Tag: Interior Design

Classical Inspired Design: Furze Croft Mansion

Our design inspiration for today comes from a stunning, newly built Neo-Palladian mansion located in exclusive St. George’s Hill Estate in Surrey, England. The home’s Classical inspired design set a new benchmark standard for luxury home development in the already refined upscale estate. Exceptional quality, architectural integrity, and fine attention to detail define the residence, built to exacting specifications with the finest materials sourced from around the world.

‘Furze Croft’- the name given this mansion, is the result of a 24-month bespoke design and build program by Consero London. The award-winning luxury home developer creates exceptional private residences in the world’s most exclusive addresses. St. George’s Hill Estate was England’s first guarded gated community. It was built in the early 20th century specifically to attract the rich and famous, and it continues to do so today. The resident’s association describes it as “a unique location for successful high achievers looking for a secure private location”. Estate agents declare the area “one of the most sought-after private estates in England.”

The home’s interior architecture includes many Classical inspired design details derived from centuries-old techniques; stone carving, gilding, marquetry, and bespoke cabinetry. These qualities combine with the latest state-of-the-art communications, entertainment, and security technology. The results are a smart, award-winning mansion providing over 14,000 square feet of elegant living and entertaining space over three levels, situated on nearly two acres of secluded, manicured gardens and grounds.

Guests enter the front doors into the home’s double volume grand entrance hall. Marble floors set in a diamond pattern of Botticino Fiorito, inset with Marron Dior black marble define the space. The ceiling opens up to a glass roof cupola above which enables natural light to flow through. Classically inspired design elements layer the room including stacked crown and foot molding and a large Venecia stone fireplace. The overall effect achieves the best of Classic design without feeling heavy or severe. The design of the hand-crafted baluster on the sweeping marble staircase repeats throughout the house in various details. This is a grand hall for receiving guests in style.

The entrance hall leads directly into the perfectly ordered and well-proportioned formal dining room. The elaborate moldings and trim continue in here and throughout the home. The outer wall features floor-to-ceiling windows and doors opening to the extensive outside terrace, allowing for indoor-outdoor dining and entertaining. Grand double doors with hand-crafted architraves and detailing give access to the family kitchen-breakfast room to one side, and on the other, the drawing-room. An expandable round dining table that can seat as many as 18 pairs with custom contemporary dining chairs.

Here we have the spacious family kitchen and breakfast room, which I love. The French doors open onto the rear terrace and gardens. The completely hand-crafted kitchen features appliances from Gaggenau, including a large wine refrigerator. The breakfast banquette fits into the angle of the large island, complete with an oval table and chairs.

The gracious double volume drawing room also has French doors opening onto the rear terrace. This room provides access to the bar which leads to the lounge. The continual succession of spaces opening one onto another, as well as onto the outdoor terrace, creates a fabulous plan for entertaining. The floors here and in several of the public rooms are hand-laid traditional parquetry in solid oak. Bespoke Contemporary furniture gathers together on a custom wool-silk rug before the room’s Georgian-style stone fireplace. The contemporary styling creates the perfect balance for the classical-inspired design of the home.

This home is designed for grand-scale entertaining. On the ground floor, one wing holds an official entertaining suite which includes a full bar and a lounge, though the entire rear of the home gives itself to this purpose. Glass doors across the back of the bar slide completely to the side to fully open and merge these rooms with the outside terrace to create a space which can entertain 200+ people. The dark-stained oak timber floors continue in various styles through these rooms.

The lounge’s curved sitting area opens to the rear gardens. The facing contemporary design crescent twin sofas are gathered on an oval rug, which reflects the ceiling’s design, creating a wonderful conversation area.

The large master bedroom suite includes a central bedroom with a sitting area and a twin set of spacious marble bathrooms and dressing areas on either side. Luxe, bespoke, contemporary furnishings complete the space.

The suite opens onto a private terrace overlooking the rear lawn. How perfect? The separate generously sized contemporary bathrooms both have soaking tubs and rain showers. The home includes five additional spacious bedroom suites. In addition, the home has a two-bedroom staff apartment with a self-contained kitchen, living area, and side entrance.

This home provides the comforts you want! The basement level holds a custom media room with a 120″ screen and surround sound.

A wine storage area complete with custom oak display cabinets, and a glass-enclosed temperature-controlled storage area holds up to 1,700 bottles.

One ground floor wing, dedicated to your health as well as your leisure, contains a large indoor pool, spa, steam room, home gym, a changing room, and plenty of space for lounging. Folding glass doors along the back of the pool room open the space completely to the terrace and gardens.

The garage accommodates up to four limousines and provides direct access to the home. The bonded gravel driveway includes an extensive forecourt with parking space for plenty of cars. You will need it for the hundreds of guests you will be able to entertain here. Hedging borders the well-appointed lawns and grounds with both newly planted with existing trees to provide privacy. The landscaping includes special trees and plants sourced from Tuscany along with lawn sculptures placed about to provide focal points. All very classical-inspired and very tasteful.

To see more residences with Classically inspired design, be sure to see:

Neo-Georgian Style English Estate

Fifth Avenue Classical Design

St. George’s Hill Classical Inspired Design

That concludes today’s design inspiration, my friend. I hope you enjoyed it. Let me hear from you in the comments. What do you all think of this Classical inspired Surrey mansion?

Development by Consero London

Photography by Richard Waite

Thanks so much for reading along with me today!

Have a great day!

September 18, 2015
Grosvenor Crescent Mews House Reinvention

Today’s design inspiration comes from a redeveloped historic Mews house, located within the exclusive Grosvenor Crescent Mews in London’s fashionable Belgravia district. The residence, which formerly consisted of two floors and a partial basement, has undergone a complete interior renovation and transformation, including a basement excavation. Property developer Landmass-London reconfigured the interior architecture into four levels of sleek contemporary living space.

The development, directed by Alan Waxman, orchestrated top interior architecture designers and skilled artisans over a 24-month period to create an exquisite luxury home to exacting standards with a high level of finish out. Everything was bespoke designed for a truly unique home. The traditional look of the cottage-style exterior façade gives little indication of the four floors of luxurious interiors cleverly created behind it. Being a Mews house, the introduction of natural light was a key focus for Landmass’s design team. The home is only open with windows on its front side. To compensate for this, the designers created an inner atrium in a back corner of the property to allow light to flow through the house on all levels.

On the ground level, the front door opens into the contemporary entrance hall with wide plank walnut timber floors that lead to the kitchen and dining room and also gives access to the garage and stairway. The hall includes a bespoke designed leather paneled coat closet. Moving through, you pass over the glass floor and glass walled area that is open to the basement level below. Glass floors allow the natural light to flow through to all levels .

The high style, sophisticated kitchen features lacquered custom cabinetry with quartz stone counter-tops. The appliances are from Miele, which includes double refrigerators , double ovens, and double dishwashers. There is also a wine fridge from Gaggenau.

At the back of the house, the floor and ceiling stop short at a glass balustrade on each of the upper levels to form the inner atrium. The space is open from the basement level below, up through to the sophisticated electronically opening glass roof. Natural light and air flood into the house through this atrium. To add visual drama, the designers installed a custom indoor water feature on the back wall. Water trickles down bronze slabs, from the top of the house to the Zen Garden in the basement.

The basement level was made possible by digging down extra deep with a basement excavation, with a bit of both praise and controversy. The excavation enabled the developer to align all the ceiling heights and ensure that the rooms were of good volume. On this level there is a casual sunken living space which is used as a media room with a large plasma screen and surround sound, complete with custom furnishings of bespoke design. The space includes a central fireplace with glass walls and custom library shelving. A full bar is included down here with a Gagganau wine fridge and cigar humidor. There is also a study, a steam room, and a Zen Garden.

Upstairs, on the first floor, there is a more formal drawing room and a guest bedroom with an en suite bathroom. Clean and edited interiors create a more timeless look. These luxurious interiors include custom silk rugs, contemporary furnishings, and fine finishes with bespoke detailing. The home includes under floor heating throughout, even in the garage. It now boasts a fully integrated home automation and security system, with LCD screen displays and finger-print recognition locks.

The master bedroom suite is on the top floor. It features glamorous interiors including a sleek dressing room with custom closets and bespoke designed display cabinets. The marble master bath has both a Dornbracht rain shower and a separate soaking tub. The third bedroom with en suite bath is also on this level, which completes this home.

The home quickly sold and went on to win several awards for its redesign.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

Mews House Reinvention

Landmass was founded in 1998 by managing director Alan Waxman. Based in London’s Soho, it is a multi-award-winning, RIBA chartered, design and development company. The company delivers meticulously planned design solutions and bespoke luxury properties worldwide.

Landmass evolved from being a developer to a multi-disciplined real estate company. By integrating architectural and interior design, project management and property acquisition services, their dedicated and passionate in-house team can provide a single point of contact for all your property needs.

Luxury Property Development by Landmass London

Thanks so much for reading along with me. I hope you enjoyed and learned much from this Mews house renovation and reinvention. Let me hear from you in the comments.

Have a great day!!

September 14, 2015
Sexy Bachelor Pad Luxury Design

For our design inspiration today, we are taking a look at a dark and sensual penthouse apartment located in the International shipping center of South Holland. This urban residence, with its cosmopolitan style and luxurious interiors, was designed by the Netherlands-based, internationally acclaimed, interior design star Eric Kuster. The designer has created this sexy bachelor pad for a young single guy who wanted a sleek and contemporary design that was classic, yet sophisticated and edgy.

The owner requested a luxuriously appointed residence that would be a personal reflection of himself and his lifestyle. The home was to be inviting, relaxing, and indulgent. A place for entertaining with style, and maybe a little partying. Kuster responded with a design that seduces the senses with a mixture of fabrics and finishes, sights, and scents.

SEXY BACHELOR PAD DESIGN INSPIRATION

All the furniture used, along with the floors, doors, carpets, drapes, leathers, and textiles are from Eric Kuster’s collection- Metropolitan Luxury, and all are classic design hallmarks of the designer’s style. The combination of materials and textures give this sexy bachelor pad it’s luxurious and opulent ambiance.

Crocodile embossed and printed textiles combine with the softest velvet, satin, and fur, along with the thickest of carpet, for a luxurious feel that demands to be touched. Intriguing shadows and the moody combination of deep rich colors; black, gray, brown, and purple, give the space a dramatic effect.

The inspiring interior design plays with contrast for effect; light and dark, earthy, and glossy, dangerous, and fun. This contemporary design is indeed personal and intimate. Kuster has included plenty of statement-making pieces that reflect the personality of the owner. Indeed, this entire sexy bachelor pad is a reflection of an exciting life lived with style.

A high-gloss life requires a high-gloss setting! The designer created a sophisticated design with an edgy-but-playful mood. Metropolitan Luxury is all about taking advantage of what life has to offer, being yourself, taking a step into the unknown, and making it all your own.

“Luxury is about comfort and feeling content. Your possessions should be personal to you, creating a source of serenity in your surroundings! “ EK

Dark colors = Warm moods. This sexy bachelor pad feels like it is just on this side of dangerous. There’s an energy here that suggests – step through these doors, and you may never be allowed to leave. Although, with poetically glamorous interiors such as these, why would you want to?

“I believe everything made in love is beautiful!” EK

“I ABHOR VIOLENCE, BUT I ADORE THE SHAPE OF A GUN!” EK

“Beautiful people deserve beautiful spaces with beautiful things.” EK

INTERIOR DESIGN IS AN APHRODISIAC!

Interior design is about a lifestyle choice, and life is about enjoyment!

The unique atmosphere created here makes this an around-the-clock apartment.

“Embrace the day, but bring on the night.” EK

Eric Kuster designed the state-of-the-art kitchen by Barletti. The wood floors used throughout are from StudioDL. The doors are from Bodor, and the glass fronted fireplace is from Modus, all designed by Eric Kuster, who has exclusive lines with all of them.

That concludes our design inspiration for today my friend.

To see other fabulous homes created by Eric Kuster, be sure to see my post:

Contemporary Design: Eric Kuster

Contemporary Lakeside Villa: Eric Kuster

Sexy Bachelor Pad with Metropolitan Luxury

Since launching his business in the Netherlands in 1999, Dutch-born Eric Kuster has built up a reputation as a pre-eminent provider of luxury, glamor, and quality in high-end homes worldwide. Moreover, his interest in all elements of design has seen him apply his talents to developing multiple lines of luxury home furnishings, fashion, footwear, home fragrances, etc., as well as publishing large coffee table books featuring his work and a twice-yearly magazine. The designer’s label lives under the marque of Metropolitan Luxury. There could not be two words better suited to sit side-by-side and describe his inimitable style, which relies on the perfect balance of classic and contemporary, European, and international.

Today’s Sexy Bachelor Pad is featured in his Metropolitan Luxury Book XIV. This beautiful book shows the designer’s recent international projects and provides the reader with a fascinating look behind the scenes of the lives of the exclusive few; various trend-setting places and people, always state of the art. Kuster’s interiors are a combination of refined designs, stylish glamour, and a meticulous attention to the smallest detail. This book takes the reader on a voyage to the unique world of Eric Kuster.

Interior design: Eric Kuster

Photography: Paul Barbera

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments. I hope you enjoyed this sexy bachelor pad with its luxurious interiors.

Have a great day!

September 8, 2015
Contemporary Beaux-Arts Penthouse: Jessica Lagrange

Today’s residence is a full-floor penthouse apartment on Chicago’s Gold Coast with Contemporary Beaux-Arts interiors created by Jessica Lagrange. The designer created a contemporary interpretation of the classic, opulent French style for modern-day luxury living. The interiors of this home are the source of our design inspiration for today. Come along and see!

The home sits at the top of a premier residential tower with 19th-century French detailing. The 26-story building features a limestone façade with a zinc-clad mansard roof and a corner turret topped with an illuminated lantern. Architect Lucien Lagrange designed the tower in the fashionable Streeterville neighborhood on Lake Shore Drive overlooking Lake Michigan.

Initially, the apartment consisted of just under 5,000-square-feet, from which Lagrange created a two-bedroom unit with plenty of formal space. It would serve as a second home for the owners to entertain. The main design idea was to capture the feel of the Beaux-Arts apartments in Paris. The owners prefer elegant formal rooms and traditional style. The designer commissioned custom millwork and architectural detailing complete with custom finishes. Intricate herringbone wood floors give each room a distinctive presence. Great care went into finishing the apartment with a high level of bespoke details and exacting luxurious finish.

The owners loved their new Contemporary Beaux-Arts pied-a-terre. They loved it so much, when the second half of the floor became available, they purchased it. This doubled their space, now 9,000-square-feet, and allowed them to transform it into a full-time residence.

The designer and her team returned to connect the units seamlessly and to continue the Contemporary Beaux-Arts style created in the first into the new, on an even grander scale. This lead to the creation of a 3rd bedroom suite, a billiards room, media room, exercise room, a wine storage hall, and a gift-wrapping room.

CONTEMPORARY BEAUX-ARTS DESIGN

In the formal living room, the designer combines classic French design with Modern. The glazed paneled walls show a patina that typically comes with age. Views of the lake and parks throughout inspired the use of watery blues and greens. The furnishings gather on a Tabriz rug from Hokanson, centered with a Louis XIV oak console and Kathleen Blackshear’s Dancing Along the Bridge. A pair of Rose Tarlow Melrose covered wing chairs from Dennis and Leen flank the marble fireplace, topped by Julio de Diego’s Vamba.

The open yet formal plan lends itself especially to elegant entertaining with style, providing plenty of places to mingle. The entire home radiates from a central hallway, punctuated at each end with a rotunda. Extensive millwork and custom detailing on the walls and ceilings feature throughout all the public rooms. Every detail received careful consideration.

The formal dining room occupies the round space created within the turret of the building. Tailored draperies frame the floor-to-ceiling windows that line the outer walls and provide unobstructed panoramic views. A Randolph & Hein table with the ability to sit as many as 26 gathers with Gretchen Bellinger upholstered dining chairs backed with Hermes leather suede. A magnificent Gilbert Poillerat inspired chandelier suspends in the center of the room.

For the kitchen, the designer collaborated with de Giulio Kitchen Design to create a traditional “old estate” look. Limestone set in a large basket-weave design covers the floors. The countertop is also limestone. Cream-colored subway tile lines the wall behind the La Cornue ranges and cabinets. The barstools are custom from Paul Ferrante.

The home’s cozy wood-paneled library layers warm chocolate and caramel tones to create a warm, inviting haven of comfort.

The designer assembled this brilliant vignette along the central hallway where the private elevator foyer intersects. The herringbone floors and paneled walls continue the full length of the hall. Those chairs are perfection!

Lagrange commissioned LA-based artist Scott Waterman to create murals in each of the home’s rotundas. She custom-designed the table and chandelier for this space. Note the intricate design of the handset inlaid floors.

The opposite end of the hall holds a custom wine storage area. Bespoke designed 24-karat gold leaf-backed temperature-controlled cabinets line the walls. An antique Persian (circa 1890) rug runs through the center. You can see the other rotunda just beyond, and the end of the passageway marked with the owners Bertoia resting on a custom stand by Soane.

Here we have one of the most exquisite powder rooms in the city. It sparkles like a jewel with its silver and gold leafing, glazing, and mirror effects, made perfect with those crystal sconces.

The billiards room’s handsome finishes include hand-glazed wall paneling, coffered ceilings, and hand-waxed oak floors. A full bar by Parenti & Raffaelli pairs with Nancy Corzine’s Waldorf bar stools. The chairs are by John Boone, and the ottoman is custom from ACM Furniture.

Here we have the home’s theater room complete with plush velvet sofas and ottomans. The video and acoustics equipment remain carefully concealed.

The master bedroom and sitting area form a serene haven of luxury design. Colors and features soften in the private rooms. The St. George bed is from Lewis Mittman, dressed in hand-embroidered French linens. J. Robert Scott’s Super Kidskin leather covers the Niermann Weeks Elysee chaise. Jeffrey Grant’s Michigan Avenue hangs above the marble fireplace mantle. An antique rug from Oscar Isberlan defines the sitting area which includes a vintage French table and a Regency Sabre-leg armchair by Rose Tarlow Melrose House.

The master bedroom suite features a separate bath and dressing area on either side of the room so both can have their own. This one has antiqued mirror vanities with marble tops and marble floors. The glamorous bathroom also includes a soaking tub and a private balcony.

The other bathroom features rich dark woods and a dome ceiling. The dome’s design repeats in the mosaic design of the marble floor below.

The guest bedroom suite is equally comfortable and tranquil in soft shades of green and lilac, with a cozy bed dressed in French linens. The guest suite’s bathroom includes a soaking tub and a separate shower. Embroidered silk drapery panels frame the large bathroom windows. The dressing vanity sits deep in the window to take full advantage of the natural light.

Of course, the owners enjoy all the amenities provided by the building including 24-hour service, a doorman, and all the perks afforded by its great location. Jessica Lagrange’s Contemporary Beaux-Arts design marries the classic style of the Parisian apartments with modern elements and adds all the amenities for today’s luxury lifestyle. She tailored old-world grandeur into timeless elegance perfected for contemporary living.

“We create timeless, relevant designs with a collaborative and curated approach.” JL

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

For more Classic inspired interiors designed for contemporary luxury living, be sure to see:

Classic Mayfair Penthouse

Fifth Avenue Cl assical Design

CONTEMPORARY BEAUX-ARTS DESIGN IN CHICAGO

Chicago-based Jessica Lagrange Interiors’ designers create homes that are thoughtful, meaningful, and highly focused to meet their owners’ personalities, lifestyles, and aesthetics. More significantly, JLI’s projects are also beautiful, strategic and honor the architecture of each residence, regardless of its period, provenance, or owners’ decorative style.

Jessica Lagrange Interiors has been synonymous with luxury interior design and architecture since its inception in 1998. Today, the firm is recognized for its portfolio of projects that embrace a wide range of periods and styles, but always reflect the wants, needs, and lifestyles of its diverse clientele.

Interior design: Jessica Lagrange Interiors

Photography: Tony Soluri

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I hope you enjoyed the luxe interiors of this fabulous Chicago penthouse. Let me hear from you in the comments.

Have a great day!

August 28, 2015
Beverly Hills Deco Villa: Joan Behnke

Our design inspiration for today comes from a grand Deco Villa in Beverly Hills, an Italian-style villa with Art Deco-inspired interiors. This award-winning, 22,000 square-foot luxury home, designed by renowned architect Richard Landry, with interiors by legendary interior designer Joan Behnke, certainly deserves our attention.

The facade forms with carved limestone sourced in Dijon, France. The design includes classic Italian features such as Doric columns, hand-carved outriggers under the eaves, and a roof covered in reclaimed clay tiles sourced in Italy. There are numerous recessed balconies, highlighted with stone tracery, and large open windows framed in Bronze. The homeowners desired a home with a formal Italian style exterior, for the neighborhood’s style guidelines dictated an approved Italianate look. Inside, they wanted interiors with more of an Art Deco inspiration.

A Seamless Fusion of Classic Italian Inspired Architecture with Art Deco Inspired Interior Design.

The New York Times describes Richard Landry as “one of the most sought-after high-end architects” and dubbed him “King of the Mega-Mansions.” He is indeed a clear favorite of the wealthy and famous seeking statement homes.

Joan Behnke’s work adorns the homes of some of the world’s wealthiest people. Forbes Magazine dubbed her “The Billionaire Whisperer,” due to her client roster that reads like a Forbes list. Her pure pursuit of the finest, the rarest, and the most fitting goes unquestioned. Her worldwide network of sources is every designer’s dream.

The moment you enter the home, the Art Deco notes shine clear. There was no strict style adherence inside or out, but the design inspiration is very evident. For the double-height entry foyer, Behnke envisioned custom hand-scalloped plaster wall treatments, actualized by Foster Reeve. The design details of the iron entry doors repeat on the balustrade and windows. They model on a beautiful Deco design discovered in Paris on one of the many research and buying trips the designer and the couple took while the house came together. Dale Chihuly’s Green Glass Reeds rise high next to the sweeping staircase. A 7-foot-tall, 400-pound bronze chandelier by Herve van der Straeten suspends from a large wrought iron skylight that crowns the entry.

DECO VILLA DESIGN INSPIRATION

For the living room, Behnke bespoke designed contemporary furnishings in delicious colors and wonderful fabrics and arranged them on a Tai Ping silk rug. An oil painting by Hans Hoffman hangs above the marble Art Deco fireplace surround, flanked by two pendant lamps by Herve van der Straeten. Along the room’s back wall, accordion doors open wide to the loggia. Here, and throughout, Behnke custom designed all window draperies.

Lacewood paneling and shelves line the walls of the home’s spacious library, filled with the owner’s extensive and cherished collections. Hanging above the marble fireplace is a 1960’s oil on Canvas by Mordecai Ardon while hanging in the nearby recess is Marc Chagall’s circa-1980 Moise et le Veau d’Or. Hand-painted canvas murals adorn the ceiling between the beams.

The family room is rich with Art Deco details and fine finishes. To relax the mood and make the space more inviting, Behnke used comfortable, casual furniture pieces of her design, and included a bar in the corner. The room features a 1,000-gallon saltwater aquarium filled with colorful coral set within the dark oak panels.

The glamorous formal dining room gives itself to entertaining with great style. A bronze and lacquered wood chandelier by Herve van der Straeten suspends from the stepped Deco inspired ceiling. Moise Kisling’s 1942 Grand Bouquet de Mimosas hangs between a pair of large antique wall sconces from Craig Van Den Brulle on the fabric upholstered walls with lacewood paneled corners. Behnke bespoke designed the racetrack table and two host’s chairs surrounded by Therien chairs upholstered in Jerry Pair leather.

The commercial style, chef’s kitchen is any cooks dream. This room includes a Landry designed stainless-steel, barrel-vaulted ceiling. Mahogany cabinetry with kosher granite counter-tops sourced in Italy make up the room. The spacious layout provides for multiple preparation areas, and the abundant stainless designer appliances make this kitchen perfectly able to serve a feast for a crowd and ideal for entertaining.

The breakfast room positions on the garden side of the kitchen and looks out on the back lawn, pool, and water features. A chandelier from Jean de Merry hangs above another Behnke-designed dining table surrounded by Michael Berman dining chairs. The draperies are Pierre Frey, with motorized shades from Conrad.

Upstairs in the Deco villa, Landry designed the second-floor hall with an Italian style groin-vaulted ceiling and wrapped it around an inner courtyard that brings in natural light. The detailing of the steel doors and windows echo the groin vault. Behnke placed wool-and-silk runners in gray and silver by Martin Patrick Evan on the floors to balance the space with a bit of modern design.

The second-floor courtyard provides an inner open-air sanctuary. A water feature adds to the relaxing ambiance.

The master bedroom and its adjoining sitting room both have barrel-vaulted ceilings with the same scallop finish found on the walls of the foyer. Mirrored panels front the fireplace surround. Behnke custom designed the iron fire screen. She filled the sitting room with pieces obtained from the Paris trips including; the rosewood desk, the antique burled-walnut side tables, and the amber glass vases on the mantle.

Large pocket doors join or separate the master bedroom and sitting room as desired. Both rooms include two sets of French doors that open onto a trellised terrace overlooking the back lawn. Formal full-height drapery panels made with Schumacher fabric and Bergamo wide trim frame the terrace doors. Behnke custom designed the Rose Tarlow leather upholstered headboard, as well as the lounge chairs, bedside chest, and pop-up television cabinet at the end of the bed.

Her bathroom is a harmony of luminous tones and mirrors. The Art Deco style continues in this room with the scallop finish around the tub and vanity. The stone-and-Italian-glass mosaic designs on the floor and in the shower also reflect the style.

Mahogany with inlaid lacewood diamond accents envelops his bathroom. Gray marble sourced in Italy forms the counter-tops and covers the floor. The room includes custom bronze fixtures from Compas and an antique Lalique chandelier.

Down on the basement level of the Deco villa, the home includes a theater with a 170-inch-wide, curved Stewart screen, and a custom shallow speaker system. Donghia fabric-paneled walls conceal the technical equipment, speakers, and acoustic panels. The round designs on the fabric echo those in the ceiling’s mahogany design. Behnke bespoke designed the cabinets behind the leather seats with Macassar ebony and mahogany, fronted with ultra-suede panels with nailhead trim.

Biometrically controlled glass doors open to the home’s spa, which includes an Endless exercise pool and a hot tub with a waterfall. Ann Sacks blue tiles line the barrel-vaulted ceiling above the pool. Travertine marble covers the floor and frames the room’s architectural details. Beyond the doors adorned with the convex mirrors, there is a salon, a massage room, and a steam room.

The stone-paved loggia, located off the living room, is a perfect example of the homes indoor/outdoor living design. The limestone mantelpiece is from Paris, and the furniture, here and all outdoors, is from Janus et Cie.

In this rear view of the home, you see the exceptional architectural highlights. You see the crescent curve of the breakfast room on the right, and the loggia on the left with all the articulated details. A pergola on the path between the house and pool includes a partial kitchen and grill for outdoor entertaining.

The guest pavilion has an intentional different character from the main house to create a visual story. Rough, rustic stone with an aged appearance forms the façade to imply that it was there long before the Deco villa. The design takes inspiration from the Italian countryside.

The guest pavilion’s open fire-pit completes our tour of the Deco villa. Two years of planning, construction, and European buying trips went into the creation of this luxury home with classic Italian façade and Deco-influenced interiors. Was it worth it? Of course, the owner views it as a masterpiece, and we agree!

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

If you would like to see more fabulous residences created by Joan Behnke, be sure to see:

Villa del Lago: Tuscan Inspired Luxury Estate

Beverly Park Chateau

Beverly Hills Modern

Ambassador’s Potomac Mansion Renovation

Joan Behnke’s Deco Villa

Founded in 1999, Joan Behnke & Associates, Inc. is rooted in the deep belief of interior design as both a fine art and a profound opportunity for self-expression. The firm, now grown to an internationally acclaimed design practice, thrives on working intimately with their clients to transform the spaces they inhabit and infuse them with a deeper kind of beauty that transcends the imagination and continues to flourish and inspire for a lifetime. This intimate, meticulous and dedicated process is one that Joan personally carries through each project as well as in the selection and training of every member of her team.

Interior Design: Joan Behnke & Associates

Architecture: Landry Design Group

Photography: Erhard Pfeiffer

This residence was named Robb Report’s Ultimate Home.

Thank you so much for reading along with me today. I hope you enjoyed this beautiful home with its rich layers of exquisite custom detailing. Let me hear from you all in the comments.

Have a great day!

August 20, 2015
Understated Glamour: Jan Showers

Jan Showers is one of the most elegant figures in the world of interior design today. The celebrated taste-maker’s innate elegance and sense of style are reflected in everything she does. Her design work is imbued with a signature understated glamour that is smart, highly visual, and tastefully restrained. For our design inspiration today, we examine some seriously sophisticated interiors created by the Dallas, Texas based designer.

At the heart of Jan’s designs is the mixing and combining of various periods and styles, striking a perfect timeless balance. Her studied eclecticism often includes a mix of glossy mid-century modern, classic-to-modern French, and Hollywood Regency. The designer artfully blends antiques with her own bespoke creations. The interiors that she creates are visually attractive and quite luxurious while remaining relaxed and supremely comfortable. The collection of rooms shown here come from multiple homes completed by Jan. These rooms demonstrate her design’s signature understated glamour, which is, as the designer notes “the most glamorous statement of all.”

“Glamour is at the intersection of timelessness, simplicity, originality, and unqualified confidence in good taste.”

Jan believes the living room should be both formal and comfortable. “Every room in your house should be a reflection of your life as you live it.” In larger rooms, one should create smaller, more intimate and inviting seating zones. The opening photo exemplifies just that. The large, antiqued mirror gives the room instant glamour. The New York sofa from the designer’s home collection with silk pillows added for color, anchors the setting. The center gold-leaf Sabine coffee table, also from the designer’s collection, with antique mirror top and shelf, holds stacks of books to make the gathering more welcoming. The line drawings are by Don Bodine. Jan included colored Murano glass lamps and accessories in the way one adds jewelry. To me, this space feels like a modern version of Coco Chanel’s private salon in Paris.

UNDERSTATED GLAMOUR: DESIGN INSPIRATION

In this grand formal living room, a Swedish Empire-style chandelier suspends from the coffered ceilings. A generously scaled sofa gathers with a pair of Jean Rothschild chairs. Jan always includes a table next to every sofa and chair for placing one’s glass or book. “A well-considered room represents a way of life.” She believes in keeping curtains simple in their design while using fine fabrics that look and feel luxurious. Make the style grand but livable.

Make the style grand but livable.

Here we have another intimate gathering within a larger room. This demonstrates a perfect way to dress up a corner with understated glamour. An antique Chinese coromandel screen establishes the space while giving it a worldly sophistication. A Clarence House zebra tapestry covers the Palm Beach banquette from the designer’s collection. An ivory hairy hide covers the pair of 1940’s ebonized fauteuils. A Maison Jensen coffee table and a pair of Hinson floor lamps complete the scene.

Jan created this smart conversation area using her Palm Beach banquet upholstered with buttery leather paired with a sophisticated Biedermeier-style chair. A pair of vermeil floor lamps from Maison Jansen imparts pure glamour. The bar cart rounds out the scene and is one of the designer’s trademark design features. Would you care for a drink dear?

“Every room in your house should be a reflection of your life as you live it.”

In the dining room, Jan always uses two lighting elements: chandeliers with dimmers and lamps. Here the designer placed a pair of 1940s glass rod lamps on the Louis XVI-style painted console with marble top. A pair of frosted Venini chandeliers suspends above a custom mahogany table with bronze details. The designer upholstered the Antibes chairs and host chairs from her collection with Bittersweet chocolate leather.

Since guests will likely remain in the same place for a period, it is important to mind the view from all perspectives. In this dining room, the designer used a gold-leaf Japanese screen painted in the Chinese manner, which must surely glow beautifully in the light from the Venini fume chandelier and candles. The Louis XVI-style dining table gathers with French Ruhlmann-style chairs from the 1930s.

This dining room is all about classic design glamour. The Barovier chandelier designed by Andre Arbus reflects in the Venetian mirror from the 1940s, flanked by plaster torchieres which add style and drama. A French dining table from the 1940s gathers with Louis XVI-style dining chairs upholstered in leather.

I love and completely agree with Jan’s design ideas for bedrooms. This really should be the most luxurious room in the house. It is our sanctuary where we both begin and end the day. You should tailor it to your comfort. The color selection is essential, for you want calm here. In this bedroom, Jan used custom drapery to give the bed a grand presence when looking at it, and a more secluded feel while in it. Matching tables on either side create balance and symmetry, in addition to providing surface space and storage. A Louis XVI-style bench at the foot of the bed completes the composition in understated glamour.

Naturally, the bedroom should reflect the spirit of its owner. Jan designed this bedroom for a debutante, and the application of traditional and feminine identified qualities reflects that. Custom bed treatments crown the upholstered headboard and ennoble the bed. The button tufted Mercer Bench from Jan’s collection stands at the foot of the bed. The room includes a pair of French slipper chairs in the style of Andre Arbus from the 1940s.

Here again, the designer used custom bed drapery to ennoble the bed. Another thing to consider when selecting the colors for a room is how well you will look in it. Choose colors that will complement your skin tones in the same way the style fits your personality. In this room, the bedding includes a sumptuous mix of linen, silk, and suede textures. Jan’s Manhattan Side Tables flank the bed and maintain balance while a Louis XVI-style bench stands at the foot. The large mirror is a bonus for me personally, for any available space is a good place for a mirror, the bigger, the better.

In this private library, the designer takes the glamour up another level. Rouge lacquer envelops the room in its entirety: the walls, trim, ceilings, window frames- and the effect is stunning. Every other color used within just pops. Here a pair of 1940s fauteuils in faux leopard flank a Portoro marble topped coffee table.

Here we have another private library in which Jan used a single deep shade to encase the room. She even custom color matched the drapery, to dramatic effect. Jan’s Hadley Sofa anchors this end of the library, flanked by a pair of signature style floor lamps and a pair of 1940s Louis XV Bergeres in their original acid green leather. A gilded iron with mirrored top French coffee table centers the gathering on a zebra print hairy-hide rug.

Jan believes the entrance of a home should be statement making. The entrance should set the tone for the rest of the interiors. In this entry, we have a 1950s Vistosi Murano chandelier whose fluid shapes echo those of the space itself. A James Nares painting hangs over a tufted upholstered bronze bench, which is always perfect for such spaces. A bronze framed mirror by Maison Jansen hangs over a lacquered commode holding a sculptural lamp by Wily Daro.

For our final photo, we have this entry hall which perfectly demonstrates understated glamour. Warm silver-leaf tea paper covers the walls. A mirror framed mirror hangs above Jan’s mirrored commode, flanked by a pair of eighteenth-century Italian slipper chairs. A Murano glass lamp and other accessories on display enhance the rooms sparkle.

For interior designer Jan Showers, glamorous interiors are fundamental to all her work. Though glamour is difficult to define, the designer is certain of what it is not. “Glamour is not a fad, and it is never over the top.” I think that sums it up brilliantly! She also states that “Nothing is more luxurious than being comfortable and enjoying one’s environment.”

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

“Nothing is more luxurious than being comfortable and enjoying one’s environment.”

For more great articles featuring Glamorous Interiors be sure to see:

Eclectic Luxury Design: Lori Morris

Glamorous Luxury Design: Elicyon

Jan Shower’s Understated Glamour

Be sure to check out the designer’s three inspiring design books: Glamorous Rooms (2009) Showcases the elegant eclecticism of this renowned designer’s interiors, which will inspire readers to create their own luxurious yet relaxed homes – Glamorous Retreats (2013) Takes readers inside Jan Showers’s luxurious interiors in vacation locales – Glamorous Living (2020) A room-by-room journey through some of the most luxurious and glamorous homes in America. Her books display a cross section of the styles and decorative preferences that make Jan and her firm one of the most important in the country.

Jan’s furniture and lighting collection—first created almost 20 years ago—is available at showrooms throughout the U.S.

Jan Showers possesses a rare fusion of elegance, class, sophistication, warmth, poise and a good sense of humor. When asked why she’s so good at what she does, her reply is always that same; she truly loves her work. She is also one of the sweetest, most personable individuals in the industry.

Jan Showers & Associates

Photography: Jeff McNamara * Brian McWeeney * Steve Karlisch

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I hope you enjoyed these beautiful rooms. What do you think? I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.

Have a great day!

August 14, 2015
Contemporary Design: Eric Kuster

Cliff House is a beautiful sea-side villa located high in the lush hills of Altea, Spain. The contemporary design luxury residence is built against a cliff, situated to provide breathtaking 180-degree views over the Mediterranean Sea. The 5,300 square-foot resort-like sanctuary spreads over multiple levels. This impressive home features awe-inspiring, luxurious interiors created by the internationally acclaimed interior designer, Eric Kuster, who drew inspiration from its beach front location for the interior design.

Kuster incorporates natural elements in the home’s interior design including coral and shell, as well as vases made from mother of pearl filled with driftwood. All these details emphasize the inescapable connection with the sea. The furnishings display the designer’s signature qualities: bespoke designs, contemporary lines, generous scale, with high-end fabrics, finishes, and ample cushions. Collectively, every detail harmoniously exists for one reason: to ensure a wealth of quiet comfort and pleasure.

CONTEMPORARY DESIGN INSPIRATION

The home’s grand, open-flow living area includes multiple seating zones, a spacious kitchen with a breakfast bar, and a formal dining area. This villa’s contemporary design remains soft and inviting. The interiors, though immaculate, do not attempt to intimidate. Kuster incorporated the right balance of coastal casualness that allows for uninterrupted peace and calm. White on white dominates, with an occasional splash of warm color for depth. The surfaces are well edited, and as always with this hot designer, very luxe.

“Natural elements- including vases made with mother-of-pearl and filled with driftwood- emphasize an inescapable connection with the sea.” EK

FIFTY SHADES OF WHITE

It is the abundance of natural light and the stunning views that make this home exceptional. These became the central theme that guided the home’s contemporary design. The large floor-to-ceiling windows throughout take full advantage and make the very most of these qualities. Thanks to expert planning and the positioning of the villa high up on a series of angles, one can see everything from inside, though without being able to be seen from outside.

A SPLASH OF WARM COLOR ADDS DEPTH

There are five bedrooms with spacious en suite baths. The master bedroom is a serene dream. It includes an enormous spa-like bathroom with an open shower, a large Jacuzzi tub, and spacious dressing areas. In a nod to the home’s location and identity, artisans created a dry-stone wall of the sort you find in the local hills. The bedroom opens onto a private courtyard.

“The fabulous view is integral to this house.” EK

The villa completes with a media room and a state-of-the-art fitness room. Additional amenities include inner courtyards, abundant terraces, gardened grounds, and independent service quarters. The residence has a 3-car garage. Of course, no Mediterranean dream home would be complete without a swimming pool. This multi-level residence features a fabulous infinity edge pool creating another stunning sight line.

It is only natural that Kuster’s inspiring interior design in this home has such universal appeal. This sea-side villa with its contemporary design and its stunning views combining with the spacious open lay out and the interior’s luxury design offer all the comforts of a resort, but with the individual personality that only a home can boast. Could one ask for more?

“I know I can deliver for clients who say they want the best of the best- after all, isn’t that what we all want?” EK

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

To see more homes completed by Eric Kuster be sure to see my other post:

Sexy Bachelor Pad Luxury Design

Contemporary Lakeside Villa: Eric Kuster

Sea Side Villa Contemporary Design

Eric Kuster’s luxurious interiors combine refined design, stylish glamour, and meticulous attention to detail. He has completed more than 600 houses and countless commercial buildings. The designer is arguably one of the most influential designers of the moment. His ability to strike a perfect balance between classic and modern design has put Kuster’s name on the map for nearly two decades.

These days we not only find him creating glamorous interiors for his A-list clients but also developing multiple lines of luxury home furnishings, fashion, footwear, home fragrances, etc., as well as publishing large coffee table books featuring his work and a twice yearly magazine. The designer’s iconic lifestyle brand, “Metropolitan Luxury” encompasses a style that at once embraces glamour, comfort, and sophistication.

Today’s residence is featured in his Metropolitan Luxury book XIV. With this book, Eric Kuster takes us on a journey that covers everywhere from Curacao to Vegas, Holland to Ibiza. While we can marvel at the glamorous diversity of his work, we can agree, too, that the recipe for true luxury combines beauty with space and comfort.

Interior Design by Eric Kuster

Photography: Paul Barbera

Architecture: Equipo Digitalarq, S.L. Architect Carlos Gilardi, and Pepe Cabrera

Thank you so much for reading along with me today. I hope you enjoyed the Contemporary design of this luxury sea-side villa.

Have a great day!

July 21, 2015
New York Pied-a-Terre: Michael Dawkins

Today’s inspiring interior design comes from the sleek and contemporary interiors of a luxurious pied-a-terre located in downtown, New York. The owner of this two-bedroom exceptionally finished apartment needed a place to stay while in the city. To handle the matter for him, he turned to his trusted interior designer with whom he has worked for years, the New York and Miami-based Michael Dawkins. With more than 20 years of design experience, Michael is a recognized master at bringing glamorous interiors to life for his discerning clients.

The interior designer selected, designed, and completely customized this apartment to serve as an elegant pied-a-terre. The owner purchased the unfinished two-bedroom apartment in the notable “Walker Tower” in Manhattan’s chic Chelsea neighborhood. Michael then took over and ultimately created one of the most attractive units completed at that time within the building. Using rich and moody colors and layers of luxurious finishes throughout, the designer created a very sophisticated design that is dramatic and sexy. The owner completely trusted Michael, who presented his plans to him once and he approved them. The next time the owner saw the apartment was when he walked into it completed. The entire project took a year to finish because the building was still under its conversion construction when the apartment was purchased.

Walker Tower is a luxury conversion of a 1929 Art Deco building designed by the architect Ralph Thomas Walker, who designed many of America’s great depression era skyscrapers. The building was transformed into luxury condominium residences that incorporate the building’s classic design details and include all of the conveniences of modern, upscale residential living. The tower was built before neighborhood height limits were enacted and therefore rises high above its surroundings and features stunning 360 degree Manhattan views. The highly coveted units quickly sold with some setting record highs for downtown prices. It is quite spectacular! The building is now home to many business and showbiz figures and others in search of the best.

PIED-A-TERRE DESIGN INSPIRATION

The pied-a-terre living room includes floor-to-ceiling velvet draperies that span the entire back wall which Michael used to emphasize the room’s height, correct the spacing, and frame and enhance the North facing windows. A nineteen-foot-long, espresso-colored, linen sectional sofa designed by Verellen anchors the room. Centering the room is what appears to be a collection of contemporary tables artfully grouped together, though it is a single piece.

A diptych commissioned for the apartment by the Miami-based artist John LaHuis hangs above the sofa. Each panel is 9′ tall x 4′ wide. The artist painted the panels as one piece and then cut them in half for framing. Some of the items here, such as the Spin Side Table, the hand-blown glass piece, and the Vertical rod on a stand are from the Michael Dawkins Home Collection.

The desk is a bespoke design with a steel base and bluestone slate top. It serves a number of purposes. Note that from this perch the owner has a view of the Empire State Building. The chair, a distressed leather copy of a 1939 original by Frits Henningsen, is from Jean de Merry.

The entry hall features custom French herringbone beveled oak flooring. The home also includes a Crestron Home automation system that controls everything throughout with just a touch of a button.

A collection of framed art and sculpture assembles in the entry.

Custom millwork features throughout the residence, along with custom eight-foot-tall stained oak doors. I love this look. Very structured and classy!

The space shown here is a sitting room off the entry hall. Dawkins furnished it with his “Modern chair with Mongolian fur” as well as his tufted bench, stone urns, and serving tray, all from his home collection.

The very fabulous kitchen includes custom cabinetry with marble countertops and center island. It has stainless Sub-Zero, Viking, and Miele appliances. The three mirrors along the wall reflect the cube design of the three light fixtures. This is a seriously chic kitchen and so very much my style!

Dawkins created a dramatic powder room.

Using luxury fabrics and textures, the designer turned the master bedroom into a dream. The shades on the windows lower with just the touch of a button.

The bathrooms feature custom marble details, Nanz cabinetry hardware, Toto toilets, Waterworks fixtures, steam showers, and heated towel racks.

The pied-a-terre comes with a comprehensive amenities package: 24-hour doorman, concierge, fitness center with sauna, a common roof deck with dining area, and more.

The classic features combine with contemporary styling and rich details to create modern luxury. The interior design is both solid and sensual, classic and very now. A perfect home away from home!

That concludes today’s design inspiration for today, my friend.

To see another luxury residence with dramatic and sensual tones be sure to see my post:

Sexy Bachelor Pad: Luxury Design

Michael Dawkins Dramatic Walker Tower Pied-a-Terre

Be sure to check out Michael’s website for more info on his work and to see his fabulous collection of Home Goods.

Interior Design by Michael Dawkins

Photography by Craig Denis

Wall Street Journal–

Thanks for reading along with me, my friend!

Be sure to let me hear from you in the comments!!

Have a great day!

July 21, 2015
Montecito Italian Palazzo: SFA Design

Today’s design inspiration comes from a classical-inspired Italian Palazzo that sits high atop a hill in affluent Montecito, California with stunning views over Santa Barbara and beyond to the Pacific Ocean. The home’s owners, who are lovers of Italian art and culture, wanted to build a home that would be truly emblematic of that love. They wanted to create a Venetian-style Palazzo and were happy to go and research the real thing for design inspiration personally. The couple traveled extensively throughout the Veneto region, visiting every Palladian villa they could get into while collecting hundreds of photos and design ideas to perfect their vision.

To translate their historically inspired ideas into a home for today, they turned to Santa Barbara architect Peter Becker. With the sea and mountain views in mind, the architect designed the residence with large windows and doors accented with metal for a contemporary note that balances the classical design elements. Why sacrifice one for the other when you can have both? The interiors display a great dedication to the finer points of historical accuracy. Classical scale and proportions combine with a Palladian sense of symmetry and rhythm creating perfect harmony. Ornate architectural details lavish the home with exquisite detail.

CLASSICAL ITALIAN PALAZZO DESIGN

The interiors of the 5,800 square-foot home were completed by the interior design firm Smith/Firestone and Associates (SFA Design), a globally successful boutique firm with offices on both coasts. At the owner’s request, the designers made no compromises on authenticity or quality. SFA took pride in selecting the very best finishes and furnishings for the luxurious interiors. Countless bespoke designed details painstakingly layer through the home fully articulating the couple’s vision for their Italian palazzo. Art is a focus throughout the estate. Custom Murano glass chandeliers shine beneath hand-painted grotesque frescoes on the ceilings. Antique tapestries and 19th-century paintings adorn the walls while Florentine statues accent the home’s architectural features. In the end, the entire estate is a collaborative work of art.

“Our boutique firm practices a philosophy of collaborative design with principal attention to craft spaces that are not only tailored to our clients’ styles, but to their personalities and lifestyles.” SFA DESIGN

The great thing about this estate is that even with all the incredible architectural detail, the grand scale chandeliers, and the period antiques throughout, it never feels overly formal or unlivable. I love details and ornamentation when handled with discipline in this classical way. The home doesn’t look period even though it is “historically accurate.” The owners desired their version of an Italian palazzo. The designers helped them to achieve their vision in a balanced and thoroughly contemporary way. The home’s design perfectly reflects the refined lifestyle lived by the owners.

Custom, hand-blown Murano glass chandeliers from the oldest Murano factory in Italy hang here in the main entrance hall. All the lighting in the home is quite spectacular as you will see. The inlaid patterns of the marble floors echo the rhythms created with the walls and ceilings. Classical design recognizes a formal system governing the interrelations of the parts and the whole.

The custom millwork used here and throughout the home is remarkable. Ceilings are not treated as blank voids. Instead, they are adorned with as much detail as the room beneath them. In the dining room, a hand-carved walnut table and chairs upholstered in hand-woven damask gather beneath a glittering chandelier. A painting by Frank Duveneck hangs over the fireplace.

The kitchen is where the couple spends most of their time. Beautiful walnut cabinetry surrounds much of the room. Bianca quartzite forms the countertops. The wood floors are also medium walnut. The glass front cabinets allow for the display of their white Richard Ginori china and crystal from Venice. Most of the hand-painted pots and dishes came from the Italian coastal cities they visited while researching for the house. The elaborate ceiling ornamentation continues in this room as well. The family of bronze lighting fixtures is one of my personal favorites in the home.

The couple refers to their wine room as a “jewel box,” and it is indeed ornate. Expertly laid marble and limestone cover the floor while brick makes up the vaulted ceilings. The door originally came from the elevator of the Hotel George V in Paris. The wine stores in custom wood shelves. Antique bronze chandeliers provide the lighting. Everywhere one looks the details are in keeping with the notable quality found in the rest of the home.

Here in the polished wood-paneled library, hand-painted grotesque frescoes adorn the pitched ceiling. The principal designer commissioned the work by Darren Franks of Darren Franks & Associates. The designs, painted off-site on muslin, mimic the style of those found in the older Raphael grotesques. Are they not interesting? They certainly make for good conversation as the couple tells about their adventures. These designs inspire me to take another look at my ceilings. The grand bronze chandeliers suspended beneath the frescoes perfectly complete this room. The designers tempered the formality of the space with plump traditional sofas making the room welcoming and comfortable.

The master bedroom overlooks the home’s grotto and has the most spectacular views in the house. From their bed, the couple can gaze out through their glass windows and doors and see the coast stretching far north and south. Custom draperies made with specially imported Parisian Damask frame those views.

The master bathroom features painted ceiling designs based on photos taken of grotesque frescoes. A stylized mosaic design decorates the floor. Gold-plated faucets adorn the marble countertops and tub surround. Antique Italian gilt-wood framed mirrors and the Murano glass chandelier complete the room on just the right note.

The master closet features walnut custom built-ins and antique chandeliers.

The monumental marble fireplace surround here in the family room, as well as the six others throughout the home, were hand carved in Italy according to the principal designer’s sketches created with input from the owners who personally visited the marble caves in Carrara and the carvers in Pietrasanta.

This Italian Palazzo is an exquisite masterpiece combining the best of both traditional design principles and modern-day luxury and technology. The home serves as a testament to the fundamental values of incredible vision and meticulous execution.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friends.

If you would like to see more Classical inspired homes be sure to see my post:

Classical Inspired Surrey Mansion

Fifth Avenue Classical Design

ITALIAN PALAZZO DESIGN INSPIRATION

SFA Design is a leader in the international design world, lending its tastes to the most premier resorts, hotels, and private residences. Directed by industry leaders Sue Firestone and Kara Smith, SFA Design demonstrates fundamental values of incredible vision and meticulous execution to create sophisticated interiors. Strategically located on both coasts, with offices in Los Angeles, Santa Barbara, and New York, SFA Design is able to provide clients personalized service from project conception to completion.

Architecture: Peter Becker Architect

Principal Interior Design: SFA Design

Photography: Meghan Bob

This home was featured in Robb Report.

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I hope you have enjoyed this Montecito Italian Palazzo by SFA, and you have found it informative and inspiring. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments.

Have a great day!

July 21, 2015
Ritz Carlton Luxury Penthouse: SoJo Design

Our inspiring interior design for today comes from the 21st-floor luxury penthouse in The Tower Residences at The Ritz-Carlton in Dallas, Texas. The full-floor unit resides at the top of an exclusive, award-winning Regency-style residential tower providing a stunning 360-degree view of the city from its central positioning in the heart of Uptown. The tower directly adjoins The Ritz-Carlton Hotel with its signature restaurants and a full-service spa. Residents enjoy full access to the five-star services provided by the hotel. Security, privacy, and all the comforts and convenience of an urban luxury lifestyle come with this home.

This luxury penthouse features over 8,000 square feet of exemplary architectural configuration created when the owner bought and combined two original units. To complete this project, he enlisted the Miami-based designer Sofia Joelsson and her boutique interior design firm Sojo Design, for whom luxury Penthouse design has become a niche.

Sofia specializes in crafting bespoke spaces suited for a luxury clientele that expects more from life. Her signature aesthetic and distinct creative vision has led the designer to earn a reputation as one of the industry’s very best at luxury home interior design.

LUXURY PENTHOUSE DESIGN

The completed luxury penthouse now includes four bedrooms with en-suite baths, plus two powder rooms. There are two elevators, a vestibule hallway, and a private entrance, so there are no public halls. Having the entire floor, there are no privacy issues.

The home also features three large private outdoor terraces and entertaining spaces, totaling over 5,000 square feet.

The Sojo team spared no expense creating the clean and crisp contemporary design, completing it with luxurious finishes. The architectural details reflect the classical elegance of the Tower’s Regency design. The neutral color palette, natural materials, and contemporary furnishings create a tailored, sophisticated design. The results are sleek and gallery chic; the perfect backdrop for the owner’s museum-quality collection of art. Sojo created a smart and super functional home.

The sophisticated open kitchen flaunts rich dark woods, stainless steel designer appliances, and sleek finishes, as well as an eat-in breakfast bar with custom bar stools of bespoke design. The owner may not ultimately have to use these beautiful accommodations though with room service and access to fine dining just a call away. Having lived in Dallas for years myself, I can say for sure that there are so many places to go and people to see that staying home to dine is only one of many great options. The home includes access to a huge service elevator which brings up your room service, and whatever else your heart may desire to order up.

The high ceilings, floor-to-ceiling windows, and abundance of natural light shown here continue throughout the home.

Beyond the kitchen, next to the large glass-enclosed, temperature-controlled wine storage room is the home’s main bar which includes all of the standard features of a high-end home bar. This penthouse happens to have two, as well as an additional bar area that services the terrace. The residence gives itself entirely to entertaining with style on a grand scale, as it has done many times since its completion.

Elegant interior architectural details and a world-class art collection create a perfect backdrop for living with style.

This Dallas luxury penthouse, with its exceptional views, exquisite interior design, and abundance of outdoor space, along with all of the Ritz-Carlton amenities, perfectly exemplifies the comfort and convenience of today’s finest urban lifestyle.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

To see some other fabulous penthouses from around the world be sure to see my post:

Alexander McQueen Penthouse: Style Homage

Toronto Penthouse Design

Knightsbridge Contemporary Penthouse

LUXURY PENTHOUSE LIVING IN DALLAS

Sojo Design is a full-service Interior Design firm that specializes in high-end residential and commercial buildouts and renovation. Their portfolio includes everything from high-rise condos to spectacular single-family homes and even private jets.

Sofia is well known for her meticulous design approach that perfectly fits into the lifestyles of her clients, understanding and translating it by creating living spaces that not only look magnificent but become extensions of the people that live in them. Her goal is to capture the essence of their dream home and deliver a complete environment that intersects luxury with comfort, indulgence with wellness, and technology with simplicity.

In addition to completing residential buildouts at Sofia Joelsson Design, she customizes furniture and sells a curated selection of beautiful pieces for the home.

Interior Design: Sofia Joelsson-SoJo Design

Photography provided by SoJo Design

Landscape architecture: Harold Leidner Landscape Architects

Thank you so much for reading along with me. I hope you enjoyed this Ritz Carlton luxury penthouse in Dallas, Texas. Let me know what you think in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you.

Have a wonderful day!

July 20, 2015
Brazilian Fashion Stylist Apartment: Diego Revollo

Interior Designer Diego Revollo creates a Fashion Stylist Apartment with sophisticated, edgy, and art-filled interiors in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Our design inspiration today comes from the renovation and design of an apartment located in the affluent neighborhood of Jardins in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Diego Revollo completed this very chic residence for a worldly fashion stylist returning home. Jardins is one of the most charming and sophisticated neighborhoods in the city and one of the noblest in the region. The residential building is a slightly older one but built well with spacious rooms, high ceilings, and a great layout. The client is a jet-setting single guy originally from Brazil. His career has had him living around the world in the fashion capital cities of New York, Milan, and London. It was now time for a place back home.

To create the sort of personal and stylish residence he had in mind, the client called on the super talented Sao Paulo-based Diego Revollo who is also his personal friend of many years. Revollo is one of the hottest and most prominent young residential architecture and interior design stars on the scene in Brazil. He is well known for his effortless combining of classic with contemporary design for interiors that are both timeless and livable. The plan for this home was to preserve the traditional qualities of the structure while creating a fresh contemporary design that is cosmopolitan, chic, and sexy. The style would be as witty and glamorous as it was comfortable. Clearly, the designer achieved his mission.

The client works with fashion editors and with the most famous models in the world whom he frequently hosts and entertains at the apartment when in town. With this in mind, Revollo decided to fill the main walls with some of his friend’s editorial work. In addition, Diego brought together an eclectic mix of new Italian furnishings, along with pieces selected for their character and the value they added to the mix. The genius lies in the mix after all. He added various works of contemporary art and photography, along with objects from different styles that together complement each other. The results are extremely modern and impactful within the traditional structure of the apartment. The style of the Fashion Stylist Apartment clearly reflects his friend’s personality and way of life.

SEXY FASHION STYLIST APARTMENT

In the main living area, the artwork with the bee is a canvas painting by Fernando Ribeiro, chosen for its color and sense of humor. Generously scaled, inviting sofas make the space very comfortable and create a wonderful place for casual lounging with guests. The irony and contrast are purposeful. Artbooks and personal effects make the space more intimate.

SOPHISTICATED, EDGY, ART-FILLED INTERIORS

The home’s basic structure was kept clean and simple to allow the art and furnishings to shine. The large photograph is of fashion model Eva Herzigova. An ultra-modern, structural black table pairs with Lucite armchairs, while a vintage crystal chandelier shimmers above. Around the room, various works of art are displayed with select vintage pieces to great effect. The painting above the sideboard is a woodcut by artist Eliza Bracher.

Back in the living room, a large fashion editorial photo with model Eva Herzigova by Matheus Mazzafera hangs alongside a canvas painting by Christina Canale.

COSMOPOLITAN * CHIC * SEXY

Throughout the apartment, on the entire outer facing wall, the designer installed mounds of luxurious floor-to-ceiling and wall-to-wall velvet drapes. They look great closed or pulled to the side. The drapes serve both practical and aesthetic purposes. The effect is posh and glamorous. The rugs used throughout are wool and silk and sourced from Nepal. When combined with the luxe fabrics used on most of the furnishings, the apartment is taken to a higher level of comfort and sophistication. The soft texture is necessary to balance and elevate the angles and simplicity of the structure. It’s a constant play on contrast, irony, and balance that keeps you engaged and interested.

In the office, a large photo of model Raquel Zimmermann by Matheus Mazzafera takes center stage behind the sleek black and glass Italian furnishings. A large wall mirror and reflective surfaces contrast against the matte black walls. Smart geometric square shelves cover the entire wall opposite the softly draped window wall for another play on contrast for balance.

A marquetry chest from India completes the office. The Murano glass lamp, wall art, and various other pieces create a perfectly curated vignette.

The bedroom is for fun! The Fernando Ribeiro art above the bed consists of hundreds of teddy bears of different colors, but the same size, combined to depict the Mona Lisa. The custom-upholstered headboard and black glossy side tables double as art alongside all of the other pieces that complete the room.

YOUNG * SPIRITED * DARING

On top, there is a photo collage by artist Lucio Carvalho created with objects and fragments of dolls. The photo is of model Izabel Goulart. The effect is young, spirited, and daring. Another detail worth noting is the rather rough and unfinished edges that remain. Is it an artistic metaphor? Like fashion and life, an unfinished work in progress?

The Entry perfectly prepares for what is to come in the rest of the fashion stylist apartment. The large photo of Brazilian supermodel Gisele Bundchen by the Brazilian photographer Gui Paganoni is positioned next to the simple black elevator door. The emotional drama is immediate. This is Brazil! It is where fashion meets passion! Here is Diego Revollo completely capturing the lifestyle and personality of the client.

That concludes our design inspiration for today, my friend.

For another project completed by Diego Revollo be sure to see:

Sao Paulo Artist’s Apartment Reinvention

DIEGO REVOLLO’S FASHION STYLIST APARTMENT

Diego Revollo is one of Brazil’s most prominent interior architects/designers with offices based in Sao Paulo. The award-winning designer works mainly in Brazil but also has numerous projects internationally. He is well known for his effortless combining of classic with contemporary design for interiors that are both timeless and livable.

Interior Architecture and Design: Diego Revollo

Photography provided by Diego Revollo Arquitetura

Special thanks to Luciana Belangier!

Thank you so much for reading along with me today. I hope you enjoyed today’s edgy, art-filled Brazilian Fashion Stylist Apartment. I look forward to hearing from you in the comments. Let me know what you think.

Have a great day!

July 20, 2015
French Chateau in Texas: Kara Childress

Our interior design inspiration for today comes from a beautifully restored and modernized 1930’s Louis XV-style, French chateau located in Houston’s exclusive River Oaks neighborhood. This grand 30,000 square foot limestone mansion once again shines in all its original glory and more. The elegant interiors are the work of interior designer Kara Childress whose timeless style marries old-world European with modern conveniences for a contemporary luxury lifestyle.

The French Chateau was originally designed by noted architect John F. Staub for J. Robert Neal of the Maxwell House Coffee fortune, a serious Francophile. The mansion later served as home to Texas Lt. Governor David Dewhurst and his wife, Tammy Jo Dewhurst. By the time the new owners obtained the property, it had been long vacant and fallen into a state of neglect and disrepair. The residence was relatively unaltered by the previous owners and therefore was now in need of everything. The home was a product of its time and not quite in line with the needs for contemporary luxury living.

The new owners would eventually decide they wanted a full restoration, with some carefully considered adjustments and enhancements. To get things started, they enlisted local interior designer Kara Childress to oversee the home’s interiors. Childress recommended bringing in local architecture firm Newberry Campa Architects, who joined the project mid-renovation. The necessary updates ultimately led to the grander vision that continued to unfold over the next decade. Staying true to the spirit of Staub’s initial design was a top priority for this restoration.

FRENCH CHATEAU DESIGN INSPIRATION

The owner’s commitment to authenticity was passionate, with the results being breathtaking. So much so, the restored luxury home has been featured on the cover of Architectural Digest. Childress shopped for furnishings with the couple in New York, Los Angeles, and Paris. The feeling created within the rooms is elegant and opulent, yet they remain comfortably livable and very contemporary in their functioning, which is a trademark of the designer.

The former ballroom now serves as the family’s double-volume formal living room. Kara preserved the room’s original Louis XV-style boiserie and the grand chandeliers. She embraced the traditional design, mixing both period antiques and contemporary pieces seamlessly. The large carpet is an antique Aubusson which was the perfect find for this room. Clarence House velvet covers the bespoke designed club chairs which group with a mirrored cocktail table by Elloise Abbott. A fun leopard print covers a pair of Louis XVI chairs in the second grouping to keep things from getting too serious. The glamorous formal living room also includes a pair of Empire fauteuils, a 19th-century writing desk, and a pair of 19th-century giltwood candelabra along with many other antique treasures!

The traditional styling continues here in the music room with soft, delicate colors. Fortuny pillows accent a pair of sofas upholstered in a cotton-silk from Lee Jofa with ornate braid trim which group together with four French shield back chairs before the fireplace. The decorative details featured throughout provide a visual feast, along with loads of design inspiration. Note the silk draperies with the double-layered tassel fringe trim framing the French doors beyond the piano leading out to the terrace. The crystal-dripping chandeliers and the glorious antique mirrors used in this room and through the entire French Chateau are breathtaking. Kara Childress has the best sources for exceptional French antiques.

I love this formal dining room! The chandelier is original to the house. The room is very European without being at all stiff. Look at the marble floors and detailing on the walls, and the gorgeous draperies with trimmings and tiebacks. Nancy Corzine velvet covers the Georgian chairs surrounding the table. The gilded mirror over the marble-topped buffet is everything. The home allows for entertaining with grand style while remaining completely comfortable and warm. Note in every room simple elements combine with the excellent pieces to balance the grandeur.

The comfortable family room and a magnificent conservatory were added with such care and sensitivity that Staub himself certainly applauded. Also added were all of the modern amenities necessary for a contemporary French Chateau with luxurious interiors. The newly added family room maintains the home’s refined charm yet with a much more relaxed mood for informal family gatherings. It’s a generous and multi-purpose space that is very comfortable and inviting.

The newly added conservatory features an Italian Empire-style chandelier and a 19th-century Italian marble pedestal table. Every room in the French chateau correctly observes scale and proportion, and this one is no exception. The interior design is quiet to give the view over to the outdoors.

In the Library, 16th century Italian painted canvas panels cover the ceilings from which a bronze-and-tole chandelier once owned by Napoleon III suspends. Rubelli velvet covers the sofa. The draperies framing the French doors are in Fortuny cotton with custom tassel fringe trim. An 18th-century Italian mirror centers the space behind the sofa, while a pair of French Bergeres dating from around 1780 flank it on either side.

In the Master bedroom, the bespoke designed headboard incorporates a fragment of a 19th-century Venetian boiserie. Old World Weavers velvet from Stark covers the antique giltwood settee cushion. The painting above the bed is a 19th-century French painting of Putti.

In the Master Bedroom sitting area, the draperies are silk while an embroidered fabric covers the ottoman. The antiqued finish on the paneled walls is just perfection.

An antique stone chapel imported from France by Chateau Domingue adds a special finishing touch.

The music room terrace looks out across a narrow lawn to an 18th-century French stone fountain by Chateau Domingue. The grounds and gardens of the French chateau are expertly designed and maintained.

With this project, as with all her projects, Kara worked closely with all the new architects, builders, and vendors involved for perfect harmony. This ability to collaborate and coordinate well is one of the many reasons that Kara Childress, Inc. is a master in high-end residential interior design. Once a homeowner works with Kara, they continue with Kara for all future projects. Her expertise and professionalism are as well-known as her superior taste.

The grounds once again shine in their former glory and more. Never realized elements from the original plans now are. These include a motor court with cobblestones imported from France, along with multiple other enhancements.

That concludes our design inspiration for today.

To see another Grand French-inspired estate, be sure to see my post:

18th-Century French Design: Atlanta

Beverly Park Chateau

KARA CHILDRESS REDESIGNS A FRENCH CHATEAU

Kara Childress, Inc., established in 1984 and led by Principal Designer Kara Childress, is an internationally recognized, Houston-based interior design firm. Kara and her team exude ardent and timeless style, marrying Old World European with fresh compositions of modern and livable design for her clients across the high-end residential and commercial/hospitality spectrum. Kara and her team work closely with top architects, builders, and vendors across the country in all aspects and phases of her design creations.

Interior design by Kara Childress, Inc.

Architecture by Newberry Campa Architects

Landscape design by Susan Turner Associates

Photography by Terry Vine Photography

This home was also featured in Architectural Digest!

I look forward to reading all of your thoughts in the comments!!

Have a great day, my friend!

July 20, 2015