Design Diary: Girl’s Study by Erin Gates

Elements of Style blogger and interior designer Erin Gates designed this lovely work space for a nine-year-old girl  in Newton, Mass. Gates decorated most of the rooms in the family’s house, which are featured in her book, but recently went back to update this room. I wrote about it in a StyleWatch column for the Boston Globe Magazine, published this past Sunday. More decor details and sourcing links (some of which are StyleCarrot partners) included here. The beautiful photos are by Boston-based photographer Sarah Winchester.

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The goal was to create a space sweet enough for a young girl, but modern enough that guests would feel comfortable there (and so she wouldn’t quickly outgrow it). The starting point was the existing purple/grey wall color Benjamin Moore Coastline. The color was a perfect match for the large scale, Arts & Crafts influenced Farrow & Ball Lotus wallpaper, which the client had had her eye on for some time.

A tufted grey velvet daybed from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child anchors the room. She points out, “A daybed is comfortable for reading and doesn’t take up as much room as a bed with a headboard.” (I also like this more streamlined grey velvet daybed from World Market.)

Rather than opting for more obvious silver-toned accents, Gates used gold tones for contrast. Visual Comfort’s French Library wall lamps in antique brass from Circa Lighting provide plenty of reading light and cord covers eliminated the need to hire an electrician to hard wire them.

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They found inexpensive butterfly prints, which were under $20 each, on Etsy, which Gates custom framed in gold metal frames. Gates says, “We looked for art in purple tones that we could layer on top of the wallpaper, and these have a nice, girly feel.”

Gates mixed three different pillow patterns against the dramatic pattern of the wallpaper. The European squares are a painterly geometric ikat and the smaller geometric is by Pindler & Pindler. The pairing of these prints provide a nice combination of softness and structure. Kelly Wearstler “Sea Urchin” fabric by Groundworks from Lee Jofa adds an organic element to the mix, while providing some texture.”The secret to mixing,” Gates says, “is to use a monochromatic color palette and play with scale.”

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An inexpensive gold side table echoes the finish of the brass sconces. In choosing a table height to work with the swooped arm of the daybed, Gates advises it be somewhere in the middle of the high and low point for ease of use as a nightstand and side table.

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It was important that a desk provide enough room for more than one person, so Gates positioned the white lacquer Parsons table from West Elm perpendicular to the wall. The hammered brass table lamp and the gold frame around the linen-covered pinboard from Pavona Interiors on Etsy ties in with the gold accents on the other side of the room.

Gates opted for a grey velvet side chair instead of a rolling desk chair since it would function better on the carpet. The homeowner already owned the purple pagoda pillow from the Happy Chic by Jonathan Adler collection at JCPenney.

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The tall and narrow metal bookshelf on casters from CB2 is the perfect dimension for the space between the windows, leaving a bit of breathing room on each side so the curtains don’t bunch up behind it. The family already owned the Eames rocker.

Makkas Drapery Workroom in Framingham, Mass.made the custom ivory and gray linen curtains. (They made the pillow covers too.)  “Custom drapes look so much more finished, so I always advise going custom if it’s in the budget,” says Gates. She opted for a Parisian pleat, which is the only one she uses, preferring the clean lines that are less fussy look than a traditional pleat, which fans out at the top.

Gates hung the curtain rods as high as possible, right under the crown molding, to add height, which is important in rooms with eight- or nine-foot ceilings. As for the length, she says, “I like them to just kiss the floor. Puddled drapes just collect dust.”

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S H O P the P O S T

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Shop draperies at Serena & Lily >

Get the Look: 41 Geo Faceted Furnishings

Today I am the guest blogger for New England Home. The magazine, based here in Boston, has a robust blog, with daily posts from the publication’s editors and contributors, along with guest bloggers like myself. My post is “Geometry Lesson,” with photos of the geo trend I took around Boston, plus interior design finds from Pinterest.

Below is the shopping segment so you can incorporate a piece into your own rooms. The prices range from totally do-able (West Elm Polyhedron Pendant) to high concept (Max Lipsey’s storage units at Matter). You’ll see I snuck in a classic from the ’60s too.

S H O P P I N G

Shop faceted furnishings from StyleCarrot partners and other sites. 

1 Faceture Lightshades by Phil Cuttance at Phil Cuttance.

2 Indian Summer Wallpaper by Juju Papers, $200/roll at Juju Papers.

3 Lauren Ralph Lauren Dustin Dodecahedron Pendant, $440 at Circa Lighting.

4 Studio Trivetz Trivets, $11 each at Weego Home.

5 Crio Pendant Light by Fabbian, $1,539.52 at YLighting.

6 Rhombins by Pfeiffer Lab, $30 at The Dwell Store.

7 Closely Separated Vase by Muuto, $129 at Finnish Design Shop.

8 Prime Candle Stand by Aaron Silverstein at Hedge, 1st Dibs.

9 Gridwall by Matt Gagnon at Matt Gagnon Studio.

10 Magis Stacking Chair, $1,968/set of four at AllModern.

11 Hicks Hexagon Wallpaper by Cole and Son, $188/roll at .

12 Crushed Bowl by Muuto, $47 (+VAT) at Scandinavian Design Center.

13 Diamond Cube Object, $173 at DwellStudio.

14 Chromed Steel Pyramid Base Coffee Table, $2,750 at Assemblage, 1st Dibs.

15 Pac Console by Arktura, $1,560 at 2Modern.

16 Facet Jug by Piet Hein Eek, $1,688 at The Future Perfect.

17 Polyhedron Indoor/Outdoor Pendant, $149 at West Elm.

18 Acciaio Stage 2 Medium Cabinet by Max Lipsey, $14,250 at Matter.

19 Themis Mobile by Artecnica, $30 at A+R Store.

20 Sage Pyramid by Iacoli & McAllister, $165 at Iacoli & McAllister.

21 Kaleido Trays by Hay Market, from $15 at A+R Store.

22 Acciaio Stage 2 Low Cabinet by Max Lipsey, $11,600 at Matter.

23 Polyhedron Candlesticks by Revisions Design Studio on Etsy.

24 QuaDror Wall by Studio Dror, price upon request at Studio Dror.

25 Cinque Copper Pendant by Iacoli & McAllister, $795 at Iacoli & McAllister.

26 Polyhedron Necklace, £45 at Victoria & Albert Museum Shop.

27 The Zoid Table by Meier/Ferrer, $24,000 at Dering Hall.

28 Honeycomb Light by Luceplan at Luceplan.

29 Special Edition Clock by Nick Johnson for Fab.com

30 Méo Shelf by Olivier Desrochers at OD Design.

31 Pedrera Coffee Table by Gubi, $979 at Finnish Design Shop.

32 Dom Floor Lamp, £179.70 at Holly’s House.

33 Perrette Container by Y’as Pas Le Feu Au Lac, $45.10 at A+R Store.

34 ny.11.#42 Print by Jennifer Sanchez, $60 at 20×200.

35 Colour Platter Sand by Scholten & Baijings, €550 at Scholten & Baijings.

36 Large Spica Light by Iacoli & McAllister, $1,906.13 at Lumens.

37 Marbleized Polyhedron Weight, $300 at Gris,1st Dibs.

38 Quartz No. 2 Terrarium by Score + Solder, $300 at Score + Solder.

39 Ravello Flatweave Runner, from $125 at DWR.

40 Facet Rug by DwellStudio, $495 at Wayfair.

41 George Side Table by Oly Studio at Candelabra.