THE
OCTOBER 2020
P OW E R OF WHEN TO CHANGE EVERYTHING. OR NOTHING AT ALL
RESTRAINT A SECRET GEORGIAN MASTERPIECE REVEALED HOME-GYM DESIGN TELL-ALL LIFE-ALTERING RENOVATIONS AROUND THE WORLD IS YOUR CHILD A DECORATING DICTATOR? NINA SIMONE IN RESIDENCE
In-store interior design & 3D visualization services.1 Quick Ship program available.2
Parcours. Large 3-seat sofa, designed by Sacha Lakic. Kumo. Cocktail and end tables, designed by Victor Garnot. Flou. Floor Lamps, designed by Sophie Larger. European Manufacture
French Art de Vivre Photo Michel Gibert, photograph used for reference only. TASCHEN. 1Conditions apply, contact store for details. 2Program available on select items, subject to availability.
hunterdouglas.com
Š2020 Hunter Douglas
FEEL LIGHT TRANSFORMED™ Innovative window treatments with PowerView® Automation transform the natural light in your home to create the perfect mood, whenever the moment.
Pirouette® Shadings with PowerView® Automation
VISIT OUR FLAGSHIP SHOWROOM 8626 MELROSE AVE, LOS ANGELES COMING SOON TO NEW YORK CHICAGO, MIAMI, SAN FRANCISCO Trade Membership Program | Sign Up
ICONIC DESIGN + BESPOKE QUALITY
BENSOLEIMANI.COM
E X P E R I E N C E
V I S U A L
C O M F O R T
M I R A M E D I U M S TA C K E D TA B L E L A M P I N B R O N Z E A N D T R AV E R T I N E D E S I G N E R : K E L LY W E A R S T L E R
SHOP NOW: CIRCALIGHTING.COM AT L A N TA GREENWICH
AUSTIN
HOUSTON
NASHVILLE
LA
BOSTON LAGUNA
NORWALK
CHARLESTON
CHARLOTTE (2020)
LONDON (2020)
SAN FRANCISCO
M A N H AT TA N
S AVA N N A H
877.762.2323
CHICAGO
MIAMI (2020)
SCOTTSDALE
DC
DENVER
MINNEAPOLIS (2020)
S E AT T L E ( 2 0 2 0 )
OCTOBER 2020
A view from the dining room of a Milan townhouse designed by Studio Peregalli, page 60.
12
ELLE DECOR
SANTI CALECA
CONTENTS
CONTENTS
20
58
WELCOME TO THE ISSUE
ANATOMY OF A HOUSE
POV A new skate park by British designer Yinka Ilori. Plus: The latest in nursery design 28
WHAT’S HOT
After a fire at his upstate New York home, Shawn Henderson embarked on a renovation to restore its soul 110
RESOURCES 112
The best design discoveries
NOT FOR SALE
34
A hand-sculpted clay table by artist Peter Lane
TRUTH IN DECORATING Designers Alejandra Redo and Juan Montoya on their favorite cane furniture 38
SHOWCASE A scene-stealing jeweled necklace from Bulgari 40
SHORTLIST Celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson shares eight things he can’t live without 44
DANIEL’S KITCHENS Chef Daniel Boulud shows off the newly renovated kitchen of his Westchester County, New York, home. AS TOLD TO MICHELE HUMES
48
STUDIO VISIT Ceramist Frances Palmer creates modern heirlooms at her Connecticut home
BUILDER 53
TOOLBOX The days of the unfinished basement with a dusty weight bench are over. High-style home gyms are now all the rage. BY TIM McKEOUGH
FEATURES 60
HOW TO CHANGE HISTORY A Milanese townhouse gets the Studio Peregalli treatment. Here, the Italian design duo outlines the method behind the magic.
A Brunschwig & Fils wallpaper lines the salon of Martin Cooper and Karen Suen-Cooper’s Federal farmhouse in Columbia County, New York, page 84.
BY JULIE LASKY DESIGNERS ROBERTO PEREGALLI AND LAURA SARTORI RIMINI
68
YOU ARE LEGEND Ernest de la Torre shows reverence while bringing a modern look to a California home by iconic architect Paul R. Williams. BY JANELLE ZARA DESIGNER ERNEST DE LA TORRE
76
CALM AND COLLECTED Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent fashion a sanctuary in Montauk from an array of global influences. BY VANESSA LAWRENCE DESIGNERS NATE BERKUS AND JEREMIAH BRENT
84
90
98
104
THE POWER OF RESTRAINT
MASTERPIECE FOUND
IT’S A NEW DAWN
With his deft transformation of a New York City apartment, Stephen Sills proves that a judicious use of color goes a very long way.
A native daughter of Tbilisi, Georgia, has restored an Art Nouveau gem, turning it into a showpiece home for her family.
The restoration of Nina Simone’s childhood home in Tryon, North Carolina, ushers in a new day for the place where she discovered her love of music and passion for justice.
BY DAVID NETTO DESIGNER STEPHEN SILLS
BY INGRID ABRAMOVITCH DESIGNER EKA PAPAMICHAEL
BY SALAMISHAH TILLET
ON THE COVER The gallery of a New York City apartment by ED A-List designer Stephen Sills. PHOTOGR APH BY SIMON UPTON
ALL THE DRAMA At their upstate New York farmhouse, two fashion veterans conjure the past while creating an evocative setting for entertaining. BY CATHERINE HONG DESIGNERS MARTIN COOPER AND KAREN SUEN-COOPER
E-mail: elledecor@hearst.com Follow us on Instagram and Twitter: @elledecor Like us on Facebook: facebook.com/ELLEDECORmag Write to us: Mailbox, ELLE DECOR, 300 W. 57th St., 27th Fl., NY, NY 10019
Visit service.elledecor.com to order a print subscription, pay your bill, renew your subscription, update your mailing and e-mail addresses, and more. Or write to: Customer Service Department, ELLE DECOR, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. One-year subscription rate $15 for U.S. and possessions, $41 for Canada, and $60 for other international. To purchase digital back issues, please go to backissues.elledecor.com.
14
ELLE DECOR
FR ANK FR ANCES
23
EXECUTIVE M ANAGING EDITOR
EXECUTIVE EDITOR
Jeffrey Bauman
Ingrid Abramovitch
ST YLE DIRECTOR
CHIEF VISUAL CONTENT DIRECTOR, HEARST M AGA ZINES
Parker Bowie Larson
SENIOR EDITOR
Vanessa Lawrence
Alix Campbell ARTICLES EDITOR
VISUAL DIRECTOR
Charles Curkin
David M. Murphy
Whitney Robinson Cynthia Frank CONTRIBUTING DESIGN DIRECTOR Mallory Roynon DEPUT Y DESIGN DIRECTOR Allie Adams M ARKET EDITOR Laurel J. Benedum ASSISTANT M ANAGING EDITOR Lillian Dondero COPY CHIEF Jennifer Milne CONTRIBUTING SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR Bebe Howorth M ARKET EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Kate McGregor CONTRIBUTING EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Sarah Choi DIGITAL IM AGING SPECIALIST Kevin Arnold
CONTRIBUTING SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR INTERNATIONAL DESIGN EDITOR
HEARST VISUAL GROUP
PRECIOUS CLUSTER BY HARRY WINSTON Price upon request. harrywinston.com
VISUAL EDITOR
Nelida Mortensen Don Kinsella
DEPUT Y VISUAL DIRECTOR
ELLEDECOR.COM DIGITAL DIRECTOR
Elizabeth Angell Lucia Tonelli
ASSISTANT EDITOR
ELLE DECOR CONTRIBUTING EDITORS CONSULTING EDITOR
Daniel Boulud
CONTRIBUTORS
Ariel Ashe, Cara Barrett, Chesie Breen, Farhad Farman, Ken Fulk, Claudia Mata Gladish, Lori Goldstein, Genevieve Gorder, Nancy Hass, Patricia Hearst, Kathryn M. Ireland, William Li, David Netto, Beatriz Pasquel (Mexico City), Jana Pasquel, Sophie Pera (Europe), Stephen Pulvirent, Judi Roaman, David Scoroposki, Estee Stanley, Bronson Van Wyck, Vanessa Von Bismarck, Madeline Weinrib, Bunny Williams, Gisela Williams, Michelle Ziff EDITORIAL DIRECTOR
Stellene Volandes CONTRIBUTING DESIGN EDITOR
Senga Mortimer
INTERNATIONAL COORDINATOR
Monique Boniol
PRODUCTION OPER ATIONS DIRECTOR PRODUCTION M ANAGER
Chris Wengiel David Brickey
PUBLISHED BY HEARST
Steven R. Swartz William R. Hearst III EXECUTIVE VICE CHAIR M AN Frank A. Bennack, Jr. CHIEF OPER ATING OFFICER Mark E. Aldam
PRESIDENT & CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER CHAIR M AN
BOMBOM240 BY JOANA VASCONCELOS FOR ROCHE BOBOIS $7,370. rochebobois.com
HEARST MAGAZINE MEDIA, INC. ACTING PRESIDENT, HEARST M AGA ZINES GROUP,
Debi Chirichella Kate Lewis CHIEF BUSINESS OFFICER Kristen M. O’Hara SECRETARY Catherine A. Bostron & TREASURER
CHIEF CONTENT OFFICER
PUBLISHING CONSULTANTS
Gilbert C. Maurer, Mark F. Miller
CUSTOMER SERVICE
800-274-4687 E- MAIL: EDCcustserv@cdsfulfillment.com VISIT: service.elledecor.com WRITE: Customer Service Dept., ELLE DECOR P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593 CALL:
16
ELLE DECOR
Published at 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Tel: 212-649-2000. ELLE® and ELLE DECOR™ are used under license from the trademark owner, Hachette Filipacchi Presse. Printed in the USA. For information on reprints and e-prints, please contact Brian Kolb at Wright’s Reprints, 877-652-5295 or bkolb@wrightsreprints.com.
GILDED ASCENT
AUTHENTIC METALLIC LEAF WALLCOVERING PHILLIPJEFFRIES.COM/GILDEDASCENT
VP, GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR/CHIEF REVENUE OFFICER
Jennifer Levene Bruno ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER, ADVERTISING
BR AND M ARKETING DIRECTOR
William C. Pittel
Esther Deming
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BR AND PARTNERSHIPS & DEVELOPMENT
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INTEGR ATED M ARKETING
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BR AND EXPERIENCE
Lisa A. Lachowetz
Jennifer Orr
DESIGN ADVERTISING DIRECTOR
NATIONAL DIGITAL DIRECTOR
GROUP FINANCE DIRECTOR
Angela Jett Okenica
Tara Weedfald
Christopher J. Tosti
Hillary Koota Krevlin
LUXURY & DESIGN COLLECTION NEW YORK SALES EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, FASHION, JEWELRY & WATCH
CIELS BLEUS ATHENA VASE BY JONATHAN HANSEN X MARIE DAÂGE $1,850. modaoperandi .com
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, HOME PRODUCTS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, INTERNATIONAL HOME FURNISHINGS
Carl Kiesel
Chris Agostinelli
EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS, HOME FURNISHINGS
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, BEAUT Y
Sarah Smith
Angela Parauda
NATIONAL DIGITAL M ANAGER
Karen Elizabeth Marx, Jon Walker
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JEWELRY
Kristin Cassidy
Deena Schacter
ADVERTISING SERVICES M ANAGER
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, TR AVEL & FINANCE
Judy Braunstein
Taylor Rae Berish LUXURY & DESIGN COLLECTION MARKETING BRAND PARTNERSHIPS & DEVELOPMENT DIRECTOR Laura Ives Colony M ANAGER Lauren Corbin
INTEGRATED MARKETING SENIOR M ANAGER
BRAND EXPERIENCE SENIOR DIRECTORS
Jennifer Lavoie Jessica Platz, Kailin Villamar
Jennifer C. Lambros, Suzy Rechtermann
M ANAGERS
ASSOCIATE M ANAGERS
ASSOCIATE M ANAGER
Grace Zoë McLoughlin
Karina Camargo, Mary Kate Murray SENIOR COORDINATOR
Elena Metzner CREATIVE DIRECTORS Glenn Maryansky, Frauke Ebinger EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT TO THE GROUP PUBLISHING DIRECTOR Caroline Filips ADVERTISING SALES ASSISTANTS Lizzie Roswig, Lauren Siegel, Ashleigh Uzoaru, Helen
Ziminsky
REGIONAL OFFICES
Taylor Rae Berish, 212-903-5321 SOUTHEAST Jim Blazevich, Yvonne Rakes, Whitney Otto, Blaze & Associates, 704-321-9097; Rita Walker, Mandel Media, 404-256-3800 SOUTHWEST Virginia Davis, Wisdom Media, 214-526-3800 MIDWEST Karen Loveland, Donna Schultz, Yvonne Villareal, 312-251-5370 WEST COAST Cynthia McKnight, CM Media Sales, 310-291-2730; Sherri Zigman, Zigman Media, 310-663-6352 CANADA Angela Jett Okenica, 212-649-3228 ITALY Roberta Battocchio, Global General Manager, 39-02-6619-2327, rbattocchio@hearst.it; Lavinia Cerutti, Head of Editorial Coordination for International Editions, Via Bracco 6, 20159 Milano, 39-02-6619-2935, lcerutti@hearst.it UNITED KINGDOM Danielle Klein, Global Sales Director, Hearst Global, 72 Broadwick Street, London, W1F 9EP, 44-20-7439-5167, danielle.klein@hearst.co.uk NEW ENGL AND
CIRCULATION VICE PRESIDENT, STR ATEGY & BUSINESS M ANAGEMENT
Rick Day
HEARST DIRECT MEDIA VICE PRESIDENT
Christine L. Hall
TRADEMARK NOTICE ELLE ® AND ELLE DECOR ATION™ ARE USED UNDER LICENSE FROM THE TR ADEM ARK OWNER, HACHET TE FILIPACCHI PRESSE, A SUBSIDIARY OF L AGARDÈRE SCA.
MARCUS TABLE BY BUNNY WILLIAMS HOME $2,900. bunnywilliams home.com
A DIVISION OF CEO Constance Benqué CEO ELLE INTERNATIONAL LICENSES François Coruzzi SVP/INTERNATIONAL DIRECTOR OF ELLE DECOR ATION Valéria Bessolo Llopiz SVP/DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL MEDIA LICENSES & SYNDICATION Mickael Berret CREATIVE DIRECTOR OF ELLE DECOR ATION Linda Bergmark M ARKETING M ANAGER OF ELLE DECOR ATION Morgane Rohée SENIOR DIGITAL PROJECT M ANAGER OF ELLE DECOR ATION Moda Zere
SYNDICATION OF ELLE DECORATION DEPUT Y SYNDICATION TEA M M ANAGER Marion Magis SYNDICATION COORDINATOR Johanna Jegou COPYRIGHTS M ANAGER Séverine DATABASE M ANAGER Pascal Iacono
INTERNATIONAL AD SALES HOUSE LAGARDÈRE GLOBAL ADVERTISING SVP/INTERNATIONAL ADVERTISING Julian Daniel JDANIEL@ L AGARDERENEWS.COM
18
ELLE DECOR
Laporte
CHINESE DANCE
SOUND WAVE
SKY
CHINESE DANCE MICHAEL SMITH COLLECTION
LONDON · NEW YORK · LOS ANGELES MANSOUR.COM · 310.652.9999
The THINGS
YOU FIND
W
E’VE A L L H E A R D S TO RI ES
about homeowners stumbling onto treasures during t he renovat ion of t hei r c e n t u r i e s - o l d h o u s e s ,” writes Catherine Hong in her chronicle of Martin Cooper and Karen Suen-Cooper’s preservation of their historic home in upstate New York, on page 84. But she quickly reveals: “This is not one of those stories.” While theirs is a unique kind of restoration drama, throughout this global issue you will find object lessons on how to transform a home—and perhaps your life in the process. Great design can do that. At the core of any renovation is a need for change—driven by necessity, desire, or nobler pursuits like restoring a legacy. As we were putting this issue together, we learned that the archive of architect Paul R. Williams—thought to have been lost in a fire—has been found and acquired by the Getty Collection and USC School of Architecture; it will be digitized. Williams, the first Black member of the American Institute of Architects, conceived homes for the likes of Lucille Ball and was the visionary behind the iconic renovation of the Beverly Hills Hotel. He also designed the Bel Air home—now freshly redecorated by Ernest de la Torre—on page 68. And when the headline says “You Are Legend,” we hope you know who we mean. —The Editors of ELLE DECOR CLOC K WISE FROM TOP LE F T: The pool at the Paul R. Williams house in Bel Air, California. Nendo sculptures in the house’s stair hall. The Beverly Hills Hotel. The Bel Air house today. Lucille Ball’s Palm Springs home. Williams’s El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs.
20
ELLE DECOR
TOP LEFT, TOP RIGHT, BOT TOM RIGHT: G L ASKEW II; BALL HOUSE AND EL MIR ADOR HOTEL: JULIUS SHULMAN, © J. PAUL GET T Y TRUST. GET T Y RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LOS ANGELES; BEVERLY HILLS HOTEL: SLIM A ARONS/GET T Y IMAGES
WELCOME TO THE ISSUE
NOMAD SHOWROOM 102 MADISON AVE NEW YORK, NY 10016 NYC@LIAIGRE.US MIAMI SHOWROOM 137 NE 40TH STREET MIAMI, FL 33137 MIA@LIAIGRE.US LIAIGRE.COM
The Kids Are
JULIEN PITINOME
ALRIGHT
AFTER MONTHS OF PERPETUAL DETENTION, WE ARE IN DIRE NEED OF SOME AMUSEMENT. BRITISH DESIGNER YINKA ILORI IS DEPLOYING JOYFUL COLORS IN A NEW SKATE PARK TO BRING US BACK TO LIFE.
An explosion of Fauvist colors inside the new Colorama skate park in Lille, France, designed by Yinka Ilori. Produced by Charles Curkin ELLE DECOR
23
POINT OF VIEW Ilori on one of his chairs in a 2017 installation he designed for London’s Africa Centre. A boarder atop a “volcano” takes in the wild hues at the Colorama skate park.
24
ELLE DECOR
Good luck. You’ve designed other public spaces, like an adult playground installation for Pinterest in Cannes, France, in 2019. That’s another unique commission. YI: Pinterest said it wanted me to make a temporary interactive space based on its data of the most-searched colors in the world. So I designed a playground through an adult lens.
Playland, a 2019 adult playground installation by Ilori in Cannes, France.
charity in London. What did you take away from the experience? YI: You often forget what people are going through. I don’t know what it feels like to be an addict, but what they go through is tough. It was an honor to work with them, to have them allow me into their space and into their lives. When you see a plain white room, what’s your immediate reaction? YI: I would wonder if the person who it belongs to is OK. I’d wonder if they’re sad. Why would you want to paint your room white? Color is an expression of who you are. If you could give the Ilori treatment to any extant building, which would it be? YI: The council estate where I grew up in London. I’d love to paint a mural there or design a playground. I learned about different cultures and about many races, religions, and perspectives. It made me understand the power of community. It’s the most beautiful place I know. yinkailori.com —C.C.
ILORI PORTR AIT: ANDREW MEREDITH; CANNES PL AYGROUND: COURTESY OF PINTEREST; SK ATE PARK: JULIEN PITINOME
You recently unveiled your latest major project: the Colorama skate park at La Condition Publique cultural center, in Lille, France. Did you learn how to skateboard to prepare? YI: No, but I had a Bart Simpson skateboard growing up. I was always worried about hurting my elbow. It didn’t go beyond skating back and forth. The first thing that anyone will notice, as with all of your work, are the bright colors you used everywhere. How did you choose your palette? YI: The building’s facade has some amazing glazed brickwork—green, orange, and red. I wanted to bring an element of that inside the park, so it felt like there was some kind of connection. How has the response been from Lille’s skating community? YI: Incredible. I was nervous when I was invited. For me, a skate park is like a ballet theater. You can’t just go into one and perform. Did you get to attend the park’s unveiling in July? YI: I watched it on my computer, which was emotional. I wish I could have been there. I’m going to go down in September with a board and attempt to skate.
Playground design isn’t a subject that’s often discussed. YI: The ones in the U.K. are so frustrating. They’re based on boring templates. You really have to tap into the families and cultures of the area you’re designing for. Playgrounds are a huge part of a child’s growth. Children have been kept out of playgrounds of late. Will that have a deleterious effect on them? YI: If your daughter is three years old and told she can’t play with anyone, that’s a problem. The pandemic is definitely going to change the way we play in general. You’re best known as a furniture designer. Where did your love of bright and bold colors come from? YI: It came from seeing my Nigerian mother and father wear so much color. It was incredible. People gave my parents respect for wearing bold hues, which, in turn, gave them pride. In 2017, you worked with recovering addicts on a collection of upcycled chairs to raise money for the Restoration Station
POINT OF VIEW
BABY Buatta IF YOUR INFANT’S FIRST WORD IS CHINTZ, HAVE YOU GONE TOO FAR WITH THE NURSERY DECOR? OR IS IT JUST ENOUGH? BY SADIE STEIN
papered on the ceiling,” she says. The nursery she planned It was a pretty blueberry motif on a cream for her daughter, Domino Dakota, combines nostalgic ground, and I very clearly remember watch- touches with cheerful improvisation, like a bookshelf that ing the shadows chase along the little blue- doubles as a changing table. When it was time to plan a nursery for our baby, Hal, I had berries as I was put down for my afternoon nap, muted light coming through the slats of the shades, the a few notions in mind. Because this room was, in fact, a gloechoey thrum of New York City traffic lulling me to sleep. I rified closet, it needed to be streamlined. I pored over vinhave never known my parents to paper another room since, tage Airstream interiors and Deco utility apartments full of but perhaps it is no coincidence that today, almost every sleek built-ins. Looking back, I may have hoped to tuck the whole enterprise away as easily room of my own apartment is as the changing table I designed covered in exuberantly patThe custom canopy and John Derian lion’s head make for a terned wallpaper. in the style of a Murphy bed. supremely sophisticated nursery Like most other decisions we I also loved the idea of givdesigned by Giancarlo Valle. make for a baby, the way we ing our son a magical realm of decorate their small first world his own. Obviously, this would is less about offering us control require wallpaper. The paper I than it is about allowing us the found—a reissued 1930s print illusion of control. It is a place from Bradbury & Bradbury—is anything but neutral: It has a where we ca n project our shepherdess, a sinister lamb, a hopes and wishes, and even monkey trailing a long scarf, our first lessons in aesthetics. and giant mosquitoes. Oh, and “Not much else matters to the it’s supposedly 3D. After it was child except lots of love,” says installed, in February, I briefly ED A-List designer and parent Jeffrey Bilhuber. “But the nurswondered whether I’d gone too ery can matter to the parents if far. Then COVID-19 happened, they want it to.” What was in and everything changed. The past eras a treacly separate tiny nursery became an oasis of calm. In the days before Hal realm is now a part of the was born in ea rly April, I home, and children’s spaces found myself sitting in his can today provide sophistication as well as sweetness. room for hours. “The fact that you are imposOf course, nothing turned ing your taste on a child from out quite how I imagined: We barely use the nifty flip-up changing table, the the minute they’re born is big,” says Charles Curkin, baby isn’t neatly tucked away at cocktail hour my E L L E DECOR editor, who recently chronicled or whatever, and we wouldn’t want him to be. building his daughter Nell’s nursery. In his case, this Like the other new parents I spoke to, we’ll involved not just some beautiful design, but the have to wait to “complete” our nursery until same print of Karel Appel’s Clown d’Amsterdam after the virus. And maybe we never that his father had hung over his own crib will—a lesson in itself. when Curkin was a baby, and to which he But every time we put Hal down in his credits his love of the CoBrA art movelittle room and he catches sight of the shepment. (“It’s a beautiful painting—not herdess and the sneering lamb, he smiles a creepy! Plus, she’ll never be scared of clowns.”) wide, conspiratorial smile. He feels safe. Designer Matilda Goad has Which is all I could have asked for. ◾ bright memories of her childLE F T: Kamala Bear stuffed animal in Indigo, hood cottage: “With sloping $80. johnrobshaw.com. ABOVE: Kinetic ceilings and chintz ever yBrass Mobile No. 17 by Circle and Line, $340. garmentory.com. where, my room was even wall26
ELLE DECOR
STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON/OT TO
M
Y E A R L I E S T M E M O R Y I S O F WA L L PA P E R .
MUST-HAVES
o r
FOR THE
os
Ever since I can remember I have always gravitated toward the bold, the impactful, the inspiring—it’s as though my first language has always been design—lush colors, intricate patterns, and inviting textures have always spoken to me. This deeply rooted love has led me to where I am today, living, breathing, and absolutely obsessing over all things design. I’m Suly Weissman, Design Specialist for Thermador. I believe in living exceptionally every day. And with Thermador appliances, you can too. Check out my absolute favorite products that are sure to add spice to your life...and your kitchen. Con Amor,
AWARD-WINNING PRESERVATION Featuring first of its kind innovation, Thermador Freedom® Refrigeration offers touch-screen TFT control panels, Home Connect™ capabilities plus flexibility to customize cooling to fit any culinary style.
ICONIC CAST METALLIC KNOBS Bring an artistic allure to any Thermador Range, Rangetop, or Wall Oven with cast metallic knobs in our signature shade.
LARGEST 30” STEAM OVEN ON THE MARKET With the largest steam capacity,* 17 different cooking modes, and Home Connect™ capabilities—Thermador Steam Ovens do it all with style.
3 ZONE TEMPERATURE CONTROL Rosé, robust reds, crisp whites—keep your entire collection (up to 98 bottles) at the ideal serving temp with the Thermador Wine Preservation Column.
PERSONALIZED COFFEE ON COMMAND Add barista style service to your next design—Thermador Built-in Coffee Machines, available plumbed or non-plumbed, provide coffeehouse-quality beverages and smart appliance capabilities via Home Connect™.
WIFI-ENABLED APPLIANCE CONTROL FROM ANYWHERE THE LARGEST FULLY USABLE COOKING SURFACE
Home Connect™ has partnered with all the brands you already love—get notified when your preheat is complete, directly from your Fitbit Smartwatch.
With the largest fully usable surface area in its class—26% larger than the nearest competitor, the Thermador Freedom® Induction Cooktop combines industry-leading technology with modern design principles.
Discover every entertaining essential at THE RM ADO R.C OM ©2020 BSH HOME APPLIANCES CORPORATION. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
* AC CO R DI N G T O AH AM S TA NDAR DS
THE BEST DESIGN DISCOVERIES
W H AT ’ S
A Classic QUESTION CAN CONTEMPORARY SPINS ON AGE-OLD MOTIFS ADD VITALITY TO TRADITIONAL PIECES? BY VANESSA L AWRENCE
Lamp: 11″ w. x 8″ d. x 29″ h., $3,000. krbnyc .com. Table: 12″ w. x 15.5″ d. x 18″ h., $1,667. mgbwhome.com
Produced by Laurel J. Benedum 28
ELLE DECOR
ALLIE HOLLOWAY
This Blue PapierMâché lamp, reminiscent of an ancient Greek urn, by artist Mark Gagnon finds a perfect textural pairing in the luxe Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams Onyx side table—ancient Romans believed that the stone came from Venus’s fingernails.
LIVABLE LUXURY from
Say B onjour to C’est La Vie: Perennials’ latest collection of fabrics & rugs that are resistant to stains, fades and mildew Pictured: Our sumptuous Plushy performance velvet in Shell perennialsfabrics.com
WHAT’S HOT
THE BEST DESIGN DISCOVERIES Whether empty or filled with your favorite spirit, this New Vintage Odeon decanter by Aero adds elegance to any tableau. 25 oz., $150. aerostudios.com
These throw pillows by Casa Branca are made of the brand’s hand-printed linen, Pavilion, whose toile-style pattern was inspired by one from the 18th century.
Part of Susie Atkinson’s new collection of upholstered furniture, all handmade in the U.K., this oak Scroll armchair references a vintage French design.
Shown in Toast and Coral (top) and Celery and Nero, 20″ sq., available in other colors, $475 each. casabranca.com
22″ w. x 26.5″ d. x 34″ h., available in other finishes, $2,422. susieatkinson.com
NEWS FROM THE This Pediment mirror from Pentreath & Hall, fashioned from an ash-wood frame in high-gloss lacquer and an antiqued mirror pane, is a statement-making touch for mantels in prewar apartments and Jacobean country manors alike. 31.5″ w. x 4″ d. x 55″ h., available in other colors, $2,293. pentreath-hall.com
WORLD OF DESIGN
Donghia has a new owner. Five months after the storied home-decor brand filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy—an early casualty of the COVID-19 pandemic—Kravet acquired its inventory, designs, and archives. Waterworks, the American bath and kitchen brand, is reopening its freshly renovated and expanded New York City flagship. ED A-List design firm Gachot Studios was brought in to consult. Coming out this month are three must-have books for the coffee table: James Huniford: At Home (The Monacelli Press), Reflections of Paradise: The Gardens of Fernando Caruncho (Rizzoli), and The Iconic American House (Thames & Hudson).
30
ELLE DECOR
Much like the Greek sun god, this Apollo wall sconce from Currey & Company, with its crown of gold-leaf laurel foliage, will cast rays of light upon any room. 24″ w. x 8″ d. x 31″ h., $1,090. curreyandcompany.com
ADVERTISEMENT
White Sail SW 9622: The time-tested classic white that is fresh, pure, and versatile— an ideal balance with just the right amount of softness and depth.
Gypsum SW 9543: (Trim and Main Photo)
A go-to shade for serene spaces and accents that exudes relaxed elegance. It pairs well with a number of tones— from neutrals to deep hues—and shines in spaces with strong natural light!
BRIGHT WHITES NEUTRAL YET BOLD, WHITE IS STILL THE MOST ELEGANT BACKDROP Clean and crisp, a true great white instantly elevates a room. With a seemingly endless variety of undertones and finishes, however, finding the perfect white can be intimidating. Enter EMERALD® DESIGNER EDITION ™, an ultra-premium product from Sherwin-Williams. It includes a gorgeous array of cleaner, brighter whites, thanks to its revolutionary new formula, with the best hide factor yet. The key differentiator is the ultra-white base, which allows for each of the 200 colors—exclusive to EMERALD® DESIGNER EDITION™— to shine through. Never distracting, always inviting, a soft white provides a sophisticated backdrop for spaces of any shape, size, and function. Offering a clean slate for incorporating splashy textiles, furnishings, and artwork, the simplicity and integrity of a classic white cannot be overlooked. VISIT EMERALDDESIGNER.COM FOR MORE INSPIRATION.
Arrowroote SW 9502: An antique appeal with modern undertones, Arrowroote is sharp without feeling sterile and can make even the dimmest of spaces feel marvelously warm.
© 2020 The Sherwin-Williams Company
Introducing Emerald® Designer Edition,TM a revolutionary new formula designed to deliver flawless results with our best hide yet. Available in an exclusive collection of 200 new colors, including brighter, purer whites. Only at your local Sherwin-Williams store.
emeralddesigner.com
SW 9623 Snowbelt SW 9640 Sea Mariner
TRUTH IN DECOR ATIN G
1
2
The Deep Web MODERN LIFE CAN BE DULL THESE DAYS. DESIGNERS JUAN MONTOYA AND ALEJANDRA REDO ARE TURNING TO CANE FOR A DOSE OF WOVEN COMPLEXITY.
3
BY K ATE M C GREGOR
4
1
2
3
4
5
BALBOA SCREEN BY SERENA & LILY
WEG ARMCHAIR BY ROCHE BOBOIS
WOVEN CREDENZA BY LUTECA
SIDE STOOL BY EJR BARNES
NADI QUEEN BED BY CB2
JUAN MONTOYA: I’d use
AR: It’s a nice chair, and
JM: This is so tropical
AR: This is fun! I’d place
JM: This would look
this on the side of a sofa to enhance the room.
it has a beautiful design and a good price point.
and easy. It would be perfect for a beach house.
a bunch of them together in a variety of colors.
great in a hotel in a warm, tropical climate.
JM: It’s a great side
Because of the material, this option brightens the room even if you’re using the screen to divide it.
JM: The combination
AR: It’s warm and
of ebony and wicker makes for a really elegant piece.
light. I agree with Juan: It was made for a beach house.
table for a covered porch. The lacquered paint is a very cool touch.
AR: I’m a fan of the mix of materials and how they work together beautifully on the headboard.
81″ w. x 1″ d. x 72″ h.; $2,498. serenaandlily.com
28″ w. x 29″ d. x 32″ h.; $2,505. rochebobois.com
43″ w. x 21″ d. x 30″ h.; $6,347. luteca.com
16″ dia. x 18″ h.; $392. ejrbarnes.com
64″ w. x 85″ d. x 48″ h.; $999. cb2.com
ALE JANDR A RE DO:
34
ELLE DECOR
PORTR AITS: GET T Y IMAGES
5
Pix Sticks Tie Stix by PureEdge Lighting
TRUTH IN DECOR ATIN G
7
CANE 101
6 This chaise gives “ any room an instant upgrade.” ALEJANDRA REDO
8 An elegant “ piece in front
Cane, a woven material derived from rattan, has roots in ancient Egypt, where baskets made from the palm stems date as far back as 8000 bc. But it wasn’t until the 1600s, in western Europe, that it truly came to prominence. At the time, it was mostly used to make chairs. Cane’s popularity endured, reaching its apogee in the 19th century with timeless introductions like Michael Thonet’s No. 14 chair (pictured above) in 1859. Then, in the 20th century, it became a choice material for furniture among pioneers of the Mexican and Latin American midcentury-modern movements, including architects Luis Barragán and Pedro Ramírez Vázquez. This brings us to the present day, when cane is making yet another glorious comeback.
of a large window.
”
JUAN MONTOYA
9
6
7
8
9
10
PERCH ACCENT TABLE BY KARA MANN
NYNY UNIT BY GEBRÜDER THONET VIENNA
RIO CHAISE LONGUE BY OSCAR NIEMEYER
KANGAROO ARMCHAIR BY CASSINA
JM: This should be next
JM: It’s interesting. The
of design. I love the combination of materials and how it sits.
JM: I’d use this in a child’s
AR: It is really versatile
JM: I’m partial to any Oscar Niemeyer piece. This is so structural and very relaxing.
AR: Now this is my type
to the living room club chair with a drink on it.
AR: The design is super original, and the woven cord is sculptural.
SIMONE DAYBED BY RH, RESTORATION HARDWARE
and would look so good in black.
use of cane almost makes it look like speakers.
13″ w. x 15″ d. x 19″ h.; to the trade. mcguirefurniture.com
65″ w. x 16″ d. x 78″ h.; $12,857. gebrueder thonetvienna.com
AR: The Niemeyer piece is one of my favorites. It’s truly a piece of art.
JM: This chair adds an intriguing, artful element to any room.
AR: The design is nice and sleek, and the price is great as well.
23″ w. x 66″ d. x 35″ h.; $27,410. 1stdibs.com
23″ w. x 29″ d. x 24″ h.; $4,480. cassina.com
38″ w. x 82″ d. x 29″ h.; $2,995. rh.com
36
ELLE DECOR
playroom, or a living room if I had a pair.
THONET: GET T Y IMAGES
10
LarenÂŽ Closet designed by Michelle Boudreau
Custom Closets For Every Size, Style & Budget. Save up to 25% on Custom Closets, Garages, and Shelving through October 11th. Š2020 The Container Store Inc. 47990
Photo by Caylon Hackwith
SHOWCA SE Emerald, diamond, and pink-gold Barocko high-jewelry necklace by Bulgari, price upon request.
Thriller in THE VILLA A 17TH-CENTURY ROMAN HILL HOUSE IS THE PERFECT BACKDROP FOR A SCENE-STEALING JEWELED NECKLACE. BY VANESSA L AWRENCE PHOTOGR APH BY PAOL A PANSINI
B
UILT IN THE MID- TO L ATE 17 TH CENTURY, THE VILL A AURELIA IS AN ELEGANT EX A MPLE
of Baroque architecture with a colorful history. Situated on a hill near Rome’s Aurelian walls, it was commissioned by the Cardinal Girolamo Farnese (it was originally called the Villa Farnese), who became governor of Rome in 1650. It left the Farnese family’s possession in the early 18th century and moved through a succession of owners, including American philanthropist Clara Jessup Heyland. Since 1909, it has been entrusted to the American Academy in Rome. And there could hardly be a richer or more appropriate backdrop than the Villa Aurelia, where this necklace was photographed, for Bulgari’s Barocko high-jewelry collection. Inspired by Rome’s many dramatic Baroque sites, Bulgari has centered its new pieces around the themes of wonder, color, and light. The latter category includes this necklace in pink gold, with a central 14-carat oval emerald and an assemblage of cabochon and buff top–cut emeralds and brilliant, marquise, fancy step-cut, and pavé diamonds, whose scintillating effect is not unlike the extravagantly carved surfaces of the Fountain of the Four Rivers and Rome’s other landmarks gleaming in the morning light. bulgari.com ◾
38
ELLE DECOR
fabrics and trimmings clarencehouse.com
SHORTLIST
5
Cartier Love Bracelets My husband bought me three of these, in white, yellow, and rose gold. They never come off.
1
cartier.com
Kartell Frilly Chair A friend gave me two of these chairs as a gift from the set of a magazine cover we did together. They stand out like a piece of art.
6
kartell.com
Mahalia Jackson
My parents loved gospel music. Mahalia Jackson exemplifies what a gospel singer should be. I have this Dennis Stock photo of her in my living room.
Palm Springs House
Ted Gibson HIS GROUNDBREAKING SALON DESIGN IS MADE FOR THIS MOMENT. HERE, THE CELEBRITY HAIRSTYLIST SHARES EIGHT THINGS HE CAN’T LIVE WITHOUT. BY VANESSA L AWRENCE PORTR AIT BY IRVIN RIVER A
3
2020 Range Rover
This is my current ride and my sixth Range Rover. I love the feeling of comfort and sense of luxury. landroverusa.com
4
Diptyque Figuier Candle
I don’t have to burn this for long for the scent to fill a room. It smells fantastic and provocative. diptyqueparis.com
40
ELLE DECOR
When celebrity hairstylist Ted Gibson conceived of his Los Angeles salon, Starring by Ted Gibson, in a pre-pandemic world, he couldn’t have imagined how prescient his idea would seem in 2020. Designed by architect Francisco Gonzalez Pulido, the salon—which opened in 2019—is entirely voice-activated, using Amazon’s Alexa technology, and features five “clouds,” or semiprivate pods, tricked out with entertainment systems and 11 LED lighting settings. “We built the salon of the future without really knowing it was the salon of the future with respect to social distancing,” says Gibson, whose clients have included Angelina Jolie, Lupita Nyong’o, and Sandra Oh, and who co-owns the salon with his husband, colorist Jason Backe. Gibson has always had a predilection for high design in his work: His first space in New York 17 years ago had pink and chocolate tones, wenge-wood accents, and steel and chrome hardware. These days, he is focused on paying his success forward, creating the Worth Up Foundation as a new resource and advocacy base for fellow salon and beauty-industry workers struggling in the current economy. “I’m very excited about helping the next generation,” Gibson says. “This foundation is going to be my legacy.” starring.tedgibson.com
This house was bright pink when we bought it. We renovated it, and now we vacation there and also rent it out on Airbnb. airbnb.com
7
Shooting Star Texture Meringue This is a hybrid between a mousse and a foam, and what’s great is that you can use it on both wet and dry hair. amazon.com
Juju Hat We’ve had African headpieces in an array of colors in our homes for the last 20 years. I got this one at a great store on La Brea Avenue called Design Mix Gallery. mixfurniture.com
JACKSON: © DENNIS STOCK /MAGNUM PHOTOS
2
Ted Gibson in one of the “clouds” in his salon.
SAN FRANCISCO LOS ANGELES LAGUNA NIGUEL LAS VEGAS DALLAS ATLANTA HIGH POINT NEW YORK
FURNITURE • LIGHTING • ACCESSORIES • OUTDOOR • C.O.M • TO-THE-TR A DE • HOSPITA LIT Y
8 0 0 . 2 74 . 7 7 3 0 | PA L EC E K .C O M
PRESENTED BY
COLOR COUTURE:
The Season’s Chicest Shades Brigette Romanek cemented her status as one of L.A.’s most sought-after designers by creating inspired spaces that bring her clients’ dreams to life. A Romanek room is sophisticated but supremely livable, fresh but never trendy, and always alive with color. Here, Brigette shares the Benjamin Moore shades currently ruling her inspiration board.
STORMY MONDAY - 2112-50 Providing a true palette for the imagination, this is an ultramodern neutral that works with an array of colors. Love it for a living or dining room!
ALFRESCO - 1672
Brilliant in an office or library, this shade brings a calm, cool sensibility to a modern space.
PROPOSAL - AF-260
Soft yet subtly bold, this color invites a supercozy vibe. Pair with warm, dark colors.
CUSHING GREEN - HC-125
This shade brings the outdoors in—beautiful in a room with modern fixtures and lots of windows.
Living room painted in Benjamin Moore North Sea Green Living room photography by Douglas Friedman
Discover more than 3,500 standout shades at benjaminmoore.com.
PORCELAIN GLAZE - CSP-550
A unique blue that gives ambient energy and atmosphere to a living room or dining room. Go wild with this one!
UNMATCHABLE When you find the perfect color, nothing else will do. Perfection comes from our paint and our proprietary Gennex® colorants, together, creating results that are breathtaking. Rely on Benjamin Moore® for premium quality and Gennex Color Technology, which makes our long-lasting colors, all 3,500 of them, one-of-a-kind. Unmatchable.
WALL: Gray Owl OC-52, ben®, Flat TRIM: Ice Mit OC-67, ADVANCE®, Satin, Aura® Eggshell
©2020 Benjamin Moore & Co. Advance, Aura, ben, Benjamin Moore, Gennex, and the triangle “M” symbol are registered trademarks licensed to Benjamin Moore & Co. Color accuracy is ensured only when tinted in quality Benjamin Moore® paints. Color representations may differ slightly from actual paint. 6/20
DANIEL’S KITCHENS
Now We’re Cooking!
IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY, NEW YORK, DANIEL BOULUD TRANSFORMS HIS HOME KITCHEN INTO A LIGHT AND APPEALING WORK SPACE. AS TOLD TO MICHELE HUMES
PHOTOGR APHS BY WINNIE AU
Daniel Boulud’s renovated kitchen in Bedford, New York, has Dacor appliances, Waterworks fittings, Serena & Lily stools, and cabinets painted in Benjamin Moore’s Lake Placid. BE LOW: The former galley kitchen. Produced by Laurel J. Benedum
M
Y W I FE, K AT H E R I N E,
and I fell in love with our Bedford, New York, home in spite of, not b e c au s e of , t he kitchen it came with. It was a galley affair, maybe six feet wide—the sort of space where a cook felt exiled. I don’t like to have walls separating me from my family or my guests when I cook, so I knocked them down and created a new, open space, absorbing what used to be a small dining room, a den, and a covered terrace that still has its curtain of wisteria. Our new kitchen is at least three times the size it was before, airy, and full of light. 44
ELLE DECOR
I divide my week between my country house and my Manhattan apartment, which is directly above my flagship restaurant, Daniel. My city kitchen is sleek, with clean lines and lots of chrome, but I wanted my country kitchen a little softer, calling to mind a Provençal farmhouse. My wife and I designed it together, settling on cabinets in robin’s-egg blue, creamy quartz countertops, and a chandelier that drips with lemons, which we brought back from a flea market in the south of France. Cooking is also a joint effort in our household: Katherine usually handles breakfast and lunch, and then I’ll take care of dinner.
BEFORE
DANIEL’S KITCHENS Boulud preps a meal for his family in a Prada sweater, jeans, and loafers. RIGHT, FROM TOP: A menu for an autumn meal at home. Boulud, age 14, prepares an apple tart in Lyon, France. For details, see Resources.
When we prepare meals, we all tend to congregate around the large central island, which we outfitted with a Dacor induction stove that feels a little safer than open flames with two young children around. But this is still a chef’s kitchen, so I also have my Dacor gas stove off to one side, which I use when I want to sear meat or fish over high heat. It has a built-in plancha, or griddle, which is fantastic for cooking seafood; this is also where I prepare a 46
ELLE DECOR
family favorite we call “submarine eggs”—a slice of buttered brioche with a circle cut out of it, framing a fried egg. My children adore this dish. Now that we have a kitchen we’re happy with, I’m turning my sights to the garden. Whether we are entertaining or just cooking for ourselves, our menus tend to revolve around fresh, seasonal vegetables. For now, we get most of them from the excellent fa r mers’ ma rket at Joh n Jay
Homestead in Katonah, New York, but eventually I’d like to cook more from our own harvest. We’ve made a modest start already, planting herbs, strawberries, and a pumpkin patch, but I have pla ns for raised beds, where I’ll grow zucchini, tomatoes, and green beans. We’re also in talks with a beekeeper, who is guiding us through the process of setting up our own hive; with any luck, we’ll soon have our own honey too. ◾
PROMOTION
E D | LI F E
STYLE. DESIGN. CULTURE.
FLEXFORM The Tessa armchair is an insight into the great complexity that lies within design that seems simple but requires expert craftsmanship. The structure is made of solid wood, while the seat and back are made of woven paper rush. flexform.it
JEREMY COLE Introducing Jeremy Cole’s stunning new masterpiece, the “Lily Chandelier,” individually handcrafted and signed by the artist. Limited availability in suspension, sconce forms and custom arrangements. jeremycole.net
CHRISTIE’S DECORATIVE ARTS: THE COLLECTION OF A. JERROLD PERENCHIO This September, Christie’s Decorative Arts will offer the exquisite collection of philanthropist and Hollywood talent agent A. Jerrold Perenchio. With a two-part online auction, experience the histories and curiosities that entertained dignitaries, musicians, politicians and more from Mr. Perenchio’s Chartwell Estate in Bel-Air. Bidding runs September 1st - September 16th/17th. christies.com/PerenchioElleDecor Photo by Jim Bartsch. Reproduced with permission of the estate.
SCANDIA HOME The world’s finest goose down and most refined fabrics ensure that Scandia Down pillows and comforters are as luxurious as they are supremely comfortable. Crafted in America, Scandia Down bedding invites your most refreshing sleep experience. Discover the Scandia Down Difference at scandiahome.com
STUDIO VISIT
The Spin on It IN CONNECTICUT, CERAMIST FRANCES PALMER CREATES MODERN HEIRLOOMS AND LUSH VIGNETTES. BY INGRID ABR A MOVITCH
is ca l led Life in the St udio (Artisan). And what a life she leads. At her 19t h-cent u r y home in Weston, Connecticut, s h e h a s c re a te d a mo der n - d ay Bloomsbury where she crafts pottery for collectors like Martha Stewart and Aerin Lauder and grows flowers for the Dutch master–worthy still life images that have earned her a sizable following on Instagram. Oh, and she is the photographer behind the lens, too. Palmer works out of a light-filled, bi-level studio that she designed with help from her husband, Wally. “We found a 1790s house, moved the beams to the property, and put up new walls,” she says. There are four kilns and two large gardens, including one she converted from an old tennis court so that she would have a mple space for her blooms a nd beehives. “I’d rather grow f lowers than play tennis,” she observed on my recent visit. Advantage: Dahlias. francespalmerpottery.com ◾
CLOC K WISE FROM TOP LE F T: A still life by
Frances Palmer features her Vigee Footed bowl, $525. The ceramist at her pottery wheel. White earthenware vases are stacked on an antique worktable in Palmer’s studio. The garden, overflowing with dahlias, in front of her 1860s house in Weston, Connecticut. 48
ELLE DECOR
FR ANCES PALMER. EXCERPTED FROM LIFE IN THE STUDIO, BY FR ANCES PALMER (ARTISAN) © 2020
F
R ANCES PAL MER’S NEW BOOK
IMAGINE DISCOVER REFRESH
Shop the world’s largest collection of premier boutiques for home building and renovation. Open to the Public • theMART, Chicago More Information: LUXEHOME.COM
KITCHEN • BATH • TILE • STONE • CABINETRY • APPLIANCES • LIGHTING • HARDWARE • FLOORING • WINDOW TREATMENTS • PAINT
BOUTIQUES INCLUDE: Ann Sacks
DOM Interiors
Paris Ceramics
Artistic Tile
Ernestomeda Chicago
Poggenpohl
Belwith-Keeler
FANTINI | THE GALLEY
Porcelanosa Tile/Kitchen/Bath/Hardwood
Gaggenau, Thermador, Bosch Experience & Design Center
Scavolini Store Chicago
GRAFF – art of bath design center
The Shade Store
House of Rohl Studio
Sherwin-Williams Color Studio
Katonah Architectural Hardware
SMEG USA
Middleby Residential/Viking Range/La Cornue
Studio Snaidero Chicago
Miele Experience Center
Sub-Zero, Wolf, and Cove Showroom
Moen Design Center
True Residential
Devon&Devon
Monogram Design Center
Vicostone
Divine Flooring
NEFF of Chicago
Waterworks
Exquisite Surfaces
New Style Cabinets
Wood-Mode Lifestyle Design Center
Bentwood of Chicago Brizo and Delta Chicago Buechel Stone Carlisle Wide Plank Floors
45 Boutiques. One Location.
The Chopping Block Christopher Peacock Dacor Kitchen Theater de Giulio kitchen design
PROMOTION
E D | LI F E
STYLE. DESIGN. CULTURE.
1.
2.
3.
ELLE DECOR LAUNCHES DESIGN UNITES COVID-19 RELIEF INITIATIVE In immediate response to the COVID-19 pandemic, ELLE DECOR joined forces with House Beautiful, Town & Country and VERANDA to create a first-ever charitable platform: Design Unites. The charity auction brought together over 75 brand partners and friends in the design and luxury lifestyle communities to give back in a big way. Powered by Charitybuzz, the Design Unites initiative raised over $100,000 in support of Habitat for Humanity New York City’s COVID-19 Emergency Housing Response Fund—providing low-to middle-income New Yorkers support with urgent housing needs and ensuring they have a place to call home. Check out the social buzz via #DesignUnites. habitatnyc.org 4.
Featured lots: 1. Skybox Experience at Restaurant Daniel in NYC 2. Welcome to Summer: Outdoor Oasis with Arhaus Furniture 3. Coastal Calm: A Serena & Lily Bedroom Makeover 4. Christofle’s Signature MOOD Collection Flatware
Corduroy
Tropicalia
Stellar
B&B ITALIA
ARTE
THE COUCH—Conversations on Design is the new B&B Italia podcast on the design culture and the art of staying at home, curated by David Plaisant. Available on Apple Podcast, Google Podcast, Spotify, and the B&B Italia official website. bebitalia.com
Lush by Arte features coordinating textures of warm corduroy-like velvet and cool metallics. The rich combination of rib velvet, lush botanical prints and sophisticated weaving techniques make Lush a very detailed and luxurious collection. The cool metal accents combine perfectly with the soft, velvet fabrics and complete the look. arte-international.com
ELLE DECOR COLLECTION elleboutique.com/elledecor|#parisiananywhere
INSPIR ATION FOR YOUR RENOVATION
Antonio Citterio’s Kinesis Personal Vision machine for Technogym is cocooned by pink foam walls in an installation in Milan by Patricia Urquiola and Piero Lissoni. Produced by Laurel J. Benedum
TOOLBOX
Rooms for Growth
THOSE SEEKING A PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION MAY WANT TO BEGIN BY RENOVATING WITHIN. A STEADY DIET OF HOME GYM DESIGN HELPS. BY TIM M C KEOUGH
MA X Z AMBELLI
T
H E D AY S O F T H E G R U N G Y PA I N C AV E O R T H E
unfinished basement with a dusty weight bench are over. When the pandemic shut down public gyms across the country, it also propelled the home gym from afterthought to design priority and highlighted what fitness buffs have known all along: Where you work out matters almost as much as how you work out. “The home gym is no longer the stepchild to the rest of the house,” says the New York–based ED A-List designer Richard Mishaan, who is in the midst of building a new workout space at his house in the Hamptons. “What we
would ordinarily do as a home gym has dramatically changed since COVID. It’s commanding more attention, more space, and more of the budget.” For his own residence, as well as for clients in Palm Beach and the Hamptons, Mishaan is designing gyms with yoga studios that double as places to hang out between exercise sessions, with a level of finish and atmospheric lighting equal to the living room or library. “We call them ‘recovery rooms,’” he says. “There’s a fireplace and a couple of comfortable oversize lounge chairs where people can just grab a book, sit down, and relax.” ELLE DECOR
53
TOOLBOX
That’s the joy of designing a truly personal home gym: It can be whatever you want, not only when selecting f itness equipment, but also when choosing materials, colors, and finishes. “It doesn’t have to be so cold and sterile,” says Da nielle Fen noy of Brook ly n-based Reva mp Interior Design. “It’s an opportunity to do something with much more personality and warmth.” Now that physical fitness is firmly established as a fashionable lifestyle choice—complete with all-day athleisure and technical sweats—there’s no longer even a need to relegate equipment to a private room of suffering, she notes. “It might be more of a multiMoody black walls and leather accents in a loft gym by Vanessa Alexander in the Venice neighborhood of Los Angeles. functional space, like a family room,” she says, where a yoga mat, dumbbells, Allowing such flexibility is the trend toward gyms with and resistance bands can live in a basket in the corner and fewer, more compact pieces of equipment, which is being effectively make working out as easy as turning on the TV. In the end, the goal is to create a workout space that is driven by the popularity of Peloton bikes, Mirror systems, and TRX bands. “There is less equipment now, because you among your favorite rooms, so you’ll relish spending time can get a full-blown workout out of smaller, less bulky there. “That’s what I love about interior design: There’s no pieces,” says the Los Angeles–based ED A-List designer functional space that you can’t also make beautiful,” Brigette Romanek. “There’s more interest in meditation and Romanek says. In the contemporary home gym, she adds, creating places that help people unwind versus places that “Every surface is now up for grabs.” ◾ are only for hard-core workouts.” That shift in desire has encouraged Romanek to veer far away from white-box gyms with rubber floors. “It’s OK to plaster the walls in different colors, and it’s OK if your mirror has a little tint to it,” she says. “We’ve also done colored cement floors and a carpet over soft flooring.” Of course, some fitness devotees prefer a more strippeddown, rough-and-tumble atmosphere. But even in those cases, the home gym can be designed as a destination that feels as appealing as a private club. “Everybody has their own routine, and what they choose really depends on their fitness regimen,” says New York ED A-List designer Robert Stilin. For some clients, he has designed gyms with weathered wood paneling and exposed ceiling joists, industrial-style lighting and fans, and vintage leather chairs A 19th-century gilt mirror and 1920s sconces bring old-world and benches. “It’s a masculine, old-time gym vibe,” he says. drama to a home gym in San Francisco designed by Ken Fulk. “It’s about creating an environment.”
RECOVERY AREAS After hours of curling and Spinning, muscles need some TLC. These days, a warm bath and a heating pad simply won’t suffice. 54
ELLE DECOR
Synca Wellness CirC Massage Chair With its ergonomic design, intuitive controller, and many modes of rubbing and kneading, the Synca (far left) is as close to a professional massage as you’ll get at home. $899. amazon.com
Sunlighten Signature FS II Sauna This Sunlighten sauna (middle) features two high-intensity heaters and infrared light therapy, making it the perfect way to sweat out any toxins and alleviate postlifting strains and muscle tears. From
Mr. Steam Steam Bath Generator What was once an exclusive amenity at country clubs is now a necessity for the home. With precision tablet controls (near left), it’s the most customizable steaming experience you can find. $3,500.
$4,439. sunlighten.com
homedepot.com
TOP LEFT: SHADE DEGGES; BOT TOM RIGHT: DOUGL AS FRIEDMAN
BUILDER
BUILDER
3
TOOLBOX
1
Personal
REDESIGN
WORKOUT GEAR TO MAKE YOUR GYM—AND MUSCLES— LOOK THEIR BEST. BY L AUREL J. BENEDUM AND K ATE M C GREGOR
2
4
5
1 NOHrD SlimBeam
2 Elite Fuoripista
3 Tempo
4 Coretez Dumbbells
5 Les Necessaires d’Hermès Bench
$17,400. hermes.com
With its slender shape and elegant finish, this cable system blends seamlessly into any home.
This sculptural exercise bike by one of cycling’s most innovative companies proves that it’s not necessary to sacrifice style to stay fit.
Today, mirrors have to offer more than a reflection. This one allows you to stream personal trainers that motivate you and correct your form.
Made from bronze and oak, these weights are like haute joaillerie designed just for lunges.
$2,249. nohrd.com
$16,000. elite-it.com
$1,995. tempo.fit
$1,178. coreform.co.uk
56
ELLE DECOR
This is the most refined seating for doing curls and is perfect for storing your D. Porthault towels.
BUILDER
ANATOMY OF A HOUSE
The RISING
AFTER FIRE DAMAGED HIS UPSTATE NEW YORK COUNTRY HOME, SHAWN HENDERSON EMBARKED ON A RENOVATION TO RESTORE ITS SOUL WHILE EXPANDING ITS FOOTPRINT. BY BEBE HOWORTH
PHOTOGR APHS BY STEPHEN KENT JOHNSON
W
HEN
INTERIOR
de sig ner Sh aw n Henderson saw a 19th-century farmhouse in upstate New York 16 years ago, set far off the main road and near a spring-fed pond, it was pretty much love at first sight. “The minute I laid eyes on it, I knew it was the one,” Henderson says. So when a fire took out the back of the house three years ago, undoing years of renovation work, it was no small heartbreak. “The house was filled with the things I love,” he says, recalling the day three dozen firefighters showed up to stop a blaze that had started in the living room’s fireplace. “It was completely devastating.” 58
ELLE DECOR
Thinking quickly, he’d closed the living room door, halting the fire’s spread. Still, there was extensive damage. For Henderson, there was no question t hat he wou ld i m med iately rebuild. The tragedy also presented the opportunity to rethink the layout and decor. He redecorated the entire downstairs while creating a new addition with a main bedroom suite and home office. Having grown up working in his family’s tavern, he paid particular attention to the kitchen, where he custom designed bleached-oak cabinets and installed a brick floor. This summer, he added a pool and now plans to convert the barn into a poolhouse. “I do this for a living,” he says. “So I probably won’t ever stop.” ◾
WHAT REMAINS Henderson’s farmhouse, seen above in a vintage photograph (top), was built in the 19th century. When he bought the house in 2004, the living room (middle) had an exposed brick fireplace, and the entry hall (bottom) retained its original beamed ceiling. Henderson preserved much of the original architecture and details, including the wide-plank pine floors. Fortunately, he was able to restore these elements after the house fire in 2017.
OPPOSITE PAGE, TOP RIGHT: FR ANCESCO L AGNESE
The exterior of designer Shawn Henderson’s 19th-century Colonial farmhouse in Hillsdale, New York. ABOVE RIGHT: Henderson in the living room.
BEFORE
AF TE R
CLOC K WISE FROM TOP LE F T: In the living room, the vintage furnishings include a Kaare Klint sofa, which was re-covered in a Dualoy leather, a chair by Kerstin Hörlin-Holmquist, and a cocktail table by Frits Henningsen; above the original fireplace, the artwork is by Louise Bonnet. A previous renovation of the kitchen, before the 2017 fire. The new kitchen’s bleached-oak cabinetry is custom, the island is topped with Mountain White marble, the sink fittings are by Waterworks, and the stools are by CB2. In the guest bedroom, the bed, nightstands, and lamps are all vintage, the wing chair is in an Edelman Leather suede, and the curtains are of a Fortuny fabric. The metal table in the office is vintage, the chairs are by Fabricius & Kastholm, and the walls are covered in a Thibaut fabric. For details, see Resources.
ELLE DECOR
59
In the entry of an early20th-century Milanese townhouse that was renovated by Roberto Peregalli and Laura Sartori Rimini of Studio Peregalli, the 19th-century table is Italian, the settees are custom, and the antique gilt-bronze chandelier is French. The “tapestry� consists of a 19th-century English canvas panel in the center with new panels painted by decorative artists on both sides to match.
H OW TO CH A N G E
HISTORY
A CLASSIC MILANESE TOWNHOUSE GETS THE STUDIO PEREGALLI TREATMENT. HERE, THE ITALIAN DESIGN DUO OUTLINES THE METHOD BEHIND THE MAGIC. BY JULIE L ASKY PRODUCED BY CYNTHIA FR ANK PHOTOGR APHS BY SANTI CALECA
ELLE DECOR
61
is no recipe. “Every room is a new invention,” she says. Yet the firm follows principles that govern the timeless look of their fantasias. Here are a few.
DESIGN ABHORS A VACUUM.
T
HE
TOWNHOUSE
IN
Mila n’s historic center seems to have evolved effortlessly, as if every stone, vault, and fenestration were dictated from deep in its bones. Don’t be fooled: The building’s old-world grandeur was summoned from thin air by Roberto Peregalli and Laura Sartori Rimini of Studio Peregalli. Like a creature in a Hogwarts classroom assignment, the five-story building was radically transformed not once, but twice. Built in 1908 in the Rococo style, it had been stripped of all detail in the 1970s as part of a Brutalist makeover. The current owners, a family with three children, moved from London with an eye to buying a townhouse, 62
ELLE DECOR
especially one with a garden. But such properties are rare in the heart of Milan, where the preference is for larger apartment buildings with units on a single level. Wands in hand, the A-List designers reinvented the house again. They chose not to return to the early 20th century and copy the original building’s rehash of an 18th-century style, but to impose an internally consistent structural and decorative logic that didn’t reflect any particular era. “Our style is to reinvent the past in a way that is a sort of dream, invention, and memory all mixed together,” Peregalli says. He and Sartori Rimini compare their method to cooking, a balance of rigor and innovation that depends on carefully selected ingredients and extreme technical competence. There
“In the townhouse’s entrance hall, just to give you an example, all the vaults on the ceiling have been made by us,” Sartori Rimini says. “All the moldings and the frames have been made by us, and even the marbled floor has been made by us. Nothing was existing.”
TRY A SLEIGHT OF HAND. A dramatic tapestry greets visitors in the entry, but it’s “fake,” Peregalli notes. The central panel, a 19th-century English canvas painted in oil, in imitation of 17th- or 18th-century French tapestries, was supplied by the client. The faux part was painted by Studio Peregalli’s artisan collaborators.
IF YOU CAN’T MOVE IT, RECLAD IT. “The spiral staircase was the only thing we kept from the ’70s renovation,” Sartori Rimini says. Built of iron and wood, it was massive and would have been difficult to extract. “So we covered it in stone, like in a tower.”
OPPOSITE , FROM LE F T:
Climbing jasmine ascends the front facade of the townhouse. In the entry, the antique stool is Italian, the iron pendant is from the 18th century, and the flooring is reclaimed Chianca and Ardesia stone; the artworks are 18th-century engravings. LE F T: In the living room, the 19th-century armchair (left) is English, the console is Napoleon III, and the antique round table and mirror are Italian. The marble mantel is antique, and the walls are sheathed in reclaimed French boiserie. BE LOW: The library’s sofa was based on a 19thcentury model, and the custom chairs are in a fabric by Madeleine Castaing. Studio Peregalli designed the bookshelves and wall paneling with rounded corners and trompe l’oeil grisaille golden friezes. The antique Isfahan rug is Persian, and the artwork is an 18th-century engraving of Rome.
STOCK A MATERIALS PANTRY. The designers are constantly on the hunt for antique architectural materials, from reclaimed marbles to original boiseries, which is how they had enough parquet on hand for the townhouse’s floors. And in the living room, notes Sartori Rimini, a stash of French wood paneling came in handy to lend character to the walls.
LET COLLECTIONS DICTATE SPACES. The library was invented to house the clients’ antiquarian books. The room was designed with rounded corners to “give a little more smoothness,” Peregalli says. The taupe walls with stenciled borders are “in dialogue,” he says, with the bright living room visible from across the gallery.
DISGUISE RHYMES WITH SURPRISE. Why is a handle jutting from the wall of the study? To open the invisible door to the en suite bathroom, of course. “This is a typical homage to the 19th century,” Peregalli explains. The designers also tucked appliances behind doors in the kitchen. But that was mainly to keep the room tidy. ◾ 64
ELLE DECOR
In the dining room, which overlooks the garden, 18th-century French chairs surround an English table topped with an Isfahan rug, which, along with the French chandelier, are all antique. The wallcovering depicts an Italian landscape based on a 19th-century wallpaper. OPPOSITE: In the kitchen, the walls are covered in antique majolica tiles and the ooring is cement tiles. The cabinetry, vent hood, and ceiling ďŹ xture are all custom.
In the first-floor study, the chair and walls are covered in a fabric by Le Manach, and the door leads to a powder room clad in Cipollino marble. OPPOSITE , CLOC K WISE FROM TOP:
The main bedroom’s 19th-century Italian walnut bed is topped with a duvet in an 18th-century Genoan mesero fabric depicting the tree of life, which also covers the walls; the English desk and chair are from the 19th century. In a child’s room, the antique dresser is French, the walls are covered in a custom damask, and the 19thcentury watercolor depicts a Roman column. In the main bathroom, a 19th-century table was converted to a vanity and topped with red marble, the side table is from the 19th century, the lighting is custom, and the floor mosaic was inspired by ancient Roman designs; the artwork includes 18th-century mythological engravings. For details, see Resources.
66
ELLE DECOR
YOU ARE
LEGEND
DESIGNER ERNEST DE LA TORRE SHOWS REVERENCE WHILE BRINGING A FRESH, MODERN LOOK TO A NEWLY RENOVATED HOME IN BEL AIR, CALIFORNIA, BUILT BY ICONIC LOS ANGELES ARCHITECT PAUL R. WILLIAMS. BY JANELLE Z AR A PRODUCED BY CHARLES CURKIN ST YLED BY ANITA SARSIDI PHOTOGR APHS BY G L ASKEW II
The foyer of a 1930s Paul R. Williams Tudor-style home by ED A-List designer Ernest de la Torre in collaboration with architect Mark Rios. The chandelier is by Stuart Haygarth, and the sculpture is by Wendell Castle. OPPOSITE: The view overlooking the 17th hole at the Bel-Air Country Club. The custom sofa is covered in a fabric by Perennials.
ELLE DECOR
69
THE KEY TO A LASTING RELATIONSHIP, THEY
PAU L R . W I L L I A M S
The first Black member of the say, is striking a perfect balance. In the Bel American Institute of Architects, Air neighborhood of Los Angeles, designer Williams worked on private homes Ernest de la Torre describes his latest projfor such Hollywood stars as Frank Sinatra, Lucille Ball, and Tyrone ect as a “great marriage” of sorts. He and Power, as well as iconic buildings Mark Rios of the architecture firm RIOS from the Beverly Hills Hotel to the were tasked with marrying two opposing Los Angeles County Courthouse. themes: the clean, modern sensibilities of their client and the vintage flourishes of her 1934 Tudor-style duplex, a design evocative of the English countryside by legendary Hollywood architect Paul R. Williams. The ensuing 30,000-square-foot renovation with new addition resulted in a measured study in contrasts: airy California cool tempered by organic textures and a historical collection of art and design. The restored 1930s facade of the “She really is a minimalist,” de la Torre Williams-designed Bel Air house. says of his client, a film producer with homes in New York and L.A. For more than a decade, she and her husband, a former entertainment chairman, had been living at odds with their home’s elaborate crown moldings, wrought-iron staircase, and other old-world elements. They once considered moving, but found themselves unable to part with their scenic backyard The client entrusted de la Torre to build views of lush treetops. Still very much in The Beverly Hills Hotel. love with the location (notably right on top upon the home’s collection of art and of the Bel-Air Country Club’s 17th hole), design. Having worked for her before, he they ultimately decided to stay, but not came into the project with a clear underwithout a major intervention. standing of her vision: “She likes her minimalism, but also rich history and art,” he A complete overhaul followed, with the demolition of half the duplex. In place of a says. In the more formal interiors of the detached apartment that had always felt original construction, where expansive oddly disjointed, Rios’s team built a seamsliding-glass walls have replaced French doors, the eclectic decor spans the work of lessly attached modern wing, designed for El Mirador Hotel in Palm Springs. contemporary Los Angeles artists to vina couple focused on entertaining. The tage pieces of European and Southeast addition houses the informal spaces, including a family room that continues out to the pool deck Asian provenance. A flash of illuminated neon cuts through through disappearing glass doors. Upstairs, a main-bedroom the moody watercolors of Mary Weatherford, mounted in complex occupies the entire second floor with marble bath- the living room behind the plush Jean Royère Polar Bear rooms and closets akin to luxury boutiques, and two lower sofa. Craggy geodes and quartz spheres sit in various corlevels cascade down the steep hillside, one for a seven-car ners for their feng shui properties. garage and another for the home gym. De la Torre wanted to establish a distinctly West Coast 70
ELLE DECOR
TOP LEFT: LOS ANGELES TIMES VIA GET T Y IMAGES; BEVERLY HILLS AND EL MIR ADOR HOTELS: JULIUS SHULMAN, © J. PAUL GET T Y TRUST. GET T Y RESEARCH INSTITUTE, LOS ANGELES
T
Williams standing in front of the Bel Air house in 1970.
A vintage Jean Royère chair (left) and a custom club chair surround a cocktail table by Ado Chale in the living room. The side table is by Adolf Loos, and an iron chair by André Dubreuil is next to a cabinet by the Campana brothers. The rug is by Edward Fields, and the console is by Angelo Mangiarotti.
mood for the home, leaning into more casual indoor-outdoor living while maintaining a level of elegance. Rather than silk rugs for the living and dining rooms, he opted for woven raffia by Edward Fields and Cogolin; along with the Vietnamese bamboo window treatments and rattan furniture that appear throughout the house, they are a nod to the client’s Malaysian heritage and a necessary organic element to temper the coolness of the new glass walls. “A little layer of texture,” he says, “makes modern not feel cold.” In the formal dining room, the walls were laboriously treated with layers of deep mahogany plaster, then scored along the surface and finished with wax to resemble traditional Chinese lacquer. They were inspired by a pair of 18th-century Chinese Coromandel screens that de la Torre repurposed as doors for china cabinets. Wanting to avoid an endless series of white from room to room, he applied the “compression-expansion” effects of alternating light and dark. The receding view through the
dark dining room and white living room doorways frame the icy Stuart Haygarth chandelier in the foyer. There, in place of Williams’s original wrought-iron banister, the stairway curves around a sinuous panel of steel, patinated to exude the same rich warmth of the dining room walls. For the couple, the entire project was a “compromise,” de la Torre says, “to build a modern space, but keep the original house that they had loved for more than 10 years.” Touches of the original architecture remain in the ornately carved limestone entryway and the decorative wall panels of the former Tudor library, now the study, lacquered in a lustrous Chinese red. From the outside, Williams’s half-timbered, formerly redbrick Tudor-style facade is still visible beneath the layer of black and white paint that matches the modernist new addition. In this story of love, compromise, and rehabilitation, it was the process of give-and-take, of striking the perfect balance, that quite literally kept this household together. ◾ ELLE DECOR
71
In the study, which is original to the house, the desk is by Maurice Calka, and the desk chair is by Eero Saarinen and covered in a linen by Ralph Lauren. The bronze chair is by Diego Giacometti, the window shade is made from linen, and the pendant is by Jorge Pardo. The rug is by Alt for Living. The room is lacquered in a custom color by Farrow & Ball.
The vintage Vladimir Kagan dining table in the family room is topped with a vase by Barovier & Toso, and the Onassis chairs by Karl Springer are in a Holly Hunt fabric. The flooring is flamed granite, and the bronzeand-porcelain ceiling fixture is by David Wiseman. Artwork, Tom Wesselmann.
ELLE DECOR
73
The staircase is made from oil-rubbed-steel walls, and the handrails are in an Edelman leather. The pendant lights are by Nendo for Carpenters Workshop Gallery. 74
ELLE DECOR
ABOVE: In the main bedroom, the bed is dressed in linens by Frette and anked by custom side tables topped with lamps by Roberto Giulio Rida.
The Vladimir Kagan desk and Kaare Klint chair are vintage, and the curtains are of a custom Holland & Sherry fabric. The tapestry is by Carolyn Ray. BE LOW LE F T: The Brazilian quartzite powder room sink is custom, the mirror is by Roger Capron, and the sconces are by Max Ingrand. The walls are in a grass cloth by Schumacher. BE LOW RIGHT: On the terrace, the sofas are by Dedon, the chairs are by David Sutherland, and the umbrellas are by Tuuci. The sculptures are by Ai Weiwei. For details, see Resources.
CALM AND
Designers Nate Berkus (left) and Jeremiah Brent with their children, Poppy (left) and Oskar, in the living room of their Montauk beach house. The shearling sofa is by Nate + Jeremiah for Living Spaces, the vintage wicker chairs are by Ficks Reed, and the antique table (foreground) is Peruvian. The window shades are rolled seagrass rugs, the jute pendants are Moroccan, and a sculpture by Marina Karella sits on a 19thcentury Belgian pedestal.
C O L L E C T E D IN THEIR UPDATE OF A MONTAUK HOME, DESIGNERS NATE BERKUS AND JEREMIAH BRENT HAVE FASHIONED A SANCTUARY FROM AN ARRAY OF GLOBAL INFLUENCES. BY VANESSA L AWRENCE PRODUCED BY INGRID ABR A MOVITCH PHOTOGR APHS BY RICHARD FOULSER ELLE DECOR
77
The black-painted exterior of the house, which the couple renovated with the help of contractor Paulette Davis. Brent teamed up with Shawn Eckardt on the property’s new landscape design, which focuses on native plants. OPPOSITE: Poppy, Jeremiah, Oskar, and Nate seen through a window of their home.
78
ELLE DECOR
I
F YOU HAD ASKED INTERIOR DESIGNER
Nate Berkus 15 years ago where he would feel at peace, it is unlikely that he would have described a house near a beach. Berkus was on vacation in Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka in 2004 when the country was devastated by a tsunami, and though he survived, his partner at the time, photographer Fernando Bengoechea, did not. But last year, when Berkus’s husband, designer Jeremiah Brent, suggested they check out a house for sale in Montauk, New York, as a second home for their family, Berkus was f inally ready to explore the idea. “I was raised in Southern California
and lived on a lake outside of Minneapolis. The water has always been how I t h i n k of a ca refree a f ter noon ,” explains Berkus, who has been living in Montauk full-time since March with Brent and their children, Poppy, five, and Oskar, two. “I didn’t want my experience in the tsunami to deprive our family of summers like that.” In August of 2019, Berkus and Brent had just returned from three years in Los Angeles, where they had planned to stay longer until they realized how much they missed the hubbub of New York City. They had downsized from a Spanish Colonial spread in Hancock Park to a West Village townhouse and
weren’t looking to purchase a weekend place. But the house in Montauk, previously owned by the photographer Raphael Mazzucco, proved difficult to resist. Residing on a nature reserve, the home, which was built in the 1980s and extensively renovated by Mazzucco, boasted a picturesque landscape, ample light, and numerous handcrafted touches. “Raphael built the fireplace in the great room out of beach rocks,” Brent explains. “The wrapped walls in the family room were from a dock that was being demolished.” The couple gave the house a renovation “face-lift,” as they characterize it. They painted the exterior black to ELLE DECOR
79
contrast with the brightness within, stripped and sanded floors for added lightness, and redid the kitchen with plaster walls and white concrete countertops. An outdoor kitchen is now a screened-in dining area, and they created a back patio for lounging. Perhaps most crucially, they added 40 percent more native vegetation to the surrounding land. Inside the house, Brent and Berkus stuck to a neutral palette and incorporated design details influenced by their trips to Portugal, Mexico, and Peru, where they got engaged in 2013. Down a hallway and a few stairs from the entrance is the great room with its 22-foot-high ceilings and the aforementioned stone fireplace, which the couple topped with a collection of antique terra-cotta bulls, Peruvian objects thought to ward off evil spirits. Much of the furniture here and throughout the home is from Berkus and Brent’s collaboration with the company Living Spaces, which they mixed with online finds from Etsy and eBay that are covered in performance fabrics. As a counterpoint to such technological textiles, the couple turned to wicker, jute, and other woven materials for an artisanal contrast. In the wood-paneled family room, 1970s rope chairs with shearling cushions from 4th Generation Antiques in Pasadena add textural interest, while varied surfaces abound in the main bedroom on the second f loor, where Berkus and Brent added a wall and pocket door to separate the previously open bathroom and sleeping areas. In the bathroom, they added a holly olive tree in an old limestone pot to go with the existing pebble-floored shower. “That was my worst nightmare when we bought the house,” says Brent of the stony surface. “But now we both love it. It is so relaxing.” A deep sense of calm pervades the whole home, something Berkus attributes to his and Brent’s mindset when they approached the design process. “The pressure was off. We were building and selecting things thinking, It doesn’t have to be perfect,” he explains. “I think that opened up something in both of us. The spirit in which we decorated and renovated this house is the spirit in which we live here.” ◾ 80
ELLE DECOR
ABOVE , FROM TOP: In the entry, the midcentury slate table is French, and the family’s hat collection perches on a 1950s coatrack by Pierantonio Bonacina; the basket is by Nickey Kehoe, and the artwork is by Simon Mathers. The family sits on the living room’s custom plaster banquette, which has a cushion covered in a Perennials fabric; the painting is by Ethan Cook, the African pitchers are from Thos. Cornell Galleries, and the Jacques Adnet candelabra is from A La Mod.
LE F T: In the family room, the sectional, ottoman, and rug are all by Nate + Jeremiah for Living Spaces and the 1970s rope chairs are from 4th Generation Antiques. The 1960s floor lamp is from Galerie Half, the 1950s stool is French, and the television above the chairs is by Samsung. The photograph is from the 1930s, and the sculpture is by Marina Karella. BE LOW LE F T: The oak table in the dining room was purchased on the RealReal, the 1970s rattan mirror and antique bamboo console are from Chairish, and the 1950s dining chairs and table lamp are from 1stdibs. The wicker bar cart and Moroccan jute lampshade are from Etsy, and the vintage fish candleholders belonged to Berkus’s late partner, Fernando Bengoechea. BE LOW: On the outdoor patio, the Living Spaces armchair and sofa have cushions covered in a Sunbrella fabric, the dining table and vase are by RH, Restoration Hardware, the runner is by Amber Interiors, and the candles are by Pottery Barn. The dining chairs are by Article, the vintage side table is teak and ebony, and the cement floor tiles are by Clé.
82
ELLE DECOR
ABOVE: In the main bedroom, the bed is dressed with linens by Nate Berkus + Project 62 for Target and topped with a coverlet
by RW Guild and RH, Restoration Hardware pillows. The table is by Leanne Ford for Crate & Barrel, and the artwork is by Javier S. Medina. BE LOW, FROM LE F T: A wood chair from Pasadena Antiques & Design is topped with towels by Nate Berkus + Project 62 for Target in the main bathroom. A kids’ room has bunk beds by Pottery Barn Kids and sconces by Elk Lighting. OPPOSITE: A holly olive tree from Fort Pond Native Plants sits in an Indonesian limestone planter in the main bathroom. For details, see Resources.
ELLE DECOR
83
ALL THE DRAMA
WITH THEIR REDO OF A FARMHOUSE IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, FASHION VETERANS MARTIN COOPER AND KAREN SUEN-COOPER CONJURE THE PAST WHILE CREATING AN EVOCATIVE SETTING FOR THEIR LOVE OF ENTERTAINING. BY CATHERINE HONG 84
ELLE DECOR
PRODUCED BY CHARLES CURKIN
ST YLED BY SOPHIE STR ANGIO
PHOTOGR APHS BY FR ANK FR ANCES
In the entry hall of Martin Cooper and Karen Suen-Cooper’s Federal farmhouse in Columbia County, New York, which they renovated with architect Kate Johns, the 19th-century settee, George III– style table and pendant, Regency chairs, Bokhara rug, and painting were purchased at Stair Galleries. The steel balls are from the Chelsea Gardener in London, and the walls are sheathed in a Farrow & Ball stripe. OPPOSITE: The couple picnics on a Roller Rabbit tablecloth in their garden. Their son, Pax, plays on a tree swing.
W
E’VE A L L H E A R D S TO RI ES
about homeowners stumbling onto treasures during t he renovat ion of t hei r centuries-old houses. This is not one of those stories. “We basically found a lot of rot,” says homeowner Martin Cooper, who with his wife, Karen Suen-Cooper, purchased this 1790s Federal-style farmhouse in Old Chatham, New York. “In fact, the more we ripped away, the worse it got.” Unless you count the unusable remains of a back staircase hidden behind a pantry door, the only surprise the pair discovered was that the house—which turned out to be missing key structural beams and load-bearing walls—was hanging by a thread. Fortunately, the couple, both fashion-industry veterans who recently founded the stationery company the Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Card Co., had more than enough vision to remake the ramshackle shell 86
ELLE DECOR
ABOVE LE F T: The living
room sofas are from RH, Restoration Hardware, the cabinet is Edwardian, the piano is by Steinway, and the side tables are by CB2. The walls are in Dalila by Benjamin Moore, and the photographs (left) are by Martin Cooper. ABOVE RIGHT: Locust trees frame a path leading to the home. OPPOSITE: In the dining room, a Maison Jansen table is set with Coalport china, vintage glassware, and place cards from the couple’s Punctilious Mr. P’s Place Card Co. The chandelier is by Richard Taylor Designs, and the room is painted in Benjamin Moore’s Black and Dragonfly.
into a beautiful family home rich with historic detail and unexpected delights. It was 2005 when the pair first saw the big yellow house on 10 acres. They had already fallen in love with the Hudson River Valley, having been introduced to its community of artists, writers, and other creatives by their friend, the designer Sheila Bridges. They were captivated by the rambling structure, an amalgam of the original 1790s building, a Federalist front section from 1810, an Italianate wing built in 1870, and a 1920s addition. “I liked the push and pull of its different time periods,” Karen says. For Martin, the house recalled the oldfashioned grandeur of his grandmother’s home in Columbia, South Carolina, where he learned to properly set a table and other foundations of hospitality. His goal for the renovation was to add proportion and symmetry—to re-create in the house the sense of “a storied past.” Working with local architect and restoration specialist Kate Johns, the couple began the renovation of B’ellow, as they named the house (short for “Big Yellow”), in earnest in 2007, just as they moved to London for Martin’s work as vice president and design director of Burberry. That leap over the pond—landing the pair in t he crad le of Georg ia n a nd Edwa rd ia n architecture—turned out to be a boon. “We haunted the John Soane museum and all the National Trust houses, noting every hinge, rim
lock, and cornice,” Martin says. Karen made regular trips back to New York to oversee the progress, often toting brass doorknobs and handles in her luggage. But for all their desire for authentic details, the couple had no interest in staid tradition. This is most obvious the moment you step into the spiritual heart of B’ellow, their glossy black-lacquered dining room. “This is a room for time travel,” says Martin with a grin. Inspired by their shared obsession with 19th-century mysticism and astrology, the couple designed a “transportive” space. A closer look around the room reveals zodiac symbols and Roman numerals I through XII handpainted in gilt (Martin’s own handiwork) above the antiqued-glass mirrors, as well as a cleverly constructed jib door and hidden wall compartments. The use of light and mirrors in Sir John Soane’s Museum was a key inspiration for the theatrical room, but so were Charles Dickens, 88
ELLE DECOR
Hôtel Costes in Paris, Hogarth frames, and the 1980s New York nightclub Nell’s (where Karen once worked as a hostess). The ceiling, meanABOVE: The salon’s while, is painted a patinated teal copper in a Regency-style armchairs and cocktail table are from gesture inspired by Grand Central Terminal. Unabashedly classical though the house may Stair Galleries, the side table is by RH, Restoration be, jolts of unexpected modernity keep things Hardware, and the chanlively for the couple and their 10-year-old son, delier is from Ida’s Eye. Pax, who all moved to B’ellow full-time in 2019. The walls are covered in a In the sunny yellow living room, contemporary Brunschwig & Fils wallpaper. RIGHT: In the guest white sofas and Martin’s large-format color bedroom, the bed is photographs contrast with the 19th-century dressed in Delfinia linens and the coverlet and throw nudes and plaster plaques of Roman friezes. are from RH, Restoration Renovating the house has been a labor of Hardware. The armchair is love, says Martin. And there are still spaces by Mitchell Gold + Bob they’ve barely touched, including where they Williams, a 19th-century mirror from Stair Galleries hope to design a library and a breakfast room. hangs over a CB2 dresser, “In Bunny Williams’s book An Affair with a and the sconces are by House, she talks about the 30-year journey of Visual Comfort. The walls creating her house,” he says. “According to that are painted in Aganthus Green by Benjamin Moore. timeline, we’re only halfway there.” ◾
ABOVE: An RH, Resto-
ration Hardware bed in the main bedroom has Yves Delorme linens and Barclay Butera pillows. The armchair is by Oka, the Georgian chest is from Ashby James Fine Antiques, the curtains are of a silk from the Silk Trading Co., and the walls are painted in Benjamin Moore’s Bisque. RIGHT: The main bath’s custom vanity has a counter in Emperador Dark marble, a Kohler sink, and Rohl fittings. The tub is from Clawfoot Supply, the toilet is by Toto, the sconces are by Visual Comfort, and the floor tile is by Ann Sacks. For details, see Resources.
ELLE DECOR
89
THE POWER OF RESTRAINT
WITH HIS DEFT TRANSFORMATION OF A NEW YORK APARTMENT, STEPHEN SILLS PROVES THAT A JUDICIOUS USE OF COLOR—AND JUST A FEW GILT-Y PLEASURES—GO A VERY LONG WAY. BY DAVID NET TO PHOTOGR APHS BY SIMON UPTON
In the living room of a Manhattan apartment by ED A-List designer Stephen Sills with the architect Charlotte Worthy, the antique French chairs are in a Clarence House silk, the sofas and slipper chairs are custom, and the cocktail table is by Hubert Le Gall. A pair of antique gilt wall consoles flank a Louis XIV marble mantel, and the wallcovering is by Lee Jofa. The striped artwork is by Gian Garofalo. ELLE DECOR
91
T
“ T H I S I S M R . S I L L S, A N D H E PA I N T S
our apartment for us,” the four-year-old girl explained to her friend when they arrived at her home one afternoon. There, in the living room, one of America’s most respected decorators was on his knees with a paintbrush, whitewashing the firebox for better contrast with the cobalt fabric wall behind it. The child did not misspeak. Stephen Sills is a painter of apartments, in every way that can mean. He has spent his career conjuring illusions like a painter, the kinds of gestures that can transform a gemütlich four-bedroom Park Avenue apartment into something out of another place and time. This project by Sills is an event precisely because he fills a space with the kinds of things we aren’t used to seeing anymore (except at the estate auctions of rich old ladies) but employs them in a whole new way. Call it New Connoisseurship. I don’t just mean good French antiques of the whitepainted Louis XVI school, the easy stuff that Billy and Albert taught us not to fear. I mean the more opulent sophistication of periods like the Régence—the moment between 1715 and 1723 when Louis XV was still a minor and France was ruled by a regency. It takes a sure hand to go shopping for gilt-wood consoles like the pair in this living room, then turn them into an unapologetically modern composition. The best moments of that high style can be seen in the mid-1960s pages of Connaissance des Arts. Today, not so much. So how did this environment come about for a family with three young children? How did the California-born clients know that Sills could give them 92
ELLE DECOR
what they never knew they wanted—a home full of young energy, but with the repose of old Park Avenue? “We were looking to create a ‘house’ in New York City,” says the wife, who has a background as a professional chef. “I was a total fan and have followed Stephen’s work for years. I might also have been a little intimidated, but when I called, he just said ‘Come on in!’” Architecture, always essential to any Sills strategy, was executed by Charlotte Worthy, with whom he has collaborated for years. “We have good chemistry, and we both love to explore the barriers between design and architecture,” Worthy says. “We motivate each other, in a way.” Sills was born in Oklahoma, but his eyes were opened when he lived in Paris while in his 20s. This is where he really acquired his taste. In all phases of his career, he has proven himself one of the most, if not the most, deft American designers at using European antiques. He knows history and loves to use it. That said, he acknowledges that his style has lately “gotten bolder and crazier—and maybe happier.” His prescription for using antiques is simple: 1. Live with them and don’t be scared. 2. Put them next to something modern. Repeat. 3. Showrooms only get you so far. Be willing to hunt through auctions to find just the right thing waiting to be reborn. “Out of all these sales,” Sills says, “you’re lucky to find two or three things.” A slog for sure. But worth it: The suite of chairs in the dining room is a good example. They came from the 2017 Paris sale of Marjorie Post’s daughter Eleanor Post Close (Di na Mer r i l l’s older ha l f sister—and onetime wife of Preston Sturges). If ever there were a collection that expressed a kind of gilded, arcane French grandeur—one of zero relevance to the way any young family today wants to live—this is the one. But here they are, chic and bleached and looking mighty hip paired with cotton paisleys and a white Syrie Maugham–esque rug. “Those chairs were dark walnut,” Sills says. “No one saw the potential.” Was anything suggested too outré? “Stephen wanted to strip our parquet
An 18th-century Italian chandelier hangs from a newly designed pendentive dome in the gallery, where the round settee is upholstered in a Donghia fabric and the antique wall sconce is Italian. The bluestenciled wall borders were inspired by the Indian palace architecture in the photograph by Karen Knorr. The artwork (right) is by Koo Bohnchang.
de Versailles f loors and stain them light gray,” the wife says with a laugh. “We said, ‘That’s not going to happen.’” As for Sills, he admits that when he first saw the tobacco grisaille murals destined for the dining room on a visit to the artist’s studio, he thought they were beautiful but too dark. “I took a dry brush, mixed some white, and started lightening the background,” he
says. “I did enough damage that I knew she’d have to paint the whole thing over.” I asked the homeowner if the shoe fits—in other words, whether all this sophistication feels like home. “It does feel like us,” she says. “Perhaps the most sophisticated version of us.” As for the story about their young daughter catching him in the act of
painting their fireplace, Sills confirms its truth—and adds a missing chapter. “She’s adorable! She wanted to paint, and I let her paint,” he admits. “I needed to bond with her.” Says the man who spends his life pursuing and arranging beautiful objects: “There’s nothing more beautiful than a beautiful child.” Also true: A decorator is never alone. ◾
CLOCK WISE FROM ABOVE: In the dining room, the canvas mural is a custom design by Sills, the antique chairs came from the estate of Eleanor Post Close, and the rug is by Beauvais Carpets. The library’s custom sofa is in a Clarence House velvet; the antique cocktail table is Japanese, the vintage table lamp is Swedish, and the artworks are by Ellen Carey from Jayne H. Baum Gallery. The kitchen’s custom banquette is in a Pindler fabric, the wicker chairs are by Bonacina 1889, the vintage pendant is by Hans-Agne Jakobsson, and the walls are sheathed in a Holland & Sherry fabric.
ELLE DECOR
95
In the parents’ bedroom, the bed is dressed in linens by Signoria, and the canopy fabrics are from Bennison and Élitis. The Rose Tarlow Melrose House chairs are in a Brunschwig & Fils fabric, and the 19th-century desk is Swedish. The window banquette has a cushion in a de Le Cuona fabric, and the Roman shade is in a Scalamandré silk velvet. LE F T, FROM TOP: An artwork by Mark Saltz hangs near the door to the main bathroom, where the walls are clad in marble and the octagonal mirror is custom. In a girl’s bedroom, the wallcovering is by Adelphi Paper Hangings, and the artwork is by Hunt Slonem. For details, see Resources.
ELLE DECOR
97
MASTERPIECE IN PRE-SOVIET GEORGIA, TBILISI WAS A FONT OF ART NOUVEAU. NOW A NATIVE DAUGHTER HAS RESTORED ONE OF THE CAPITAL’S GEMS, UNCOVERING ITS SECRETS AND TURNING IT INTO A SHOWPIECE HOME FOR HER FAMILY.
FOUND 98
ELLE DECOR
Interior designer Eka Papamichael and her husband, Phedon, restored an apartment in Tbilisi, Georgia, in a 1902 Art Nouveau building by the architect Simon Kldiashvili. In the study, the daybed is by Gervasoni, the antique chandelier is Russian, and the frescoes are original. OPPOSITE: In the living room, the peacock chair is vintage and the custom steel-and-glass doors were made by Rati Eradze.
I
N 1902, NICOL A K ART VELISHVILI, A SON OF GEORGIAN NOBILIT Y, RETURNED TO TBILISI FROM HIS MUSICAL STUDIES
in Paris, found a job at the local opera house, and commissioned the home of his dreams. Sparing no expense, he hired Simon Kldiashvili, the leading light of Tbilisi’s burgeoning Art Nouveau architecture scene, to create a townhouse with sinuous balconies, 15-foot-high ceilings, murals of Venice in the living room, and a Middle Eastern–style lounge where the dashing Kartvelishvili could retreat in the evenings with friends. The design was a triumph, but within a few years, the musician lost his home to the bank, and by 1921, following the fall of the Russian empire, Red Army troops were marching into Tbilisi in their takeover of Georgia. Now, after more than a century of abuse and decay, the Art Nouveau structure has undergone a miraculous restoration at the hands of Eka Papamichael, a Tbilisi-born interior designer, and her husband, Phedon, the renowned Greek cinematographer. Here, Papamichael shares the story of her unique family home. How did you find this spectacular apartment? E K A PAPAMIC HAE L: It came to our attention through a friend who was looking to buy a home in Tbilisi, which is my hometown. He sent me some photos, and I immediately recognized the building. It is in a historical neighborhood on the left bank of the Mtkvari River, a great location with antiques shops, cafés, and the Dry Bridge flea market. Fortunately, he changed his mind and we bought it in 2016. E D: Is Tbilisi known for its Art Nouveau architecture? E P: Yes. It is one of the great Art Nouveau cities of Europe. Our building is one of the earliest examples. It has a remarkable facade with wavy iron balconies, and in the back, there are traditional Georgian timber-and-glass balconies overlooking a courtyard with century-old trees. In 2002, the World Monuments Fund placed Georgia’s Art Nouveau buildings on its list of endangered sites. Many of the buildings are awaiting proper attention and care. E D: What condition was your home in when you bought it? E P: It was in very bad shape, having been neglected and vandalized over the years. During the Communist era, houses E LLE DECOR :
100 E L L E D E C O R
like this one were divided into smaller apartments for multiple families. Original owners were evicted and sometimes even killed. This apartment was carved up into five smaller ones. Over the years, residents added layers of wallpaper and paint. Primitive heating systems were installed, with gas pipes snaking out from walls, facades, and windows. This was the state it was in when we bought it. E D: Where did you start with the renovation? E P : My goal was to uncover the home’s original spirit and blow new life into it. I did not want to sacrifice any of the original frescoes, detail, or woodwork. I finalized a floor plan, then began with the walls. Conservator Lela Ninoshvili oversaw the careful removal of multiple layers of wallpaper, stucco, and paint. I also hired a carpenter to preserve the woodwork, which was very complex. The parquet floors consisted of a mosaic of many wood grains. The Art Nouveau window frames were also very fragile. We used only reversible conservation methods and materials and made minimal interventions in order to preserve the home’s architectural and artistic features.
RIGHT: In the study, the
original fireplace is decorated in mirrors and gypsum stucco and now holds a cast-iron stove. FAR RIGHT: The study as it appeared prior to the restoration. BE LOW: The dining room’s Italian table and chairs, chandelier, and rug are all vintage. The fire stove is covered in antique tiles, and the wall frieze, which is original to the house, depicts gnomes eating, drinking, and hunting. OPPOSITE: In the living room, the sofas are by Gervasoni, the vintage cocktail table is Italian, and the Murano ceiling pendant is from the 1950s. The wall frescoes, uncovered during the restoration, depict scenes of Venice.
BEFORE
E L L E D E C O R 101
In the office, the desk and chair are vintage, and the circa-1960s armchair is Soviet. The original mantel holds artwork by Karlo Kacharava. The vintage poster is of a 1961 movie by Jean-Luc Godard, A Woman Is a Woman, and the artwork on the desk is by Eka Papamichael and Kacharava. OPPOSITE , FROM TOP: In the bathroom, the screen and rug are both Georgian, the bath and shower fittings are by Nicolazzi, and the flooring is terrazzo. The main bedroom’s bed is by Gervasoni, the nightstand and rug are Georgian, and the curtains are of a velvet by Designers Guild. For details, see Resources.
102 E L L E D E C O R
Did you uncover any surprises? E P: The whole experience was like working on an archaeological site. The biggest find was in the dining room, where we discovered frescoes of gnomes hunting, eating, drinking, and playing instruments. They are absolutely unique—there is nothing like this in Tbilisi from that era. We also found a large arch in this space that was sandwiched between two walls. I made it a central design element and installed steel-and-glass doors to give a modern feel to the space. Another contemporary element is the 23-foot-long stainless steel kitchen. E D: What was your approach to decorating the space? E P: I wanted this house to keep its eclecticism and marry it with my own sense of aesthetics. The dining room furniture and lighting are Italian from the 1950s. The living room’s rocking chair is by the architect and furniture designer Gregg Fleishman, whom I worked with in California. There are antique Russian chandeliers and vintage Georgian kilim rugs that I have collected over the years. E D: How much time do you spend in this house? E P : As much as I can. Because my husband, Phedon, is a cinematographer—he has worked on films like Ford v Ferrari—we live in Los Angeles, and our kids go to school there. When my husband is shooting, I prefer to spend time in Tbilisi. This city is full of memories for me. ◾ E D:
AN ARCHITECTURAL EXCAVATION
Eka Papamichael compares the process of restoring her Art Nouveau home in Tbilisi to an archaeological dig. It began with extensive research. THE OWNER: Papamichael discovered an original photograph (above) of the man who commissioned her townhouse, musician Nicola Kartvelishvili, the son of a prominent philanthropist, publisher, and businessman. “He was
very handsome and well dressed,” she says. “I often imagine that I personally know him. I call him my grandfather.” THE RENOVATION: Kartvelishvili designed the building’s main apartment for himself, with rental apartments above. “It was a big challenge to put together a crew that understood the importance of the historic architecture
but at the same time could execute the ideas I had to bring it into the 21st century,” Papamichael says. She was thrilled to discover that under multiple layers of paint and wallpaper, the home’s original murals were intact and “fully restorable.” Cleaning and restoring the Art Nouveau windows (below) required specialized knowledge and care.
E L L E D E C O R 103
Nina Simone in London in 1966. BAC KGROUND:
Recovered wood slats from Simone’s childhood home in Tryon, North Carolina. OPPOSITE: The exterior of the three-room clapboard house prior to its recent restoration.
104 E L L E D E C O R
IT’S A
N E W D AW N IS USHERING IN A NEW DAY FOR THE PLACE WHERE SHE DISCOVERED HER LOVE OF MUSIC AND PASSION FOR JUSTICE. BY SAL A MISHAH TILLET
SIMONE: DAVID REDFERN/GET T Y IMAGES; BACKGROUND AND HOUSE EX TERIOR: SCHEHER A Z ADE TILLET
I WA S T H R E E M O N T H S P R E G N A N T
when I first visited Nina Simone’s childhood home in Tryon, North Carolina, a tiny town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. Even before I entered 30 East Livingston Street, I was struck by how dilapidated the t h ree-room clapboa rd house had become. The battleship-gray facade was peeling, primer peeking through its slatted surface. It was an unfortunate fate for the birthplace of this major talent, who is celebrated today not only for her exquisite music but also for the role she played as a cultural conscience of the civil rights movement. That was in 2015. What a difference five years and the devotion of a group
PRODUCED BY INGRID ABR A MOVITCH
of caring individuals can make. Three years ago, a group of well-known Black New York artists—Adam Pendleton, Ellen Gallagher, Julie Mehretu, and Rashid Johnson—teamed up to buy the house and rescue it from demolition. Soon after, the National Trust for Histor ic P reser vation decla red it a National Treasure and launched a campaign to restore 30 East Livingston and turn it into a retreat for writers, dancers, musicians, and visual artists. Built in the 1920s with no indoor plu mbi ng, t h i s modest hou se i s inextricably linked to Simone’s legacy and enduring inf luence. She was delivered here in 1933, and it was in these three rooms that she grew up surrounded by a seamless f low of
sacred and secular sounds. Her father, ha ndy ma n Joh n Deva n Way mon, played harmonica, banjo, guitar, and mouth harp. Her mother, Mary Kate, was a Methodist preacher and sang daily from the choir book. It didn’t take long for the singer’s specialness to become apparent: At eight months old, Simone—whose given name was Eunice Kathleen Waymon—was humming the spiritual “Down by the Riverside.” At two and a half, she played the organ at the church across the street. Eunice’s musical talents garnered her so much attention that even in a town as segregated as Tryon, her mother’s white employer offered to pay for her piano lessons when she was a E L L E D E C O R 105
young girl. She moved to New York City to study at Juilliard, but then, in a heartbrea king rejection, she was denied admission to the Curtis Institute of Music in Philadelphia, where she had hoped to study classical music. She reinvented herself as Nina Simone, performing in nightclubs and adapting jazz standards. Her debut album, 1959’s Little Girl Blue, spawned a Top 40 hit, “I Loves You, Porgy.” Her childhood in North Carolina left its mark, good and bad. She experienced her share of racial injustice growing up—and never forgot it. At the height of the civil rights movement, she composed the era’s most defiant song, “Mississippi Goddam,” in response to the assassination of NAACP leader 106 E L L E D E C O R
Medgar Evers in Mississippi and the murder of four Black girls in a church bombing in Birmingham, Alabama. As a result, she was blacklisted by record companies and concert venues and sought refuge outside the United States in such places as Barbados, Liberia, and, finally, France, where she died at home in Aix-en-Provence in 2003. Back in Tryon, her childhood home, vacant for more than a decade, might have been demolished if not for the efforts of a local economic planner, Kevin McIntyre, and his wife, Julie. In 2005, they bought the house and embarked on a major renovation with the hope of turning it into a permanent monument to Simone’s life and legacy. Wanting to get the details right in
the restoration, the McIntyres sought guidance from Simone’s older brother Carrol Waymon, a civil rights activist and educator. The couple invested $100,000 of their own money, installing a new porch and front stairs, replacing bricks and beams, and shoring up the foundation. On the exterior, they attached weatherboard siding pulled from a local church also built in the 1920s. Inside, they furnished the rooms with Depression-era furniture, including a metal bed and a coal stove, along with a pedal organ. They also decorated the space with ephemera that alluded to Simone’s biography: “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black” sheet music; a map of Ghana, where she owned a home; a copy of Carter G.
THIS PAGE: NANCY PIERCE; OPPOSITE: SCHEHER A Z ADE TILLET (2); PENDLETON: SANG TAE KIM; JOHNSON: ERIC VOGEL; GALL AGHER: PHILIPPE VOGELENZ ANG, COURTESY OF HAL AL; MEHRETU: ANASTASIA MUNA
IN THESE THREE ROOMS, SHE GREW UP SURROUNDED BY A SEAMLESS FLOW OF SACRED AND SECUL AR SOUNDS.
PRESERVING A LEGAC Y In 2017, four New York artists purchased Nina Simone’s childhood home in North Carolina. Working with the National Trust for Historic Preservation, they are restoring the house and turning it into an artist’s retreat. ABOVE: The plan by Asheville-based Mathews Architecture to stabilize the 1920s structure.
ADAM PE NDLE TON
Conceptual artist
R A SHID JOHNSON
Sculptor and painter
E LLE N GALL AGHE R
Collagist and filmmaker
CLOC K WISE FROM TOP LE F T: Previous owners had started the restoration, furnishing the 660-square-foot home as it would have looked when Simone lived there with her parents and seven siblings. On the pedal organ, the sheet music includes Bach (Simone trained as a classical pianist) and her own anthem, “To Be Young, Gifted, and Black,” a tribute to her late friend, the playwright Lorraine Hansberry, and an homage to the young activists of the Black Power movement. A cast-iron pot on a vintage coal stove.
JULIE ME HRE TU
Abstract painter
E L L E D E C O R 107
ABOVE: Members of the Hands-On Preservation Experience (HOPE) Crew, which trains youth
in historic-preservation techniques, helping to restore the home’s facade last summer.
Woodson’s Journal of Negro History from the year of her birth. But the project was overwhelming, and in 2010 the McIntyres were forced to put the unfinished house up for sale. After it sat unsold for an entire year, the house was bought by another owner for well below the listing price. By 2017, the house was back on the market, its fate even more uncertain than before. That is when the New York artists, led by Pendleton, heard that it might be destroyed and jointly purchased it for $95,000. Not only did their investment rescue the house from obl iv ion or obl iterat ion , it a l so launched their collaboration with the National Trust for Historic Preservation. For Brent Leggs, the executive 108 E L L E D E C O R
director of the trust’s African American Cultural Heritage Action Fund (other current projects include John and Alice Coltrane’s home in Dix Hills, New York, and Joe Frazier’s gym in Philadelphia), the chance to team with artists was an invaluable opportunity. He hopes the project will inspire “another thousand artists to become involved in preservation to own and steward, while bringing life back to these kinds of spaces and honoring Black cultural legacies.” Drawing upon Simone’s recent cultural resurgence as an icon for Black artists, the Trust launched a crowdfunding page last year to raise money to complete the restoration. The effort attracted support from John Legend,
who was so moved by Simone’s activism, he quoted her in his 2015 Oscars speech when he won Best Original Song for “Glory,” from the film Selma. Legend’s interest in Simone is part of a larger trend: a rediscovery and reappreciation of the artist by a new generation. Entertainers such as Beyoncé, Jay-Z, and Rihanna and actresses Issa Rae and Lupita Nyong’o have recently sampled or styled themselves after the chanteuse. And in 2018, Simone was post hu mously i nducted i nto t he Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. In March, I had planned to return to the house in Tryon for the third time, with my eight-year-old daughter, Seneca, and four-year-old son, Sidney, so they could see firsthand where the
NANCY PIERCE (4)
THE EFFORT TO RESTORE THE HOUSE HAS ATTR ACTED SUPPORT FROM JOHN LEGEND.
LE F T, FROM TOP: The HOPE Crew preps the clapboard for repainting. The exterior in the mid-2010s. ABOVE: The freshly whitewashed home.
“EVERY THING THAT HAPPENED TO ME AS A CHILD INVOLVED MUSIC,” SIMONE WROTE IN HER AUTOBIOGR APHY. origins of my own obsession with Nina Simone began (I have written about her many times and am writing a book about the singer). As a result of our shelter-in-place order, we had to settle on re-creations: watching video clips and interviews and curating photographs that my sister, Scheherazade, took of the house when she accompanied me on a visit there two years ago. As we attempted our virtual tour, we came across images of men and women from the National Trust’s Hands-On Preser vation Experience (HOPE) Crew, which trains young people in h istoric-preser vation trades li ke repointing, painting, carpentry, and window restoration. The pictures, taken last summer, show the group
priming and painting Simone’s family home in Tryon and stabilizing its exterior in preparation for artists to make their own pilgrimages there. A few months later, Vanessa Ferguson, a renowned jazz singer, headlined a concert inside the house. “It felt like the first time in a long time that Nina’s essence was being heard inside of this historic space,” Leggs recalls. With her performance in Simone’s childhood home, Ferguson tapped into an even more formative memory. “Everything that happened to me as a child involved music,” Simone wrote of her days at 30 East Livingston Street in her autobiography, I Put a Spell on You. “It was part of everyday life, as automatic as breathing.”
To donate to the restoration, go to savingplaces.org/places/ninasimone
Today, as we struggle through these months of pandemic and weeks of racial protest, the simple act of breathing has emerged as a contest. In response to the police killings of Eric Garner in 2014 and George Floyd in 2020, “I Can’t Breathe” is both a chant of Black resistance and, more tragically, a reminder of centuries-old racial violence. In this age of Black Lives Matter, as we reckon with our nation’s past, Simone’s voice stands out more than ever. And the house in which she, her piano playing, and her political vision were born is far more than an artist’s retreat. It’s a refuge for a nation in peril that welcomes all who want to enter back home. ◾ E L L E D E C O R 109
RESOURCES Items pictured but not listed are from private collections. TRUTH IN DECORATING PAGES 34–36: Juan Montoya, juan
montoyadesign.com. Alejandra Redo, alejandra-redo.com. DANIEL’S KITCHENS
Daniel Boulud, danielboulud.com. PAGES 44–46: Cabinet paint: Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore .com. Appliances: Dacor, dacor .com. Chandelier: Marché aux Puces flea market, marcheaux puces-saintouen.com. Countertops: MetroQuartz, metroquartz.com. Faucets: Waterworks, waterworks.com. Stools: Serena & Lily, serenaand lily.com. Vase: LaDoubleJ, ladoublej.com. Sweater, pants, and shoes: Prada, prada.com. Dutch oven: Le Creuset, williamssonoma.com. Flowers: Farm Girl Flowers, farmgirlflowers.com. ANATOMY OF A HOUSE
Interior design: Shawn Henderson, shawnhenderson.com. PAGES 58–59: Sofa fabric: Dualoy Leather, dualoy.com. Sink fittings: Waterworks, waterworks.com. Stools: CB2, cb2.com. Wing chair fabric: Edelman Leather, edelman leather.com. Curtains fabric: Fortuny, fortuny.com. Wallcovering: Thibaut, thibaut design.com. HOW TO CHANGE HISTORY
Interior design: Roberto Peregalli and Laura Sartori Rimini, Studio Peregalli, studioperegalli.com. PAGES 62–63: Chair fabric: Madeleine Castaing, kravet.com. PAGES 66–67: Chair and wall fabric: Le Manach, pierrefrey.com. YOU ARE LEGEND
Interior design: Ernest de la Torre, De la Torre Design Studio, delatorredesign.com. Architecture: Mark Rios, RIOS, rios.com. PAGES 68–69: Chandelier: Stuart Haygarth, stuarthaygarth.com. Sofa fabric: Perennials, perennials fabric.com. PAGES 70–71: Cocktail table: Ado Chale, adochale.com. Cabinet: Campana Brothers, carpentersworkshopgallery.com. Rug: Edward Fields, edwardfields .com. PAGES 72–73: Chair fabric: Ralph Lauren, ralphlauren.com. Pendant: Jorge Pardo, jorgepardo sculpture.com. Rug: Alt for Living, altforliving.com. Wall lacquer: Farrow & Ball, farrow-ball.com. Table: Vladimir Kagan, vladimir kagan.com. Vase: Barovier & Toso, barovier.com. Chairs fabric: Holly Hunt, hollyhunt.com. 110 E L L E D E C O R
Ceiling fixture: David Wiseman, dwiseman.com. PAGES 74–75: Handrail leather: Edelman Leather, edelmanleather.com. Pendants: Carpenters Workshop Gallery, carpentersworkshop gallery.com. Bed linens: Frette, frette.com. Desk: Vladimir Kagan. Curtains fabric: Holland & Sherry, hollandandsherry.com. Tapestry: Carolyn Ray, carolynray.com. Wallcovering: Schumacher, fschumacher.com. Sofas: Dedon, dedon.de. Chairs: David Sutherland, sutherlandfurniture .com. Umbrellas: Tuuci, tuuci.com. CALM AND COLLECTED
Interior design: Nate Berkus, nateberkus.com; Jeremiah Brent, jeremiahbrent.com. Contractor: Paulette Davis, hellogreystone.com. Landscape design: Shawn Eckardt, Northbar Properties, northbar properties.com. PAGES 76–77: Sofa: Living Spaces, livingspaces.com. Sculpture: Marina Karella, marinakarella.fr. PAGES 80–81: Basket: Nickey Kehoe, nickeykehoe.com. Cushions fabric: Perennials, perennials fabrics.com. Painting: Ethan Cook, ethanfieldingcook.com. Pitchers: Thos. Cornell Galleries, thos cornellauctions.com. Candelabra: A La Mod, alamodps.com. Sectional, ottoman, and rug: Living Spaces. Chairs: 4th Generation Antiques, 4thgenerationantiques.com. Floor lamp: Galerie Half, galerie half.com. Television: Samsung, samsung.com. Sculpture: Marina Karella. Oak table: The RealReal, therealreal.com. Mirror and console: Chairish, chairish.com. Bar cart and lampshade: Etsy, etsy.com. Armchair and sofa: Living Spaces. Cushions fabric: Sunbrella, sunbrella.com. Dining table: RH, Restoration Hardware, rh.com. Runner: Amber Interiors, amberinteriordesign.com. Candles: Pottery Barn, pottery barn.com. Dining chairs: Article, article.com. Floor tiles: Clé, cletile .com. PAGES 82–83: Bed linens: Target, target.com. Coverlet: RW Guild, rwguild.com. Pillows: RH, Restoration Hardware. Table: Crate & Barrel, crateandbarrel .com. Artwork: Javier S. Medina, javiersmedina.com. Chair: Pasadena Antiques & Design, antiquesofpasadena.com. Towels: Target. Bunk beds: Pottery Barn Kids, potterybarn kids.com. Sconces: Elk Lighting, elkgroupinternational.com.
ALL THE DRAMA
THE POWER OF RESTRAINT
Interior design: Martin Cooper and Karen Suen-Cooper, mrpsplace cards.com. Architecture: Kate Johns, AIA, katejohnsaia.com. PAGES 84–85: Settee, table, pendant, chairs, rug, and painting: Stair Galleries, stair galleries.com. Steel balls: Chelsea Gardener, chelseagardener.com. Wallpaper: Farrow & Ball, farrowball.com. Tablecloth: Roller Rabbit, rollerrabbit.com. PAGES 86–87: Sofas: RH, Restoration Hardware, rh.com. Piano: Steinway & Sons, steinway.com. Side tables: CB2, cb2.com. Wall paint: Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com. Photographs: Martin Cooper, mrpsplacecards.com. Place cards: Mr. P’s Place Card Co., mrpsplace cards.com. Chandelier: Richard Taylor Designs, richardtaylor designs.co.uk. Paint: Benjamin Moore. PAGES 88–89: Armchairs and cocktail table: Stair Galleries. Side table: RH, Restoration Hardware. Chandelier: Ida’s Eye, idaseyeantiques.etsy.com. Wallcovering: Brunschwig & Fils, kravet.com. Bed linens: Delfinia, onekingslane.com. Coverlet and throw: RH, Restoration Hardware. Armchair: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, mgbwhome.com. Mirror: Stair Galleries. Dresser: CB2. Sconces: Visual Comfort, visualcomfort.com. Paint: Benjamin Moore. Bed: RH, Restoration Hardware. Bed linens: Yves Delorme, usa.yvesdelorme .com. Pillows: Barclay Butera, barclaybutera.com. Armchair: Oka, oka.com. Curtains: The Silk Trading Co., silktrading.com. Paint: Benjamin Moore. Sink: Kohler, kohler.com. Sink fittings: Rohl, rohlhome.com. Toilet: Toto, totousa.com. Sconces: Visual Comfort. Floor tile: Ann Sacks, annsacks.com.
Interior design: Stephen Sills, stephensills.com. Architecture: Charlotte Worthy, charlotteworthy architects.com. PAGES 90–91: Chairs fabric: Clarence House, clarencehouse .com. Cocktail table: Hubert Le Gall, hubertlegall.blog. Wallcovering: Lee Jofa, kravet .com. Artwork: Gian Garofalo, giangarofalo.com. PAGES 92–93: Settee fabric: Donghia, kravet .com. Photograph: Karen Knorr, karenknorr.com. Artwork: Koo Bohnchang, bckoo.com. PAGES 94–95: Rug: Beauvais Carpets, beauvaiscarpets.com. Sofa fabric: Clarence House. Artwork: Ellen Carey, jhbgallery.com. Banquette fabric: Pindler, pindler.com. Chairs: Bonacina 1889, bonacina 1889.it. Wallcovering: Holland & Sherry, hollandandsherry.com. PAGES 96–97: Bed linens: Signoria, signoria.com. Canopy fabrics: Bennison Fabrics, bennisonfabrics .com; Élitis, elitis.fr. Chairs: Rose Tarlow Melrose House, rosetarlow .com. Chairs fabric: Brunschwig & Fils, kravet.com. Banquette fabric: De Le Cuona, delecuona .com. Roman shade fabric: Scalamandré, scalamandre.com. Artwork: Mark Saltz, marksaltz .com. Wallcovering: Adelphi Paper Hangings, adelphipaper hangings.com. Artwork: Hunt Slonem, huntslonem.com. MASTERPIECE FOUND
Interior design: Eka Papamichael. PAGES 98–99: Daybed: Gervasoni, gervasoni1882.it. PAGES 100–101: Sofas: Gervasoni. PAGES 102–103: Bath and shower fittings: Nicolazzi, nicolazzi.it. Bed: Gervasoni. Curtains fabric: Designers Guild, designersguild.com.
ELLE DECOR (ISSN 1046-1957) Volume 31, Number 7, October 2020, is published monthly except for combined issues in January/February and Summer, by Hearst, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 U.S.A. Steven R. Swartz, President & Chief Executive Officer; William R. Hearst III, Chairman; Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman; Mark E. Aldam, Chief Operating Officer. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc.: Debi Chirichella, Acting President, Hearst Magazines Group & Treasurer; Kate Lewis, Chief Content Officer; Kristen M. O’Hara, Chief Business Officer; Catherine A. Bostron, Secretary. © 2020 by Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All rights reserved. ELLE and ELLE DECOR are used under license from the trademark owner, Hachette Filipacchi Presse. Periodicals postage paid at N.Y., N.Y., and additional mailing offices. Canada Post International Publications mail product (Canadian distribution) sales agreement No. 40012499. Editorial and Advertising Offices: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019. Subscription prices: United States and possessions: $15 for one year. Canada: $41 for one year. All other countries: $60 for one year. Subscription Services: ELLE DECOR will, upon receipt of a complete subscription order, undertake fulfillment of that order so as to provide the first copy for delivery by the Postal Service or alternate carrier within 4–6 weeks. For customer service, changes of address, and subscription orders, log on to service.elledecor.com or write to Customer Service Department, ELLE DECOR, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. From time to time, we make our subscriber list available to companies who sell goods and services by mail that we believe would interest our readers. If you would rather not receive such offers via postal mail, please send your current mailing label or exact copy to Mail Preference Service, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. You can also visit preferences.hearstmags.com to manage your preferences and opt out of receiving marketing offers by e-mail. ELLE DECOR is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or art. None will be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Canadian registration number 126018209RT0001. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to ELLE DECOR, P.O. Box 37870, Boone, IA 50037. Printed in the U.S.A.
6ˇKLˏLFDWL ųQǝ ƬW\ More than just an office, a place for your best business creations.
Officedepot.com/elledecor The Office Depot name and logo are registered trademarks of The Office Club, Inc.© 2020 Office Depot, Inc. All rights reserved.
NOT FOR SALE
Down to Earth
MOTIVATED BY A LOVE OF CLAY, AN ARTIST SCULPTS AN ORGANIC, FREE-FORM TABLE. PHOTOGR APH BY ALLIE HOLLOWAY
Each month, ELLE DECOR asks
an artisan to create a unique item for us. At the end of the year, these pieces will be auctioned off to benefit the charity of ED’s choice.
The botanical inspiration behind artist Peter Lane’s Philodendron table, the latest in an ongoing series of nature-oriented pieces, may not be immediately apparent. However, Lane’s more expressive representation of the plant’s leaves is only in keeping with his free-spirited modus operandi. The table’s top is the product of his self-described “spontaneous” technique—starting with a solid block of clay, Lane carves quickly, allowing his hands to move instinctually without making any corrections along the way. The design slowly reveals itself as he removes layers using a knife. To finish, he adds gold-leaf accents to reflect the colors in the piece’s glaze back onto itself. As an artist who works exclusively with clay, Lane is drawn to the way the material shows every trace of the maker’s hand. “That’s what I strive for in my work,” he says, “the sense of action and physical activity.” —Kate McGregor peterlaneclay.com
Produced by Parker Bowie Larson
112 E L L E D E C O R
THE SHADE STORE® IS A REGISTERED TRADEMARK OF THE SHADE STORE, LLC. SUNBRELLA® AND VENTANA COLLECTION® ARE REGISTERED TRADEMARKS OF GLEN RAVEN, INC.
C U S TO M S H A D E S , B L I N D S & D R A P E R Y T H E S U NBR E L L A® VE NTA N A CO LL E CT I O N ® O F HIG H - PE R FO R MANC E FAB RI CS AVAI L A BL E E XCLU S I VE LY AT T HE S HA D E STOR E. 90+ SHOWROOMS NATIONWIDE
THESHADESTORE.COM/SUNBRELLA
800.754.1455