Yard Work: The crooked straight and the rough places plain.....

Fran and Greg standing on a small mountain of earth with the house beyond

I've been working on a project up in Armonk for a few years now, mostly on paper but, we're at the point where work is fast and furious. The property is situated on a craggy hillock with some nice views but it was an awkward site. Lucio our architect suggested creating a retaining wall which has allowed us to double the size of the front courtyard and relocate the driveway on axis with the main door.

One of several big machines which is moving and filling in....

Two views of the massive retaining walls which will contain the new courtyard 

They'll be finished off with brick.

                              

Before and After: New NYC Digs!

So as some of you know, we've been planning on moving back to NYC for a while....with most of my clients living in NY the commute was just a boar...so we've finally taken  the plunge and this is it....for at least 4 years.......it's not our 'dream' NYC apt but, it's in Manhattan and it will be dandy when it's put together...I may just feel like a prettier, younger Carrie Bradshaw with less hair and my

 Mr. Best.........

Top two pics are our view......there's the Hudson River somewhere behind those trees....

This will be our bed room

The small office where I will work diligently every day........

The dining room/library.....where we will somehow cram thousands of books

The living room......

Our typical NYC 'pre-war' hallway....

Will post afters as soon as they're done......in the meantime off to buy sheets and pillows and water......

Scheme for a Room: Bed Room in Chelsea

Although most of my clients ask for traditional decoration I'm sometimes called on to do transitional or modern interiors. I'm a big fan of modern but I don't necessarily view it as a style.....it's more a point of view so, you can use old or antique elements in a modern way. The bedroom above is a nice example of repurposing items.

The rug is a good 19c kilim. Bed is vintage Christian Liagre and the antique leather cases make for extra storage. Neutral warm gray walls and a deco lamp, metallic pillow and great sheets complete the scene. Simple, elegant.

Scheme for a Room: Living Room in NYC

Putting a room together is always a lot of fun but not when it's my own. So I've used Ric as my client and the results for our new Living Room will be very masculine and a bit reserved with comfortable furniture and a lack of any fuss. We haven't settled on art work yet and of course HIS favorite bookcase must have pride of place.

Luckily for me Ric's fond of Library furniture.This is a great old chair in a beautifully worn green leather

A modernist 'skyscraper' pedestal will live between the two windows and on it we'll place a 19c  Barbedienne bronze

A long Jean Michel Frank style sofa that will be done in slate blue velvet. There will also be two armchairs in brown glove leather

Leaving bids on a pair of 19c lamps ....perhaps we'll win them.

Fabrics; all cashmere for curtains in soft and muted earth tone.I've also found some 17thc scraps that will become pillows......

the blue goatskin on upper right is for four Madeleine Castaing chairs which are going to live in the Library/dining Room we're discussing a japanese inspired wallpaper .....but that's another story altogether

The room is anchored by a mid 19c Persian Heriz in muted tones

What I'm looking at Today: Cartonierre and boxes

I really like French Office Furniture.....These usually tall cases hold boxes made of cardboard sometimes covered in leather or canvas that flip open. Basically early filing cabinets they are now stylish storage or simply an architectural presence in a room.

A tall ebonized case with canvas 'drawers' with stylish lozenge shaped label holders

              

A more severe example made of wood

A 1940's example that doubles as an architect's desk. The drawers are cream colored embossed leather

The last is actually a 17c style box, not technically a 'cartonierre' but interesting storage.

Russel Wright : making modern cool.

What I'm Looking At Today: Tole

TOLE:

Originally began in 18th c. New England and was extensively carried on among German immigrants in Pennsylvania. Usually utensils, trays, tin items and later on decorative items. I'm thinking of these for a Breakfast room or Sun Porch.

Tole Lemon trees

Tole Lemon Sconces