My newest column for Stuff Magazine came out last week. It’s the Guy Issue, so the piece is about a guy’s guy. The hed pretty much says it all: “How does a Harley-Davidson kind of guy channel his feminine side? Through an interior designer, of course.” It’s a fun read, and garnered quite the comments at the end. Here are some additional pictures and some extra details.
MARK RIGGS IN HIS NEWLY DESIGNED LIVING ROOM
Mark’s a VP at a software company in Cambridge. His place is 2,500 square feet is in the South End. He initially tried to decorate on his own, but didn’t like the result. When he met Kristin Gaughan of Urban Living Studio he hired her to reinvent the space. The goal? To make it a refuge for a single guy who’s always on the go, but comfortable and approachable enough for a woman to snuggle in, and maybe whip something up in the kitchen, were she so inclined.
If you scroll down you can see some before pictures. As, you can see, the fireplace wall was completely re-vamped. Kristin handpicked the granite surround to match the countertop of the new island in the kitchen. No bachelor pad is complete without an oversize TV. This one’s 62-inches and swivels every which way. Below it is a speaker around which she designed a custom flange for a streamlined effect. The stereo equipment (all Bang & Olufsen) is tucked into a built-in cabinet on the far side of the fireplace wall. Of course, the music and television are controlled by remote, but so are the skylight shades, the overhead fan, and the fireplace. Dude!
Love the Eames lounge atop the cowhide rug. Light pours in through the window, making this a favorite spot for after work relaxation (when it’s too cold for the deck, that is).
BEFORE PICTURES
Not sure who this guy is in the kitchen, so never mind him. But didn’t Kristin do an amazing job with the space? She pulled down those awful top cabinets, which immediately opened things up. The island was reworked into a longer, sleeker shape and topped with honed granite. She replaced the exposed brick with bisque subway tile, and added stainless steel shelving. The bottom cabinetry was retained to cut costs, and the fridge too. Kristin reclaims what she can, but brings it to the next level.
Mark asked Kristin to outfit his kitchen in true chef style. The Wolf range (love the red knobs, nice choice Kirstin!), the espresso maker, wine cooler, Shun knives, and oversize pepper mill do the trick. The freezer is stocked with vacuum-packed king salmon and yellow eye he catches with his brother in Alaska on their yearly fishing trips.
THE DECK
Great view looking towards the Back Bay, of the Prudential and the Hancock.
Mark sits out there after work with a scotch and cigar.
BEDROOM
I was impressed with how neatly the bed is made. Mark chose the bedding himself (in fact, he says Kristin isn’t a fan). She swapped the draperies for the tailored Roman shade. It’s not visible in the photo, but in addition to the second TV, there’s a gas fireplace in here too. The painting of the nude woman is a work he purchased in Paris. The small sculptures on the dresser are by a Mexican artist he stumbled upon while on vacation in Punta Mita. There’s also a painting of taxicabs in NYC and a cityscape of Rome. He brings home art (and clothing!) from his travels.