Hollywood can, the life of Albert.

So, adding that to the pot. I ask you this: "What would the apartment of a Prince and Baroness, inspired by the distant philandering, controversial royal relative who abdicated the thrown and avoided Royal life after escaping his destined reality to live a life of peace in France ... look like?"

Well, they've got a great place to start. A recent $19,000,000 renovation of the palace, where Diana raised Prince William and Prince Harry, (Apartments 8 and 9) has updated the livability of the 547 room palace separated into apartments that are occupied by other royal relatives, as they have been for centuries.

The two-year renovation has blended old with new, maintaining the architectural integrity of the palace while making it much more serviceable to today's standards. At least more serviceable than those of the builder's King William and Queen Mary in the late 17th century. The apartment that Price William and Duchess Kate will move in to is known as Apartment 1A, 4-floors, 20 rooms, and prior home of Princess Margaret, Prince William's Great Aunt.

The foyer of the apartment is rich with millwork and a harlequin tile floor:

I doubt seriously that this has changed too much in the renovations. And I also doubt highly that we'll ever get to see much of the finished interiors of Prince William and Kate's home. But knowing that Ralph Lauren, who probably researched the "feel" of this apartment in creating the Fall Collection is using this classic English architecture might help in the vision you're going to create in your head. So will Kate and Prince William's Apartment 1A look like Ralph Lauren's Harrowden Collection:

Or will Baby George, Kate, and William reside at Apartment 1A in something more like Ralph Lauren's Noble Estate Collection?

Well, the creative minds at Ralph Lauren Home will not disappoint us, no matter how they interpret the palace, I'm sure! But I have a feeling that we're going to see a modern mix in the Ralph Lauren Home Fall 2013 Apartment No. One collection. Already, they've marked some accessories on their site with the lifestyle: "Apartment No. One" including:

So, perhaps Apartment No. 1 at Kensington Palace (Ralph Lauren's Interpretation) will look more like his Rue Royale Collection?

I'm sure we'll all be on the edge of our seats, and I will definitely show it off here once it becomes public. I sure hope you enjoyed this last installment and the slight deviation.