Modern Love: Dining Room Progress 1

'Modern Love' is a current project I'm working on that involves furnishing a rather large sub-urban house for a busy young couple who love modern furniture.  The process actually started a few years ago when he was still a bachelor and a new first time homeowner.  I worked with him on updating all the interior finishes and purchasing some key furniture pieces.  Flash forward a couple of years to today and.....,,,well,,,,, the house still looks the same as where we left off - but his bachelors days are over!  He now has a fiance and they are brand new parents to a beautiful baby girl.  Early this past summer we met  to pick up where we left off and begin the process of actually completing the mostly still empty spaces.  I'll be filling in all the holes and focusing on all the finishing details that will make their house a comfortable and stylish family home -  all the things he thought they (he) would get around to doing themselves but.....never did.

Since the only furniture pieces they do own are the new pieces we bought for him a few years ago,,I want to now incorporate some vintage pieces and some artwork into the mix as well as bring a more family style vibe to the house.  Its so exciting for me to envision all the wonderful gatherings they'll enjoy in this house with family and friends and how these spaces that I'm creating will be the backdrop to their life and all their special memories.  With this inspiration, I've been busy sourcing for many different rooms but the dining room seems to be coming together first. This is a glimpse at the progress we've made thus far which should give you a taste for what's to come in the other rooms!  My absolute favorite piece I've found so far in all my sourcing is this 1950's Danish sideboard which will be the star of the dining room. 

It was truly LOVE at first sight. I had scoured the city and beyond for a vintage, danish modern sideboard in excellent condition, but without much luck. So the second I walked into the shop and saw this rosewood beauty my heart started to race, and I knew the search was over. Secretly I had wished to find one in walnut or rosewood but expected only to find teak, so seeing this before my eyes was literally what I had been envisioning,,,, like I'd seen it before.

The simple lines of danish modern pieces will always appeal to me for many reasons, with these designs its all about the form rather than decorative details,,their refined proportions make a statement on their own and I love how the tapered legs are so graceful.  But mainly, these pieces with their simple lines and lack of decorative detail are really all about the wood,,,,,,the beauty of these pieces is the wood itself, each one with its unique grain pattern and natural colouration.  The rosewood used to make this piece is an example of how stunning the natural beauty of wood can be, all you need to do is let it be the star.

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The cabinet is made of rosewood with four lower drawers and 4 sliding doors on tall tapered legs.  At 44" high it won't be lost behind the dining table or chairs so it will be quite visible.  Again what I love most is the dramatic pattern of the wood grain and the beautiful warm tones.  Did I mention a few of the upholstered pieces already in the house are a spicy orange leather! 

The deal closer was the centre area which opens up to reveal a bar with etched mirror back panel, an upper shelf and 2 interior drawers.  So decandent!

The new/vintage sideboard will be placed on a wall opposite a large ebony rectangular dining table and white leather tufted chairs (existing), the cabinet will be flanked by extra side chairs and a pair of new sconces.  For the wallspace over the sideboard I've found a bronze starburst mirror that I think pairs perfectly with the modern style of the cabinet and balances out all the square lines in the room.  I've also found a pair of gorgeous chandeliers for over the long table and new drapery panels for the rooms bay window.

Since making these key finds the rest of the dining room pieces are falling into place beautifully and I can't wait to share more progress pics with you as it all comes together.

Imagine

My eyes are always scanning and memorizing, I observe everything that's around me down to the most minute details, I'm like this all the time wherever I go often to the point of distraction.  This partially explains my obsession with photographing things that strike a chord with me for what ever reason.  I came across this photo mosaic mural in a showroom yesterday and I can't get it out of my head.  The scale of it was dramatic at about 8 feet tall.  I keep returning to my laptop to stare at this image, I'm so drawn to it - the concept of it, the possibilities.  Being such a lover of photography and especially black & white photography my mind can't stop imagining the possibilities that could be created from this concept.  There are many places where original canvases or framed photography aren't practical (an outdoor terrace,,,,,above a tub or in a shower, above a cooktop, a pool or water feature, or on a sun drenched wall).  Using tile artwork is the perfect application in all these circumstances.  Imagine a photo mosaic using an image in the reverse of this, a mainly white background with the image depicted in shades of subtle grey and black,,,and imagine an image not necessarily of a person but of an object, or a flower, or a bird,,,or a landscape.......and then imagine a sculptural freestanding tub sitting in front of it,,,,or the image framed by an arched opening at the end of a hallway.....

Then I saw this enormous slab of unbelievably beautiful malachite.  Its a piece of artwork all on its own.  I can imagine this slab of stone wrapped in a metal frame and hung on a wall,,,,or cut into a series of pieces, framed and hung gallery style,,,,,or imagine it used as a screen or inset into a wall dividing a space and how it would glow with backlighting....or imagine how gorgeous it would look as a table top on a small side table......

And then I came across this.  At first glance I didn't like this light fixture.  But then I returned to look at it again and again.  And I loved it.  I know its a trend,,,I'm seeing chunky chains everywhere, normally I'm turned off by anything trendy but still I'm attracted to these chains in a way I was never drawn to the crystal chandeliers with the organza shade trend.  Its elegant with an edge,,,and I think more than anything I'm always drawn to that bit of edge and things that are more masculine than feminine.  The chains remind me of cascading water and although they're very similar to the fashion jewellery women are wearing right now,,,this fixture to me is a great mix of simple and elegant that appeals to masculine tastes too.  I can imagine all the types of settings I could design where I could see this fixture, preferably a pair of them over a long table.......made from reclaimed wood.....with black walls.....

So at the end of the day and 100's of photos later, I'm incredibly drawn to these three images for no particular reason or specific project.  I'll keep these on my inspiration wall, continue to dream of the possibilities,  even imagining all three of these things used in the same environment. I don't know exactly where or exactly how but one day I know I'll incorporate a little bit of inspiration from each of these concepts into a design plan. 

Oh yes, it was a good day for sparking the imagination!

All Photos:  Carol Reed

NYC - Kips Bay Show House 2010

Day 2 of my trip to NYC included a visit to the 38th annual Kips Bay Showhouse, as luck would have it we arrived in the city just in time for the final day of the event.  The 5 storey, single family townhouse is located on a beautiful tree lined street in the Upper East Side of Manhattan just one block from Central Park.  Its currently for sale with an asking price of $28M.   Before the renovations for the showhouse took place, the house was previously divided into 2 separate dwellings, and I think even prior to that it had once been divided up into multiple apartments, this place is huge!

Even with an elevator, I think the current layout of the house would be challenging for the lifestyles of today's modern family living.  The kitchen was on the main level but the living room and dining room were on the second floor and the third floor consisted of 4 very small bedrooms.  So even with a price tag of $28M, I think most prospective buyers would need to consider some remodeling....

The 5 storey circular staircase was a favorite of mine even though it made me pretty dizzy and I nearly fainted every time I looked straight up or down the centre of it (I don't like heights!), check out the photo at the top of this post, my palms were sweating when I took that one.  The walls were adorned with framed black & white images.  If you concentred enough on not being dizzy,,,,you couldn't help but feel glamorous as you made your way up or down this staircase.

  Michelle patiently waiting for me as I'm obsessed with taking photos of it....

Staircase decorated by Rod Winterrowd Inc.

The living room on the second floor was a show stopper!  The colour of the walls was magnificent (Benjamin Moore's, Blue Suede Shoes) it showcases everything in the room like a jewel box.  The space was glamorous but tailored + classic at the same time, every corner and every surface was soo beautifully styled.  The lighting.....was perfection.  

The flamestitch pattern carpet was simply stunning.  The collection of artwork gives the room soul, and you can see the art just pops on that wall colour.

I think I was so drawn to this room because it reminded me of the colour pallette I used for the Sico shoot I designed for House & Home a couple of months ago here.  Whenever I use a bold colour as the main colour in a colour scheme (particularly walls) I love to pair it with lots of black and white and natural wood tones then add in an accent colour.  This room is an example of that same concept.  Notice that except for the centre ottoman,,,,,all the furnishings in the room are white or black.  You could change the wall colour without having to change a single other thing in the room and have both a completely different colour scheme with a new look.

Room design and carpet design by Sherrill Canet Interiors Ltd.

I admit the highlight of the showhouse and my entire trip to NYC was experiencing this room - to just sit in this space and take it all in, *in person*.  I wasn't disappointed, there's nothing I didn't love about it.  Its classic Vicente Wolf.  I'm a huge fan and admirer of his interiors and his books, I gush.

The entry into the Library designed by Vicente Wolf.

The next favorite space for both Michelle and myself was the top floor of the townhouse, it was designed as a media lounge space with adjoining spa room (complete with his/her massage tables) and a walkout to this luxurious rooftop deck that was so elegant looking furnished in teak and black and white.  Yes, again me raving about black and white with wood!  I especially adore black with natural greenery.

Michelle and I were tempted to pop the cork on this champagne and just kick back....seriously, I don't think anyone would have noticed we had this deck all to ourselves. : )

The jawdropping view.....

The entire top floor and rooftop deck was designed by Jennifer Post Design Inc.

As I mentioned the house is for sale, the broker for the property has a wonderful on-line listing where you can view more images as well as the floor plans, check them out here.  (Note that the floor plans on the listing don't represent the layouts of the rooms designed by the designers for the Showhouse event.)  Photography wasn't allowed during the showhouse tour but many of the volunteers were gracious enough to permit it when asked.  Thank you!  Below are a few more photos of some of my favorite rooms, these photos (except for the shower close-up) are from the realtor's listing and are much better quality than what I was able to take with my phone camera.

Another look at that rooftop deck.

This bathroom was STUNNING!  

"Bubble Bath", Bathroom design by Coffinier Ku Design.

I snapped a close up of the shower tile detail to show a client,,,this is the same limestone tile I specified for their guest bathroom a while back so I was thrilled to show them an installation that used the same tile.  This tile is also used on the floor throughout the bathroom in a larger 12 x 24 but not so visible in the previous photo.

The library by Vicente Wolf.  (the wood panelling was all existing).

The kitchen cabinetry was existing too but I believe they were all refinished, the room was a great example of what I call modern traditional.  The architecture and all the built-ins are traditional in detail but the furnishings and decor are modern (my favorite combination) this is how you keep traditional looking fresh and current.  The counters and backsplash were calacutta marble, the ceiling and walls were papered in modern graphic wallpapers.  

The photo above shows two of this rooms highlights (for me anyways!) the vintage modern fixture over the table and the artpiece over the fireplace, a photo depicting black ink drops falling on water.  

(the above image, its a photo of a photo).

Kitchen Design by Eve Robinson Associates Inc.

I hope you enjoyed my personal highlights of the Show House, if you're EVER in NYC during this event its a must see and you'll be supporting such a wonderul cause!!  All proceeds from the Show House benefit the Kips Bay Boys & Girl's Club.

Photo Credits

Images 1, 3, 4 thru 13, 16 - Carol Reed

Images 2, 14, 15, 17, 18 - Corcoran Real Estate

Image 19 - original photo by Peter Margonelli for Eve Robinson Assoc.