Category: Scheming

Scheming: Meredith + Daniel’s Dining Spaces

It’s been a while since I’ve reported on Meredith & Daniel’s apartment; I definitely owe you some schemes. It’s coming together. The apartment has two living room/dining room spaces, each on either side of the kitchen. One will function as the playroom/family room with a casual eating area. The other is a more grown-up living room and dining room. Both are still usable by any age—the grown-up one is hardly formal, but it will be  a toy-free zone (we hope!). As you can see, the tables and chairs for both are quite durable and versatile. A glam sputnik dresses up the adult space.

 

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Scheming: Meredith and Daniel’s Entry

FINAL  E N T R Y   SCHEME

Jonathan Adler “Greek Key” wallpaper in gray/white
Jonathan Adler  “Queen Anne” mirror in orange lacquer
Bungalow 5 “Odom” console in gray lacquer
George Nelson “Pear” lamp, YLighting

West Elm “Crescent” bench in whitewashed ash
Timorous Beasties “Butterflies” wallpaper in frost

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THE  P R O C E S S 

I started out by ordering swatches of about a dozen wallpapers. Some were great, others were unpleasant surprises. (Oversize metallic patterns on mylar—no thanks.) My favorite was Timorous Beasties “Thistle Superwide” in black on ivory; no surprise to those of you who read regularly.

Meredith wasn’t crazy about the more illustration-like choices, though eventually “Thistle” grew on her, and she asked about a less bold version.

I liked the idea of doing “Thistle Superwide” in gray on ivory, with Timorous Beasties “Birds’n’Bees” in the powder room. Neither one of us are huge bird fans, but the quality of the papers and the colors look beautiful together. Nevertheless, we decided to hold out for a swatch of the new “Butterflies” paper. We’re still waiting!

I stopped by Jonathan Adler on Newbury to take a look at some furniture and rugs. They had a wall with a console done in  “George“. Fab!

Cole and Sons “Hicks Hexagon”  |   Jonathan Adler “George”


Photo: Mikkel Vang for Domino

Then it hit me: David Hicks “Hexagon.”  It’s fresh, but timeless. Daniel liked the blue colorway, but Meredith preferred a more subtle pattern, so I put this together:

S C H E M E  1

Lights: West Elm “Polyhedron” – Sonneman “Castelli” – George Nelson “Pear Criss Cross” – Z Gallerie “Glo” – IKEA “Knappa”
Wallpaper: Ferm Living “Ribbed” –  Kreme “Chevron” – Jonathan Adler “Greek Key”
Consoles: West Elm “Source” – Bungalow 5 “Odom” – World’s Away “Noho”
(Meredith & Daniel’s own octagonal mirror)

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S C H E M E  2

Meredith loved the chevron and the Greek key papers, along with the simple gray lacquer console. Many of the pendants I had chosen only used 60-watt bulbs, so we went with a George Nelson; they’re great functionally, aesthetically, and budget-wise.  Then I added  a couple of other consoles that look pretty with the chevron paper.

Wallpaper: Kreme “Chevrons”
Light: George Nelson “Pear Criss Cross”
Consoles:  Bungalow 5 “Parsons” – Bungalow 5 “Marco” – Bungalow 5 “Odom”

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I also suggested a bench for around the corner, since there was plenty of room, and with a toddler, quite useful. Here’s the “Butterflies” paper that we’re still waiting to see in real life. Love the green; perhaps for the powder room?  Details for the consoles show the lacquered grasscloth finish and nailhead detailing.

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S C H E M E  3

The nailhead console was too short, the white too white (plus, no drawer), so the glossy gray lacquer it is. With a pale gray paper and the console’s simple silhouette, I was afraid the finished look wouldn’t make enough of an impact. Although we never discussed orange for anywhere in the apartment, I couldn’t resist adding this mirror. She loved it!  Yay! Now we need to find somewhere else to put the octagonal mirror.

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S C H E M E  3

And finally . . . 

Do you love it? We do!

I love the quirky silhouette of the mirror paired with the clean-lined console. Its curves, plus that of the classic modern pendant, provide contrast against the pale backdrop of the bold Greek Key pattern, while the shape of the console echoes it. And the orange and glossy gray colors really pop. Can’t wait to see it IRL!

MORE: Scheming: Meredith & Daniel’s Master Bedroom

Scheming: Meredith and Daniel’s Master Bedroom

If you read my blog post about gray sofas earlier this month, then you know I have sashayed into the realm of decorator. To recap: A friend asked me to decorate her new four bedroom apartment in New York City. There’s no construction, kitchens or baths involved; it’s the paint and wallpaper, furniture, rugs, lighting, and accessories. There are a few pieces making the move that I’ll need to integrate, and the toddler’s room is pretty much set, leaving the master bedroom, nursery, guest bedroom/office, playroom, living room, and dining room.

The master bedroom seemed like the easiest place to start. Meredith is really drawn to this bedroom, particularly the jade color, designed by New York City designer Fawn Galli.

Designed by Fawn Galli

I’m a huge fan of Fawn’s work. In this room, I  love the dramatic green headboard and wallpaper with surreal  tree forms. However, the bedroom that really spoke to me for this project was the one I wrote about for TradHome, by San Francisco designer (of whom I am equally enamored), Palmer Weiss.

Designed by Palmer Weiss

Some of the differences between the two rooms reflect how my tastes and Meredith’s can differ. She tends to favor curvier, more feminine styles, while I really like more spare, hard-edged lines. Luckily, blue and green are both of our go-to colors.

She knew she wanted an upholstered headboard. After sifting through styles and swatches from Jonathan Adler, Dwell Studio, Serena & Lily, West Elm, Crate & Barrel, Ballard,  Williams-Sonoma, Oly, Cisco, Vanguard, and Lee Industries, we chose the Serena & Lily Pondicherry trimmed with nickel nailheads. We haven’t confirmed an exact fabric yet, but it will be white.

For wallpaper on the bed wall, we ordered samples from Walnut Wallpaper, Graham & Brown, Burke Decor,and indie designers’ sites. I didn’t find a jade green—most were sea foam or pale sky blue. She liked several, and we narrowed it to two choices: Grow House Grow! ‘Mme. Jeanne’ and the new Timorous Beasties ‘Butterflies,’ which we have yet to see IRL (in real life).

Master bedroom floor plan

Which decorating scheme do you prefer?  
Feel free to leave feedback. Remember, I’m new at this.

Scheme #1

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Scheme #2

S H O P P I N G

Scheme #1
Wallpaper:
Grow House Grow! Mme. Jeanne, Grow House Grow!

Bed:
Serena & Lily Pondicherry Bed with Nailheads, Serena & Lily.

Nightstands:
Malibu Loft by Somerset Bay Concave Side Chest, Zinc Door.
Bungalow 5 Jacqui Side Table, Clayton Gray Home.
Jonathan Adler Preston Side Table, Jonathan Adler.

Rugs:
Suzanne Kasler Oria Flower rug,  Safavieh.
Jill Rosenwald ‘Fallon’ flat weave wool rug,  Hayneedle.
Surya Spectrum wool rug, RugStudio.
Suzanne Kasler Athene wool & silk rug, Zinc Door.
Martha Stewart Ikat Marsh wool & silk rug, Zinc Door.
Frontier Moroccan flat weave wool rug, Zinc Door.
Bowron vintage shearling rug, Burke Decor.

Chandeliers:
Arteriors Caviar Staggered Pendant, Candelabra.
Calais Glass Chandelier in Aquamarine,  Z Gallerie.

Dressers:
World’s Away Studly Lacquer Dresser, The Well Appointed House.
Jonathan Adler Channing 6-Drawer Dresser, Jonathan Adler.

Scheme #2
Wallpaper:
Timorous Beasties Butterflies,  Timorous Beasties.

Bed:
Serena & Lily Pondicherry Bed with Nailheads, Serena & Lily.

Nightstands:
Bungalow 5  Jacqui Side Table, Clayton Gray Home.
Malibu Loft by Somerset Bay Concave Side Chest, Zinc Door.

Rugs:
David Easton Paro Grid wool & silk rug, Zinc Door.
Shabati Paxi wool & acrylic rug, Zinc Door.
Surya Spectrum ivory rug, Hayneedle.
Thomas O’Brien Deco Garden wool & silk rug, Zinc Door.
Surya Thom Filicia Griffith Park wool & viscose rug, Buy.com.

Chandeliers:
(Existing) Five-Light Coral Branch Chandelier, Ballard Designs.
Arteriors Caviar Chandelier, The Well Appointed House.

Dressers:
Bennett Lowboy Dresser, Zinc Door.
Malibu Loft by Somerset Bay 12-Drawer Dresser, Zinc Door.
Vanguard Mirrored Chest, Horchow.