DESIGN +DECOR
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DESIGN +DECOR
CONNECTICUT NEW JERSEY NEW YORK
VOLUME 17 ISSUE 5 | 2020
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Between The Avenues:
A Tale of Contemporary Magic
An urban oasis materializes in Manhattan as an architect and a creative couple collaborate on a massive townhouse renovation on the Upper West Side. Story by Alder Grove Photography by Sergio Ghetti
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Designing with the Five Senses The 2020 Annual Design Issue Stories by Susan Winlow
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Built to Stand Out
Architect Michael Moritz delivers a modern stucco masterpiece in a sea of farmhouse façades. Story by Nicole Davis Photography by Brian Wetzel
DEPARTMENTS 10 Editor’s Letter 14 Ask the Experts 104 Profile
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Melange In the Field
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Monaco Monaco, a waterjet mosaic shown in polished Dolomite, Carrara, Cornflower Glazed Basalto, and brushed Aluminum, is part of the VOLUME - 2020 VOLUME17 16 ISSUE ISSUE 3 - 5 2019 Liliane™ Collection by Caroline Beaupere for New Editor-in-Chief Ravenna. Editor-in-Chief newravenna.com Matthew J. Kolk
Matthew J. Kolk mattkolk@me.com mattkolk@me.com 203-820-1092 203-820-1092 Managing Editor Editor Managing James Eagen James Eagen
Contributing Writers Writers Contributing Deborah Brannon, Lisa Gant, Susan Heller, Alder Grove, Lisa Gant, Susan Heller, Pam Gersh, Anna von Shea, Anastasia KaitStelzer-Worth, Shea, AnastasiaKait Storer, Anna Wirth Storer
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Sika Armchair Contributing Photographers Photographers Contributing Sika is a deer specimen Jane Beiles, Michael Biondo, Phillip Ennis, Tria Giovan, Jane Beiles, Michael Biondo, Phillip Ennis, Tria Giovan, rooted in Japan whose John Gruen, John Hannon, Paul Johnson, Neil Landino, John Gruen, Paul Johnson, Neil Landino, strength and elegance Mark La Rosa, Tim Lee, Daniel Milstein, Janice Parker, Mark La Rosa, Tim Lee, Daniel Milstein, inspired Sika wingback chair. Durston Saylor, Saylor, Debra Debra Somerville, Somerville, Eric Eric Striffler, Striffler, Durston The most distinctive features Jonathan Wallen, Woodruff/Brown Photography Jonathan Wallen, Woodruff/Brown Photography of this wing chair are the
Copy Editor Editor Copy Elena Serocki Serocki Elena
button detailing in the inner back, the nailhead trim and the brass details of the arms. covethouse.eu
Graphic & & Web Web Design Design Graphic East Coast Coast Home Home Publishing Publishing East
Group Publisher Publisher Shelley E. E. McCormick McCormick Shelley sm@dd-mag.com sm@dd-mag.com 203-545-7091 203-545-7091 Publisher AccountCT/NJ/NY Manager Alessandra Flanagan Alessandra Flanagan
af@dd-mag.com Account Managers Aileen + Gardner Design Decor Jane O’Reilly 7485 Inspira Circle #1203 Kelly Florida Ames Smith Naples, 34113 Watkins Fax:Anita 203-286-1850 Design + Decor 7485 Inspira Circle #1203
Design + Decor is published six issues per year. To subscribe: www.dd-mag.com; Subscriptions: Naples, 34113 at www.dd-mag.com. For editoone year, $28; two years, $50. Back issues Florida can be purchased rial inquiries: Editor, Design + Decor, 7485 Inspira Circle #1203 Naples, Florida 34113 or e-mail: mattkolk@me.com. For advertising inquiries: Please call Shelley McCormick at 203-545-7091. Reproduction whole or in partsix without is prohibited. projects described in this pubDesign + Decor is published issuespermission per year. To subscribe: All www.dd-mag.com; Subscriptions: lication are$28; for private, noncommercial use only. for commercial use or exploitation are one year, two years, $50. Back issues canNo berights purchased at www.dd-mag.com. For editogiven or implied. TheDesign opinions expressed writersCircle for articles by Design + Decor are rial inquiries: Editor, + Decor, 7485byInspira #1203published Naples, Florida 34113 or e-mail: not necessarily those of the mattkolk@me.com. For advertising inquiries: Please callmagazine. Shelley McCormick at 203-545-7091.
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Reproduction whole or in part without permission is prohibited. All projects described in this publication are for private, noncommercial Lapiaz use only. Sideboard No rights for commercial use or exploitation are given implied. Sideboard The opinions expressed by from writers one for articles published by Design + Decor are TheorLapiaz originates of Boca do Lobo’s iconic design not necessarily those of the magazine.
pieces. Based on the same aesthetic that created a legacy, the Lapiaz SideEAST COAST HOME PUBLISHING board takes exceptional design to a new realm. Consisting 7485 craftsmanship Inspira Circleand #1203 EASTLapiaz COAST HOMEinPUBLISHING of two individual modules, is finished polished stainless steel that Naples,the Florida 34113 7485 Inspira Circle #1203 portarys a perfect mirror, with a poplar root wood veneer interior. DD-MAG.COM Naples, Florida 34113 bocadolobo.com DD-MAG.COM
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EDITOR’S LETTER
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he Annual Design Issue is one that I look forward to each year. I love the creativity that these designers bring to the table when we challenge them with a theme , see what they come back to us with and give them the ability to shine with their incredible talent. This year, they didn’t disappoint. As you have may noticed, we have deviated from our usual format of featuring a group shot of all of our fabulous designers on the cover. This was an extremely sad decision for us at D+D to make. We look forward to catching up, giving hugs and having just a wonderful time with all of them. Next year. The theme for this issue is “Designing with the Five Senses,” we felt that this was very appropriate considering the times we find ourselves in. Home is more than important than ever, and making your home a visceral experience makes “stay-at-home” a little more bearable. Designing your home for our new reality can be challenging but also rewarding as well. We hope that we have provided you with some creative solutions and beautiful spaces that you can sink your teeth into. Stay Happy and Healthy.
Matthew Kolk
Enjoy,
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- Editor in Chief
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MELANGE
DARK + STORMY
Mud Wrestling Emulsion and Eggshell PaintMud Wrestling is an almost black paint with brown undertones, giving it a beautiful, warm feeling. Helping to create a haven of tranquillity this dark paint is perfect for a monochrome scheme where you don’t want a cold black colour. It’s great for both period and contemporary spaces and will add maximum impact to your rooms. It’s a bold choice, but we love it. dowsingandreynolds.com
Graffitified I Rug GRAFFITIFIED I is a premium rug inspired on the act of graffiting. If you want a rug that reminds you of the best of the urban art and to offer you the energy of city life, GRAFFITIFIED I rug will definitely conquer your heart. covethouse.eu
Inkblind II Rug INKBLIND II rug is a natural rug inspired in the phenomena of one becoming more attractive toward others after receiving multiple tattoos. covethouse.eu
Zebra Cush Zebra cushion is an eye-catching decorativein pillow, made of high-quality velvet with smooth black fringes borders. This homeware item offers comfort and style. hommes.studio
Volare Chaise Lounge Volare Daybed is a luxury daybed perfect for a modern master bedroom or luxurious living room project. hommes.studio
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The Diamond Bathtub With the style of a precious jewel, the Diamond bathtub will make a splash in interior design. The exterior of this fanciful piece is presented in silver leaf finished with a luxurious shade of translucent black with high gloss varnish. The new bathtub also features a highly sculptured body leading to a gold interior. maisonvalentina.net
Wallpaper | Vanilla Black Fabric Starting with rugs, and now entering the world of homeware, with high society, Covet house aims to give their clients the ability to relate to their house on a more personal and deep level, creating a line of design that’s tastefuel, coherent and an expression of who they are. A true oasis of comfort and design, that materializes their feelings and their personalities. covethouse.eu
Kalem Outdoor Fireplace Kalam Fire Pit is a freestanding fire pit, that will fit perfectly in a modern outdoor design project. hommes.studio
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ASK THE EXPERTS
NEW ENGLAND ANTIQUE LUMBER Design + Decor speaks with Mauricio Guevara about bringing beautiful discarded materials back to life.
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Story by Sean Jarvis
ow do you think being a family-run business has helped you succeed? Being a family-run business means we are one team, as a family should always be, putting all our effort and faith into it. All business decisions are made by the family, and we always focus on being the best for ourselves and for our customers. We treat our customers like family, and you can see that by the outcome our products have. Every product is created with the same effort—each is special, and that’s reflected by the positive feelings our customers get. We take pride in being a family business, and we find that this has brought us closer to our community, which we also see as family. Our business helps us to be a positive influence on our community and, most importantly, on our daughters, so they, too, can strive for success. Where do you source your reclaimed wood? How do you know which pieces to salvage?
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The reclaimed lumber we use is sourced throughout the Northeast and Midwest, and most of it comes from barns, silos and wineries. The Amish communities have also been a big source for our reclaimed wood, allowing us to reuse their lumber when they take down their barns. With our many years of experience, we have gained the knowledge to identify the best pieces to salvage. This is why in our showroom, we have selected reclaimed lumber that can be used to create various custom pieces of furniture. Does more work go into using reclaimed wood than virgin wood? When working with reclaimed lumber, we encounter challenges you wouldn’t find with virgin wood. While virgin wood is planed down to size and clean-cut, it isn’t the same with reclaimed pieces. When working with reclaimed lumber, we often come across the larger nails that were used in the past. These can be a challenge to remove without damaging the lumber. It is also vital to maintain the character of each piece of aged lumber, so the woodworking process is much different. What makes reclaimed wood so popular?
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Every piece of reclaimed lumber has its unique characteristics. These individual personality traits come through as cracks, knots and patina. In addition, each piece of our reclaimed lumber comes with a history. You may have pieces of furniture that came from a barn, silo or winery, with each having its own unique story behind it. The fact that each piece has its own individuality, same as our customers, gives people something to connect with. Every piece of reclaimed lumber and furniture is one-of-a-kind. Who are some of the designers you work with to create your custom furniture? We work with various designers within our area and throughout the country—folks who really appreciate custom reclaimed furniture. These designers introduce reclaimed furniture to their customers, which opens up the doors to manufacturing these unique, custom pieces.
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What inspired you to start a business specializing in reclaimed wood furniture? When I look at reclaimed lumber, I can visualize the fortune that hides within. The unique qualities of each piece of wood are what drive us to create unique pieces of furniture. We live in a time when a piece of reclaimed furniture can bring some history, a glimpse into the past, into your home. That is something unique about reclaimed lumber that is hard to find elsewhere.
to produce a piece of furniture that stands out among others, from the small pieces to the largest you can imagine. We find that challenges can be used as a motivation to push us to create something unique and beautiful.
What is the most challenging aspect of working with reclaimed wood when creating your beautiful furniture? Besides gaining the knowledge to work with reclaimed lumber, the challenge is having the vision to see past the rough state of the lumber
Which senses do you think are most piqued by salvaged wood? Smell, vision and touch are definitely the senses put into action when you come into our showroom, and with salvaged wood in general. A lot of customers come in just for the smell, telling us that the smell
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Wood has been known to appeal to many of the five senses. Rivaling works of art, some of your furniture pieces are crafted so beautifully that it’s hard not to run your hands over them—or breathe them in.
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of our wood is so amazing that they feel they are in the middle of the forest. The vision sense is key inside our showroom. The fact that you get to see the “life” of a tree by looking at the lines in the slab, the live edge and every nuance within raw wood is fascinating. This goes hand-in-hand with reclaimed wood, as you start to get a sense of the history of the wood just by looking at it. Maybe it came from a barn, maybe from somewhere historic, and the wonder starts to build as you look at all these beautiful pieces. It is a mystery we can never fully know. Touch is another element that is key to the wonder of reclaimed wood. When you run your hands over a piece of wood, you can feel the bold strength behind it. It’s so fascinating to see how much strength a piece of wood can have. It causes your mind to run wild, imagining all the years, all the storms, and everything else that piece of wood has been though. And now we are giving it another chance to live—that’s where you see the real strength of it. Resource: New England Antique Lumber Mauricio Guevara 91 E Main Street Mt Kisco, NY 10549 914.864.0895 newenglandantiquelumber.com
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ASK THE EXPERTS
DIANE JAMES HOME Design + Decor speaks with Carolyn McDonough about the art of bringing the outdoors indoors in a forever, spectacular way.
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Story by Sean Jarvis | Photos by Jane Beiles
o you think that being a family-run business has improved your chances for success? We absolutely do—not only because we’re an American brand made in the USA (which our customers admire and support), but also because people like buying a product that has a story. What could be a better story than a fresh floral designer of a certain age who tries her hand at faux floral design and lands Bergdorf Goodman as her first retail account? As family members, we have the same vision for the business and the brand, share a consistent message that we can craft around our designs, and have a trust that comes from years of interacting with one another and our staff. Our six designers have been with us from the start and are like family to us. That being said, we need to always remember that we’re running a business first and foremost, so sometimes the “family” aspect has to take a back seat. Who are some of the designers you work with in creating your beautiful faux floral arrangements? There are so many, and they’re worldwide. Albert Hadley and Mario Buatta were the first designers who embraced our faux floral designs. Mario put us in the pages of Architectural Digest in 2001, with
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an article that was reproduced by London designer and client Nina Campbell last year. Others include Michael Smith, Celerie Kemble, Timothy Corrigan, Jan Showers, Phoebe Howard, Suzanne Tucker and local designers like Lynn Morgan and Elena Phillips. This spring, we launched a collaboration with Aerin Lauder, pairing her AERIN collection of vases with our hand-tied bouquet, which has been very successful. Why do you think faux flowers are a better choice than living flowers? How do you convince someone to take the leap to luxury faux flowers? We wouldn’t necessarily say that faux is better than fresh; they’re an alternative and not mutually exclusive. For instance, there’s no rule that says you can’t have a great live plant in one corner of the room, but a beautiful faux bouquet on the table. The quality of our stems and the nature of our designs make our faux floral couture so lifelike that our clients really can’t believe their eyes. We think that’s the best way to convince someone that faux is well worth the investment. Why not have something that is so lifelike, but lives a lot longer than fresh? Flowers finish a room, regardless of whether they’re fresh or faux.
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With so many choices, how do you know which color and style of flowers to choose to complement a room? A lot has to do with scale, as well as color and style. You wouldn’t want to put a small, 10-inch bouquet on a 48-inch table in your front hall, nor would you put a 36-inch-tall bouquet in the middle of your dining room table. As for color, we look at our designs as accents to your existing décor, much like a throw or pillow, so you can use them for color or seasonally. Switch out bright spring flowers in the fall for more muted autumn colors and winter greens during the holiday season. While we’re not interior designers per se, we’re able to give our clients direction when it comes to size and colors that would work for their spaces. That being said, flowers are very personal, so it’s really up to the client to pick what resonates with him or her—especially since they don’t die and will be around for quite a while. Once an order comes in, what is the process of creating your silk flower arrangements? When it comes to creating our two seasonal collections, our lead designer, Valerie Perry
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Raskin, begins with an inspiration board that has been compiled over time. Inspiration comes from everywhere—fashion, home décor, interior design, art, travel, Hollywood. Valerie will then design 35 to 40 new SKUs (individual products) for the upcoming season (we’re already designing for Spring 2021) that serve as production samples for our designers to copy once the collection has launched. When an order comes in either from our e-commerce site (www. dianejameshome.com) or from one of our retail or to-the-trade clients, it gets added to the production flow and produced for the client. Our production is more like a couture atelier, where each designer takes ownership of a design, rather than having it made in an assembly line. That way, we can leverage what each designer is good at—whether that is orchids or picked arrangements or poured bouquets. Our lead time is generally three to five days for direct-toconsumer orders and two weeks for retail/to-the-trade orders. We do have a number of best-selling designs that we pre-produce six at a time, since we sell them on a daily basis. And as most of our designs are made to order, we can customize them by making them larger or smaller, switch out the vase or even use our client’s container. Do you recommend certain flowers, colors and arrangements depending on the event? Or the season? Now that most types of fresh flowers are available all year long, they’ve lost a bit of their seasonality, so we’re able to sell our best-selling white hydrangea bouquet even in the dead of winter. Our customers are drawn to our designs for their unique shapes, floral combinations and containers, and are not as concerned about seasonality. If they are, we tend to steer them toward orchids and 20
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plants. For weddings, our clients prefer more romantic designs that have softer flowers, like peonies, hydrangeas and roses. Do you create both indoor and outdoor flower arrangements? If so, are different materials used to withstand the sun and other weather elements? Our collections are not made for the outdoors, as the materials are not suitable for all types of weather. We can source outdoor, UV-protected plants and trees, which are specially treated to be in full sun and rain. Where does the inspiration come from when creating your charming bouquets? Inspiration is everywhere. We read lots of shelter and fashion magazines, and tear out anything that speaks to us. The more we travel, window shop, visit museums, watch fashion shows and follow fresh florists on social media, the more we’re inspired. It’s been hard with the pandemic to get out and about, so we’ve spent a lot more time in nature and in gardens, which fuels our creativity. Trends do come and go, so when we look back over the 23 years of designing, we’re surprised to see how home décor styles come back in fashion over time. Resource: Diane James Home Carolyn McDonough 112 Main Street Norwalk, CT 06851 877.434.2635 dianejameshome.com
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IN THE FIELD
Charles Hilton Releases Classic Greenwich Houses
Story by Mary Lee Ptacek
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harles Hilton of Charles Hilton Architects recently released his first book, Classic Greenwich Houses, which tells the stories of nine traditional New England estates designed by Charles and his team. Charles’ approach to architecture was influenced by his study-abroad travels through Western and Central Europe and Scandinavia. There were “so many different traditional styles and vocabularies that I fell in love with,” says Charles. “After graduation, I came to Greenwich, CT, and there was a lot of beautiful traditional architecture. I was able to draw on that and build on that for the rest of my career.” In Classic Greenwich Houses, Charles reveals how his homes complement the landscape while exhibiting stunning traditional architecture. Notable among the nine estates featured in the book is the American Georgian estate. Besides making many renovations and structural improvements to the property over a period of 10 years, he and his team “ were able to add a beautiful sunroom with lattice trelliswork, a great room with floor-to-ceiling oak paneling, a beautiful replica of a Georgian marble mantle, and two guest suites,” says Charles. The stairway features trompe l’oeil panels on the walls and ceiling, and the original wood floors were restored. As far as structural improvements go, Charles added a west wing to balance out the east wing
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on the front of the house. The renovations result in a refined, traditional masterpiece. Like the American Georgian, the renovations for the Bronxville Colonial estate spanned an extended period of time. The homeowners originally purchased it as a guest house, but ended up loving it so much that they sold their main home and made it their primary residence. “In terms of how the site plan was organized, they wanted to be able to create a nice, private outdoor space so that the pool, hot tub and dining area would have some buffering from the adjoining neighbors, who weren’t too far away,” says Charles. His design resulted in a gorgeous home that features enough space for the owners’ large family to comfortably gather and stay for holidays. A third estate featured in the book, the Lakeside Georgian, also offers a stunning pool that reflects the grandeur of the large home. “It’s substantial in size, but it’s very comfortable,” he says. “Everything was done with an eye toward scale and proportion, and really trying to minimize the ap-
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pearance of the scale,” says Charles. “The device we used to do that was to make everything oversized, so that your eye actually thinks it’s smaller. The bricks are oversized, the stones are oversized, the roof has graduation in terms of the slate sizes, and so forth. The lights in each of the windows are made bigger so that, as of the whole composition, it appears a bit smaller than it is.” His firm and Forehand and Lake, an interior design firm based in Fairfield, CT, made sure that, despite the size of the home, the interior was a comfortable and gracious space. The Lakeside Georgian’s pool pavilion is an intricately and elegantly designed hallmark of the home. The columns feature cutout patterns where the Chinese symbol for good fortune is overlaid on a field of vines. The structure of the pavilion itself evokes traditional Asian architecture. “On the cupola is a weathervane that has a dragon on it,” says Charles. “Some of the metalwork on the roof and the treatments on the cornice trim resemble some Asian pavilions, but are done in a classical vocabulary that goes with the Georgian architecture. We also wanted it to be very light and airy at night, so we came up with the idea of internally-lit columns, and doing cutouts so that they felt very light and floated above the terrace. It looks like the whole thing is float-
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ing above the pool.” Hidden mirrors in the pavilion enhance the glowing, floating effect. The Lakeside Georgian blends traditional grandeur and comfortable features for a magnificent result. An additional waterfront property featured in Classic Greenwich Houses, the New England Shingle Style Residence, features a master study composed of traditional waterfront materials, overlooking the Long Island Sound. “We put it on a stone base with very large stones anchoring it to the site,” says Charles. “The interiors are done in a classical treatment, but with a nod to the nautical. It has stained mahogany beams and desktops, and the rest has white beadboard and trim, picking up a waterfront motif.” The home
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also offers a widow’s walk on top, offering panoramic views of the sound. Throughout many of the homes he designs, Charles aims to include sustainable materials and technology. “Our houses take up a lot of resources, and will hopefully be around for a very long time, so we want them to be as green and sustainable as they can be,” he says. Many of the homes he designs utilize LED lighting, cellular PVC trim, highperformance glass, spray-foam insulation, high-efficiency appliances and smart home systems that adjust the home’s temperature according to the weather. “Some of our homes, including the Shingle Style and the Lakeside Georgian, have cogeneration units that burn natural gas to make electricity for the house,” he explains. “It’s more efficient and greener to make electricity on-site.” In addition to emphasizing sustainability, Charles also aims to include at least one feature in every home that truly reflects the client’s personality. “It might be the kitchen for a gourmet chef; it might be the wine cellar for a collector, or a car barn,” he says. Charles invests extra time in these areas, noting that an important and rewarding part of his career is bringing his client’s vision to life. He explains that the most important part of his work is “the ability to work with a client, find out their deepest dreams for their home and their family, and to create a piece of architecture that enhances that.” Classic Greenwich Houses reveals Charles’ attention to detail and respect for traditional architecture. “The pictures are really important, and the book becomes the vehicle where we get to share these private pieces of architecture that a lot of people don’t get to see,” he says. “It’s great after 32 years to finally be able to share in a very broad way some of our best and most exciting projects with a much wider audience.” The homes featured in Classic Greenwich Houses reveal that Hilton has more than achieved what he set out to do: create stunning, com-
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fortable living spaces that pay respect to the history of traditional architecture while meeting the needs of his modern clients. Classic Greenwich Houses is available through The Monacelli Press at www. monacellipress.com Resource: Charles Hilton Architects Charles Hilton 170 Mason Street Greenwich, CT 06830 203.489.3800 hiltonarchitects.com
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DESIGN +DECOR
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BETWEEN THE AVENUES: A TALE OF COMTEMPORARY MAGIC An urban oasis materializes in Manhattan as an architect and a creative couple collaborate on a massive townhouse renovation on the Upper West Side. Story by Alder Grove | Photography by Sergio Ghetti
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couple saw this townhouse on the Upper West Side of Manhattan and knew it was just what they wanted—but it was in poor condition. Located within the posh several blocks between Central Park and the Hudson River, the 7,500-square-foot brownstone needed to be gutted to the studs and recreated with their unique goals in mind. The husband and wife commissioned the Turett Collaborative to design and build a residence that reflected their quirky sensibilities, honored a connection to nature and displayed a contemporary aesthetic.
A stunning stair crafted by Prandoni Fabrication and Design ascends the interior space, featuring steel risers, glass guardrails, wood treads and handrails. Large-scale tulip poplar bark panels clad the adjacent wall.
Wayne Turett, founder and principal architect at the Turett Collaborative, soon discovered that the project was unusually situated. Almost every townhouse in New York City is sandwiched between two similar units. At the end of each block, the last dwelling adjoins a monumental skyscraper or other large-scale building that is Design + Decor
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A media room with a fireplace and custom art hung over white painted brick provides a lovely spot to enjoy a movie.
allowed to exist (per zoning regulations) along a perpendicular avenue. This particular townhouse, however, shares a property line with a schoolyard, beckoning the architect to design windows along what is normally a party wall. “Our goal when doing townhouses—because they are usually landlocked—is to get as much light in the front and back as we can. In this case, we opened up the back,” Wayne explains. “What’s unique about this townhouse is that it has a schoolyard on one side, so we were able to put in lots of windows along that wall. There are three orientations to light, which is really great.” “We embarked on doing an energy-efficient house first by sealing up the envelope as best we could, including lots of insulation. Our goal was to make it more energy efficient than code requirements.” —Wayne Turett, principal architect As an architecture firm operating in the high-stakes municipality of New York City, the Turett Collaborative prides itself on listening to its clients’ desires and guiding them to consider innovative designs that meet their stated needs—even if they’re solutions that hadn’t occurred to them previously. “We love to make new details, give new looks to things, rethink how people live and make it better for them. It’s all based on what they tell me,” says Wayne, explaining his service-oriented approach. “Part of our job is to help people articulate what they’re thinking and what they like. When it comes to residential work, I ask a lot of questions. I try not to talk people into things; I prefer to give them the pros and cons and tell them what I would do.” 38
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The townhouse project was a gut renovation that involved all five stories. The first order of business was to make the place greener than the energy code required. The design team added insulation to the building envelope, super sealed all openings and eliminated any traces of thermal bridging. Due to the home’s location within a landmark district, the team members used an abundance of care in preserving and restoring the street-facing façade to its original 1890s design. “We’re very big on green, wellness and energy efficiency. We try to incorporate as much as we can within our homes.” —Wayne Turett, principal architect Inside, the quality and design are exquisite. Contained within a full-height, five-story daylit atrium is the epitome of impeccable modernism: a showstopping new stair opposing a full-height wall that runs from the basement to the underside of the roof. Transparent glazed guardrails with wood caps hold delicately to the rigid sinew of a steel stringer that provides the ascending path. Opposing the stairway, which boasts reclaimed wood treads that match the flooring throughout the space, is a multistory wall clad entirely in tulip poplar bark panels. The panel-finished wall conceals an elevator that serves the entire residence. The bark cladding provides a delightful natural texture, offering a perfect contrast to the precision of the stair construction. Continuing the theme of the reclaimed wood floors are the exposed timber
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The brilliant kitchen finishes adorn a well-appointed design. Exposed timber joists provide contrast to the lustrous smoothness of the floors, ceilings, counters, cabinets and walls.
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A custom linear gas fireplace helps delineate the living room and meets the dining room, which features timber joists on the ceiling above.
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The two-story living room encourages the homeowners to relax and enjoy the images projected on the wall opposite the sofa. The level above peeks through the glass guardrail, with dining and kitchen areas beyond.
joists above the kitchen, dining and living spaces. In the showpiece kitchen, a waterfall-edge island houses a six-burner gas cooktop opposite bar seating. A stainless-steel refrigerator and vent hood accent the room with a metallic flash. Abutting the food-preparation area, a substantial live-edge dining table provides seating for eight. The blazing white flooring, cabinetry, backsplash, soffit and countertop complete the space. “I could throw out a suggestion to 10 people, ‘I love bark, we should do it.’ It takes a special client to be willing to go with it—maybe one in 10 would agree.” —Wayne Turett, principal architect The open-space concept allows free-flowing movement throughout the main entertaining level, which continues toward the backyard to the living room’s two-story volume. The living room claims two vertical stories and some spectacular design elements. A custom 12-foot-wide linear gas fireplace wraps around two corners, affording residents a cozy place to sit on chilly nights. Above the glass front of the dancing flames are gigantic projection screen TVs for multimedia images. A lighting designer for creative events in the city, the client requested a massive canvas to showcase images according to season and preference. The living room wall facing the rear patio is outfitted with high-performance steel sliding doors and large windows. A three-panel horizontal operation allows the doors to stack on one side, creating a wide-open passage to the backyard. Above the doors, continuing the transparency to the ceiling, two rows of big windows allow daylight to penetrate deep into the living room. Another remarkable feature, in a private bathroom, is a sink constructed enDesign + Decor
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A modern chandelier, specified by Levy | NYC, lights the weighty live-edge dining table. Exposed timber joists support the floor above and differentiate the space from the adjacent kitchen and living rooms.
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In the living room, a multimedia show projects onto the double volume wall above the 12-foot gas fireplace. The horizontal sliding doors open to the backyard patio.
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tirely from a giant block of wood provided by the client. In the rear of the home, the design team took a playful approach to the exterior detailing to counterbalance the meticulous, historically accurate restoration of the brownstone front. Brick is utilized at the corners, pushing and pulling to craft a modern take on stylized quoins, a contemporary reference to the ornamentation of days gone by. “I like to build contemporary projects,” says Wayne. “I think the way we live today should be reflected in the houses we inhabit. People don’t come to me because they want a Colonial or traditional house. Most people come to me because of my past work, so I get to build in a stylistically similar fashion.”
A glass wall-enclosed sauna awaits, next to the coziness created by the fireplace and cushy furnishings.
Smart home technology offers numerous options, largely specific to each client’s interests. Recently, however, the Turett Collaborative has been simplifying the automated aspects of its designs. “I someDesign + Decor
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times try to go lighter with the smart home technology,” says Wayne. “Technology has gotten super advanced, and sometimes it’s ahead of what people want to deal with. I have clients who say, ‘I just want a switch. I don’t want to talk to my light.’” When the homeowners first arrived at the Turett Collaborative offices after feeling unheard by their previous architect, Wayne’s service-oriented approach was the breath of fresh air they were seeking. “Our clients are quirky, artistic people,” notes Wayne. “They wanted something that was ‘them,’ and that’s what I think they liked about working with us. They felt like no one really listened to them at their previous firm.” The results of this major renovation project speak for themselves. The project’s superior energy efficiency, sleek modern design features, well-lit interior spaces and warm wood elements blend together to create a magnificent residence. In a sea of buildings in a world-class city, Wayne and his team successfully crafted a tiny sliver of the built environment that his clients can truly call home.
Resources: Architect The Turett Collaborative Wayne Turett 277 Broadway Suite 1300 New York, NY 10007 212.965.1244 turettarch.com Builder T. Higgins Construction Group 98 Valley Road Glenn Rock, NJ 07452 201.394.3128 Lighting Levy | NYC Design and Production Ltd. 356 Devoe Street Brooklyn, NY 11211 levynyc.net Stair and Ornamental Metals Prandoni Fabrication and Design 15 Gage Street Kingston, NY 12401 845.338.6673 prandonifabrication.com Stacking horizontal sliders open to allow easy passage from the living room to the outdoor patio. High-performance steel doors and windows are by Optimum Steel Windows.
MEP Engineer D’Antonio Consulting Engineers 30 W Waukena Avenue Oceanside, NY 11572 516.594.4284 dantonioengineers.com Design + Decor
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DESIGNING WITH THE FIVE SENSES 2020 ANNUAL DESIGN ISSUE Stories by Susan Winlow
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ALEXIS PARENT
ALEXISPARENT.COM Photos by Pamela Zaremba
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his stunning home in Westport, CT, melds together a multisensory feast within its “farmhouse glam” design, mixing the modern farmhouse vibe with contemporary high-end finishes and fixtures.
Alexis Parent of Alexis Parent Interiors incorporated such a variety of elements—including marble, velvet and sleek metal—that a textural and visual surprise awaits in just about every room of this sophisticated yet comfortable family home. “The home makes you feel like you’re in a warm and inviting yet modern, sexy and clean environment,” Alexis says. “The color tones are really key in this home. The balance is just perfect. The warmth paired with the clean lines leaves you feeling sweet serenity.” Along with the serenity are elements of wonder, and no room is more visually stimulating than the family’s great room, with its showstopper floor-to-ceiling wood-grain marble fireplace. The luxurious marble texture plays heavily with the shimmery grasscloth wallpaper in the ceiling alcoves, and the spiky chrome Sputnik light fixture adds to the visual and textural landscape. As a magnificent sensory juxtaposition, the entryway is framed with 200-year-old reclaimed wooden beams from a barn.
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The dining room is another sensory treat with its beautiful translucent Lucite zebras—a photo taken by the family on a trip—mounted on the wall above a buffet of textured and weathered reclaimed wood. Matte, brass and glossy elements mix freely and add unique visual and touch elements in contrast to the soft gray velvet dining room chairs. The sense of smell is heightened by the red roses in well-defined vases on the dining room table. The flowers and the areca palms bring the lush feel of the outdoors into the home. The sensory story continues in the master bedroom with square paneling on the accent wall behind the bed and on the ceiling. The bed pillows offer a variety of textures, including linen, cut velvet along and a faux fur throw. The cushy bedspread matches the plush wool and polyblend rug that offers the feet a cozy respite after a busy day. Roman shades offer a glimmer of metallic shimmer and sheerness, letting in the outdoor light to highlight additional feels, such as the dresser with its textured shagreen finish. With its perfect mixture of tones and textures, this thoughtfully designed home has been the perfect place for the family to hunker down during the pandemic.
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JAN HILTZ CHRISTINE HILTZ JANHILTZINTERIORSLLC.COM
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ome clients just make it extra easy to design with the five senses in mind. Jan Hiltz and her team at Jan Hiltz Interiors found that out when contacted by a new client who expressed interest in having an area of her Westport, CT, home updated. While the team incorporated multiple senses, such as smell and sight, into the project, the sense that prevailed was physical in nature. “Our client was very tactile,” says Christine Hiltz, a designer with the firm. “Everything needed to be a soft touch—carpeting, upholstery, pillows and the throws—everything down to the barstools Design + Decor
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and the seating in the kitchen. The seats are soft, luxurious fabric.” The project included the kitchen, breakfast space, family area and foyer. Hiltz’ team used a variety of materials to ensure the homeowner felt cozy in her new space, such as faux fur and cut velvet, a client favorite. Comfy sheepskin adds a soft texture to a seating nook, and neutral throws provide a softness to a main family seating area, punctuated by a pop of pink color to add a visual surprise to the beautifully appointed space. The carpeting feels lush on the toes but is aimed at practicality. “It looks like wool, has a really nice texture and is extraordinarily soft,” says Jan. “Even though our projects look pristine and like real people don’t live there, they’re all done with the mindset that it’s very beautiful but cleanable.” Furthering the multisensory aspect of design, Hiltz’ team made the newly renovated areas visually appealing and utilized supplementary materials to heighten the coveted tactile experience. The foyer boasts an arresting multidimensional textured shell mirror, textured bench seating and an inlaid shell table. The natural elements upon entry are carried throughout the fresh spaces with textured wallpaper, a soft gold background interlaid with white, natural cane-backed kitchen chairs, a natural stone kitchen island with an artistic appeal, and eye-catching light fixtures and accessory basics that draw the eye from one piece to another in a smooth, cohesive manner. Tending to even the smallest detail, artfully placed live floral arrangements bring in the sense of smell to this designer’s spaces. This level of natural beauty, however, must come with an open invitation to snuggle and enjoy the sensory experience, not just gaze at it from afar. “It’s going to draw you to it,” says Rachael Watcke, another member of Jan’s design team. “It makes you want to use the space because it’s so livable.” Design + Decor
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KATIE GELFAND KGELFANDINTERIORS.COM Photos by Leila Brewster
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hen Katie Gelfand of Kate Gelfand Interior Design began this project in New Canaan, CT, she knew the primary desire of the homeowner was to create a place to bring together the family—a place where each family member feels a piece of the design belongs uniquely to him or her. But that didn’t preclude a subtle bit of glitz, glam and sophistication. Katie pulled together a striking family home that also gives everyone a little piece of solitary paradise, while powerfully employing many predominant senses. A mixture of textural fabrics and visual elements, such as damask, jacquard, glass, gold, distressed leather, metals and an eye-catching herringbone entry, offer calm reprieve in tandem with a crackling winter fire and the peaceful sounds of the nearby river. Nothing is more surprising, however, than the first-floor powder room. It offers a variety of touch elements, including beautiful gold wallpaper, a brass framed mirror, brass sconces, and a Carrera marble sink with brass legs, which could be a stunning focal point. But it’s the wallpaper that takes center stage. With its coursing gold thread, the wallcovering needed a bit more glitz and glam, so Katie, with tweezers and glue, meticulously attached tiny Swarovski crystals to strategic areas. “You’re not overwhelmed,” she says. “It’s visual, but it’s also tactile. It’s really small, but it’s very special.” The hint of gold and shine continues in the kitchen, with Calcutta gold marble for the high-polished countertops that provide a visual reflection from the bouncing light, and the back-painted glass tiles on the backsplash, which adds even more reflectivity. The kitchen hardware—hammered unlacquered brass—resembles jewelry, furnishing just a bit more refined glamour. In this busy home, however, everyone has his or her own space, including the children. The third floor, which belongs to the two oldest, offer bedrooms with en suite bathrooms and snuggle-up comfy upholstered window seats. For the girl, it’s a soft, approachable look with lots of fur and playful pillows amid a backdrop of pinks, grays and ivories. The older boy’s room has a more masculine feel, featuring shades of indigo punctuated with cool metal accents and a whimsical barn door-style closet. “It’s a busy home,” says Katie. “While they wanted this notion of family all being together, they also wanted to have their own rooms so they can individually have their own time. If home can promote relaxation and winding down, you’ve done a good job designing.” Design + Decor
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TAMI WASSONG TAMIWASSONG.COM
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breathtaking bedroom and bathroom ensemble in Mamaroneck, NY, offers a treat for all the senses—and the visual delight of the Long Island Sound from the newly renovated space is nothing short of spectacular. Tami Wassong of Tami Wassong Interiors designed the space to capture the splendor of the sound and to intertwine the organic internal elements with the natural beauty of the outdoors. The treat starts as you climb a circular staircase and step into a timeless oval rotunda that acts as a calm and peaceful entryway into the bedroom. A precursor of the stunning sensory design in the bedroom, the jewel box vestibule boasts a wool-and-silk custom rug called “Smoke,” which appears as if to carry you into the bedroom. The plastered walls and visually appealing custom chandelier give the eye numerous elements to appreciate. The bedroom offers vistas and tranquil sounds of the water from each window. A uniquely shaped and placed master bed also captures all that the water has to offer. The curved bed is in the middle of the room— “like you’re floating on top of the water,” says Tami—and is flanked by two lacquered oval nightstands with limestone tops. The base and headboard of the bed are a linen fabric, and they mix well with the assorted fabric textures, such as cottons and velvets in an ombré tint. A variety of textural and visual elements, such as woods, oil-rubbed bronze, velvets 58
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and soft draperies, add to the sensory fusion of this space. An Argentinian hair-hide rug is an intoxicating vision and a tactile treat of plush fur in a synthesis of colors—browns, grays, purples. It was custom made to match the linen ripple-fold draperies, which suggest a rolling, flowing downward motion. A window seating area offers soft mohair and walnut lounge chairs with a matching ottoman—a plush and cozy place to relax, read, reflect and enjoy the sights and sounds of the water. The marble-clad en suite bathroom boasts a luxurious and restful modern standalone tub, his and her wooden vanities with water views, soft-colored herringbone tile and unique natural elements. These include a wooden ladder from Africa and a wooden pedestal stool that add warmth to the space. Emotional well-being envelops those who enter this clean and fresh atmosphere. “To have all these senses going on in the space,” says Tami, “I know I’ve done my job.” Design + Decor
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LARA MICHELLE LARAMICHELLE.COM
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ara Michelle of Lara Michelle Beautiful Interiors recently fulfilled a tough order for a project in Greenwich, CT: The client had asked for a design that has glamour and bling and is suitable for a baby. Lara made it work with her multisensory design scheme that pulled together the senses to create a beautiful home that mixes just the right amount of glitz with practicality and comfort. “It gives the owners a sense of comfort and calm, and is like a sanctuary from the hustle and bustle of the outside world,” says Lara. “It’s plush and soft, which contributes to the calming and soothing feeling of the whole house.” Lara created the visually appealing light and airy color palette by mixing whites and grays with Design + Decor
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subtle pale blues; she gave it bling and pop with silvery strands, shiny chrome, antique mirrors, crystal and a variety of acrylic accents. The oft-used living room offers a variety of tactile and visual experiences and incorporates easy-care, high-performance fabrics that work well with children. The two light-colored sofas are a high-performance but very soft chenille fabric, with pillows offering a tactile exploration of faux white fur and faux silk. The chair and ottoman are a plush, shimmery silver velvet, and the chair boasts a unique and contemporary polished-chrome interlocking oval design. Situated next to the chair is a distinctive see-through acrylic side table that allows a peek at the ornate chrome on the chair. The coffee table is a combination of distressed salvaged wood with an antique mirrored top. Above the sofa, the ocean-themed picture adds a pop of color that draws the eye into the tranquil scene.
and master bedroom with a variety of antique mirrors, polished chrome and acrylic. The silver-on-white floral-patterned wallpaper perfectly complements the bedspread and draws the eye to the acrylic and chrome posts and canopy on the four-poster bed. A crystal, circular pendant light offers visual contrast to the room’s silver overtones and gives the room a cozy feeling. The glitz, glam and practicality are also prevalent in the nursery, with its light and bright colors and contrasting blue window treatments with acrylic and chrome decorative rod. A matching blue-and-white lamp, white glider with high-performance fabric and furry white bear rocking toy give the room a splash of play. It’s a design that brings in visual and tactile elements while offering the comfort of a modern family home.
The sophisticated, glamorous visual palette continues in the bathroom Design + Decor
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LISA DAVENPORT LDDINTERIORS.COM
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ultisensory design comes naturally to Lisa Davenport of LDD Interiors. Her projects incorporate a fusion of the five senses, giving the homeowners myriad feelings as they step into an oasis created to comfort and rejuvenate. “I think all designers need to appeal to and heighten at least four of the five senses,” says Lisa. “If you can do that, you’re going to have a successful design.” Lisa’s joy at designing to the senses is apparent in multiple projects—from a tasteful, diminutive bathroom to an entire courtyard of surprises. A jewel box bathroom stirs up multiple senses the moment you enter. The creative and classy metallic bunny wallpaper successfully mixes whimsy and warm high style with a soft, smooth touch. The wallpaper’s warmth is juxtaposed with the nearby coolness of the granite counter. Colorful Gerbera daisies suggest a luscious smell; the predominant scent, however, is a delicate jasmine fragrance from a diffuser discreetly placed on a shelf. It’s the small multisensory design touches that Lisa adds to a space that give it a special feel—be it a white jasmine candle on a bar counter to trigger the sense of smell, or a bottle of fine Chardonnay wine placed unobtrusively nearby to evoke the sense of taste. “That’s all it has to do is be a suggestion,” says Lisa. “You see it sitting there, and it heightens the senses.” To further pull in the senses, this bar area boasts a multicolored handstained floor, a rough-textured brick veneer wall with stucco accents, a leathered granite countertop, and a reclaimed chestnut backsplash. Even home offices can offer a nod to the senses. A candy dish provides a sugary suggestion. An exciting exploratory touch-and-feel exercise can be promoted by a flush maple paneled door against matching wall paneling. A reclaimed dark-edged pecan plant bench with antique machinery legs gives the office another unique sensory experience. Designing outside is no different. A beautiful South Boston courtyard elicits a sense of serenity and escape from the city as the homeowner steps down into the yard from the street. A beautiful faux front door and three illusional windows offer the yard symmetry and add sight candy to an ordinary brick wall. Lush greenery with subtle colors mixed with high-quality faux grass give the space a fresh feeling. Says Lisa, “Something amazing happens when you step through the gate and into the courtyard.” Design + Decor
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MARIA LOIACONO
MARIALOIACONOINTERIORS.COM
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Not really, but walk into this striking renovated space, and it’s easy to imagine the aroma emanating from a delightful French-press coffee maker on the counter. Just being here arouses a desire to grab a cup of coffee and snuggle with a book while sitting on the comfy bench window seat.
Here, both the visual and tactile senses particularly come into play with the bathroom and master bedroom. A spa-like retreat is combined with a comfortable, no-fuss place to kick off shoes and plop into bed with minimal hassle. Maria evokes this emotional feeling by utilizing luxurious marble and white tile that allow the homeowner to feel pampered. The minimalist atmosphere permits the focus to be on the feel of the shower, as opposed to a busy mosaic.
This visually pleasing newly designed space gives the homeowner a sense of cozy with added elegance playing to the visual sense, with its simplicity, clean lines and relaxing color palette. “I generally like to make the space feel like a retreat,” says Maria LoIacono of Maria LoIacono Interiors. “I know people lead busy lives. My feeling is that when you come home, everything around you should be relaxing—everything, whether it’s texture or color, should be comfortable.”
This light, airy ambience is carried into the master bedroom, where the soft chenille headboard is inviting, the watercolor art evokes relaxation and the absence of accent pillows on the bed gives a come-hither look toward respite. “I don’t like a pile of pillows,” says Maria. “Keep it simple. Walk in, take off your shoes. Who has time to dress and undress the bed, and where do you put all those pillows? It’s not conducive to being relaxed.”
Maria accomplishes this by remaining true to classic, simple lines with a clean look and soft colors and textures that soothe the mind and soul. It is important that the space provide inviting surfaces to sit on or look at. Maria also likes to include visual collections that are important to the family, to evoke nostalgia and good times.
Multisensory design is an important aspect of the industry and plays into an environment the client will feel good about. “It either welcomes you or you feel uncomfortable because the chair is too stiff or the whole design is like a showroom or a museum,” says Maria. “You want to be able to walk into a room and kick up your feet.”
offee’s on.
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MICHELLE HOGUE HOGUEID.COM Photos by Emily Sidoti
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reating comfortable spaces where happy memories are made and recalled is paramount in designing a place that speaks to the homeowner—a place that offer a sense of safety, where the owner always wants to come.
“Science has shown that when multisensory connections are formed in our brain, more meaningful and lasting memories are created,” says Michelle Hogue of Hogue Interior Design. “Think about childhood memories or how Disney has made its mark as the happiest place on Earth. By intentionally incorporating more sensory experiences into our homes and work environments, we can create more lasting memories.” To that end, Michelle designs with the objective of putting homeowners in a positive comfort zone as they enter their homes. She gets to know her clients on a personal level so she can bring in emotional memories through the senses. This could be simply a framed photo of where the homeowners met and fell in love, or, as in Michelle’s own space, a curious wooden hand décor item purposefully placed to evoke reminders and bring a sense of calm. “Art accessories should make you smile,” she says.
cial diffusers with fragrances to recreate certain memories, furniture styles and textures that suggest a happy time in the past, and proper lighting, which has proven medical health benefits. Michelle explains that rich textural pops of color are used to induce positive emotional feelings. Green symbolizes growth, harmony, new life and safety. Blue, the No. 1 color associated with calm, is a hue that Michelle consistently utilizes in her neutral design palette. “Blue is the only color that in every culture has a positive connotation,” she says. “It is associated with feelings of calmness and security. It is referenced in design as nature’s color, as it is the color of the sky and sea, and it conveys feelings of trust, loyalty, security and cleanliness.” Popular textural elements for Michelle include natural and organic fabrics, both nubby and soft, including hide rugs, linen and wool. These allow her to add multiple layers of visual interest and tell a story with her design. Touch-friendly fabrics, such as soft-underfoot wool rugs, furnish comfort; cozy wooden tables provide organic texture; linen offers cool in the summer and comfort in the winter.
“Every project,” says Michelle, “is a new opportunity to help add Design details used by Michelle to stir up the senses include spe- light, function and love.” Design + Decor
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KATHARINE KELLY RHUDY REEDACANTHUS.COM
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ringing the outside in to capture the homeowner’s love of gardening and nature played an important part in this Chapel Hill, NC, project, with the homeowner downsizing and relocating.
The designer, Katharine Kelly Rhudy of Reed & Acanthus Interior Design, says that utilizing color and lighting and bringing nature into the home are ways to soothe the senses. “In this project, we used colors found in nature, floral fabrics and nature-inspired floors, wallcoverings and art to bring the outside in,” she says.
Her design team set a tranquil organic mood in the foyer with walls papered in light aqua and 18th-century nature-inspired engravings adorning the walls. Beautiful, natural-looking hardwood floors in the main living area contrast exquisitely with a striking forest green and cream area rug reminiscent of tree bark. Sumptuous fabrics and floral draperies add to the visual play in the space. To mimic the natural light, Katharine used ambient lighting, such as sconces, standing and 74
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table lamps, and dimmed the overhead lighting. The spaces in the home contrast with unique elements but meld seamlessly with its uniting natural theme. The master bath and bedroom are bathed in light blues and beige, offering a refuge for sleep and relaxation, while the game room offers a quirky setting with wallpaper featuring rows of climbing monkeys. Artwork is prevalent in this home, with a variety of pieces adding textural and visual elements to the walls. Vibrant wallcoverings evoke the outdoors, and floral window treatments add to the visual presence of nature. Throw pillows and natural fabrics
enhance the sense of touch and further the organic design of the space. While visual and tactile senses might seem to dominate, the other senses come into play as well. “Looking at the table set for lunch with an orchid centerpiece, one can envision enjoying an iced tea and summer salad of heirloom tomatoes with friends,” Katharine says. “All around, the sense of smell is aroused with flowers bursting in fabrics rich with blooms and plant life. And the sense of hearing is heightened with wallcoverings and art featuring exotic birds and animals.”
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MELISSA ADAMS GRUBER AIDESIGNNY.COM
Photos by Scott Rausenberger Architect: Dan Contelmo, DTC Architects Builder: Bob DeLuca, Advanced Construction Systems
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esigning with all the senses in mind to embody those living within a space is important to Melissa Adams Gruber of Adams Interior Design.
sa, so when she began building and designing her own New York home last year, employing all five senses—many involving nature—became a major factor in bringing tranquility to her home.
“It should be an extremely personal experience for the homeowners,” she says. “Smell is the strongest sense there is, even if it’s subtle. Seeing something and remembering the smell stimulates your positive experiences and creates a zone that makes you feel mentally and physically healthier. You don’t get that unless you’re involving the senses.”
Visual and tactile elements prevail in Melissa’s residence, with the predominant theme being natural, organic features. The living area is a beautiful and cohesive mix of elements, featuring a light-colored, smooth shiplap wall that offers a pleasing contrast to the darker adjoining walls. An eye-catching rough-hewn reclaimed-wood mantel plays against smoother details nearby. The cream sofa is a lovely high-performance fabric that offers plushness along with durability. The velvet, faux fur, linen and jute pillows propose an assortment
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of happy feels, bringing a serene sense of comfort. The gauzequilted throw suggests a subtle hug on chilly nights. Various design features convey the natural theme, including marble tabletops; dark, rough iron that offers a hint of the industrial; textural black reed blinds, for ambience; and a stunning river-rock shower floor, providing the illusion of an outdoor shower. Small touches reap big sensory rewards of taste and smell, such as the birch-wood display and the dahlia and basil table arrangement, all sourced from Melissa’s property. Nearby, the coral arrangements suggest a whiff of the ocean. The discreet TV, disguised as framed artwork, adds excitement to the corner and blends perfectly with the reclaimed wood console. Special sensory products, such as diffusers, sprays and lotions in a saltwater scent, further pull in the natural element, bringing all senses into play within this stunning yet touchable, comfortable home that completely embodies the homeowner.
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MONICA KAHN MKAHNDESIGN.COM
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hen you enter this 1930s Georgian Colonial, you are instantly captivated by the dramatic foyer with its medallion-inlaid curved staircase, complemented by an eyepopping textured-hide circular rug and a multi-pendant chandelier. It’s a beautiful homage to the senses as you take in the glory of the past mingled with the present.
curvy elements to come. Focusing on the visual with a subtle feminine touch, Monica brings this unique vision to the living room with its gently curving sofa, curved arms on the chairs and arresting bronze drum tables; even the commissioned artwork evokes a vision of femininity with its rounded design.
Aiding in the feminine vision are the serene monochromatic colors with added pops of color and dimensional elements carThis expansive yet minimalistic entry created by Monica Kahn ried throughout the house, and a wonderful toe-wiggle-worthy of Monica Kahn Design is just a glimpse into the delightfully soft Tibetan wool-and-silk rug. In keeping with the serene, Design + Decor
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soft touch throughout the home, Monica added another Tibetan wool-and-silk rug in the dining room, punctuated with silk wallcoverings and silk draperies—in this case, adding a formal but undemanding look and feel to the dining area. A visually arresting spiky Sputnik chandelier adds an element of graphical texture and fun to the otherwise formal space. The soothing monochromatic palette carries throughout the house with unique textural touches working in juxtaposition with one another. These include the cushy wool carpeting, a chenille sofa and leather ottomans in the family room, and the slick, cool-to-the-touch porcelain of the curved modern standalone tub, white stone elements and the ethereal chandelier in the oasis-inspired master bathroom. The library pops visually with its blue lacquer and large butterfly print; it mixes seamlessly with various textures, such as the grasscloth walls and a chair upholstered in white sheepskin. “It’s a much more neutral palette, and that is more soothing. Color and texture come into play when you’re designing, and carpeting and wall texture need to be taken into account, too,” says Monica. “Each client is different, and each has different requirements for them to enjoy their space.”
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BETH KRUPA
BETHKRUPAINTERIORS.COM Photos by Jim Fuhrmann Styling by John Stefanick
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his home in Westport, CT, is chock full of cultural elements that bring in the five senses from a variety of exotic locales, giving the home a unique cosmopolitan vibe while also keeping it warm and inviting.
Beth Krupa of Beth Krupa Interiors worked with the young homeowners to mesh the his-and-her styles of ultramodern versus bohemian chic into an eclectic, yet flawless design that also incorporates a bevy of senses from the moment of entry.
“You feel so many senses when you walk outside,” says Beth. “ That exuberant feeling is something you should feel in your home, as well. It adds to your well-being. There is nothing worse than a flat, sterile, bland space.” While the beautiful stone fireplace in the family room might initially seem an obvious focal point, the eye is quickly drawn to a dramatic hand-finished, chemically treated heavy metal cocktail table with a glass inlay. The bronze copper color gives the cool and smooth table a sense of warmth and juxtaposes Design + Decor
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beautifully next to the Portuguese handwoven basketweave leather ottomans and South Carolina-made, soft teal-green chenille sofas. The soft hand-knotted wool and silk rug is from Nepal, and the cocktail table elements include a bowl from Bali and burgundy jade calligraphy brushes from China. A rosewood accent from Indonesia gives the room a subtle, fragrant scent and has a unique story begging to be told by this refreshing natural-grown piece of wood. The open-concept plan pulls in the nearby eating area, and at center stage is a dramatic table created from a single slice of tree trunk. Its black iron leg base offers a stunning contrast. The chairs offer tactile and fragrant diversity with brown leather seats and bronze-colored legs. Additional metals and materials are introduced with the Carrera marble kitchen island top with its white wooden legs, complete with collars to add dimension, and recessed siding. The coordinating leather chairs provide a hint of bling with the gold satin brass legs. Beth brings in a motivating mixture of materials and elements that also include features from Thailand, lamps that incorporate alabaster and positive-evoking crystals, mahogany and acacia wood, woven-wool pillows made from antique carpeting, 19th-century calligraphy brushes, a stunning metallic-finished resin coffee table, and a one-of-a-kind highgloss entryway table made from a single root of a teak tree. Finding unique elements for each home, notes Beth, is an important part of her designs. “You want all the homes you do to look different,� she says.
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DIANE DUROCHER
DIANEDUROCHERINTERIORS.COM
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omeowners with high-pressure careers can relax and unwind in this beautiful home with its soft and serene palette of sand, cream and shades of blue.
Complementing the calming palette, textural fabrics, such as velvet and chenille, evoke a welcoming, youthful feel, and also offer a “comfortable and cozy space that beckons the homeowners to relax at the end of a long day,” says Diane Durocher of Diane Durocher Interiors. She added that the selections of fabric and rugs naturally encourage relaxation and the desire to curl up with a good book in a comfy chair. “We want our clients to truly live in their home,” says Diane. “This is a very large, traditional home located Design + Decor
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on a spectacular scenic property. Our goal was to invite the outside in, taking advantage of the beautiful scenery.” Being surrounded by such tranquil scenery offers numerous peaceful sights, smells and sounds of the outdoors. The large windows with tailored treatment panels bring in the outdoor elements, such as the soft sound of a light rain, the chirps of birds at play, and the smell of freshly mowed grass. “These are elements of nature that send subliminal messages to our brain—whether it’s a happy childhood memory or just a sense of tranquility,” says Diane. Treasured heirlooms incorporated in the design allow the family to reminisce, while the master bedroom and bathroom offer a supreme sanctuary with comfortable yet luxurious furnishings, giving the homeowners an additional place to recover after a busy day. The tactile experience continues in the private rooms with the beautiful, calming Oushak rugs, the woven headboard and the cushy chenille sofas. Diane added an exciting pop of red to the breakfast room and family room, giving the space warmth and a sense of positivity. “The breakfast room,” she says, “is the perfect room to introduce a little red.” The color is both energizing and motivating, she explains. While the home has this delightful pop of color, it is the inviting, cohesive design throughout the residence that gives the homeowners numerous spaces to subtly enjoy the five senses. Design + Decor
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BUILT TO STAND OUT Architect Michael Moritz delivers a modern stucco masterpiece in a sea of farmhouse faรงades. Story by Nicole Davis | Photography by Brian Wetzel
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couple with two young kids wanted to move out of the urban backdrop of Hoboken, NJ, and into a more suburban locale to raise their family. They purchased a lot in Westfield, NJ, just outside the city, and looked to Michael Moritz, AIA, LEED AP, and principal architect at Stonewater Architecture, to help them create the custom home of their dreams. This project was unique from the start because the piece of land the clients chose was located on a corner lot, and the back of the home would face a golf course. This meant that the owners—who are both in the tech industry—would essentially have no neighbors. They really wanted to capitalize on this coveted level of privacy, and Michael did, too. Also on the “must-have” list for this new build? A look that would turn heads. “The owners did not want the typical home built in Westfield,” explains Michael, “ which is why they called me. You’ll see lots of Joanna Gaines, farmhouse-style homes or ‘builder specials’ here, and that’s not me—I do my own thing.” The design concept was to give the clients a totally different style than anyone else in town. The couple pictured their very own white stucco home with black frame windows and a sleek, contemporary look and feel. Michael helped them bring this vision to life.
An open-concept living space was of utmost importance to the homeowners. The living room, kitchen and breakfast area allow them to keep dibs on their kids from plenty of vantage points.
Just of couple of features he included are parapet walls that extend above the roof, and large windows so passersby can actually see the staircase from outside. The windows provide an amazing amount of natural Design + Decor
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The modern yet homey kitchen is complete with a large hidden pantry behind the glass-paned door.
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light throughout the home, and their appearance from the exterior of the home—with the muntin bars creating an uber-modern look—is just as impactful. In any residential project, says Michael, he tries to make the windows as large as he can. “Sometimes these homes get thick in the middle, and you get dead, dark spots without natural light,” he explains. “And in the back of this house, you get that feeling of an indoor/outdoor space because of the large windows, too.” The back staircase of the home, which can be seen clearly from the exterior through the home’s large windows, features a stunning industrial-inspired cable rail design. Both this staircase and the entry foyer staircase are crafted from a beautiful white oak, which was chosen because it doesn’t have a red tint or as much graining. To maximize the lot while giving the homeowners as much privacy as he could, Michael designed an approximately 7,500-square-foot L-shaped home—two stories with a basement—to block out the corner, with the inside of the L facing the golf course. The areas of the home that are used the most—the open-concept kitchen, living and breakfast spaces—are positioned here, while the office and formal dining room are on the outside of the L facing the street. The owners were set on an open-concept living space, something they didn’t have in their Hoboken apartment. Design + Decor
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The floor-to-ceiling windows in the office make working from home much easier on the mind.
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The cable-rail staircase in the back of the house, which runs from the basement all the way to the second floor, can be seen from the street.
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And they wanted a “see-through” home, with a straight eyeshot from the foyer to the living room, and then to the backyard. Being able to watch their kids while they were sitting in the living room or cooking in the kitchen was important. This space is meant for everyday use, something that suited this family well. “No red-velvet-rope rooms here,” Michael jokes. “The living room and kitchen/breakfast area actually turned out to be my favorite area of the home. I really like the way it flows back there.”
The light and bright master suite, completely isolated from other areas of the home, provides the perfect retreat for the owners.
Also situated on the first floor are an office, a full bathroom, a kid’s “hangout” space, a mudroom, a half bath and a three-car garage. The office was designed for the husband, and one thing the clients wanted for this space was lots of floor-toceiling glass. “This way, when the husband is working from home, it doesn’t feel like a cubicle,” Michael Design + Decor
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says. “And even with that dark blue paint covering the whole room, this large amount of natural light comes in and brightens everything up.” Lots of built-ins in the space add functionality and keep printers and other equipment hidden from view.
complete with heating lamps so the owners can sit outside and be under cover. The middle area—their outdoor sitting space— is off the family room; off the breakfast room is an outdoor grill and bar area that allows them to take the party outside.
Off the first floor of the home there’s plenty of entertaining space outside, making the backyard ideal for the clients’ lifestyle. Adjacent to the kids’ hangout area is a covered porch,
Upstairs is the serene master suite, which may very well be the pièce de résistance of the home. Set up to be completely isolated, sharing walls with no other rooms, this second-floor
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oasis provides everything the couple needs to relax. The bedroom is situated on one end of the suite, and you step out of it into a central room that Michael refers to as the dressing room, complete with a full-length mirror and seating area. Off the dressing room are entries to both the his and hers closets and the bathroom, located opposite the bedroom to minimize noise. Of note in the bathroom is a red cedar sauna room constructed inside the shower—a perfect place to decompress after a long day or a hard workout. Especially regarding the master suite, Michael reflects that what was very nice about this project was that his vision jibed so well with that of the interior designers, which he admits doesn’t always happen. “They were hired at the same time I was, and Malorie of Noa Blake Design and I really collaborated on the floor plan to make it work. She knew what kind of furniture she wanted, and I knew the space, so between the two of us, we made everything feel the right size. Nothing is too big or too small.” A Goldilocks outcome, indeed. Also located upstairs are the children’s bedrooms, both of which have walk-in closets, full bathrooms and windows with benches in front of them to create those classic childhood memories. There’s also a guest suite in the back, a full walk-in laundry room and a small TV room/ nursery. Design + Decor
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Three separate entertaining areas in the backyard provide options when the homeowners want to spend time outside.
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Michael notes that the most challenging aspect of this project—or any project, for that matter—was fitting the zoning requirements and achieving the space that the owners envisioned. “The lots are so small and there are so many restrictions, so even if the house needs 500 more square feet to make it work, you can’t get it,” he says. “I felt like a magician fitting everything into this space, but it turned out great.” Resources Architect Michael A. Moritz Stonewater Architecture P.O. Box 208 Colonia, NJ 07076 908.380.2496 stonewaterarch.com
A side entry brings guests directly into the mudroom. “I’m not a fan of people having to go through their garage to get inside the house, so I always like having a nice side entry,” Michael explains.
Interior Designer Malorie Goldberg & Ariel Fischer Noa Blake Design 99 N. Main Street Marlboro, NJ 07746 732.598.2236 noablakedesign.com
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PROFILE
ROCHE BOBOIS
60 YEARS OF CELEBRATION
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n celebration of Roche Bobois’ sixtieth anniversary, Roche Bobois has decided to continue the dialogue with Joana Vasconcelos by asking her to design a line of seating and decorative accessories as the flagship collection of the year.
Maintaining the point of view of an artist rather than a designer, she took on the challenge of designing pieces intended to interact with a wider audience. By transposing her themes and questioning to everyday objects, she offers her vision of the world adapted to the organisation of living spaces. Joana Vasconcelos lives and works in Lisbon. She has been exhibiting regularly since the mid-1990s. Her work became known internationally after her participation in the 51st Venice Biennale in 2005, with the work A Noiva [The Bride] (2001-05). Her creations question women’s place in the contemporary world by honoring Portugal’s artisanal traditions and know-how. She is the first woman and the youngest artist to exhibit at the Palace 104
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of Versailles, in 2012. Highlights of her career include a solo exhibition at Guggenheim Museum Bilbao, the project Trafaria Praia, for the Pavilion of Portugal at the 55th Venice Biennale; the participation in the group exhibition The World Belongs to You at the Palazzo Grassi/François Pinault Foundation, Venice (2011); and her first retrospective, held at the Museu Coleção Berardo, Lisbon (2010). “When we approached Joana Vasconcelos to collaborate with Roche Bobois, we had two wishes in mind. Our first intention was to give voice to a contemporary artist who is touching yet surprising, and to offer her to work with an unsual medium of expression: the functional object. But above all, our goal was to offer our clients the chance to bring home a piece of a dream: a creative, flamboyant and delightful collection, an optimistic and quirky version of our French Art de Vivre, as transcended by the eye of Joana Vasconcelos.’’ =Nicolas Roche The end result is a series of multifunctional pieces that are playful, alluring and optimistic. roche-bobois.com
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