Living and Dining Room Concept Board

Designing a client's house is challenging, but designing one's own space is even more so. All of usual the constraints a client gives - the time frame, the budget, and the functional requirements, are up to oneself to set. Perhaps most challenging for me is narrowing down the possible directions in the presence of so many design schemes brewing in my head. As for the functional requirements of this space, it needs to serve as both a living room and a dining room. It will be used to entertain guests for soirées as well as relax by oneself on the increasingly infrequent quiet Sunday afternoon.

So here's a little peek into my design process:

Finding a Starting Point

I lived with the space for a bit to find its spirit and discover the kinds of feelings I want the space to evoke. I found its light enchanting and couldn't help but design a room that capitalized on this strength. Yet I wanted the room to feel engaging and grounded through both its pieces and palette.

The Backdrop and Palette

The chosen backdrop is a luminous but sophisticated pale pink, Setting Plaster by Farrow and Ball, reminiscent of the sun-drenched villas of Italy. Against it, I'll use a largely harmonious palette of blush, cream, taupe, brown, and some unique colors in between. Spaces that are too harmonious can feel dull and ungrounded, so I'll punctuate the design with black and parcel gilt pieces such as the Chinese screen and Regency chairs. This combination will create an elegant and bright room that will both glow during the day and make me and my guests look wonderful during the evening.

In addition to the paintwork, I'll be installing period-inspired mouldings and trim throughout to bring interest and presence to the space. Underfoot I'll place rush matting. Its olfactory attributes will enliven guests' senses upon entering while its strong textural properties will sharply contrast with the delicacy of the painted and polished furniture.

The Pieces

The living area will be composed of the Howard-style sofa, behind which I'll place the Chinese lacquer screen. Since these are the most substantial pieces, I'll place them at the end opposite where one enters, thereby diminishing their proportions.

To complete the seating group, I'll place the two Maison Bagues tables in front of the sofa and flank the sides with the pair of Louis XVI chairs, upholstered in the Rose-colored Pierre Frey velvet. To keep the room from getting too leggy, I'll use a skirted table (yes, I am bringing these back!) on one end of the sofa.

The dining space will use the Regency table and chairs, which link to the Chinese screen. The corresponding wall will take 18th C. French engravings, enlivening what could be a somewhat severe composition.

The Roman statue (I'll have to use a later piece due to budgetary considerations) will soften and bring interest to the most needy corner of the room. The Swedish consoles will line either side of the to-be installed mantle to create a pleasingly symmetric arrangement while adding dimensionality to a very long wall.

I chose a colorless George III-style chandelier to bring an ethereal quality to the space and reflect as much light as possible.

Now I'm on to sourcing pieces and refining the concept while I simultaneously start my next room.

Stay tuned.

Sources:

1. 18th C. French hand-colored etchings by Louis François Cassas

2. George III-style chandelier

3. Irish George III Carved Giltwood Mirror

4. Pair of Louis XVI fauteuils

5. Chinese Parcel-Gilt Black Lacquer Screen, Early 20th C.

6. George II Burled Walnut Chest of Drawers

7. Pair of Late 18th C. Swedish Consoles

8. Stratford by Kingcome Sofas

9. Skirted Table in Brunschwig & Fils Fabric

10. Maison Bagues Pair of Gilt Brass Side Tables

11. A Roman Over Life-Size Marble Statue of a Draped Woman, 1st C. AD

12. An English Regency Mahogany Breakfast Table, Circa 1810

13. A Set of English Regency Dining Chairs

14. Rush Matting Available in custom and larger sizes at Rush Matters.

15/16. Pierre Frey Linen Velvets

17. Scalamandré Sam Ikat

18. Kravet Velvet

19. Pierre Frey Silk Moiré

20. Brunschwig & Fils Les Touches

Iris Apfel at Home

The fashion set knows her well, but her home is perhaps just as remarkable and unique as her attire. Brilliant and fearless, Iris Apfel has created a space full of her life's collections. This New York apartment clearly subscribes to an eclectic and layered approach, not one of rigid rules or prescribed formulas. She and her husband founded Old World Weavers, which explains at least in part the profusion of textiles. Beyond the multitude of patterns and prints, the lighthearted and theatrical nature of this space gives it a life and exuberance so rare in today's interiors. Bravo.

Top image from The New York Times. All other images from Architectural Digest.

Jacques Garcia at Home

A legend in the world of design, Jacques Garcia is perhaps best known for his contemporary interiors. So today I bring another masterpiece of his, but a much more historically-oriented one: his Paris residence as it was in the late 1980s following an extensive rehabilitation of the historic structure.

Located at 28 Rue des Tournelles, Hôtel de Sagonne was designed by Jules Hardouin Mansart (1645-1708), chief architect to Louis XIV, when he was just 28 years old. The mansion's construction commenced in 1674 but didn't complete until 1685 as Mansart was simultaneously working on other masterpieces including the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles. When Jacques Garcia took hold of the property he performed extensive restorations to uncover the original ceilings and reinstate the boiseries and floorboards in a way that did justice to the original.

There are so many things I love about this space, beyond just the exquisite French antiques, many of which were royal pieces dispersed during the French revolution.

This former office of Mansart is intimate but also incredibly elegant with its original boiseries. The lit d'alcove looks like such a nice spot to do some reading, sheltered by the curtains and a warm space full of books.

The kitchen also serves as a dining room and features the original Delft tiles. This space is such a refreshing counterpoint to the enormous industrial kitchens so in vogue today, where everything looks as if it belongs in a car manufacturing plant. No enormous island. No stainless steel appliances. I'm really not sure where the refrigerator and range live and I rather like it that way.

Images from Private Paris by Marie-France Boyer.

Chateau de Montgeoffroy

Chateau de Montgeoffroy is located in the Loire Valley and dates to the 1770s when it was built for Marquis de Contades. The oval dining room was the first of its sort to be built in France and signaled a shift away from the mainstream preference of the French to dine in their salons. Notice the width of the Louis XV chair seats - these were designed to accommodate ladies' skirts, which were quite large at the time. It is speculated that this table may have been the first at which pâté de foie gras was served as the delicacy was invented by the Marquis' chef. I'm not particularly enamored with pâté de foie gras but this room is another story altogether.

Top image from Interiors by Min Hogg. Exterior images by Manfred Heyde.