If a person were to ask me to offer an off the cuff phrase describing Sally’s and my style, I would say “classic traditional with an enticing European influence”. Having said that, there’s a piece of me that that will sit right up and say, “Whoa!” when I come across the right modern interior – an interior that uses form, surface, light and shadow to define and shape form, function and volume. Add an exterior that offers up not a clue as to what you are walking into, you have a formula that spells magic. Such is this project – a house with a stone exterior built in 1937 and an interior renovated to feel like a modern gallery in New York City.

Wouldn’t you expect a charming rustic interior?

 

The central fireplace has been reworked as part of an open floor plan.

 

Tucked around the corner… Antique keys.

 

Fantastic!!! A 1769  schrank & 18th century church pew play vs. tuxedo style furniture.
What’s a schrank you ask??? The short answer is it’s an antique wardrode.

 

Love the sweep of the shelves and counterpoint of modern tufting and practical  period furniture.

 

What a compostition – modern island between antique painted chairs and rustic shelves - brilliant!

 

 Look at the different thicknesses of the shelves. Real understanding of scale and weight!

 

 

Cantalevered shelves again. The antique windsor chair looks so alive! Context!!!

 

Saarinen Womb Chair, modern quilt, folded tin sand pipers, antique basket having a conversation.

A singular vision throughout. Beautiful!

 Could you live here?

 All images from Architectural Digest, Architecture by French & Crane and Jeanne Scandura. Interior Design by Lauren Sara.

 

The other evening after a full day Sally said to me, “Today it felt like several days came at me all at once!” I agreed heartily. I have set several resolutions and goals for myself and the business, all of which need to be worked on and launched in parallel. (More on that another day…) The consequence, is a very fast pace these days… Some might call it relentless.

 In spite of the fact that time is one of the few things you can’t get back, I’ve made the seemingly incongruous decision to take a certain amount of time in the morning, around noon time and in the evening making it sacred, where I will not talk or think about work. I believe in the long run, it will enable me to work more efficiently and effectively.

What prompted this decision was that I found myself looking at very particular kinds of images as I was going through more old design magazines this past weekend. They were all restful and serene.

In one, I might imagine myself reading a book,

 

while in another; it would be sipping a morning cup of tea or hot chocolate as I backed myself into the day.

 

Maybe a little inspirational reading before the day begins.

 

A place to read at the end of the day.

 

I suppose a nap here and there would be most restorative…

 

I put this in because I love butterflies. Butterflies make me feel good.

Hope you are all having a wonderful Wednesday!

 Cheers,

Note: Other than the second to last image,which is taken from John Saldino’s book Style these are from old design magazines I’ve been purging. I realized after the fact that I didn’t note which picture came from what magazine.