Sunrooms

One of my favorite local projects is an addition to a 1920s tudor house here in the city.The original house, as many tudors are, was rather dark with a small original kitchen. The architects, BarnesVanze, came up with the solution of adding a sunroom onto the back of the house housing a kitchen above other needed spaces along a stone terrace.The interior of the kitchen is made even lighter by eliminating overhead cabinets and instead going with open glass shelving.Who wouldn't want to spend time in this bright and cheery Sunroom?

Essential Elegance

Earlier this week, I attended a lecture at the Corcoran given by Jose Solis & Paul Sherrill of Solis Betancourt in celebration of their new book, Essential Elegance. I know there are a LOT of beautiful books out this season but this one surely deserves its' place as a stocking stuffer (as said by Solis himself!).Solis Betancourt has been operating out of Washington, DC for 20 years and to celebrate that landmark, they decided to publish a book of some of their favorite projects. One of the first in the book is also one of my favorites (which I've loved ever since I first saw it published), an elegant french styled house here in DC they did in collaboration with Barnes Vanze Architects.Above is the living room. In this remarkable renovation, the team turned a pokey little house into an airy and spacious feeling masterpiece with amazing views. One of my favorite parts of the lecture was that they showed the 'befores' for every 'after' which got a lot of gasps from the audience! The master bedroom above benefited from the use of Portieres, or curtains to delineate space, a common element found in much of their work. The amazing mahogany windows and french doors from MQ windows which fill the house don't hurt either! Another ingenius element that often pops up in their work is decorative mouldings on the ceiling in which all of the ugly necessities are ganged; such as air vents, lighting fixtures and smoke detectors.

The use of natural materials and simple, modern furniture in a classical space was important to the client. Solis stated that their work at the firm is extremely client based and personal. This is evidenced by the broad range of styles seen throughout the book. He believes that the process should be 'amazingly fun' for everyone involved and that the client is the most important part of the process.In another more recently completed project just outside of NYC, Solis collaborated with architect Ward Welch to create a soothing environment for the client as an escape from the city. Solis believes his training as a painter (and also as an architect at Cornell) has trained him to see his interiors as still-lives and he excels at creating vignettes, as in this bedroom above. One of my favorite spaces was a bathroom in the same house. The modern glass sinks benefit from tons of natural light and the contrasting ornate mirrors add a little excitement to the room. I also love when bathrooms are finished like real rooms with pieces of furniture.
In the end, Solis and Paul left us with some great points. The earlier an interior designer is involved with a project, the better and smoother the end result. Solis believes his training as an architect helped his communication skills with clients, architects and the whole building team and believes that a team process is needed for a coherent project.

Editing is the most crucial part of design and Jose likes to work with existing furniture and architecture when possible, but in new ways; thinking outside of the box.

Jose said that entryways are the most important room of any house as they provide the introduction. He believes that no matter the size, it must give the 'story' of the entire house and he likes to include all of the main materials found throughout: stone,wood, iron, etc.

While Jose tends towards the modern and Paul towards traditional, their work together has created some stunning interiors as proved by this book. No matter whether the house is old or new, they like to provide a bit of wabi-sabi to the space by adding age and patina to give a sense of history. This one is a must in the fall line-up of interiors books!

principal photography throughout the book was provided by Marcos Galvany

Peter Pennoyer

One of the great current traditional architects is Peter Pennoyer. Everyone might not be familiar with his name, but after his new book is released this month (a monograth of his work) his name will be on everyone's lips I predict! He already has the attention of the current dean of traditional architecture (in my book), the great Robert A. M. Stern who writes the forward to the book, his former teacher and mentor.

Everyone who reads any design magazine today will be familiar with Pennoyer's work, working with many of the biggest interior design stars today. This new book goes through many of his most fascinating projects in depth, including GORGEOUSLY rendered floorplans and sections for each project (my favorite thing ever!!). No amount of photography could help one understand a building better.

One of my favorite projects shown in the section on townhouses is this project on Lenox Hill completed in 2005. The French neoclassical facade was originally designed by Henry Pelton in 1917 (on an existing 1872 townhouse) but had fallen into disrepair; So bad in fact that only the facade remained and the entire house had to be completely rebuilt.

Pennoyer is a master preservationist and restored or rather recreated the exterior while the interior was designed to be sympathetic to the houses history while becoming liveable for a family in todays world. The stunning interiors were done by Victoria Hagan. You would never guess many of the details weren't originally to the 1917 renovation!An intellectual as well as an architect, Pennoyer is able to work in many different styles and formats given his broad range of study. Showing this versatility, this 'camp' cabin from the section on country houses is designed in an Adirondack style.Playing with traditional styles for this area of New York from architects such as Robert Robertson as well as utilizing traditional Norwegian and Russian styles, the house was designed to look like an assemblage of pavilions attached through a series of covered walkways.The amazing drawings continue; I especially appreciated this section showing the house's relationship with the neighboring lake. The details in the house are stunning, such as this stair below which is of reclaimed lumber using traditional building techniques. You must get your hands on a copy of this book to fully appreciate Pennoyer's work -this is only the tip of the iceberg! Christmas list anyone?

Many thanks to Vendome for sending me a copy of this book to preview.

detail shot or welcome home

Whats the first thing you see when you get home? If you have this condo (office?) in Carmel, CA, it just may be Ganesha, an Indian god. Why have an ordinary door knocker when you can have something extraordinary like this instead (and I am loving this green door)? A house may be about location, size and style but a home is in the details.

Reduction by Design

A bridge, a canal, a sky.



We probably see a thousand raw master strokes of design daily: The way a building meets the sky, the way a cluster of streetlights, wires, and telephone towers meet, how an orange bridge meets a blue sky and still water. The challenge is clearing away the surrounding noise and finding the purer signal.



The art of design is both a matter of collection and subtraction and the resonant harmony in-between.



Often the answer is the simple one; Simple it may be, but not unconscious.



Chaos will find us soon enough. For now, let's just enjoy the quiet.

The Allure of Blunt Forces

It's where dark meets light, hard meets soft, and density meets sparsity; that place where oppositional forces create an alluring energy. Blame human consciousness: In our non-zenlike moments our minds tend toward a continuous whorl of tension. Such is creature life on earth. This may explain why we're so often drawn to blunt polar forces, whether in fashion, in a room, a chair, or a jungle.









































Humans crave order and yet we don't trust it. This could explain why great design is often found to be that which pushes order closer to the edge.























The graceful chair, edged in lace, standing before the industrial-like rivets and stainless wall cover. The dark-stained matte hardwood floor snuggles easily with billowing drapes and a lamp shade's dangling appendages.





















The libertine chaos of the rain forest is smoothed with the minimalist geometry of modern Shangri-La.












Sweet dreams to be found beneath a cave's coarse canopy. A rage of raw stone is softened with forced right angles and the sweep of white linen. All around the delicate aroma of aged Mother Earth and the quietude of her belly: Bliss.

DC Design House

Tonight I attended the 'gala' opening of the DC Design house at the design center hosted by Elle Decor. Scrumptious food and decadent drinks, but we weren't there to be wined and dined, rather we were there to see the work of 8 talented designers. Drama was big in the showhouse, as it should be. A beautiful stuffed peacock greeted you in the living room by JDS Designs. I loved the grasscloth wallcovering by Maya Romanoff for Donghia.The foyer, equally dramatic, is by Kelley Proxmire. I loved the combination of turquoise and black. The floor was painted in a hexagonal pattern in black and white, continuing the theme.My favorite room was the study by Nestor Santa-Cruz. The perfect blue walls by Farrow & Ball with a cozy seating group AND stacks of my favorite magazines (WOI and Elle Decor) -just what I would want to spend an afternoon doing here!
The carpet (Stark) was such a great complement - blue, golden yellow with orange accents.

This adorable little brass telescoping table was just large enough to set down a drink.Back in the living room, I loved these console tables by William Switzer for Niermann Weeks. A modern take on a glamourous English console: gilding removed and a simple stone top! I would have gladly taken this home.
Loved this lamp in the master bedroom - a little rabbitt by Moooi! The desk was interesting but it left me in the mood for a massage, yes?

The lobby to the Design center, more drama, was also done by Kelley Proxmire (I guess she specializes in lobbies these days?). Loved the combination of reds with black: you KNOW you've arrived!

The design house is open thru December 4 at the Design Center - please visit if you are in the area and many thanks to Elle Decor for a great evening!

An evening with Thomas O'Brien

Yesterday evening I attended yet another great lecture at the Corcoran Gallery. Thomas O'Brien was visiting for a book signing and to talk a bit about his work. I expected him to be knowledgeable, but what I didn't expect (and found pleasantly surprising) was his charming ineloquence. I do not mean that as a back-handed compliment at all! Rather, the lecture was informal and conversational: straight off the chest rather than totally prepared. Rather than stand behind the lecturne, Thomas casually perched on the edge of the stage and went through images from his book and talked about them in depth. Of course an over-arching theme was his interest in revival; looking back to move forward as he put it.. I was so glad to hear him say what I'm always thinking: antiques were the modern items of their time! Each generation makes its own modernism. Thomas is always trying to see an object in the light in which it was created.

If you haven't seen the book, you must soon - a requirement for any design library! The images are gorgeous of course, but the text is really helpful and an interesting look at his iconic work: from target to high-end custom residential design. As he himself stated, he's not a decorater, but rather someone who is interested in the complete idea: helping you find 'who you are'.

Thomas's work is collection based. He's always on the hunt for unique and special pieces, often at local thrift and junk shops! For this reason, I thought it a bit odd that he's against boutique hotels; I wish he had expanded on that point a bit more. For instance, in DC he's staying at the Hay Adams hotel, undeniably a gorgeous hotel, but I would have thought he would have loved something with more character like nearby Tabard Inn. I suppose it's because he believes design is personal: a boutique hotel is inherently 'fake' in that it represents no one while a true hotel is anonymous and luxurious.

Thomas talked at length about his own homes: both on Long Island and his now famous apartment in New York. I love his reasoning of putting the bed in the living room as it's the most amazing space which he found he wasn't using. This aligns with my philosophy of 'why have nice things if you don't use them!'. During the question and answer session following the lecture, a discussion was started where he states his love for marble. Many people are afraid to use the material as it's 'high maintenance' but he strongly disagreed. He pointed out many uses of marble where it ages and develops a patina that sadly, many Americans are simply scared of. So use those marble countertops: no more boring granite!

Thomas is constantly inspired by everything around him: his interest in movies interested me especially. Gosford Park inspired his use of high sheen and gloss: the long hallways of gleaming white paired with glossy black doors. This also ties in with his interest in texture: the pairing of old with new, the highly polished with the rough. He also mentioned the gorgeous movie 'Fanny & Alexander' (1982) which inspired his love of the enfilade in architecture and fine millwork.

I loved how he talked also of his interest in color, much like another designer who gave a lecture at the Corcoran last year, Jamie Drake. Now, obviously, the two designers are oceans apart: yet the same concept interests them both. While Jamie is interested in the dramatic affects color can provide, Thomas is more interested in the subtleties and ephemereal qualities of color. He's interested in the feeling the soft colors provide and the ways in which light interacts with them. In every project Thomas showed, he spoke of the light the space had: like a true artist. And so he is himself!

In case you missed this, the LA Times recently did a feature on a designer you may've heard of.
















We'd also like to thank the Times for two other stories on Sean and Knibb Design from 2009: Sean Knibb's paint box; Landscape Designer Sean Knibb likes nature's ideas

Don't fence me in

Unless it's a beauty like this one! After yesterdays post, celebrated blog commenter Toby Worthington contacted me with this fence he designed for his own house.

Toby based the design on a fence in upstate New York found in a book by a local architect. The design complements his 1860s Gothic painted brick house; Now THATS something I'd want to see, how about you? Thanks for sharing, Toby!!

Patina

Recently on a walk through Georgetown, I noticed this beautiful house. Not just for the gorgeous greek key design on the entablature but for the paint finish.So often, we architects try to mimic an older house and details such as peeling paint are a way to create instant 'history' but there is no subsitute for the real thing. Do you like patina like this or do you prefer clean and new?

A Chicago Beauty

As promised yesterday, today we are having a house tour of Mark Coy's previous apartment on Lakeshore drive. Located in a grand old building, the apartment has great bones but needed a LOT of work when he first moved in. Lets see the results!

The living room contains the same aesthetic as his new apartment, but in a traditional environment. Recognize the French armchair? The grass blinds are used here again to great affect.

Another view looking back at the living room. Notice the beautiful black fireplace with unusual overmantel on the left. You see the entry through the arched opening on the left and the dining room through the cased opening on the right. I love that Mark chose a cohesive color scheme to tie all the spaces together. The apartment has a great flow to it and the color unites the rooms.The dining room has beautiful moldings, a window bench and original sconces. I love the white painted trimwork throughout the apartment and dark stained floors! Another seagrass carpet is used here and recognize the fabric on the pillows on the window seat? Tying the rooms together through fabrics and color brings a modern flow to a traditional compartmentalized apartment.I was crazy for this gorgeous chandelier and guess what....it's from the HOME DEPOT! Yes, such style for only $495 plus the added black shades which were used again on the sconces. The high and low real world decorating is used here to full affect: using what he had to work with (sconces), adding a 'low' touch from home depot (the candelier) and hanging it above a Milo Baughman dining table (the 'high' statement piece).The master bedroom continues the same color palette but in a much more soft and subtle environment. It looks like it could be a room at a spa hotel, doesn't it? So relaxing. The bathroom is probably my favorite room in the entire apartment. I instantly recognized the Ann Sacks Bellarita Travertine flooring in a herringbone pattern: I've used it in projects before and hope to use it someday in my own house! I'm all on board with white subway tiles, befitting the apartment's age and the glam sink and ebonized doors make me so happy. No seagrass blinds in here but the wallpaper (continued onto the ceiling I might add) tie in that aspect from the rest of the apartment.
The 2nd bedroom, used as a den, uses the same color palette in a darker tone: A perfect room to curl up with a good book and cup of tea. I love the blocky lamp in the background and again the seagrass shades.

The one room that does not follow rest of the apartment's color scheme is the kitchen. The wood floors were ebonized in here as well and it looks like an original built-in to the right was painted the same white as the trimwork. I love this cheerful paint, who wouldn't smile having their morning tea (or coffee!) in here? I always tend to prefer black over stainless appliances (yes I know i'm in the minority) - I think they tend to blend better into a room and not become the 'star' attraction. They also tie in nicely with the black granite countertops.

I hope you enjoyed this tour of Mark's beautiful old apartment, I know I could happily move in tomorrow! Hopefully he'll share photos of his new space once it's completed!