HIDE AND SEEK

Look at any well designed room and you will immediately notice the rug. Whether its a bold David Hicks inspired wool carpet or a luxurious silk solid, a carpet can set the tone and style for your room and provide a foundation for the rest of your furnishings. For the Designer Showhouse I was lucky to partner with Rug-Art a to the trade bespoke rug company in NYC.  When I visited their showroom I knew that my room would house a white Milo Baughman table and gray walls--that was it.  I was looking for something luxurious and beautiful, something that would add texture and make the room pop. That's when I saw a small sample of a mosaic hair on hide rug. I'd never worked with hair on hide before but found the palette of rich grays and natural textures irresistible. 

The ancient mosaic pattern was transformed into something fresh and modern. The rug was a little short for the room so we added two gray hide rugs at either end to extend the rug line--I love the way the hides add a sculptural element to the room.

Close up of the room's rug

 This contemporary room is anchored by a Hicks inspired hair on hide rug

Get the look for less with this Marquis wool rug

DESIGNER SHOWHOUSE REDUX

I've been having deja vu all week.  Calls from painters ready to paint but the paint is missing. The thrill of finding a spectacular chandelier and having to wait to see if it's the right size and whether the shop would be willing to loan it to you. It's all part of the roller coaster ride that is a Designer Showhouse. That's right--showhouse number 2 just two months after my first showhouse has wrapped up! I'm proud to announce that I'm participating in the Home Is Where The Heart Is designer showhouse to benefit the American Heart Association. 

The designer house is a mansion once owned by the Pratt family, one of the many gorgeous estates built in the early 1900's on Long Island's Gold Coast (think Great Gatsby). The mansion is an impressive classic colonial with gracious rooms set in a stunning park like setting.

I'm designing the dining room, a generous 21' x 25' room with four period French doors and a pretty black marble fireplace.  It's a room made for celebrations and entertaining. Right now it looks tired, papered in a burgundy flocked paper that sings 1980, the room is ripe for a renovation.

   My plan is to update the room, integrating a modern palatte of rich grays and persimmon with a sleek Milo Baughman dining table as the centerpiece while retaining the beautiful intetgrity of the space. It's a fun room to design and I'll be sharing the gorgeous fabrics by Beacon Hill and paint selections from Farrow and Ball on my next post.  Until then, happy weekend--I'm off to find some lucite candlesticks!