Category: Features

Unexpected Dining Room

When I met with this client to design their dining room, their desire to break away from the traditional shingle style exemplified by the home’s exterior architecture totally inspired me.

When I met with this client to design their dining room, their desire to break away from the traditional shingle style exemplified by the home’s exterior architecture totally inspired me.  They wanted simple elements with no clutter or fuss.  Because the room began as a blank slate, we started with a completely fresh palette.

In this room, I truly enjoyed using so many creative and unique elements.  The cowhide chairs from Ligne Roset provided adult seating around the dining room table and, combined with a bench on the other side of the table, make an unconventional seating arrangement.  The lovely drizzle chandelier from Ochre acts as a fantastic piece of jewelry for the entire room.  On the walls, digital art prints reinforce the dining room’s modern feel.  In addition, I loved the window treatments for this dining room.  The pattern reminded me of delicate lanterns floating through the sky.  The large looped wool carpet from Patterson Flynn & Martin softens and warms the room.

I was honored to be an A List Winner for At Home magazine’s Winter 2011 issue with this dining room.  In the magazine, the dining room was described as “bold, brash, and contemporary, a perfect combination to make a traditional home feel modern.”  What an amazing experience, to be recognized for doing something I love!

A Luxurious Guest Room

Being nestled away from the main section of the residence, this small room offered a place where we could be more whimsical and theatrical with the design elements and colors.

For this project, I designed a beautiful third-floor guest room.  Being nestled away from the main section of the residence, this small room offered a place where we could be more whimsical and theatrical with the design elements and colors.  I wanted people to walk up the stairs and feel pleasantly surprised by this hidden jewel of a room.

I loved working with so many material in this room that it’s difficult to talk about just one or two favorites.  Our color palette of yellow, grace, and sienna gave me ample room to explore the capricious style of the room.  I covered the walls with a gorgeous Brunschwig & Fils chinoiserie grass cloth left over from the client’s previous residence.  I hadn’t the heart to discard it and was so pleased to use this amazing paper again.

One striking aspect of the guest room is the overabundance of elements that work so nicely together.  From the solid cotton velvet fabric of the canopy to the leather window seat and tortoise shell window shades, details such as the unusual guacamole color of the seat and the amazing tiger print silk on the interior of the canopy make this room a real treat for the client’s guests.

You know you have a great client when that client truly lets you shop.  Finding wonderful items for this guest room made it such a fun experience.  I found these amazing Chinese male and female lamps, the final piece added to tie the room together.  They both wear custom green silk shades with a yellow trim accent.  Initially, the client had a different, extremely heavy and massive bed allocated for this room.  We decided it overwhelmed the small space.  Instead, I found an antique bamboo bed at United House Wrecking.  The bed was a true diamond-in-the-rough, needing to be cut down to Queen size and missing several turnings.  I was so excited when I found it, and even more so when the client was also able to see the bed’s potential.  After refurbishing the entire piece, we couldn’t be happier to have such a gorgeous bed as the main focus of this guest room.

Designing a room like this takes a certain willingness to take risks.  Don’t be afraid to add multiple color combinations.  Sienna ingested with yellow and lime green adds warmth and striking contrast to this room.  Mirrors on the side tables add reflection at a completely different level and are an unexpected touch to the room.  Be careful not to overdress every window, as a simple and inexpensive tortoise shell works equally as nice.  Finally, invest in at least one set of high thread count sheets.  You (or your guests) will sleep better for it!

 

 

 

 

Chinoiserie Dining Room

When a client approached me with the goal of designing a dining room for entertaining large gatherings in a formal setting, I really enjoyed both the challenge and the opportunity to build a room around many truly beautiful design pieces.

When a client approached me with the goal of designing a dining room for entertaining large gatherings in a formal setting, I really enjoyed both the challenge and the opportunity to build a room around many truly beautiful design pieces.

The dining room originally had a generic wood mantel with very little appeal or individuality.  I also had to consider how many people would use the space and how to configure the design to appeal to both large and small groups of guests.  The bay windows provided another challenge, being difficult to treat while keeping the design and scale appropriate.

To begin, we decided on a fabulous color palette using Farrow and Ball paint in Pipe Down against a chinoiserie patterned butter yellow paper and predominantly grey curtains.  In addition, every aspect of this room was custom designed, from the walls to the carpet, for a highly individualized room.

In place of the boring wood mantel, I installed a custom, hand-carved stone mantel which provides a nice focal point for the room.  The gorgeous hand-painted chinoiserie wall paper from de Gourney gives the room a lovely backdrop without the need for paintings or decorative items.  The unexpected dark color of the woodwork is the perfect contrast to the custom panels, and the window treatments accent the large bay windows without becoming overpowering or detracting from the view.

One of the most stunning pieces in the room is the dining room table.  As the centerpiece of the room where guests will gather, the table needed to be something special.  Every aspect of the Ebanista table was customized to allow the clients to entertain large or intimate groups of guests in beauty and style.  Every small detail of the table, including the inlay, had to be carefully considered and strategically placed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The overall impression of this dining room is one of luxury and comfort, a room as individual and unique as any client could ask.  Using such a range of exquisite products and companies allowed me to give my clients a dining room perfectly suited to their tastes and needs.

 

 

Attic Game Room

I love the opportunity to work on a project that provides a challenge and allows me to utilize some unique accessories.

I love the opportunity to work on a project that provides a challenge and allows me to utilize some unique accessories.  The challenge for this room came from the design of the attic space with load-bearing poles to work around and the client’s desire for three separate areas:  billiard space, television viewing space, and a bar.

To start, we decided the game room would be something of a departure from the design of the rest of the house.  It would have a more thematic, whimsical design with influences from the Far East and Indonesia.   I covered the walls with a suede paper from Philip Jeffries Ltd.  This paper gives the room a warm, luxurious backdrop.   I also chose a fantastic cotton velvet sofa fabric and beautiful in layed furniture.  To round out the room I added accessories from local artisans and wedding baskets from Simon Pearce.  Some of the best pieces in the room, such as the Indonesian side chairs with mother of pearl accents, came from local shops.   There is a lot of value to not selecting every accessory and piece of furniture for the initial presentation.  The hunt for the perfect piece is an organic process that allows you extra room for creativity and inspiration.  Plus, using local artists and retailers supports your community.

When addressing the challenge of working around the pole in the television viewing area, I had to consider the layout and purpose of the room.  Obviously, no one wants their view of the television blocked by a pole.  Also, speaking around the pole when talking to a group of friends and family would be awkward.  Choosing a sectional sofa proved to be the key to working around the pole without sacrificing comfort or style.

The final result is a room where people can relax and socialize in a sophisticated and timeless setting.  A splash of modernism gives the room just the right amount of balance, with an art deco inspired rug.  Lighting from Dennis and Leen and lounge chairs from Ralph Lauren help to round out the classic appeal of the room while the accessories and modern touches add a subtle element of fun.  What the client can now enjoy is a handsome setting for spending time with family and friends.