Self-afflicted

No pain, no glory. The pursuit of beauty is a self-affliction but one that I most typically bare at the service of others. This next project is bound to be of the endlessly laborious variety but I'm excited to call it my own. From one lady to another I think Audrey Hepburn understands why we take this journey and why I can't wait to make #chateauclaremont a home.

"The beauty of a woman must be seen from within her eyes because that's the doorway to her heart [and] the place where love resides." — Audrey Hepburn

Summer Spectrum

I fashion myself an autumn baby but summer 2015 was unlike any other. Weeks effortlessly rolled into weekends and life went uninterrupted. I felt a sense of playfulness return as the days and nights bore energy. The sun was hot and sublime but routinely gifted restorative evenings (cured with a touch of lime and gin). T. Rex was on repeat and dreams were a spectacular arrangement of color and light..

Just the other day while standing alone on a Nantucket beach I sensed imminent change. With one breath all the season’s intoxications discharged. However mournful I’m heartened by the enduring nature of things. Summer and all of its fantasies will not only keep, they’ll continue to inspire.

Cheers to a ravishing season!

"Black Metal"

This year’s AD Home Show features a spectacular array of exhibitors and innovative product but the “Black Metal” booth immediately caught my attention and kept pulling me back in. Collaborations between artisans are an age-old practice but it’s a rare privilege to experience such cohesive excellence. Calico’s wallpaper creates an explosive backdrop for Ravenhill and Chen Chen + Kai Williams’ designs. The individual products are articulated like object matter in space – everything is concurrently clear, electric and undisputedly magnetic. The science of product display at this level is pure innovation! 

Congratulations IFDA Selects 2015 AD Home Show Innovative Booth Design award recipients: Brendan Ravenhill, Calico Wallpaper and Chen Chen + Kai William for "Black Metal".

brendanravenhill.com          calicowallpaper.com          chen-williams.com          

FEELIN' MOODY

Delving into new projects is always a thrill but this scheme has me particularly excited. Soft palettes meet hard notes and plush fashions. We're channeling an organic spirit that is unmistakably chic — a space that has a mood and mind all of its own.

THEM BONES

Good bones are always a plus but if you don't got 'em, fake 'em. By focusing strictly on surface materials we transformed this lack-luster foyer into a beautiful entry hall. New moldings, custom doors, sturdy hardware, fresh paint and oversized natural slate floor tile resembles nothing of this room's humdrum beginnings.

Crowning Accents

Over the course of a project you witness so many shifts in the perceived space of a room. The first transformation begins with demolition and the process of rebuilding. Layer in new finishes and your very recollection of the space can disappear in an instant. Next comes broad stroke furniture installation, which can leave the space feeling emptier then when you started. The final phase is a tedious exercise of appointing details that create warmth and composition. It can take 3 or 4 passes before the space begins to settle and a room comes into view. 

I'm currently enjoying these emerging spaces. A couple more passes and we should be good.

Inhalation, Installation, Exaltation!

The days leading up to these recent installations had me holding my breath. Murphy's Law is prophetic and your only wish is to make your client happy. Realtime feedback like this is a gift.

"I LOVE the cabinet. I have to say it has exceeded my expectations. You outdid yourself on the design and materials. Thanks so much for everything. Really wonderful!" — Exchange Place

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Custom media cabinet installation at Exchange Place.

One of 3 disappearing wall shelves installed at our Shabby Chic Loft project.

PROJECT NOTABLES

There are a million moments to savor over the course of a project. The incremental milestones serve as a major motivation and learning for me. Each snapshot is a moment of pause — to study, judge carefully, and apply fresh thinking. I've found these moments contribute greatly to the overall success of a project and in the interim I enjoy sharing what's happening in my corner of the field with you.

Progress snapshot of West End Avenue residence.

Progress snapshot of West End Avenue residence.

Renderings to real life: Progress snapshot of West End Avenue residence.

A quiet corner of the master bedroom at our West End Avenue project.

An outtake that didn't make the cut at our Montclair House photo shoot.

Progress snapshot of our Shabby Chic Loft — A quick glimpse at the newly reappointed furnishings and artwork.

Metal moments: West End Avenue project.

Schemin'

"The beginning is the most important part of the work." — Plato

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Some feverishly handsome selections reserved for Exchange Place.