Design Diary: Leah Fish Does Up Her Brother’s Bachelor Pad

Photographer Dan Cutrona pitched this place to me for a local magazine’s “Men’s” issue, but since said man was transferred to the Midwest, we weren’t able to do it. It’s a great place in the South End, furnished by Boston area designer Leah Fish for her brother Ed Fish. Ed, 30, purchased  the two bedroom condo when he was getting his MBA at MIT. He asked his sister to keep it modern and clean, with nice furniture and unique artwork. The condo was to epitomize his life’s next phase—although a student, he was more grownup than frat boy. Leah did a superb job putting together the perfect environment for a single guy who likes to entertain, and doesn’t need the hassle of high maintenance. Let’s have a look.

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Ed on his new Eames lounge. Definitely a splurge, but Leah knew he’d have it forever. The vintage floor lamp is from Reside in Cambridge.

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The living room needed to function as a place for watching sports on TV, but also socializing with friends.

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Chair by Gus* Modern from Addo Novo in the South End.

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The sleek credenza, also from Addo Novo, is a nice counterpoint to some of the more organic and vintage pieces. A terrarium by Lynzariums sits on top and an Alex Katz print (a forever investment), from Beth Urdang Gallery on Newbury Street, hangs above.

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The coffee table is a gigantic piece of teak that Leah found at Hudson in the South End, for which she had a piece of glass cut for the top. The antique kilim rug is also from Hudson.

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The vintage dining table and chairs are from Reside. They like the industrial feel of the chairs, which they Leah had reupholstered in black leather.

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It wasn’t in the budget to do anything to the kitchen, but the dark wood cabinets were fine, and the appliances high quality.

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Ed spent a summer interning in Japan with a famous ceramicist. The photo, taken by their mom’s friend, is of Ise, a sacred shrine.

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The metal staircases add an industrial vibe. They didn’t need to refinishe the dark brown floors.

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The half bath’s wall-mounted sink is space-conscious. A large window lets in a blast of light.

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This staircase leads up to the roof deck. The abstract artwork, from the Howard Yerzertsky Gallery in SoWa, is by Brian Zink, who works in Plexiglass. It was a big purchase, and Leah points out that the photo doesn’t do it justice. She says, “It’s very crisp and contemporary. The thick panels of Plexiglass are very precisely cut, and give off a shine that makes it interesting.”

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The roof deck has the ultimate Boston guy touch—two chairs from Fenway Park.

Photography by Dan Cutrona

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Get the Look: 32 Upholstered Headboards

Silent night loves StyleCarrot. Looking for a high quality bed? Don’t forget to take a look at the beds and mattresses from Silent night.

Here are 32 beds to go along with yesterday’s collection of rooms with upholstered headboards. My favorites are the Serena & Lily silhouettes, though I also love the first DwellStudio and the Oly Ingrid in Raffia. The IKEA is quite ingenious; it’s actually not upholstered, but a fabric cover that slips over the metal frame. For a more modern look, the BluDot Nook looks cozy.

 

 

S H O P P I N G

1 Deco Bed in Glazed Linen at Dwell Studio.

2 Tyler Bed at Thrive Furniture.

3 Fillmore Bed in Coral Jaipur at Serena & Lily.

4 De La Espada Bergere Bed at Hive.

5 DUKEN Bed in Idse at IKEA.

7 Zanotta Alfa Bed by Emaf Progetti at Unica Home.

8 Zentique Alaric Bed at Layla Grace.

9 Lillian August Devonshire Bed at Candelabra.

10 Wolcott Bed at Zinc Door.

11 Humphrey Bed in Brushed Canvas Mist at Williams Sonoma Home.

12 Templeton Bed in Supernova Teal at Jonathan Adler.

13 Dodu Bed in Aqua at BluDot.

14 Helaine Bed at Mitchell Gold Bob Williams.

15 Lehigh Upholstered Bed Asha Pewter at Ballard Designs.

16 Nook Bed in Guacamole at BluDot.

17 Oly Studio Ingrid Bed in Raffia at Zinc Door.

18 Swoop Bed in Flanders Silver at Dwell Studio.

19 Octavia Bed in White Canvas at Serena & Lily.

20 Woodhouse Bed in Venice Berry at Jonathan Adler.

21 Louisa Bed in Domino Green at Ballard Designs.

22 Oly Studio Margaret Bed in Raffia at Layla Grace.

23 Nixon Bed in Lucky Turquoise at Thrive Furniture.

24 Thompson Bed by Modloft at Yliving.

25 Gilded Linen Bed in Metallic Cotton at Anthropologie.

26 Pondicherry Bed in Turquoise Peridot at Serena & Lily.

27 Aurora Faux Leather Bed at BedSOS.

28 Frame Lo Bed by Niels Bendtsen at Addo Novo.

29 Nixon Leather Bed in Boulevard Aspen at Thrive Furniture.

30 Cisco Brothers Morgan Bed.

31 Vanguard Bed with Nailheads.

32 Plush Grey Bed at CB2.

Wedo Headboards loves StyleCarrot.
For more upholstered headboards browse the great selection of headboards at Wedo-Headboards.co.uk

FOLLOW S T Y L E C A R R O T  on P I N T E R E S T 

Bedrooms I

Bedrooms II

Kids’ Bedrooms

 

 

Get the Look: 46 Modern Dining Tables

Now that Meredith & Daniel’s dining room schemes are complete, I’ve put together my favorites from  my exhaustive search for dining tables. I’ve included a bit of everything here—round, elliptical, and rectangular—including tables that expand and fold up. Most are modern in style, some are vintage, materials run the gamut from scrap wood to marble, and prices range from $179 (IKEA!) to a piece by Autoban for De La Espada for $12,595.

I’ve been a huge fan of #3 for weeks, and it was just in a kitchen I wrote about for the Boston Globe Magazine. I can’t help but love the Saarinen (I have the side tables and they’re just so satisfying). I really love the mix of marble & rough wood, not to mention the price, of #1. #16 is pretty, and #44 and #46 are great reflections of current trends—dipped and geo. Any favorites here, or that I may have left out?

S H O P P I N G

1 Rock Dining Table, $599 at CB2.

2 Alvar Aalto Dining Table for Artek, $1,905 at FinnStyle.

3 Fritz Hansen Super-Elliptical Table, $2,460 at Danish Design Store.

4 Adaptable Table by TAF Architects for Muuto, £1,395 at Haus.

5 Parson Dining Table by Milo Baughman, $6,800 at Galerie Sommerlath.

6 Nelson Swag Leg for Herman Miller, $1,699 at DWR.

7 Blu Dot Strut Table, $699 at Smart Furniture.

8 Drave Table by Samare, $1,830 at Matter.

9 Adams Solid Maple Extension Table, $1,499 at Room & Board.

10 Brewer Table, $1,199 at Thrive.

11 Saarinen Oval by Eero Saarinen for Knoll, $4,743 at DWR.

12 Welland Table by Ineke Hans, $1,492 at The Future Perfect.

13 PS 2012 Bamboo Dining Table, $179 at IKEA.

14 Shanghai Dining Table, $699 at CB2.

15 Eames Round Table with Veneer Top, $1,099 at Addo Novo.

16 Oly Studio Frank Dining Table, $4,050 at Zinc Door.

17 Breeze Table by Monica Forster for Swedese, £495 at Haus.

18 Flip n Dine Extension Table by Jonas Wahlstrom, $499 at CB2.

19 Simplon Table, by Jasper Morrison for Cappellini $4,131 at Unica.

20 T-Leg Table in Scrapwood by Piet Hein Eek, $4,254 at The Future Perfect.

21 M5 Short Frank Table by Established & Sons,  $2,170 at Matter.

22 Cyclone Dining Table by Isamu Noguchi, $1,898 at Addo Novo.

23 Benson Marble Top Table, $1,549 at Room & Board.

24 231 Scrub Table by Autoban for De La Espada, $4,555 at Addo Novo.

25 Dovetail Remy Table, $862.50 at Candelabra.

26 Gio Ponti Dining Table, Casati Gallery, 1st Dibs.

27 Bond Dining Table, $2,950 at Jonathan Adler.

28 Spoon Folding Table by Antonio Citterio for Kartell, $1,999 at Smart Furniture.

29 Bungalow 5 Fairfax Gray Cerused Oak Table, $2,015 at Zinc Door.

30 Peggy Dining Table by Pearson Lloyd for SCP, $2,400 at Woonwinkel.

31 Blu Dot Sprout Dining Table, $999 at Smart Furniture.

32 Woody Dining Table, $399 at CB2.

33 Teak Slice Expandable Table by Ethnicraft, $3,100 at Lekker.

34 Sputnik Round Table by Paul Delaisse, $1,520 at Lekker.

35 Pocket Extension Table by Slate Design, $499 at CB2.

36 PK 54 Table by Poul Kjaerholm, $10,600 at Almond Hartzog.

37 Astro Dining Table by Calligaris, $1,156.20 at AllModern.

38 Bungalow 5 Porto Dining Table, $2,535 at Candelabra.

39 230 Pebble Table by Autoban for De La Espada, $12,595 at Addo Novo.

40 Oly Studio Maisy Table, $3,37.50 at Candelabra.

41 Opus Oak Hideaway Dining Table, £150 at Next.

42 Kitchenette Light Oak Table, $189 at Crate & Barrel.

43 Extendable Table by Karim Rashid, $2,495 at BoConcept.

44 1/2 Nelson Cafe Table by Misewell, $1,580 at Horne.

45 Compass Trestle Legs Matthew Hilton for SCP, $750 at Horne.

46 Strala Table by Tom Strala, $7,900 at Horne.

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If you are looking for sturdy dining tables then Top Furniture Ltd are worth a look. They offer round, rectangular, and square oak dining tables at great prices from their website.

Get the Look: 22 Sconces that Stretch

I’m trying to come up with a spot in my apartment where I could install one of these super long-armed wall lamps. I’m over the industrial factory look (for my own space anyway). I like the bare bones minimal ones and also the Italian vintage styles from the ’50s, though I fear they’re a bit on the whimsical side for me.  I think #15 is my favorite. Maybe in the family room, over the sofa? That room could use a little architectural-like interest. It’s much more practical than an annoying floor lamp.  Many of these are pricey; the style hasn’t been knocked off  in a frenzy by the usual suspects yet, so I didn’t really find any truly “low” options.

S H O P P I N G 

1. Huge 1950-Inspired Sconces at Antiques MC.

2. Link Small Wall Lamp, $330 at Room & Board.

3. Counterpoise Swing Arm Sconce, $429 at Restoration Hardware.

4. Prouvé Potence by Jean Prouvé, $579 at Bellacor.

5. Workstead Wall Lamp, $475 at Horne.

6. Vintage Swing Arm Lamp, $575 at Addo Novo.

7. Talak Wall Lamp by Neil Poulton by Artemide, $690 at Hive.

8. Deadstock Jib Light by Castor, $1900 at Matter.

9. 1950’s Sconce by Pierre Guariche, $4500 at BG Galleries.

10. Falena Wall Lamp by Alvaro Siza for FontanaArte, $682.20 at Hive.

11. Gooseneck Barn Lamp in Red, $315 at DWR.

12.Array Twin Sconce $2,400 at Siglo Moderno.

13. 265 Wall Lamp by Paolo Rizzatto for Flos, $1295 at DWR.

14. 1950s Stilnovo Articulated Sconce, $7,900 at Modern One.

15. Serge Mouille 2-Arm Sconce by Serge Mouille, $4900 at Horne.

16. Cord Lamp by Brendan Ravenhill, $230 at Horne.

17. Twiggy Ceiling Lamps by Marc Sadler for Foscarini, $2100 at Hive.

18. French Articulating Double Arm Sconce, $1800 at Orange.

19. Tolomeo Mega by Michele De Lucchi for Artemide, $695 at DWR.

20. Tolomeo by Michele De Lucchi for Artemide, $370 at DWR.

21. BL5 Wall Pendant by Robert Dudley Best, $599.50 at Horne.

22. Danish Teak Double Sconce, $1,938 at Art of Vintage.

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Shop more modern lighting at Switch Modern >

Design Diary: Ladder District Loft by Duncan Hughes

I thought I knew most of the designers in Boston, until I encountered Duncan Hughes. Talented, inventive, and sensitive to clients’ lifestyles and tastes, I met Hughes when I was assigned to write a story about a young couple’s downtown Boston loft, “Unpolished Perfection,” for Boston Home’s Spring 2012 issue. Hughes’ work, as you can see here, is fresh and functional, with a sense of humor, a bit of drama, and more than a touch of the practical. (Unrelated tidbit: Hughes recently re-designed a home for Katherine Heigl in L.A.)

Photography by Eric Roth

A wall of faux boxwood greets visitors when they step off the elevator. It’s a surprise of the after being on the busy city street. The ceiling is painted black to suggest a night sky. The sliding barn-style doors are mahogany doors salvaged from a school in Milton, Mass., painted electric blue. The contractor wasn’t thrilled about painting the beautiful old wood, but Hughes convinced him. Hardware: Barndoorhardware.com; wallpaper: Cole & Sons; stools: Wisteria; coat stand: Abodeon, Cambridge.

The elevator doors are done in chalkboard paint; great for last minute grocery reminders. Hughes helped the couple organize the huge living room space. The homeowner told me, “I never lived anymore where we could fit more than one couch, and it was obvious where it would go. Here, not only is there 20 places to put a couch, you could have more than one!”

Roman shades: Kelly Wearstler ‘Trellis’ for Schumacher; artwork: Yes.Oui.Si, Boston; credenza: Abodeon; gray sofa: Room & Board; brown sofa: The Bright Group, upholstered in leather with mohair seat cushion.

Hughes custom designed the cocktail table, fabricated in Lucite by Altec Plastics in Boston. (Yes, the rug is different in this photo, which I took when I visited for the walk-through and interview.)

Next to the living room is another seating area, inspired by Hughes’ recent African safari. He says, “I was fresh off a safari in Botswana, where we’d gather around a fire with director chairs and a full bar. I wanted that effect here. I didn’t want any matching chairs; I wanted it to feel like people just grabbed what was there and pulled them up to talk.”

The trick to a mix and match chair ensemble? “Getting seat heights about the same height, so nobody feels out of place, and making sure everyone’s feet are on the carpet, even just one foot, so they feel like they’re in the group. “Coffee table and chair on left: vintage 1950s  from Reside, Boston; Womb chair from Addo Novo, Boston; wood chair by Blu Dot; artwork: Yes.Oui.Si, Boston.

The fireplace is gas from Sparks, with no hearth, for maximum simplicity. Hughes says, ” The theme is rustic meets modern with a little industrial sprinkled on top.” The surround is done in salvaged barn wood from Maine. Hughes started out wanting to line it with old railroad ties, for a log cabin feel, but ran into issues with toxicity. He chose each piece of wood very carefully, some with knots, some with old paint, and planned out exactly which sections of each board he would use. Later, the contractor picked them up and promptly sawed them right in half so they’d fit, nearly causing Hughes a heart attack. “I thought he was kidding, but we made it work.”

The sconces on the surround are vintage chrome pieces.

Hughes designed a faux window above the bar. It’s lit with fluorescent strips enhanced with gels purchased at a local performing arts hardware store, to get just the right quality of light that it resembles a window. The vintage chandelier has a bit of a deco feel. The long trestle table was handmade in California by the guy who originally had designed a similar table for Restoration Hardware.

Hughes built in a bar on the back of the entry wall, borrowing space from an oversize coat closet. The couple likes to entertain, so the bar was high on their priority list.

The kitchen was already intact when Hughes was hired, but he did spruce up the old fire doors, and added shelves behind them, creating a shallow space perfect for spice jar storage.

To separate the public and private spaces, Hugh designed the black room divider, fabricated from etched polycarbonate. The cloudy finish allows light through, but obscures the mess of toys and such behind it. The shiny tin panel on the right is a pocket door. The piano sits on an oversize sheepskin rug (six pelts sewn together) from Bowron Sheepskin in New Zealand.

Hughes designed an ingenious reading nook at the foot of the stairs, modeled on the outdoor lawn chairs of his youth. The adjustable back is woven with seat belt fabric. The cushion lifts up for storage. The bookcase is extra deep, and accessible from both sides.

Homeowners Darren and Colette Powell.

Designer Duncan Hughes.

For more about the space, design process, Hughes, and the homeowners, read the full story, “Unpolished Perfection” in Boston Home.