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COOKING | REFRIGERATION | DISHWASHING
96 22 WHICH WOOD FINISH SHOULD YOU USE? P. 20
IN THIS ISSUE
13
Six designers on the reality behind dreamhome makeovers.
It’s the architectural manifestation of a hug.
OPEN HOUSE: HUDSON VALLEY, NEW YORK
WHAT’S IN A NOOK?
35
NEXT WAVE
Designers to watch in 2020.
JA N UA RY/ F E B R UA RY 2020
17
22
From the folks who have done this before.
Arts and Crafts meets Art Deco, and yet somehow it’s totally of-the-moment.
14 PRO TIPS FOR A STRESS-FREE RENOVATION
8
KITCHEN OF THE MONTH
26
FINDING HER PL ACE
Single women are outpacing men in solo homeownership, an HB survey finds.
94
RESOURCES
96
THE END
Unique door knockers make a great first impression.
O N T H E C OV E R : Interior Designer Leanne Ford Photographer Reid Rolls On the cover: Light fixture, Isamu Noguchi. Paint, PPG. Coffee table, from the Round Top Antiques Fair.
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HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
IN THIS ISSUE
66
REWRITING HISTORY
44
52
58
74
80
88
Leanne Ford is a serial renovator, and her Pittsburgh home is the latest target.
A designer walks into an office building and turns it into a colorful family respite.
You’d never believe this home was once a total sore thumb.
The cure for an outdated home? Cheerful pastels.
See how a magazine editor gave her Victorian house a makeover.
A from-scratch Brooklyn townhouse gets a posh accent.
CAN’T STOP WON’T STOP
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HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
THE TOY FACTORY
SAVING A McMANSION
TEACHING A TUDOR NEW TRICKS
KEEPING A GOOD HOUSE
BR AND-NEW BUT AGE-OLD
PHOTOGRAPHER: ADRIAN GAUT
How one designer found a Frank Lloyd Wright home listed online and brought it back to life.
Discover KirschŽ Custom Window Coverings A newly expanded collection of designer-curated window shades, side panels and draperies offers infinite options for dressing your windows in style. Add our sophisticated automation system to enjoy the convenience of advanced, smart-home technology. Schedule your free in-home design consultation and learn more about Kirsch at homedepot.com/kirsch Š 2019 Kirsch Custom Window Coverings
INSPO INDEX Looking to get design ideas for a specific space? There are tons jammed into this issue. L I V I N G RO O M S
p. 45
K I TC H EN S
p. 55
p. 60
p. 72
p. 48
p. 73
p. 77
p. 85
See more living rooms on pp. 8, 19, 61, 70, 80, and 89. p. 74
p. 82
p. 92
B ED RO O M S
See more bedrooms at housebeautiful .com/bedrooms. p. 56
p. 62
See more kitchens at housebeautiful.com /dream-kitchens. p. 91
p. 79
D I N I N G RO O M S
See more dining rooms on pp. 9, 78, 87, and 88. p. 47
p. 58
p. 68
p. 86
TREN DI NG TH IS MONTH T E X T U R ED WA L L S
J E W EL TO N ES
p. 52
p. 56
p. 79
p. 71
NOW ON AMAZON!
p. 87
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HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
p. 93
p. 84
p. 90
Incredible Kitchens is an essential guide to creating the room of your dreams, from appliances to ďŹ nishes.
For more inspiration, visit housebeautiful.com/room-decorating.
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OPEN HOUSE
Joanna Saltz @josaltz
H U D S O N VA L L E Y, N E W YO R K
So you’ve got the itch to renovate but aren’t sure what to expect? Six Hudson Valley designers sat down with editorial director Joanna Saltz to shed some light on the reality of the dream home makeover.
IS THIS WHAT YOU WEAR TO RENOVATE?
WANT TO TALK? E-MAIL ME AT EDITOR@HOUSEBEAUTIFUL.COM.
Joanna Saltz: Renovating is a serious process. What’s your favorite part? Kate Cummings: The first step is really understanding the house at its core, in terms of history. That is my favorite part. I like to know who lived there, if there are any crazy stories about the place. Were there any specific functional elements that the house could have again? Brad Ford: I like collecting information, from not just the clients but also furniture, lighting, and materials. Then funneling those through to make decisions. I love the idea of being an editor. Will Brinson: We work with old houses, so finding quirky things and figuring out how to renovate around them? I love it.
Ariella Duker @arielladuker
Susan Brinson: That’s being historically sensitive! I see us as storytellers, and a renovation starts at the very beginning of the story. Maryline Damour: Where I start is always interior architecture and maximizing the bones of the space. My favorite part is once we’ve cleared out, the walls come down, and now I can see that it’s a complete blank slate. FOR THE RENOVATION OF A CABIN IN UPSTATE NEW YORK, KATE WENT WITH RUSTIC CEILING BEAMS AND BARN DOORS.
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HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
Jo: I’m going through my own kitchen renovation right now, and that part is so much more
ARIELLA USED GRACIE WALLPAPER (HANDPAINTED ON METAL LEAF) TO GIVE THIS FARMHOUSE STAIRWELL A MODERN ZING.
magical than I had ever imagined. When stuff starts coming in, you’re like, “Oh, things have to come in?” Maryline: Absolutely. When you’re not encumbered by anything else, all you see is possibility. Ariella Duker: For me, the most exciting part of the challenge is creating an instant nostalgia and a collected feel. Especially upstate, I’m trying to create a feeling that when you walk into a home, it might have been there for some time.
PHOTOGRAPHERS: ALLIE HOLLOWAY (PORTRAITS), HAIR & MAKEUP: NINA SORIANO (SALTZ); HAIR & MAKEUP: DRE BROWN (DESIGNERS); EMILY GILBERT (DUKER INTERIOR); DEBORAH DEGRAFFENREID (CUMMINGS INTERIOR); TREVOR TONDRO (FORD INTERIOR)
Kate Cummings @freestyle restyle
FOR A MEDITATION ROOM AT THE 2019 KINGSTON DESIGN SHOWHOUSE, MARYLINE COLLABORATED WITH MEL JONES ON A CUSTOM SOFA.
Maryline Damour @maryline_damour
Jo: What do you wish the world knew about the reality of a renovation? Kate: Have we all seen the triangle? Fast, cheap, and good? All: Oh yeah. Kate: That should be a business card. Clients get to choose which two they want, and we’ll work from there. Brad: It’s the same thing with furniture and big-box stores. People want things faster and cheaper, but there’s such a cost that comes with that. One of my favorite things to say is, “Just because something is free doesn’t mean there isn’t a price to pay.” At some point…
Maryline: You’ll pay. Brad: It’s the truth. A tree that grows slowly has deep roots. It’s worth the wait.
Susan: I’m nodding in agreement, but I’m the most impatient person. I’m thinking, You know, he is Will & Susan Brinson right—but I also want @houseofbrinson to get it done now. Jo: I’m like, “Grow those deep roots faster!” Will: We find so much more engagement with people who want to know, “How did you put in the flooring? How long did it take?” Susan and I are really into the slow and intentional renovation, and bringing people along step-by-step. Kate: I do think the
younger generation that’s following us through this journey, they’re smart. They know that things don’t happen quickly, and they are looking for people who are doing it in real life on a real timeline. Ariella: In the Hudson Valley, I think clients don’t anticipate how much site development you need. You have to create all your utilities! For instance, you don’t get town water—you have to put in a septic. And you have to dig a huge hole for propane. For my own home, I had to rehire an architect to make my plans less expensive
to build! But it was the greatest education I have received. Jo: Renovations are sort of like driving a car, riding a bike—you couldn’t possibly explain it. You really have to go through it to understand.
Brad Ford @brad_ ford_id
“We work with old houses, so finding quirky things and figuring out how to renovate around them? I love it.” —WILL BRINSON
BRAD PAINTED THIS WOOD-PANELED ROOM IN A PREWAR APARTMENT CRISP WHITE TO MAKE THE SPACE FEEL FRESH. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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Editorial Director JOANNA SALTZ Deputy Editor AMANDA SIMS CLIFFORD Design Director MARC DAVILA Director of Content Operations LINDSEY RAMSEY Style Director ROBERT RUFINO Market Director CARISHA SWANSON
4 I N S TAG R A M M ER S TO F O L LOW I N J A N/F EB
Gearing up for a reno? These motivating feeds are full of ideas.
VP, Group Publishing Director/Chief Revenue Officer JENNIFER LEVENE BRUNO Associate Publisher, Advertising BRENDA SAGET DARLING Group Finance Director CHRISTOPHER J. TOSTI Design Advertising Director ANGELA JETT OKENICA National Digital Director TARA WEEDFALD
@caclosets SALES
Senior Editor, Content Strategy ALYSSA FIORENTINO
Executive Directors, Home Furnishings
Senior Features Editor EMMA BAZILIAN Senior Editor HADLEY KELLER
KAREN ELIZABETH MARX, JON WALKER Design Editor HADLEY MENDELSOHN
Executive Director, Home Products CHRIS AGOSTINELLI
Copy Editor ANN LIEN Associate Market Editor BRITTNEY MORGAN
Executive Director, Real Estate, Technology, Retail, Food & Beverage JAYME LAYTON
Art Director JEE LEE Senior Designer, Digital ALICE MORGAN
Executive Director, Beauty ANGELA PARAUDA
Senior Post-Production Supervisor PHILIP SWIFT
Executive Director, Jewelry DEENA SCHACTER Executive Director, Travel, Finance
Video Producer LAURA MARIN
TAYLOR RAE SCHIFFMAN Cinematographer BRAD HOLLAND Video Editor IAN MUNSELL Editorial Assistant MEGAN UY CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Kaitlin Menza, Kathryn O’Shea-Evans
Executive Director, International Home Furnishings SARAH SMITH
Dreamy custom closets and pantries, like this one for blogger Camille Styles.
Junior Account Manager SARA CARSON
@rollandhill
LAUREN SIEGEL, ASHLEIGH UZOARU, HELEN ZIMINSKY
Advertising Services Manager JUDY BRAUNSTEIN Advertising Sales Assistants CAROLINE FILIPS, LIZZIE ROSWIG,
U.S. BRANCH OFFICES
HEARST VISUAL GROUP
New England: TAYLOR RAE SCHIFFMAN, 212-903-5321; Chief Visual Content Director, Hearst Magazines ALIX CAMPBELL
JAYME LAYTON, 212-903-5116; Southeast: JIM BLAZEVICH,
Executive Visual Director CHRISTINA WEBER
YVONNE RAKES, WHITNEY OTTO, Blaze & Associates, 704-3219097; RITA WALKER, Mandel Media, 404-256-3800; Southwest:
Deputy Visual Director DON KINSELLA
VIRGINIA DAVIS, Wisdom Media, 214-526-3800; Midwest: Visual Assistant EMILIE BENYOWITZ
KAREN LOVELAND, DONNA SCHULTZ, 312-251-5370; Los Angeles: CYNTHIA MCKNIGHT, CM Media Sales, 310-291-2730; JOANNE MEDEIROS, Mederios & Associates, 424-317-0078;
President & Chief Executive Officer STEVEN R. SWARTZ
Executive Vice Chairman FRANK A. BENNACK, JR.
HEARST MAGAZINE MEDIA, INC.
SHERRI ZIGMAN, Zigman Media, 310-663-6352; Pacific North-
A Brooklyn-based lighting company proves that one small update can have major impact. @renovationhusbands
west: JANET LAUTENBERGER, JL Communications, 415-317-1833 INTERNATIONAL OFFICES Italy: ROBERT SCHOENMAKER, ALESSANDRA BANDINI, 011-39-02-6619-3143 London: DANIELLE KLEIN, TALA
President TROY YOUNG
MAHDIEH, 011-44-207-439-5400 Canada: JOHN MAGNER,
Chief Content Officer KATE LEWIS
York Media, 416-598-0101
Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer, and Treasurer
INTEGRATED MARKETING
DEBI CHIRICHELLA
Executive Director LISA A. LACHOWETZ Brand Marketing Director MATTHEW HARE
Secretary CATHERINE A. BOSTRON
Senior Manager JENNIFER LAVOIE Managers BRITTNEY
Publishing Consultants GILBERT C. MAURER, MARK F. MILLER
BURFORD, JESSICA MOLINARI, KAILIN VILLAMAR Associate Managers KARINA CAMARGO, MARY KATE MURRAY Senior Coordinator ELENA METZNER
CUSTOMER SERVICE Call: 800-444-6873. Email: HBUcustserv@ cdsfulfillment.com. Visit: service.housebeautiful.com. Write: Customer Service Dept., House Beautiful, PO Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593. REPRINTS For 500 or more, call PARS INT’L: 212-221-9595. Published
Follow this couple as they reimagine their 1894 Victorian home in Boston. @sweeten_home
Creative Directors FRAUKE EBINGER, GLENN MARYANSKY Designer STEPHANIE ATHANASOPOULOS BRAND EXPERIENCE Executive Director JENNIFER ORR Senior Directors JENNIFER C. LAMBROS, SUZY RECHTERMANN,
at 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019; 212-903-5000.
SARAH RYAN
www.housebeautiful.com. PRINTED IN U.S.A.
Director THERESA CATENA PARTNERSHIPS & BRAND DEVELOPMENT Executive Director HILLARY KOOTA KREVLIN Director LAURA IVES COLONY Manager LAUREN CORBIN CONSUMER MARKETING Executive Director JOCELYN FORMAN Research Manager LENORE MONTAPERTO
Makeover ideas from a free service that matches you with the best contractor for your renovation.
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HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
ADVERTISING PRODUCTION Operations Manager EDWARD BARTLETT
PHOTOGRAPHERS: MOLLY CULVER (CALIFORNIA CLOSETS); JOSEPH DE LEO (ROLL & HILL)
Chairman WILLIAM R. HEARST III
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THE R E N O V AT I O N ISSUE
WELCOME
J A N U A R Y/ F E B R U A R Y 2020
What’s in a Nook? T H E E X P LO S I O N O F O P E N F LO O R P L A N S H A S R E S U LT E D I N H O M E S T H AT
PHOTOGRAPHER: SARA LIGORRIA-TRAMP, COURTESY OF EMILY HENDERSON DESIGN
are, well, open—“devoid of any snuggly, cozy places,” says architect Jeffrey Dungan. Find yourself craving the intimacy of a cocooned space where you can curl up and escape the vastness of the world? “What a nook person wants is space, however small, to follow whatever image is driving her,” writes Durga Chew-Bose. The design solution is to create a niche, or make an existing dead space more functional. Comfort is key: A nook is the architectural manifestation of a hug. Here’s how designers are carving them out of thin air. —Hadley Mendelsohn
DESIGNER EMILY HENDERSON INCLUDED OUTLETS IN THE SHELF OF THIS NOOK SO STOWAWAYS CAN WATCH TV.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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3 Things to Do Before You Nook
1. Consider Its Size
2. Give It Lots of Light Surrounding a window and outfitted with overhead sconces, this lounging zone by Chloe Warner of Redmond Aldrich Design is both cozy and roomy. The wallpaper, Gondola by Cole & Son, energizes with color and pattern.
WHY BOTHER BUILDING ONE?
3. Sneak in Storage Deep enough to moonlight as a guest bunk, this alcove by Rita Koenig and architect Gil Schafer III has drawers under the cushion. “It’s more than a reading nook or another piece of furniture,” says Schafer.
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HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
“With social media, we’re more connected than ever—but people feel more alone than ever. Nooks are places to sit and visit with an actual person (hopefully, one of your favorites) over a cup of coffee or glass of wine, and compare notes on life.” —Jeffrey Dungan
PHOTOGRAPHERS, CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: JESSICA ANTOLA; LAURA RESEN; ERIC PIASECKI/OTTO
Where we see an awkward stair landing, Erin Fearins sees a hangout. Encased in a walnut frame, this nook by Fearins Welch Design and CWB Architects is spacious enough for two brothers to convene for video games.
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14 Pro Tips for a Stress-free
Renovation From the folks who have done this before: the power of popping on a new faucet, bracing for the unexpected, and everything in between.
Illustrations by R AMI NIEMI
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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“Whatever you think your budget and timeline will be, double them both.” —LEANNE FORD
AVERAGE NATIONAL REMODELING COSTS
Remodeling a... Bathroom: $10,417 Basement: $20,110 Kitchen: $24,178 Adding a... Closet: $2,013 Shed: $3,048 Garage: $27,403 Room: $44,317
2
Look-alike materials can be better than the real thing.
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HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
Engineered-wood floors like RevWood can be more sustainable (many planks are made from a single log) and tougher than real wood. mohawkflooring.com
To fake the English slate castle of your dreams, use Brava Old World Slate, a synthetic that can last more than 70 years. brava rooftile.com
3
A RENO IS A PRIVILEGE! “You have to put things in perspective. There are so many people without a roof over their heads. So remind yourself how lucky you are.” —Patrick Mele
You don’t have to replace it all.
5
A coat of Faux Poured Concrete can make a plaster wall look like solid concrete, minus the cost or trouble. concretestudio7.com
Refinish old cabinets. Jasmine Roth says to sand down, prime, and paint a builder-grade kitchen to spruce it up. Reinforce old windows. For about half the cost of replacement, add weather stripping and storm windows to prevent energy leakage. Resurface old tiles. To change the color of dated tiles, hire a resurfacer to spray a thin layer of enamel all over them.
4
REAL TALK
Get out of the house.
“IN MY LAST HOUSE, a 200-year-old farmhouse on Long Island, I
decided to be the contractor and moved in, on site, for the restoration. I blocked off a bedroom with a mattress, an old table, and an electric kettle for tea—but the dust crept in. And when I went through the house to check on the bathroom tiles and fireplace hearths, sawdust would go flying. The old wallpaper was ripped, revealing moldy old plaster. I loved being there, seeing it all come together, but before long, I had a chronic cough. The doctor put me on antibiotics and told me to stay with friends or at a motel for the duration. The workmen used masks and worked seven hours a day, he reminded me, while I was in there inhaling dust and mold spores 24/7. With my next house, I lived nearby while the work was being done, and it made all the difference. I learned my lesson!” —Tricia Foley
PHOTOGRAPHERS, OPPOSITE PAGE, FROM TOP: BRITTANY AMBRIDGE/OTTO; ERIC PIASECKI. NATIONAL COSTS FROM HOMEADVISOR.COM
1
Estate Vinyl Siding mimics the look of real wood but holds up a lot longer under the elements. royalbuilding products.com
North-facing windows in a room by Grace Rosenstein Interiors let in muted light all day long.
6
The position of a window can change how you use a room.
South-facing: bright, intense sun all day long West-facing: a long period of direct sunlight, including a dreamy golden glow in the afternoon
East-facing: a blast of bright morning light followed by a lack of light throughout the day North-facing: soft, even exposure all day long
7
CARPET CAN BE COOL. “I welcome wall-to-wall carpeting in private areas, like the master bedroom or master closet,” says designer Meg Lavalette, who recommends a natural fiber like wool for a high-end look. Other bonuses? “It’s incredibly durable, naturally stain-resistant, and easy to clean.”
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Character can be tacked on! “Molding creates an architectural framework and structure, as well as providing a layer of decoration. It’s easy to get stuck on historic details, but remember: People did all sorts of crazy things with molding in the Victorian age. It doesn’t always have to be superclassical.” —Young Huh
G.P. Schafer Architect used bold blue to make this traditional trim feel anything but.
ADDING SIMPLE BASE OR CROWN MOLDING
1. Buy it at the Home Depot, where they’ll cut it to your measurements. 2. Secure it using a hammer and finishing nails or a nail gun. 3. Caulk, prime, and paint it so the new molding pieces match your walls.
9 “It’s so important to know who you’re working with—get references, and actually call them all!” —ALISON VICTOR IA
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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10
Wood floors should look like wood floors.
Oil-based polyurethane is durable, but that shellac-like amber finish will only get darker with time. Consider an alternative.
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Some of the best investments are invisible.
Water-based polyurethane: With its clear satin finish, this poly (available from Bona) dries way faster—and is less toxic—than its oily counterpart.
Oils and waxes: Tung and linseed oils, or a wax-oil hybrid like Rubio Monocoat, are matte and natural. Note: Special soap is required to maintain the finish.
How to ensure you’re actually comfortable in your home? Own a properly functioning HVAC system. For newer units, change or clean the filter regularly and have older units inspected before each winter season. Get a smart thermostat to regulate temperatures. “A variable heating-and-cooling system will reduce temperature swings and run quieter at lower speeds,” says Tim Storm of Trane Residential. After about 10 years, replace the system.
12. “All of the finishing touches—light fixtures, bathroom mirrors, closet systems, even door knobs—are a big part of the budget. Don’t forget about them! —JASMINE ROTH
14 REAL TALK
You can’t predict everything. Don’t try. WE’VE HAD OUR SHARE of the unexpected
13
Moving a wall is simple— unless there are pipes or wires inside it.
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HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
What’s the Trouble? “Moving existing plumbing or electrical usually requires an architect to draw and file plans with the city for approval, which adds both time and costs to the project.” —Meg Lavalette “Moving a tub from one side of the room to the other is $10,000 right there.” —Patrick Mele
When Is It Worth It? “We’ll move plumbing if a home’s existing layout doesn’t work, like if the kitchen is too small, or the bathroom needs to be expanded. We aim for symmetry with good flow and storage. And sometimes, moving the plumbing allows a tiny room to feel much bigger.” —Keren Richter
while renovating a home in Hudson, New York. Each room held a surprise: under one layer of flooring, another; windows that blew right out of their frames. Unmaking history takes time, and we learned we needed patience—a lot of it. One morning turned up different news: I sat up in bed to a cancer diagnosis. We found cracks in the foundation, both mine and the house’s. All the stress we’d poured into trying to get it done on time now seemed so unnecessary. Each clogged pipe and crack whispered to us, “Slow down.” Sometimes the plan—and perspective—needs changing. We finally learned the importance of that. —Danielle Van Noy Reporting by Amanda Sims Clifford, Hadley Mendelsohn, Kaitlin Menza, Brittney Morgan, Carisha Swanson, and Shoko Wanger
PRODUCT
DESCRIPTION
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TO
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WE PUT OUR PRODUCTS THROUGH EXTREME TEMPERATURE
S YS TEM EXTR E M E
FLUCTUATIONS INSIDE THE SEET LAB. WE PUSH BEYOND ANY
E NV IRON MENT A L T E S T
WEATHER YOU SEE, SO THEY CAN RUN THROUGH ANYTHING.
S L A M
W E T
C O L D
H O T
S H A K E
SIMULATE
5
YEARS
OF
ENVIRONMENTAL
EXPOSURE,
WE TEST. SO IT RUNS.
KITCHEN OF THE MONTH
The Time Machine Arts and Crafts meets Art Deco, and yet somehow it’s totally of-the-moment. By Emma Bazilian
TEXTUR AL TO U C H Handmade Moroccan tiles are a more textured substitute for standard subway.
LOW S TO R AG E The original bay window limited storage above the sink, so Farmer added plenty of undercounter cabinets throughout.
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HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
P h o t o g r a p h s b y PAU L R A ES I D E
Once filled with heavy woodwork, this suburban Boston kitchen’s new twotone treatment brightens up the space. Pendants: Allied Maker. Stools: Thomas Hayes. Tile: Mosaic House. Faucets: Waterworks. Refrigerator: Sub-Zero. Shade fabric: Rogers & Goffigon.
T OUT OF SIGHT Short pendants light the room from above without blocking the view of the kitchen.
H E FIRST TIM E
designer Nina Farmer set foot in her clients’ 1904 English Arts and Crafts–style house outside of Boston, she was smitten with the period features—finely hewn moldings, leaded glass windows, grand mahogany mantels. Unfortunately, none of that extended to the kitchen. A previous renovation had stripped it of any original detail, leaving a sea of cherry cabinets instead. “It just didn’t feel like the rest of the house, so we needed to find a way to reintegrate it,” says Farmer. The question was how. “With all that woodwork elsewhere, stained cabinets would have felt heavy, but a typical white kitchen wouldn’t fit, either,” she says. So she split the difference, combining an Arts and Crafts–inspired stained surround with two-tone painted fronts. A bit of Art Deco detailing—most visible on the custom brass-trimmed hood— provides a glamorous twist. “It was definitely an experiment on our part, so the clients had to trust us!” says Farmer, laughing. “But a little of this and a little of that ended up feeling totally current.”
Who Lives Here? A young family of five lived in the house for three years before renovating to restore it to its original glory.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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KITCHEN OF THE MONTH
HANDBLOWNMIRROR CABINET FRONTS OPEN UP THE NARROW SPACE.
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Connected Rooms
Two-Tone Cabinets
Farmer simplified the palette in the butler’s pantry, painting the cabinets a solid gray-blue color that also appears in the adjacent dining room. “When the doors are open, the spaces still feel integrated,” says the designer.
Farmer chose two Farrow & Ball paints: Pavilion Gray and Downpipe. The tile backsplash and marble counter were kept solid white: “There’s already enough happening on the cabinets!” says Farmer.
Metallic Trim
Repeating Motifs
Knowing the anthracite Lacanche range would be a focal point, Farmer designed a brass-edged hood to complement it. Mesh cabinet fronts were added to thread more gold tones throughout.
“We designed this ‘command center’ to be utilitarian but also beautiful,” says Farmer, who replicated features from the stove area—mesh, Deco detailing—via a screened window that looks into the pantry. Chair: Richard Wrightman.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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SHE OWNS IT!
“ My rental building went co-op.” Courtney McLeod, who turned to interior design as a second career seven years ago, lived in a slew of apartments before settling on “the one”—a rental. “I’ve lived all over the city, but Harlem feels like home,” she says, “and when I saw this apartment, it was love at first sight.” When the building was converted to condos, she jumped at the chance to own.
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Illustration by THE RED DRESS
HB SURVEY
Finding Her Place Despite the fact that women still make, on average, 80 cents to their male coworkers’ dollar, single women are far outpacing their male counterparts in purchasing homes. By Hadley Keller
ILLUSTRATOR (PORTRAIT): HSIAO RON CHENG BASED ON PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANELLE LEJEUNE. PHOTOGRAPHER (EXTERIOR): DANELLE LEJEUNE. OPPOSITE PAGE: ILLUSTRATION BASED ON PHOTOGRAPHY BY DANE TASHIMA
Changing the Fairy Tale
T
SHE OWNS IT!
H EY COM E IN ALL
forms: retirees, divorced boomers, millennials purchasing their first homes. Single women made up some 18 percent of home buyers in 2019 (by contrast, their single male counterparts accounted for around 9 percent). To learn more about this rising demographic—one of the fastest-growing groups of homeowners—House Beautiful conducted a survey in collaboration with Marie Claire, and here’s what we found. Unlike their male peers, women aren’t waiting for marriage (or even partnership) to buy a home. Recruiting manager Tia Bennett bought and sold an investment “When I hit my mid- to late 30s, property in New Jersey before settling I decided to create my own into the home she happy ending.” now owns in Mary—TIA BENNETT land. “When I think back to my 20s and early 30s, the ideal was finding a Prince Charming, getting married, starting a family, and living happily ever after,” she says. “I held off on buying a home
“ When my husband left us, I needed a reset.”
because, like many women, I thought I’d have that fairy tale and go into homeownership with my spouse. But that never happened—and then time just starts passing you by.” Another factor in her decision: motherhood. “I’m considering becoming a choice mom, and I wanted to
Poet Danelle Lejeune found herself in “Midwestern midlife with three kids and few employable skills” when her husband of 16 years left. She packed her things, moved across the country, and bought a foreclosure farmhouse in the Deep South.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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HB SURVEY
W h at ’s I t Li ke to Buy a Home as a Single Woman?
Getting Smart with Money T H E R E ’ S A L S O T H E P R AC T I CA L
matter of finances. “For me, it was a combination of wanting an investment and knowing that renting a nicer apartment would’ve cost me what a mortgage would cost,” explains photographer Alexa Klorman, who closed on her one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan at age 31. When Nikki Merkerson, a New York–based
entrepreneur, purchased her first home at age 29, she rented it out while renting another place because she couldn’t afford to live in it. Merkerson went on to found PairGap, a hub for collaborative “Think of it as an buying, to encourinvestment opporage more young tunity, a way of not starting your life in people (male and the negatives.” female) to build on —NIKKI MERKERSON success like hers by buying young. “Millennials are starting their lives $30,000 in debt,” she explains. “They should consider buying, and if they can’t do it themselves, get with friends, buy something together, and build wealth early.”
SHE OWNS IT!
67%
of realtors are female, but they are less likely than their male counterparts to be in leadership roles
“I even found a female home inspector. I thought, The more female businesswomen I can support in this, the better.” —Nasozi Kakembo
26%
bought because “real estate is always a good investment”
29%
bought because the market was favorable
“ I threw in a ridiculously low bid.” For Katy Polsby, CEO of C.W. Stockwell, a combination of preparedness and speed got her a townhouse: “The entire city was looking the other way while the Giants played in the World Series, and I threw in a ridiculously low bid and ended up getting the house for under asking price.”
“We find that women tend to come far more prepared with what they want than men.” —Danielle Lurie, Compass
$189,000 the average price of a woman’s first home, compared to
$215,000 the average price of a man’s first home
“I worked with one realtor who insisted I run every decision by my parents.” —Anonymous, who bought at 25
To find out what kind of house you can afford, go meet with a mortgage broker, says homeowner Malene Barnett, who bought at 31. Then you can start looking at listings. Tip!
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21%
of children live with single mothers, as opposed to 4% with single fathers.
ILLUSTRATOR: HSIAO RON CHENG BASED ON PHOTOGRAPHY BY DAVE GREER. PHOTOGRAPHER (EXTERIOR): DAVE GREER
have something that was my own,” says Bennett, who froze her eggs shortly before closing on her home last year. “I wanted someplace that was stable, that I could raise a child in.”
HB SURVEY
SHE OWNS IT!
Finding the Right Home LIKE ANY DECISION , HOM E-
LOCATION
“I couldn’t afford a 20 percent down payment.”
ownership—was worth it. Danielle Lurie, founder of Compass, an allfemale realty team that empowers women to buy early, puts it this way: “The No. 1 thing that we hear they want is stability.”
Where (and What) Are Single Women Buying?
25% Rural
HOME TYPE
13% Condo/ Co-Op
26% Urban
49% Suburban
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Don’t be afraid to negotiate, says Compass agent Danielle Lurie. And not just on price. Some sellers will even consider covering some of the closing costs. Tip!
9% Townhouse
72% Single-Family Home
Extensive research led entrepreneur Nasozi Kakembo to pay just $0.73 at closing on her home in Columbia, Maryland: To start, her realtor put it in the contract “that the seller would contribute 2 percent to cover the closing” (a number of women interviewed for our story negotiated the same). Then, Kakembo was able to secure $15,000—the cost of her down payment—from a government program offered in her Maryland county. Many states offer similar support; visit the housing section of your local government website to see your options.
ILLUSTRATOR (PORTRAIT): HSIAO RON CHENG BASED ON PHOTOGRAPHY BY STEPHEN KARLISCH; NICHOLAS SLATER (CHART). PHOTOGRAPHER (EXTERIOR): COURTESY OF REDFIN
buying is about finding the balance between ideals and what’s attainable. “I think it’s so important to just sit down and think about what matters to you in a space you will live in,” says genetic counselor Emily Palen, who bought her Lewisburg, Pennsylvania, home at age 25. For many women we spoke to, a purchase meant making certain compromises: moving to a different neighborhood or state, choosing a different style of home, or deferring “It’s something a purchase until it I can be proud was possible to buy of. If I have a bad day, I go home something within and say, ‘This is those preferred fine. I own it.’ ” parameters. —EMILY PALEN The other thing they all agreed on? While the process of buying alone may seem daunting, the increased security—and the feeling of reward that comes with
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HB SURVEY
S o Yo u Wa n t t o B u y a H o m e ...
What’s that?
A licensed professional! Ask a friend or trusted realtor for a rec.
Wait, how much is that?
Have you met with a mortgage broker?
Someday, hopefully.
Do you have enough money for a down payment?
Are you open to changing locations?
Ah! I’m not sure
Absolutely not.
Meet with a local broker.
MAYBE!
Go meet with your bank.
That’s OK. There are other ways! Are you a veteran or related to one?
Great, where do you want to live?
the city
the sticks NO.
the ’burbs
Yikes. Ask about HSA loans, and local and first-time buyer grants.
Look at new developments for a negotiable price.
Are you open to renovations?
YES.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
NOPE.
Does my aging mother count?
Yep!
Yeah, no...
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Do you have kids?
YES.
20% of the purchase price.
Look into VA loans.
Yes! I am ready to look.
Research high-value markets.
Yas! On the fence? Pause to save up more. Once you’re financially set, start looking at homes.
Consider a fixerupper!
See lots of properties. A good agent is your tour guide.
Hear more success stories—and start your own—at housebeautiful.com/single-female-homeowners
P R O M OT I O N
Great Design for All As the definitive guide to great design, House Beautiful delivers the inspiration and information you need to jump start your next project.
HouseBeautiful
House Beautiful
@housebeautiful
@housebeautiful
Ones to Watch in
2020
HAI LI NG FROM ACROSS TH E U.S., HOUSE B EAUTI FU L’S N EW CLASS OF NEXT WAVERS ARE
the 14 most promising up-and-comers in our industry right now. Their styles run the gamut, but every single one is already pushing the boundaries of what it means to be a great designer.
By Hadley Keller
We’ll be celebrating these winners all year on house beautiful .com
Sean Leffers LOS ANGELES
LEFFERS IN AN ART- FILLED SAN FRANCISCO HOME OF HIS DESIGN.
“I have been reading every shelter magazine I could get my hands on since I was about 10,” says Sean Leffers. While working at Taschen just out of college, he began buying fixer-uppers and renovating them on shoestring budgets. The experience taught him the nitty-gritty of the construction process, a valuable foil to the love of art, antiques, and collecting he has developed since then, and a trademark of his work today. “I want the houses that I work on to be therapeutic sanctuaries for their inhabitants,” he says. @seanderlust
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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N E X T WAV E
FLANIGAN IN A HOME SHE DESIGNED IN HOUSTON.
Marie Flanigan HOUSTON
Some designers might turn up their noses at a small project, but not Marie Flanigan. “When I’m working on a home that has a smaller footprint or presents a unique set of obstacles, I find I’m always pushed creatively,” says the designer. Flanigan founded her firm in 2010 after shifting from architecture to design for the closer relationship it allows with her clients. “I love to see the complete picture,” she says, “from the beginning to placing the final piece of art.”
Noz Nozawa SAN FRANCISCO
Despite skipping over design in favor of a more “stable” career to please her parents, Noz Nozawa found herself in the industry anyway when she landed a job in marketing at Houzz. In 2014, she started her own firm, where creative color and pattern have become her calling card. “I think there is a freedom to the way I design spaces that untethers them from the pressure to be strictly beautiful,” Nozawa muses. Another signature? A dedication to sustainable materials. “It 100 percent drives the decisions I make,” she says. @noznozawa
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PHOTOGRAPHERS: JACK THOMPSON (FLANIGAN), HAIR & MAKEUP: TONYA RINER/ZENOBIA; GABRIELA HASBUN (NOZAWA), HAIR & MAKEUP: TACHA SCOTT/ZENOBIA
@marieflaniganinteriors
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French & French SANTA FE, NEW MEXICO
MATT AND HEATHER IN THEIR SANTA FE STUDIO.
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When Matt and Heather French decided to build their own house, neither realized it would result in a dual career change. “We became stronger during the process, so I knew we were onto something,” says Heather. Once the project was complete, Matt (a trained electrical contractor) and Heather (a naturalhealth professional) founded French & French. They are deeply influenced by the adobe aesthetic of their hometown, Santa Fe, which manifests in colorful, folk-inspired interiors, and they recently launched a lighting line, which they sell out of their shop. “We never would’ve guessed that this is what we’d be doing,” Matt says, “but we love it.” @frenchandfrenchinteriors
N E X T WAV E
BOSBYSHELL IN THE ENTRY OF AN ATLANTA HOME SHE DESIGNED.
PHOTOGRAPHERS: DAVID WILLIAMS (FRENCH & FRENCH), HAIR & MAKEUP: ALANNA GARCIA; ERIK UMPHERY (BOSBYSHELL), HAIR & MAKEUP: SAMANTHA TRINH; GREGG SEGAL (HAYSLETT), HAIR & MAKEUP: JACQUI JORDAN/ ZENOBIA
Clary Bosbyshell ATLANTA
Having grown up admiring the design work of Dorothy Draper and Bunny Williams, Clary Bosbyshell unsurprisingly tends toward a classic approach. But, since launching her own firm in January 2019 after working alongside her mother for 10 years, the Atlanta native has started infusing old-school American style with current comforts—and a bit of the unexpected. “I try to create timeless interiors that layer color and pattern with a mix of fine antiques and one-of-a-kind pieces,” she says. @clarybosbyshell
Linda Hayslett LOS ANGELES
When Linda Hayslett began looking for a second career after burnout from the fashion world, “interior design was just never on my radar, because in my mind, a designer was an older woman who covered things in frilly florals,” she laughs. But after redoing her own home in California, she went back to design school—and took to it. Hayslett loves devising unique solutions for her clients and working closely with a construction team to do so (“I love being in the middle of it”). And she still often looks to fashion for inspiration. @lhdesigned
HAYSLETT AT A MANHATTAN BEACH, CALIFORNIA, PROJECT OF HER DESIGN.
N E X T WAV E
Katie Hodges LOS ANGELES
While studying speech-language pathology in college, Katie Hodges took a job as a personal assistant and got into her boss’s home renovation: “She recognized me for the closet creative I was,” laughs the designer, who went on to start Katie Hodges Design, a design-build firm, just a few years later, in 2014. “My style is deeply rooted in the feel of California,” she says, “but every project has a unique story.” @katiehodgesdesign
Mikel Welch NEW YORK CITY
WELCH IN THE ROOM HE DESIGNED AT THE 2019 BROOKLYN HEIGHTS DESIGNER SHOWHOUSE.
When Mikel Welch, uninspired at a corporate job, found himself window-shopping at home stores for 45 minutes during a lunch break, he knew it was time for a career switch. He began by designing rooms for no more than the price of the furniture, eventually landing Steve Harvey as a client. The comedian put the young designer on his talk show eight years ago, and Welch’s TV design career was born (in 2019, he appeared on the reboot of TLC’s Trading Spaces).
PHOTOGRAPHERS: GREGG SEGAL (HODGES); DAVID WILLIAMS (WELCH)
@mikelwelch
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Beautiful
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N E X T WAV E
Gordon Dunning ATLANTA
While some design duos may be opposites who attract, Lathem Gordon (right) and Cate Dunning say they are, well, the opposite. “We’re like a Venn diagram that overlaps, with tiny, separate slivers on the sides,” laughs Gordon. The duo founded their firm in 2014, creating a kind of contemporary Southern style that finds bold new uses for classic motifs. Says Dunning, “The architecture of the South and the Low Country is very much seeped through our souls.”
GIANACAKOS IN A COLORFUL APARTMENT HE DESIGNED IN HARLEM.
Anthony Gianacakos NEW YORK CITY
Before founding his firm and textile line in 2012, Anthony Gianacakos, a self-proclaimed “maximalist at heart,” went on a trip to Brazil, where he cemented his design ethos. “I thought, This is what I’m going to do—I’m going to sketch on these trips so that I can come back to my studio and create an actual collection.” His latest, for his fabric line, Anthony George Home, reinterprets Spanish architectural themes, taking the wildly colored tilework of Antoni Gaudí as inspiration. @anthonygeorgehome
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PHOTOGRAPHERS: ERIK UMPHERY (GORDON DUNNING), HAIR & MAKEUP: SAMANTHA TRINH; TIMOTHY MULCARE (GIANACAKOS); PETER FRANK EDWARDS (ALLEN), HAIR: ASHLEY CUMMINGS, MAKEUP: TIFFANY SMITH; DAVID WILLIAMS (ESTEBAN), HAIR & MAKEUP: JULIETTE PERREUX
@gordondunning
MA Allen RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA
It makes sense that MA Allen initially set out to pursue a career in law before pivoting to design: Each of her projects begins with a sweeping research phase. “Almost like an anthropologist, I learn everything I can about my clients, their families, and how they live,” she says. Allen has a knack for translating this practical knowledge into colorful, art-filled interiors that break rules in just the right ways—a fitting parallel to her own daring fashion sense.
ALLEN IN HER FABRIC LIBRARY IN DOWNTOWN RALEIGH.
@maalleninteriors
Whitley Esteban NEW YORK CITY
For the past five years, Whitley Esteban has been behind the scenes at Roman and Williams, quietly shepherding the firm’s projects (including the highly anticipated British Art wing at the Met, opening this spring) as its managing director. Esteban’s personal style and process reflect the best of her firm’s: She’s passionate about classical art and design, fascinated by context, and always looking to experiment. “I want to be able to acknowledge the classics and play them back in a reverential way,” she says. @whitleyesteban
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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CAN ’T STOP
WON ’T STOP
Leanne Ford is unquestionably a serial renovator: Just when this HGTV star finished her own quiet escape in Pittsburgh, she got the itch to do it all over again. interior designer LEANNE FORD writer CANDACE BRAUN DAVISON photographer REID ROLLS producer ROBERT RUFINO
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FAMILY ROOM Pendant: Isamu Noguchi. Sofa and armchair: Cisco Home for ABC Carpet & Home. Mirror: RH, Restoration Hardware. Dark-wood table: Round Top Antiques Fair. Light-wood table: Big Daddy’s Antiques.
STAIRWAY Ford craved statement-making stairs—just not in the traditional sense. “I wanted it to be super simple: clean lines and elegant,” she says. “No railings.” Staircase: custom, Wood & Wrench. Paint: Pure White, PPG.
S
SOME PEOPLE SPEND A LIFETIME
trying to accomplish the things Leanne Ford did this year: film the second season of her hit HGTV show, Restored by the Fords, write her first book, Work in Progress, and become a mom to her baby, Ever. Her universe was nonstop. Meanwhile, she desperately craved a place where time could slow down. “I just wanted to simplify,” the designer explains. She was drawn to a quaint town just outside of Pittsburgh, where she vacationed as a kid, and found a quirky 1950s home there in need of some serious TLC. The sunken family room, the exposed brick—every corner inspired her. It would be the designer’s first personal project after getting married the year before, but the home would not be her family’s last. Leave it to Ford to “simplify” by gut-renovating a four-bedroom home, but that’s how she recharges: “It’s just like art,” Ford explains. “Art speaks to what the artist is
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going through at that time; the same thing was happening with me and interiors.” Ford’s first order of business, after replacing the plumbing and electrical? Drenching the entire midcentury house in her signature shade of paint (PPG’s Pure White). The home’s clean lines and lack of ornamentation inspired her to give it a “warm minimalism.” Instead of filling every nook with stuff, she focused on sculptural furniture that doubled as art: an oversize Isamu Noguchi pendant in the family room, curved wicker Safavieh chairs in the dining room. She even custom-designed the staircase, calling on Ed Zeiler of Wood & Wrench to widen it and allow natural light to flood down from the second floor. It’s a change of pace from the Americana schoolhouse Ford renovated years earlier. And the farmhouse and rustic Los Angeles cabin she did after that. Ford and her family have lived in this house for a year and a half—but now she’s getting the itch to create again, and she’s looking toward Los Angeles. “When you’re done with your art, you’ve got to get another canvas,” she says. “The next one could be a medieval castle. Who knows?”
DINING ROOM “I love bringing wicker and natural elements into the house—it’s this inside-outside feel,” Ford says. Lighting: Leanne Ford for Project 62, Target. Chairs: Safavieh. Table: vintage, Weisshouse. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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KITCHEN When Ford fell in love with “the most expensive marble in the world,” Calacatta Borghini, she splurged on just enough to do a waterfall edge, and then switched to a more affordable option, honed Arabescato, on the countertop. Lighting: Leanne Ford for Project 62, Target. Hood and range: Viking. Countertop: Armina Stone. Barstools: Amsterdam Modern.
WHERE THE TWO MARBLES MEET.
“When you’re done with your art, you’ve got to get another canvas." 48
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
Bloomist’s oversize links make more of an impact than a bunch of bitsy tchotchkes.
“The sofas are cushy and cozy. Even though it’s all white, it’s still comfortable,” Ford says.
Almost everything is painted in PPG’s Pure White, including this collection of Anthropologie vases.
Free-form pottery, like this piece from TriState Antique Center, adds warmth to the clean-lined space.
Installing a faucet next to her bed “was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream,” she says.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
49
BATHROOM
Cozy textures and warm neutrals were the focus. Crib, basket, rocker, and rugs: Crate & kids. Overhead light: vintage George Nelson.
A window between the bathroom and bedroom? “Why not?” Ford says. Lighting: RH, Restoration Hardware. Showerhead: Rohl. Tub: Victoria + Albert.
A Brief History of Leanne Ford’s Homes
? The Schoolhouse Stocked with vintage furniture, it doubled as Ford’s HGTV office.
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The Farmhouse Her revamp spawned a Pinterest craze around arched doors.
The Cabin A lodge-like, warmwhite getaway in the middle of L.A.
The Retreat With its minimalist spirit, the midcentury space is totally zen.
So What’s Next? The Fords are moving back to L.A.—and definitely renovating.
PHOTOGRAPHERS (HISTORY, FROM LEFT): MAX KIM-BEE FOR COUNTRY LIVING; NICOLE FRANZEN FOR DOMINO; TESSA NEUSTADT FOR THE NEW YORK TIMES; REID ROLLS
NURSERY
NURSERY Ford wallpapered the inside of the closet so it would be a sweet surprise for anyone who opened the door, without disrupting the house’s laid-back vibe. Wallpaper: Ellie Cashman Design. Mobile and stuffed bear: Crate & kids. Wall art and console table: vintage. For more details, see Resources.
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THE TOY DEN “Don’t fit your room to the rug; fit the rug to your room!” says designer Nick Olsen, who went for wall-to-wall ALT for Living carpet here. Sofa: custom, The Work Room, in a Brunschwig & Fils striped linen. Chair: antique, Steven Sclaroff, in Jerry Pair leather. Folding screen: antique, John Rosselli Antiques & Decoration. Throw pillows: custom, David Haag.
POOL-TABLE FELT WAS APPLIED TO THE WALLS TO ABSORB SOUND.
interior designer NICK OLSEN / writer JENNIFER BLAISE KRAMER / photographer REID ROLLS / producer ROBERT RUFINO
FACTORY A designer walks into an office building and turns what was once a gray-cubicle floor into a colorful respite for four.
A PUZZLE JAZZES UP THE COFFEE TABLE.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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A BORDERED PATTERN READS AS CUSTOM.
ENTRY HALLWAY Tile-like wallpaper (Iznik by Iksel) sets the tone and color palette for the apartment. Chair: antique André Arbus, Conjeaud & Chappey, in Pollack high-gloss vinyl. Runner: vintage Persian, Bazar Oriental Rugs. Lamps: antique, BK Antiques.
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LIVING ROOM Two mismatched armchairs were upholstered in matching Raoul Textiles fabric. Sofa: custom, in Carleton V linen velvet. Slipper chair: antique, in Edelman green leather. Media cabinet: Organic Modernism. Rug: ABC Carpet & Home.
F
FORMER HOMEOWNERS CAN BE THE
source of many woes, but it’s a special kind of hell when the previous tenant was a toy corporation. In converting this former office building into an inviting family home, interior designer Nick Olsen had panoramic Manhattan views to work with, but also some very lackluster builder-grade finishes: “They couldn’t justify a years’ long renovation,” Olsen says, “so they said, ‘Decorate it as fast as you can!’ ” In lieu of any preexisting architectural moldings or transitions, the designer relied on high-octane accents. Rolls of tile-inspired Iksel wallpaper turn the apartment’s hallway into a transporting path, which culminates in a 50-footlong living room overlooking the city. “When you’re switching rooms, you look for a stop-and-start point that’s usually in the architec-
ture,” Olsen says. “But when the architecture isn’t there, you add it!”Olsen didn’t dare layer on bright paint, which could distract from the view. Instead, Caba Company’s ivory Barkskin wallcovering, with its stone-like patterning, “has just enough going on, but doesn’t feel aggressive.” Then pink chairs, red Moroccan rugs, and velvet serpentine sofas were grouped together in little seating pods to give the open floor plan some structure: “You have to create multiple seating areas or people will come into the room and get nervous.”
Elsewhere, color pops bloom into fully fledged immersions: Olsen used a hand-embroidered suzani bedcover in bright yellow in the master bedroom, and paired it with a navy-and-purple settee that the owner says reminds her of a sari blouse her mother used to wear. For all its new flourishes, the apartment is now functional, too. In the den, a teal wool felt by Blatt Billiards was backed with paper so it could be applied to the walls and absorb sound. Wall-to-wall carpet also helps with acoustics, while giving a tailored alternative to another stretch of oak flooring. Says the designer, “All strong gestures need relief.”
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3 Ways to Improve Builder-Grade Finishes ADD WALL-TOWALL CARPET “People think it’s so suburban and dated, but I totally love it! No dust bunnies in the corners, plus it can disguise boring wood floors. Run it all the way into the bedroom closet if you can.”
DECORATE THE CEILINGS “It adds another element to plain Sheetrock, and here’s a newsflash: White ceilings always have shadows, so they look gray anyway!”
PAINT A FEW DOORS “Even builder-grade doors get exciting when given a fresh coat of paint. Go colorful in kids’ rooms and use the same black sheen everywhere else for a contrasting but cohesive look.” —Nick Olsen
CHINESE PORCELAIN GOURD VASES WERE CONVERTED TO LAMPS.
DAUGHTER’S ROOM A triple-pink threat: Patterson Flynn Martin carpet, Christopher Farr Cloth wallpaper on the ceiling, and a 100-year-old silk Punjabi phulkari used as a bedcover. Slipper chair: vintage, in a Clarence House cotton.
MASTER BEDROOM Blocks of color and a floral wallpaper (Galbraith & Paul’s Pomegranate) read as solids, providing balance. Bed: custom, in Lelièvre fabric. Throw: 70-year-old wedding suzani used as a bedcover, Tamam. Settee: Kamelot Auctions in Schumacher’s Toledo fabric. Curtains: David Haag in Schumacher’s Legere. For more details, see Resources.
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DINING ROOM
FAMILY ROOM
The room doubles as an area for crafts and homeschooling. The floor under the owners’ vintage table was left intentionally bare—designer Jean Stoffer often opts not to use rugs under tables where kids spend a lot of time. Chairs: Menu. Ceiling paint: Navy Masterpiece, Benjamin Moore. Wallpaper: Cole & Son. Chandelier: Rejuvenation.
The Samsung Frame TV in the sitting area next to the kitchen looks like art when not in use. Pendant: Visual Comfort. Cocktail table: custom, Nate Scheibe. Cabinetry: Kenowa Builders. Lounge chair: Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin in an S. Harris velvet.
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SAVING A
M C MANSION
You’d never believe this home was once a French country–style sore thumb.
interior designer JEAN STOFFER / writer EMMA BAZILIAN / photographer JOHN STOFFER
LIVING ROOM Once a stereotypical 1990s great room, this space is now minimalist but warm. Sectional: Highland House. Chairs: Lawson-Fenning. Cocktail table: custom, Nate Scheibe. Side table: Menu. Chandelier: Aerin for Visual Comfort. Rug: Loloi.
FOYER Clean-lined millwork replaced the original paneling, while the dated front door was modernized with a coat of dark paint. Bench: custom. Sconces: Aerin for Visual Comfort.
COLUMNS. OVERSIZE TRANSOMS. MULTISTORY WINDOWS. These are just three of the architectural elements listed as among the worst design offenses on writer Kate Wagner’s McMansion Hell, the cult-favorite blog known for wry takedowns of those titular suburban behemoths. And all three were prominently featured in the 5,500-square-foot Michigan home that designer Jean Stoffer’s clients, a family of four who had originally hired her to help them build a brand-new home, decided to purchase in 2018. While some designers might have balked, Stoffer welcomed the opportunity. “I actually prefer a remodel versus new builds because it’s all about seeing potential in what’s already there,” she explains. (According to
“Every fabric that we put in the house is family-friendly,” says Stoffer. Pillows and art: Stoffer Home.
her daughter, Grace, who joined the firm three years ago, Stoffer “seems to literally see through walls.”) Plus, she’s no stranger to working around those dated features: “We do a lot of de-McMansioning!” she laughs. “Younger families like theirs will buy these 20-year-old houses where the bones are great but the aesthetic needs updating; in this case, I knew there was a lot of work to be done as far as layout and style, but the property and location were great.” The first step was to drastically pare back the unnecessary architectural features—columns, millwork, built-ins—in the French country–style house. Stoffer changed the first floor layout, combining several smaller rooms into one large kitchen/breakfast room/sitting area. A walk-in scullery (essentially a butler’s pantry) was added to contain countertop appliances and pantry goods. “One downside of these open-concept kitchens is that the mess is right out there for everyone to see,” says Stoffer. Next steps included floors (a pale, Scandinavian-inspired oak), new paint (a mix of fresh neutrals and dark, moody colors), and family-friendly furnishings (everything is in performance fabrics). But what’s still there is even more surprising. That multistory window? With the room painted white and a sculptural light fixture hanging from the ceiling, it almost disappears, letting the landscape beyond take central focus. “It’s all about incorporating elements that draw your eye somewhere else,” explains Stoffer. “That’s what makes a house modern!”
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MASTER BEDROOM The clients kept several pieces from their previous home, including this bed. “Their taste is minimalist but high-quality,� says Stoffer. Nightstand: Made Goods. Lamp and sconce: Visual Comfort. Rug: Jaipur Living. Wallcovering: Gregorius/Pineo.
NURSERY Stoffer designed the nursery to be able to transition into an office when the younger daughter gets older. Crib: Kalon Studios. Chair: Lee Industries. Side table, pillow, and vintage rug: Stoffer Home. Curtains: Smith & Noble. Paint: Crisp Romaine, Benjamin Moore.
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“We do a lot of de-McMansioning!”
PAINTING THE CEILING AND WALLS THE SAME DARK COLOR “IS A WAY TO REALLY LEVEL-UP YOUR DESIGN,” SAYS STOFFER.
BATHROOM The husband found this vintage sink online and had it fully restored. Stoffer added new Kohler faucets. Wall tile: Zia Tile. Mirror: Rejuvenation. Sconces: Etsy.
MUDROOM Existing millwork was painted in Benjamin Moore’s Kendall Charcoal. Drawer pulls: Stoffer Home. Hooks: RH, Restoration Hardware. Tile: Bedrosians.
KITCHEN Several smaller rooms were combined into this airy, open-concept space. Pendants: Suzanne Kasler for Visual Comfort. Cabinets: Stoffer Home Cabinetry. Hardware: Armac Martin. Sink: Franke. Faucet: Perrin & Rowe.
Inside the Reno BEFORE
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE? “Around six months.” HOW MUCH DID IT COST? “About $1 million.” BIGGEST DRAMA? “The pendant over the kitchen table: The company went bankrupt after we sent all our money for it. Getting the brass framework was a major feat, and we had to have the shade made custom after they were no longer in business.” BEST LEARNING MOMENT? “If the layout is great, there are so many ways to transform a dated house without knocking down every wall—switch out the hardware, remove heavy molding, and give it a coat of paint.”
COFFEE BAR
ROBERT ANTONINI (BEFORE PHOTO)
Stoffer used floating brass shelves to balance an off-center window. Cabinets and hardware: Stoffer Home. Countertop: custom walnut, Josh Sprik. Sconce: Apparatus. For more details, see Resources.
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MASTER BEDROOM Architect Frank Lloyd Wright set the house into a hill so its residents can wake up in the trees. Flip-top vanity: John Stuart. Side chair: Moller.
WRIGHT’S ORIGINAL MAHOGANY PANELING
Note to self: When a listing pops up for an original Frank Lloyd Wright house in upstate New York, don’t pass it up.
REWRITING HISTORY interior designer SARAH ANDERSON-MAGNESS / writer HADLEY KELLER / photographer ADRIAN GAUT
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DINING ROOM Wright’s extensive built-in cabinetry provides useful storage. Table: Thos. Moser. Chairs: Moller. Photograph: Oliver Boberg. Plates: Jan Burtz.
E XTERIOR A patio is painted in Wright’s signature Cherokee Red, which mirrors the foliage (Wizard Velvet Red Coleus) around it.
THE WOOD WAS RESTORED WITH A WAX FINISH FOR A “MATTE, TRULY AUTHENTIC PATINA.”
I
WRIGHT REPEATED THE BATTEN DETAILING ON THE EXTERIOR WALLS AS WELL.
PHOTOGRAPHER: WILLIAM STORRER
IT’ S E V E RY A RC H ITECTU R E
lover ’s dream: You’re scrolling through real estate websites and stumble upon a Frank Lloyd Wright Usonian house, still inhabited by its original owners, in virtually the same condition it was when Wright approved the plans almost 60 years ago. “Being the cynical New Yorker, I didn’t believe it at first,” laughs Manhattan-based designer Sarah Anderson-Magness. “I called the realtor immediately and asked, ‘Is this real? If it is, I want to come see it today.’ ” Suffice it to say: The house was indeed real, and now here AndersonMagness is, two years later, telling the story of her painstaking renovation while perched on a sofa that Wright specified for the home (one of three prefab models he designed with Marshall Erdman). Anderson-Magness’s house— where she spends nearly every weekend with her daughter, Wesley— is Wright’s prefab model #1, one of nine built in this style and just two remaining today. Known as the Socrates Zaferiou House, it was commissioned by Zaferiou, the banquet manager at the Plaza hotel, and his wife for a property in Blauvelt, New York. Zaferiou was, in many ways, the perfect patron: Erdman and Wright’s prefab homes were designed as affordable housing for war vets, and being a WWII veteran himself, the owner had a deep appreciation for the architect’s vision.
Inside the Reno
It’s one that Anderson-Magness has devoted herself to continuing. “It took a lot of restraint,” the designer says. “But the more I live in my house and have come to appreciate my house, it’s made sense to maintain it the way it is.” Working off of the
BEST SURPRISE? “Finding the color variations of the house over the decades,” says Magness, who visited the archives at the Guggenheim and Columbia University to study Wright’s original palettes, and then translated them into the design. “The color of the house today is very close to that selected in 1960.” BEST FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT IDEA? “Plant cherry trees! They bloom the weekend of Mother’s Day and it’s a sea of pink.”
home’s original drawings (which included notes by Wright; he made one site visit before his death in 1959) and her own extensive research, Anderson-Magness has struck a balance between preserving the home’s most important features and adding elements that reflect her. The red Formica kitchen, for example, remains unchanged, but she’s filled the home with a selection of antique and contemporary furniture. “I wanted craft pieces that were handmade and had the same philosophy as Wright’s work,” she explains. “So many of the rugs are handwoven, and I have a lot of Japanese baskets.” Anderson-Magness lived in Japan for four years, a stint she says that “had a huge impact on my life,” and one that connects her further to the architect, who was heavily influenced by Japanese design. “My responsibility now as the proprietor is to keep it up, but also to use it at the same time,” she says. “It’s not living in a precious box—we really live here.”
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LIVING ROOM The windows are kept bare: “I have no neighbors, and we’re high enough to have privacy,” says Anderson-Magness. “I love being able to look out and see the trees around my house.” Chaise: custom, Mario Milana. Lamp: Severin Hansen. Table: antique Japanese tea box. Rug: Sacco. Vase: Wilhelm Kage.
MASTER BEDROOM Anderson-Magness, who spent several years of her childhood in Japan, felt a special affinity for Wright’s Japanese influence. Chest and folding screen: designer’s own, from Japan. Denim rug: Sacco.
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A TANSU CHEST, ACQUIRED IN JAPAN, STANDS IN FOR A BEDSIDE TABLE.
THE ORIGINAL HANDMADE DAL-TILE TILE AND AMERICAN STANDARD SINK WERE PRESERVED.
MASTER BATHROOM
LIVING ROOM
“I had many plans to redo the bathroom, but I could never pull the trigger,” Anderson-Magness says. “The more I lived here, the more I embraced it.”
“Wright was all about bringing everyone together,” says Anderson-Magness, “so of course he wasn’t going to give us a moderate fireplace— he had to go big.” Chippendale chair: vintage Robert Venturi.
LIVING ROOM The low-slung sofa, still in its original botanical print, was specified for the space by Wright’s office. Wood armchair: Room & Board. Ottomans: vintage, BK Antiques. Club chairs: vintage, T.H. Robsjohn-Gibbings. Rug: Sacco.
KITCHEN The room remains exactly as it was in the days when Zaferiou and his wife lived here. For more details, see Resources.
A TURKISH RUG FROM SACCO INCORPORATES MOTIFS FROM THE FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT ARCHIVES.
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TEACHING A
TUDOR NEW TRICKS
The cure for an outdated home? An abundance of splashy, chipper pastels. interior designer CAITLIN WILSON / writer EMMA BAZILIAN photographer KATIE NIXON
FAMILY ROOM Designer Caitlin Wilson opened the wall between the sitting area and kitchen to create a large great room. Furniture, pillows, rug, lighting, and art: Caitlin Wilson. Paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore.
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SHE WAS READY. After years of living in Portland, Oregon, designer Caitlin Wilson and her husband were looking to trade gray skies for something sunnier. And it happened fast: They fell in love with Dallas on a business trip—Wilson’s pretty, pastel style has an avid following in the South—and relocated within a matter of months. Wilson was pregnant with their fourth child, so the couple scooped up a house in the Highland Park neighborhood and launched into a renovation. Here’s what she learned along the way.
skip an 1 Never open house.
BATHROOM “With three little girls, it’s easy to justify covering every nook and cranny with wallpaper,” says Wilson. Wallcovering and sconces: Caitlin Wilson. Vanity, hardware, and faucet: Kohler. Mirror: Target.
With her mind set on a bright, airy home, Wilson initially brushed off this Tudor-style cottage. “I didn’t think it would be my style,” she recalls. “It was a total surprise! Once I walked into the home, I was so inspired by the light and layout. I knew it had potential.”
3
There’s no 2 “right” order for a reno. Wilson started with the space that irked her the most: the mudroom. “The layout was terrible—I’d bump into the washer and dryer every time I walked through,” she says. Out they came, and in went bench seating and wall hooks for coats.
Be prepared to change course.
About that washer and dryer: After plans to extend the mudroom were turned down, Wilson decided to turn a second-floor cedar closet into the laundry room. “When you have a finite number of walls and rooms, you have to get creative,” she says. “It’s definitely a challenge!”
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Choose colors that make you happy. Wilson’s favorites— French blues, pale pinks, and lavender—are used liberally throughout: There’s a cornflower range, rose cabinets, and periwinkle ticking on sofas. Says Wilson, “These are the colors I love, so why not live in them?”
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Use texture to problem-solve.
“Even though it’s not a giant home, the bedrooms are spacious,” says Wilson, who was afraid cool-toned pastels would feel chilly. Her solution: Use solid grass cloth on the walls. “The texture offers a warmth you don’t always get with paint,” she says.
KITCHEN French blue (one of Wilson’s signature colors) pops up all over the kitchen—even on the range. Pendants and stools: Caitlin Wilson. Cabinets: Fifer Custom Homes with RH, Restoration Hardware knobs and pulls. Floor tile: Ann Sacks. Range and hood: BlueStar.
FOYER Wilson added a metal front door and cleanlined furniture to update the Tudor architecture. Bench, rug, and ceiling fixture: Caitlin Wilson. Curtains: Robert Allen. Interior door paint: Nickel, Benjamin Moore.
WILSON HAD A CONTRACTOR-SIZE TRASH CAN BUILT INTO THE ISLAND.
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BREAKFAST NOOK The key to keeping mealtime stress-free: wipeable furnishings, like indoor-outdoor chairs, and a PET rug. Furniture, rug, and pendant: Caitlin Wilson.
MASTER BEDROOM GIRLS’ ROOM Using grass cloth instead of paint makes pale pink feel more sophisticated. “It’ll still work as the girls get older,” says Wilson. Daybed: The Beautiful Bed Company in a Caitlin WIlson fabric. Table, ottoman, lamp, and rug: Caitlin Wilson.
“Every room needs a daybed!” declares Wilson. “It’s not just for naps and reading. If you have kids, it’s great for middle-of-the-night invasions.” Daybed: Noir. Pillows: Caitlin Wilson. Throw: Hermès.
Inside the Reno BEFORE
MUDROOM “This French Blue has become my go-to. After living in Portland, I am so over gray!” says the designer. Wallcovering: Lee Jofa. Paint: Pike’s Peak Gray, Benjamin Moore. Shade fabric: Caitlin Wilson. Wall tile: Caitlin Wilson for Ann Sacks. Marble floor tile: Paris Ceramics. For more details, see Resources.
HOW LONG DID IT TAKE? “It started as just redoing the mudroom and turned into a year-long, full-house renovation.” HOW MUCH DID IT COST? $500,000 BIGGEST SURPRISE? “The way the floors turned out. I was really nervous about keeping the red oak. We ended up bleaching it and then whitewashing it, and I feel like the white of the floors really reflects light and adds elegance!”
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STUDIO Jane Francisco, the editor in chief of Good Housekeeping, and her photographer husband, Colin Faulkner, converted this room in their 19th-century home to feel like the industrial studios they’d lived in before. “He literally pins things on the wall,” says Francisco. Light fixture: West Elm. Sofa: IKEA. Artworks: Lee L’Clerc (left); Joan Faulkner (right). Table lamp: Flos.
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KEEPING A
The bones of this New Jersey Victorian were perfect. The rest? Not so much. Not a problem: The homeowner knew a thing or two about editing.
GOOD HOUSE
interior designer JANE FRANCISCO / writer KATHRYN O’SHEA-EVANS photographer COLIN FAULKNER / architect PILOT PROJECTS
LIVING ROOM The original formal dining room was replaced with a relaxed hangout. “Our previous living room didn’t get much use, so we wanted to make sure this one felt easy, supercomfortable, and connected,” Francisco says. Lamp: Achille Castiglioni. Chair: ABC Carpet & Home. Rug: IKEA.
THE FAMILY’S RESCUE DOG, ALEX LINCOLN LONESTAR, PRESIDES.
STUDIO ALCOVE Benjamin Moore’s Trout Gray gives it mood. Clock: vintage, Blot & Drouard.
L
ENTRY WAY The worn-andchipped original floors were replaced with rift quartersawn oak. Stair runner: Roger Oates. Mirror: Arhaus. Fireplace surround: Fireclay Tile.
LE AV E I T TO A M AGA Z I N E E D I TO R
to know what parts of a story are worth saving, what lines demand reworking, and what needs to be chiseled out and banished forever. When the editor in chief of Good Housekeeping magazine, Jane Francisco, and her husband, photographer Colin Faulkner, spotted this five-bedroom Queen Anne Victorian house on a hill in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, they felt like it could be a chapter in their very own story—with some careful editing, of course. “The porch, the 10-foot-high ceilings, and the library were big draws,” says Francisco, who hired her brother, architect Scott Francisco of Pilot Projects, to revamp the 1885 home. Her objective was clear from the start: “How can we keep everything that’s amazing about this house and yet have it feel like us—open, airy, and relaxed?” But once they dug in, the couple’s revise took a hair-raising turn. “Three contractors told us, ‘You are going to have to replace all of the HVAC, soup to nuts—and add new plumbing and electrical.’ They said the furnace was barely held together with tape,” Francisco recalls. The editor’s response? “Well, if we’re going to do it, let’s make it worth our while.” Out went every piece of pipe, duct, and wire. Out went the roof and even the walls, down to the studs. Out went the kitchen and every bathroom, to be replaced with the family’s fantasy versions.
“Literally, at a certain point, you could stand on the second floor and see the sky,” says Jane, “and you could also see light through the siding because we’d ripped all the walls out, along with everything else.” The couple and their son, Greydon, moved into a condo one block away during what turned out to be a two-year renovation. What they kept is as telling as what they tossed: In the entryway (right), the home’s original 1885 fireplace was discovered and restored. The festooned facade, complete with fairy-tale turrets and cedar shingles, was preserved. And, no surprise for the family of readers, the library— which originally looked, per Francisco, like it was purchased at Bombay Company in 1983—was stained all black, so you could see the wood grain. A taffy-pink tufted sofa, plunked in the middle of it all, is the furniture equivalent of an exclamation point.
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LIBR ARY The couple replaced the original thin shelves with one-and-a-half-inch versions that wouldn’t bow under the weight of their tomes. Sofa: Wayfair. Rug: Loloi. Light fixture: Herman Miller, Design Within Reach. Side table: HomeGoods. HIDDEN SONOS SPEAKERS ARE TUCKED INTO CEILINGS THROUGHOUT THE HOUSE.
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KITCHEN “The stainless steel backsplash shelf has been a staple in our last three homes,” Francisco says. “That little ledge is the answer to a tidy counter, and I can’t live without it.” Light fixtures and stools: Design Within Reach. Tiles: Tile Bar (wall); Moroccan Mosaic & Tile House (floor). Faucets: Waterstone Faucets. Cooktop: Miele. Toaster: Williams Sonoma.
THE ISLAND’S HONED CALACATTA MARBLE COUNTER HAS A BUILT-IN BLACK-WALNUT BUTCHER BLOCK.
DINING ROOM Francisco had been on the hunt for a quality antler chandelier for years when she found this one through Stagridge on Etsy, made of naturally shed antlers. “It’s a little 10 years ago, but I love it,” she says. Table: ABC Carpet & Home. Doors: Marvin.
POWDER ROOM A custom black-walnut vanity and raffia walls give it a fresh face. Mirror: RH Modern. Lights: Cedar & Moss. Wallcovering: Thibaut.
PHOTOGRAPHER: PROMINENT PROPERTIES SOTHEBY’S INTERNATIONAL REALTY (BEFORE)
BREAKFAST AREA AND BAR NOOK Keeping the bar separate from the main kitchen helps with flow during a party. Wine fridge: Sub-Zero. Dishwasher drawers: Fisher & Paykel. Faucet: KWC. Light fixture: 2Modern. Art: Colin Faulkner. Table: Eero Saarinen, Design Within Reach. Chairs: Vitra. For more details, see Resources.
Inside the Reno THE TIMELINE? “Two years.” THE COST? “More than $1 million.” BEFORE
BIGGEST DRAMA? “One of the things we found when we started ripping everything out was the fireplace in the entry—amazing! We suspected there was one because of the big chimney on the outside, but someone had drywalled it in.” BIGGEST REWARD? “We turned one of the small bedrooms into a dressing room with a vanity and a sink. It’s my favorite thing that we did to the house.”
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TEA CORNER The perfect perch for a cup of Earl Grey is tucked into the living room. “Spaces should be multidimensional,” says designer Benjamin Vandiver. Pendant: The Urban Electric Co. Painting: client’s own. Banquette: Verellen. Table and chairs: antique.
LIVING ROOM An Apparatus Studio chandelier framed by the living room opening has equal impact when seen from the street. Marigold chairs: antique. Trim paint: Farrow & Ball. Sheepskin: Roman and Williams Guild.
BRAND-NEW
BUT AGE-OLD A from-scratch Brooklyn townhouse gets a posh accent.
interior designer BENJAMIN VANDIVER / writer LEXI MAINLAND / photographer FRAN PARENTE HOUSE BEAUTIFUL
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DINING ROOM Royal Fernery wallpaper by Cole & Son looks as if it has been there for generations. Table: antique, Chairish. Chairs: vintage, Chairish, in a Pindler fabric. Pendant: Jim Zivic Design.
KITCHEN Cabinets in Benjamin Moore’s Polo Blue are dotted with red dishware. Backsplash: Carrara marble. Pulls: Rejuvenation.
IT WAS A GREAT CHALLENGE: Make a new-build triplex look like it came from London in the 1800s. For starters, the Carroll Gardens neighborhood of Brooklyn was the perfect location, with rows of 19th-century neo-Grec and Italianate houses and deep, neatly planted front yards. So when a thirtysomething Englishman asked New York–and Nashville-based interior designer Benjamin Vandiver to create this old-world British fantasy, the designer took the bait. “He wanted it to feel as old and timeworn as possible,” says Vandiver, “but here we were in a building that had existed for five minutes.” Turning recent construction on its head (without touching the architecture) required some creativity. “We were dealing with anemic window casings and basic molding,” explains the designer. His remedy? Paint them black, creating the illusion of depth. To give the sense of a proper dining room in the open kitchen, Vandiver installed a British botanical 90
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wallpaper. And the owner suggested adding an inexpensive wood-burning stove in the corner, which makes it incredibly cozy—and “kept the angles from feeling too square.” The designer’s vision was for a home that matched his client, a buttoned-up businessman who’d arrived stateside with a collection of his family’s old oil portraits. Vandiver drew upon the classic colors in the gentleman’s wardrobe—navys, greens, and grays—and added patterns and textures: plaid, ticking stripes, houndstooth, wool flannel. A few unexpected choices also entered the mix: marigold velvet chairs, a modernist chandelier, pops of red, and lots of New World antiques sourced online and during day trips to Hudson, New York. “When my client hosted his first house party, he told me, ‘Everyone rubbed their eyes and asked if they were in England or in Brooklyn.’ For me, that’s the highest compliment.”
KITCHEN Adding a table lamp is “almost like going from digital to analog,” says Vandiver. “It gives you this nice, warm, low light that’s hard to pull off in a kitchen.” Pendants: The Urban Electric Co. Lamp: Ralph Lauren, Circa Lighting. Range: Wolf. Barstools: Crate & Barrel.
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LIVING ROOM A subtle ticking-stripe wallpaper from Sonia’s Place, behind a set of antique hunting prints, helps the living room look older than it really is. Sleeper sofa: Avery Boardman in a Pindler fabric. Chair: antique French, Conjeaud & Chappey.
STAIRCASE Brick reds jazz up the blue-gray palette throughout. Sconce: Circa Lighting. Chair: Lee Industries. Pillow: custom, Holland & Sherry, in a Rosemary Hallgarten fabric.
HALLWAY
THE DININGCHAIR FABRIC WAS REPEATED HERE TO CREATE FLOW BETWEEN ROOMS.
Topping the owner’s wish list were wide-plank walnut floors. “They provide richness and continuity throughout the home,” says Vandiver.
MASTER BEDROOM Roman window shades—custom-made for the living room in pink houndstooth by Holland & Sherry—blocked too much light, so they were repurposed as a bedspread. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries. Bed: Lawson-Fenning in a Clarence House fabric. Lamp and end table: vintage. For more details, see Resources.
“You have to pick your daring moments, but you’ll never be happy with a space that’s too safe.” A CHAIRISH FIND TO COMPLEMENT THE OWNER’S PORTRAIT COLLECTION.
— B EN JA M I N VA N D I V ER
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RESOURCES
A listing of designers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers featured in this issue.
13 What’s in a Nook? Page 14: Gondola wallpaper: Cole & Son,
cole-and-son.com.
22 The Time Machine Designer: Nina Farmer, ninafarmer interiors.com. Pages 22–23: Pendants: Allied Maker, alliedmaker.com. Stools: Thomas Hayes, thomashayesstudio.com. Tile: Mosaic House, mosaichse.com. Faucets: Waterworks, waterworks.com. Refrigerator: Sub-Zero, subzero-wolf .com. Shade fabric: Rogers & Goffigon, rogersandgoffigon.com. Page 24: Paints: Pavilion Gray and Downpipe, Farrow & Ball, farrow-ball.com. Range: Lacanche, lacanche.com. Chair: Richard Wrightman, richardwrightman.com. 44 Can’t Stop Won’t Stop Designer: Leanne Ford, leanneford.com. Pages 44–45: Sofa and armchair: Cisco Home for ABC Carpet & Home, abchome .com. Mirror: RH, Restoration Hardware, rh.com. Light-wood table: Big Daddy’s Antiques, bdantiques.com. Pages 46–47: Staircase: Wood & Wrench, woodn wrench.com. Paint: Pure White, PPG, ppgpaints.com. Lighting: Leanne Ford for Project 62, Target, target.com. Chairs: Safavieh, safavieh.com. Vintage table: Weisshouse, weisshouse.com. Pages 48–49: Leanne Ford for Project 62, Target. Hood and range: Viking, vikingrange.com. Countertop: Armina Stone, arminastone .com. Barstools: Amsterdam Modern, amsterdammodern.com. Links sculpture: Bloomist, bloomist.com. Vase paint: PPG. Pages 50–51: Crib, basket, rocker, and rugs: Crate & Kids, crateandbarrel.com. Lighting: RH, Restoration Hardware. Showerhead: Rohl, rohlhome.com. Tub:
Victoria + Albert, vandabaths.com. Wallpaper: Ellie Cashman Design, elliecashmandesign.com. Mobile and stuffed bear: Crate & kids.
52 The Toy Factory Designer: Nick Olsen, nickolsenstyle.com. Pages 52–53: Carpet: ALT for Living, altforliving.com. Sofa: The Work Room, theworkroomny.com. Sofa fabric: Brunschwig & Fils, brunschwig.com. Chair: Steven Sclaroff, stevensclaroff. com. Chair fabric: Jerry Pair, jerrypair. com. Folding screen: John Rosseli
Antiques , johnrosselliantiques.com. Throw pillows: David Haag, davidhaag.
com. Pages 54–55: Wallpaper: Iksel, iksel.com. Chair: Conjeaud & Chappey, les2c.com. Chair vinyl: Pollack, pollack associates.com. Runner: Bazar Oriental Rugs, metropolitancarpet.com. Lamps: BK Antiques, bkantiques.com. Armchair fabric: Raoul Textiles, raoul textiles.com. Sofa fabric: Carleton V, carletonvltd.com. Slipper chair fabric: Edelman Leather, edelmanleather.com. Media Cabinet: Organic Modernism, organicmodernism.com. Rug: ABC Carpet & Home, abchome.com. Pages 56–57: Carpet: Patterson Flynn Martin, patterson flynnmartin.com. Wallpaper: Christopher Farr Cloth, christopherfarrcloth.com. Pomegranate wallpaper: Galbraith & Paul, galbraithandpaul.com. Bed Fabric: Lelièvre, lelievreparis.com. Throw: Tamam, shop-tamam.com. Settee: Kameleot Auctions, kamelotauctions.com. Settee fabric: Schumacher, fschumacher.com. Curtains: David Haag. Curtain fabric: Schumacher.
58 Saving a McMansion Designer: Jean Stoffer, jeanstoffer design.com. Pages 58–59: Chairs: Menu, menu.as. Paint: Navy Masterpiece, Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com. Dining room wallpaper: Cole & Son, cole-and-son .com. Chandelier: Rejuvenation, rejuvenation.com. The Frame TV: Samsung, samsung.com. Pendant: Visual Comfort, visualcomfort.com. Custom cocktail table: Nate Scheibe, fortstandard .com. Cabinetry: Kenowa Builders, buildwithkenowa.com. Lounge chair: Milo Baughman for Thayer Coggin, thayercoggin.com. Lounge chair fabric: S. Harris, fabricut.com. Pages 60–61: Sectional: Highland House, highland housefurniture.com. Chairs: LawsonFenning, lawsonfenning.com. Cocktail table: Nate Scheibe. Side table: Menu. Chandelier: Visual Comfort. Rug: Loloi, loloirugs.com. Sconces: Aerin for Visual Comfort. Pillows and art: Stoffer Home, stofferhome.com. Pages 62–63: Nightstand: Made Goods, madegoods .com. Lamp and sconce: Visual Comfort. Rug: Jaipur Living, jaipurliving.com. Wallcovering: Gregorius/Pineo, gregoriuspineo.com. Crib: Kalon Studios, kalonstudios.com. Chair: Lee Industries, leeindustries.com. Side table, pillow, and vintage rug: Stoffer Home. Curtains: Smith & Noble, smithandnoble.com. Paint: Crisp Romaine, Benjamin Moore. Pages 64–65: Faucet: Kohler, kohler.com.
Wall tile: Zia Tile, ziatile.com. Mirror: Rejuvenation. Sconces: Etsy, etsy.com. Paint: Kendall Charcoal, Benjamin Moore. Drawer pulls, coffee bar cabinets, and hardware: Stoffer Home. Hooks: RH, Restoration Hardware, rh.com. Mudroom tile: Bedrosians Tile & Stone, bedrosians .com. Pendants: Suzanne Kasler for Visual Comfort. Kitchen cabinets: Stoffer Home Cabinetry. Hardware: Armac Martin, armacmartin.co.uk. Sink: Franke, franke .com. Faucet: Perrin & Rowe, perrinand rowe.com. Sconce: Apparatus, apparatus studio.com.
66 Rewriting History Designer: Sarah Anderson-Magness, sarahmagnessdesign.com. Pages 68-69: Table: Thos. Moser, thosmoser.com. Pages 70–71: Chaise: Mario Milana, mariomilana.com. Living room and bedroom rugs: Sacco, sacco carpet.com. Pages 72–73: Wood armchair: Room & Board, roomandboard.com. Ottomans: BK Antiques, bkantiques.com. Living room and kitchen rugs: Sacco. 74 Teaching a Tudor New Tricks Designer: Caitlin Wilson, caitlinwilson .com. Pages 74–75: Furniture, pillows, rug, lighting, and art: Caitlin Wilson. Paint: White Dove, Benjamin Moore, benjamin
moore.com. Pages 76–77: Wallcovering, sconces, pendant, stools, bench, rug, and ceiling fixture: Caitlin Wilson. Vanity, hardware, and faucet: Kohler, kohler.com. Mirror: Target, target.com. Cabinets: Fifer Custom Homes, fifercustomhomes.com. Knobs and pulls: RH, Restoration Hardware, rh.com. Floor tile: Ann Sacks, annsacks.com. Range and hood: BlueStar, bluestarcooking.com. Curtains: Robert Allen, robertallendesign.com. Paint: Nickel, Benjamin Moore. Pages 78–79: Furniture, rug, pendant, daybed fabric, table, ottoman, lamp, rug, pillows, and shade fabric: Caitlin Wilson. Daybed: The
Beautiful Bed Company, beautifulbedco .com. Master bedroom daybed: Noir, noirfurniturela.com. Throw: Hermès, hermes.com. Wallcovering: Lee Jofa, leejofa.com. Paint: Pike’s Peak Gray, Benjamin Moore. Wall tile: Caitlin Wilson for Ann Sacks. Marble floor tile: Paris Ceramics, parisceramicsusa.com.
80 Keeping a Good House Designer: Jane Francisco, good housekeeping.com. Pages 80–81: Light fixture: West Elm, westelm.com. Sofa: IKEA, ikea.com. Table lamp: Flos, flos.com. Pages 82–83: Chair
ABC Carpet & Home, abchome.com. Rug: IKEA. Paint: Trout Gray, Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore.com. Stair runner: Roger Oates Design, rogeroates.com. Mirror: Arhaus, arhaus.com. Fireplace surround: Fireclay Tile, fireclaytile.com. Pages 84–85: Sofa: Wayfair, wayfair.com. Rug: Loloi, loloirugs.com. Light fixture: Herman Miller for Design Within Reach, dwr.com. Side table: HomeGoods, homegoods .com. Speakers: Sonos, sonos.com. Light fixtures and stools: Design Within Reach. Wall tiles: TileBar, tilebar.com. Floor tiles: Moroccan Mosaic & Tile House, mosaic morocco.com. Faucets: Waterstone Faucets, waterstoneco.com. Cooktop: Miele, mieleusa.com. Toaster: Williams Sonoma, williams-sonoma.com. Pages 86–87: Chandelier: Etsy, etsy.com. Table: ABC Carpet & Home. Doors: Marvin, marvin.com. Mirror: RH Modern, rhmodern .com. Lights: Cedar & Moss, cedarand moss.com. Wallcovering: Thibaut, thibaut design.com. Wine fridge: Sub-Zero, subzero-wolf.com. Dishwasher drawers: Fisher & Paykel, fisherpaykel.com. Faucet: KWC, kwc.com. Table: Eero Saarinen for Design Within Reach. Chairs: Vitra, vitra .com.
88 Brand New But Age-Old Designer: Benjamin Vandiver, benjaminvandiver.com. Pages 88–89: Pendant: The Urban Electric Co., urbanelectric.com. Banquette: Verellen, verellen.biz. Chandelier: Apparatus, apparatusstudio.com. Trim paint: Farrow & Ball, farrow-ball.com. Sheepskin: Roman and Williams Guild, rwguild.com. Pages 90–91: Wallpaper: Cole & Son, cole-and-son.com. Tables and chairs: Chairish, chairish.com. Chair fabric: Pindler, pindler.com. Pendant: Jim Zivic Design, jimzivicdesign.com. Paint: Polo Blue, Benjamin Moore, benjaminmoore .com. Pulls: Rejuvenation, rejuvenation. com. Kitchen pendants: The Urban Electric Co. Lamp: Ralph Lauren for Circa Lighting, circalighting.com. Range: Wolf, subzerowolf.com. Barstools: Crate & Barrel, crate andbarrel.com. Pages 92–93: Sleeper sofa: Avery Boardman, averyboardman .com. Sleeper sofa fabric: Pindler. Chair: Conjeaud & Chappey, les2c.com. Sconce: Circa Lighting. Chair: Lee Industries, leeindustries.com. Pillow and window shades: Holland & Sherry, hollandand sherry.com. Fabric: Rosemary Hallgarten, rosemaryhallgarten.com. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries, phillipjeffries.com. Bed: Lawson-Fenning, lawsonfenning.com. Bed fabric: Clarence House, clarence house.com.
HOUSE BEAUTIFUL© Volume 162, Number 1 (ISSN 0018-6422) is published monthly (except combined issues in January/February, April/May and July/August), eight times a year, by Hearst, 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019 USA. Steven R. Swartz, President & Chief Executive Officer; William R. Hearst III, Chairman; Frank A. Bennack, Jr., Executive Vice Chairman. Hearst Magazine Media, Inc.: Troy Young, President; Debi Chirichella, Executive Vice President, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer; John A. Rohan, Jr., Senior Vice President, Finance; Catherine A. Bostron, Secretary. © 2019 by Hearst Magazine Media, Inc. All rights reserved. House Beautiful is a registered trademark of Hearst Communications, Inc. Periodicals postage paid at New York, NY, and additional entry post offices. Canada Post International Publications mail product (Canadian distribution) sales agreement No. 40012499. Editorial and Advertising Offices: 300 West 57th Street, New York, NY 10019-3797. Subscription prices: United States and possessions: $24 for one year. Canada and all other countries: $40 for one year. Subscription Services: House Beautiful 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.housebeautiful.com or write to Customer Service Department, House Beautiful, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593. 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 6000, Harlan, IA 51593. You can also visit preferences.hearstmags.com to manage your preferences and opt out of receiving marketing offers by e-mail. House Beautiful is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts or art. None will be returned unless accompanied by a self-addressed stamped envelope. Canada BN NBR 10231 0943 RT. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to House Beautiful, P.O. Box 6000, Harlan, IA 51593. Printed in the USA.
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PROMOTION
Beautiful Ideas KERRY JOYCE ATELIER Introducing the sleek and modern Spoke Back chair from Kerry Joyce Atelier’s furniture collection, shown here with Verge and Totem, textiles from the Heather Rosenman Collection. kerryjoyce.com
THE GIFT OF LASTING COMFORT Experience beautiful indulgences for bed and bath by Scandia Home. For over four decades, Scandia Down pillows, comforters, and fine European linens have been synonymous with heirloom quality and unmatched luxury. Discover the Scandia Down Difference™ at scandiahome.com.
THE HEIGHT OF LUXURY Our spin on the classic wing chair is a luxurious swivel with a subtle roll along the back and arms for added comfort. The Orson Swivel adds height and a welcoming presence to cozy nooks and seating areas. mgbwhome.com
THERMADOR GLASS CARE CENTER L’ORÉAL PARIS WOMEN OF WORTH L’Oréal Paris Women of Worth celebrates 10 extraordinary women who are making a beautiful difference in their communities through volunteering. Visit WomenofWorth.com to learn more.
Share the joy of never hand-washing glassware again with the gift that’s on every host’s wish list. The Glass Care Center washes fine-cut crystal, up to 26 wine glasses, and even oversized beer steins. Entertain with ease all year long. glasscarecenter.com
THE END StonKraft Brass Lion $35. amazon.com
Knock, Knock Who’s there? A great first impression, thanks to one of these unique door knockers. By Brittney Morgan
Monogram Letter B $30. michael healy.com
Avalon In Brushed Nickel, $140. atlashome waresdirect.com
Door Knocker In Green Patina, $495. urban archaeology.com Urn Style In Satin Nickel, $47. emtek.com
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Pineapple In Polished Brass, $150. jefferson brass .com
Photograph by STUART T YSON
STYLING BY MEGUMI EMOTO/ANDERSON HOPKINS
Black Iron Horse Shoe Ring $50. williamssonoma.com
5810 Black Tempal – NEW
Beautifully superior. Designed by nature. Perfected through innovation. Learn more at ceasarstoneus.com