VISIT STATELY HOMES BY THE SEA SHOWHOUSE IN NEW JERSEY

designed by Anderson Campanella Architects of Rumson, NJ.


New Jersey often gets a bad rap. It is not all Soprano-land; there are beautiful areas.
Rumson is one of the areas that is worth the trip, especially to see the latest showhouse, Stately Homes by the Sea. The 1915 brick house was built to resemble an English country estate by McKim Mead and White alum Harrie T. Lindeberg. The house across the street, also owned by the same family was used for the first Stately Homes showhouse and the owners decided to share their home again. Renovation work was done with them in mind, as they move in after the showhouse closes. New construction and a pool, pool house, potting shed were added in under 8 months. Proceeds go to The Visiting Nurses Association of Central New Jersey, and the show runs from April 28- May 31st. The honorary design chair this year is Charlotte Moss.

Los Angeles- based, Jersey raised Joe Lucas and Parrish Chilcoat of Lucas Studio do a lot of work in New Jersey and decorated a living room and nursery in the home. In addition to interior design, Joe and his partner have recently opened Harbinger, an antique - filled home store in the ever charming Almont Yard, located next door to their West Hollywood office.
The photography was done by New Jersey resident, the talented John Bessler.


Lucas Studio got an area that was new construction. They worked with the homeowners on the scheme, creating elegant, comfortable areas with plenty of cozy seating. Jonas Upholstery did all the upholstery and window treatments, and a majority of the fabric is from Cowtan and Tout. Custom cabinetry and built in bookshelves make for a cozy library meets living room. Filled with soft colors and easy shapes, this is a room that is hard to leave.




Farrow and Ball Octagon Yellow brightens the walls. In keeping with the location, nautical antique brass and cargo lights from Ann Morris Antiques were chosen to illuminate the space.



Another angle gives a better view of the pendant lights.



A game table with Jonas's Brighton dining chairs and an antique writing table from Ann Morris make good use of the area and it's charming eave ceilings. Kate Duffy Barnard of Katie Did in Redbank, NJ filled metal urns with sublime flowering Cherry branches and moss, adding a stunning display set against a natural jute wall covering from Philip Jeffries.



The home is close to the water, so a shell and sea fan add to the nautical appeal.



A window seat with a garden stool makes for a nice reading area. Most of the fabrics in the nook are from Cowtan and Tout.



A sofa is upholstered in a family friendly stain - resistant cotton velvet from Pindler and Pindler and a jute bullion fringe that adds a dressy touch.



An enveloping wing chair with a fun printed pillow is another nice perch. The wool rug is Stark's (sadly) discontinued Bilhuber Basics. Specially made automatic blackout roman shades are ideal for movie watching.


THE NURSERY


The framed alphabet on the wall, crib and rocking horse give away the fact that this room is a nursery. This means the room can transition easily to a bedroom with twin beds as the little one grows. Lucas Studio created a space that feels city and country. Bed hanging fabrics from Brian Ferrick's brand new Ferrick Mason collection complement the adorable puzzle piece valance. Martyn Lawrence Bullard's new fabrics are at the windows and on the glider, lending a sunny feel to the space. Lacquer side tables are from Mecox Gardens and bright yellow Christopher Spitzmiller handmade lamps bring sophistication.



A detail of the daybed pillows show a blend of pattern and color--just what a newbie needs to be happy.



Another view. The bird print comes from Mecox Gardens.



A sleek changing table and trunk from new resource Kalon Studios are offset by Starburst Mirrors from Mecox-- an "adult" touch.



Kalon Studio's geometric patterned bamboo crib with some charming Sferra bedding and sheep pillow add some sweetness.



An Urban Electric Company Anson pendant light with metal scroll work add a touch of whimsy. The piece is available in any Benjamin Moore color, and here it is painted a sunny yellow. Framed Alphabet prints available through Harbinger set the tone.



A closet filled with drawers means a place for everything. Linda Laymon of All Dolled Up styled the nursery to the hilt with baby clothes and cutie pie things. The fun little papier mache animals around the room are from Stray Dog Designs.



The Ann Morris Antique dollhouse provides a smile and a bit of history. This baby might end up an architect with such good proportions in it's midst!

MORE FROM KIPS BAY: DETAIL DRIVEN

Charles Eames famously stated, "the details are not the details, they make the product." Many designers used decorative painting as a way to add panache. Graphic geometrics, faux finishing and stripes can have a tromp l'oeil effect, making a big space seem smaller and a small space seem bigger. Painting can be an economical alternative to a rug and creates visual interest.


An M.C. Echer- like floor in McMillan room entrance look like they recede, and a pattern like this probably was inspired by Florentine marble inlay floors of the Renaissance.


Concentric squares in black and white is bold and fun, and makes this small space lively.


Natasha Bergreen and Liza Cousins created a chair rail out of tape trim, varied nail heads and painted lines. Faux bois Zig-zag stripes on the lower part of the wall draw the eye up, and the finishing touch is a small grey line at the base of the wall where it meets the floor, creating insta- molding.


Grey stars on the field of a sisal rug provide a distinctly American charm. Zing up a natural material with a painted stencil to get a country feel. The Stencil Library in London has the best designs.


Garrow Kedigian created simulated molding with pinstripe painting. Very clever.

OTHER DETAILS OF NOTE:

Charlotte Moss had a velvet pillow embroidered with pretty scrolls and flourishes.


Juan Montoya placed tiny porcelain flower-filled cache pots all in a row. Set on an architectural giltwood console, it is an elegant, symmetrical statement. A vignette like this is so simple, yet it oozes charm.

AUCTION NEWS: THIS WEEKEND SOLLO RAGO AUCTION TO FEATURE THE MODERNIST COLLECTION OF JUAN MONTOYA

After years of collecting antiques, some designers decide they do not need to keep it all. It is hard to say goodbye, but often a style cleansing means moving in a new direction. It's not a bad thing to do. On April 24 and 25, Sollo Rago Modern Auctions will be selling pieces from Juan Montoya's modernist furniture collection. Located in Lambertville, NJ, the 85 lots will include a 1931 Rene Prou and Paul Rudolf chairs. The auction will also have European furniture, and many Jacques Adnet pieces. Why not make a weekend out of it? For more information, visit Sollo Rago.

STYLEBEAT DESIGN DEAL OF THE WEEK: TWO'S COMPANY WAREHOUSE SALE STARTS APRIL 30th

This sale looks like a good one--up to 90% off retail. With a charitable tie in, it will be even better. 50% of the proceeds will go to My Sisters Place,and Elmsford is not too far outside New York City. Give it a whirl.

FLOWERS AU NATURAL: TRY YOUR HAND AT A QUICK AND EASY ARRANGEMENT

With so many gorgeous flowers in bloom, take a moment to arrange your own. Get a few bunches of fresh stems, cut the bottom of them at an angle under running water, and arrange away.

CHOOSE A UNIQUE VESSEL FOR A CREATIVE DISPLAY:


Take a silver, glass or ceramic pitcher for arranging.


Use what you have. Take the lid off of a tureen, and fill it with oasis and arrange. Then set it at the center of a table with the lid propped next to it. Voila, another purpose for a rarely used and beautiful soup tureen. The one shown above is Chinese Bouquet from Herend.

Photo Courtesy of Charlotte Moss
Texture and shine make silver a perennial favorite for plants and flowers. Silver Swirl Cachepot from Charlotte Moss online.


Photo Courtesy of William Sonoma Home
Large vessels suit branches well. Try flowering Quince with these brown and white pieces. Perch them at either end of a mantel for symmetry . Chocolate Ginger Jars from William Sonoma Home.



SOME OF THE PICKS OF SPRING:


Think color, and don't be shy. Mix unexpected colors together or go the monochromatic route for a big impact.








Carnations, once considered cheap and often seen alongside Baby's Breath, are stylish once again and tend to look best used all one color for maximum punch.

STYLEBEAT STANDOUTS: KIPS BAY ROOMS THAT RESONATE

Tiny rooms ruled the day at this Kips Bay. Making a space cozy can be as much of a challenge as filling a huge room with seating arrangements. Floral motifs, special painted details and bright color stood out this year. Below are the standouts, providing beautiful ideas, fun elements and unexpected touches. The rooms are spread out over 5 floors of a massive townhouse.
Albert Hadley was the Honorary Chair this year, so many designers added a Hadley element in their rooms to pay tribute. Further uptown, Gerald Bland, antique dealer of all things understated and elegant, mounted a show of Hadley's iconic interior drawings for the occasion. They are worth seeing.



A Christopher Maya vignette greets visitors as they enter the showhouse. Chairs with colored tufting have become one of his signature elements .



He used an ikat print as the dominant pattern the large first floor entry foyer.



A round table grounds the large hall space. His clever use of screens make the space more intimate.



Blue and white Chinese vases dot the mantel and ikat shades on a huge chandelier pull the scheme together.



Small seating arrangements in plum velvet with a wide swath of ikat make for easy conversation.



The first room that guests enter into on the main floor if that of Bunny Williams Inc and Beeline Home, called Tous Dans Un: All In One. I have profiled her collection in the past, seen here, mixed with antiques and fun touches. A red Egg Chair and framed Hadley interior drawings on the mantel are a nod to his favorite color.



Two enormous paintings by British public relations gal turned painter Sarah Graham dominate the room. The bright turquoise and green tie in with the Tiffany blue walls.



Painted sisal with Hadley stars and a bold border add a graphic element to the floor.



A long table serves two purposes-- one side is set for two and the other is a makeshift desk. Mango and turquoise colors create an island feeling in a city setting. Behind the table, a Thomas Hope bookcase grounds the wall.



Amy Lau for Maya Romanoff decorated the first floor staircase with beautiful handmade paper flowers that grew out of paper tree branches. The huge blooms added instant artwork to the vast walls.



Charlotte Moss's created a master bedroom suite,complete with a Michael Devine fabric-draped entrance. In typical Charlotte style, the 2 rooms are girly, with pretty things everywhere. Sumptuous details include embroidery, walls filled with framed artwork, charming small furniture pieces and special antiques.



Matching consoles flank the fabric- filled entryway that lead to the sitting room.



Her vast list of resources were highlighted on a long, framed list that was hung off a 4 sided revolving picture easel. It's all in the details!



D. Porthault linens on a Louis XVI day bed create a relaxing space, very French in feel.



A huge urn of flowers on a pedestal create just the right amount of drama with height and mass.



In addition to the bed and desk area, a casual seating area welcomes guests.



A Jansen desk is loaded with stationery, pretty storage boxes, a small flower arrangement and everything else a busy lady needs at her fingertips. A mini telephone table puts the modern technology to the side, so the beautiful elements are the focal point.



My favorite piece is this low slipper chair, upholstered in a classic floral. It is a spot to perch or put things.



An Italian marble console breaks up the wall that leads from the sitting room to the charming bedroom space. Monochromatic burgundy flowers add a pop of color to the serene palette.



In the bedroom, grey blue De Gournay tea paper offset a solid fabric- draped canopy bed, surrounded by mismatched end tables.



Matthew Patrick Smyth worked with Gloria Vanderbilt, recreating the bedroom of her youth. This 1940s room was faithfully reincarnated from an aunt’s house near Washington Square Park. She lived there when she was 16, after living in hotels up to that point. This was her first real bedroom. A Swedish clock, Indian chair and velvet quilt make for an eclectic, feminine retreat.



Her Washington Mews view in winter is painted at the window, and adds a charming vista through silver grey silk drapery.



Frills can delight a young girl. A sumptuous daybed and linens are soft pink and blue grey. Gloria wrote a message on the Silver leaf wallpaper from Schumacher, giving her room a personal touch.



A 1920's Peacock- filled screen and inlay table sit in the corner-- reminders of her well- traveled youth. The exoticism and mix of these pieces was unexpected in the 1940's.



Joe Nye was inspired by Otto Zenke, a 1960's Palm Beach decorator. Burnt orange walls covered in Phillip Jeffries raffia grass cloth and a mustard yellow ceiling tie the color scheme of his two small rooms together. Pops of color from a Le Menache floral fabric coordinate with Grosfield House Swag back chairs and cabinets from Joe Nye New York at Claremont.



Yellow Peking glass and Orange Crush soda bottles bring humor to the small second sitting room.



Art and color converge with Leger prints. The lesson here is to have fun with decorating.



A black Muirfield bench grounds all of the sunny brightness.



McMillen's room was a barrel- vaulted space they turned into A Gothic Inspired Dining Room. You can tell they had fun with the room. It incorporated whimsical touches-- quirky dining chairs covered in a zig zag stripe added a fantastical quality. Here, a feature wall covered in Stark Brambles showcases Gregory Kuharic's white Gourd Forms from Liz O'Brien. Their unique forms add a playful element.



Color Vibe by Eileen Kathryn Boyd was yet another explosively colorful example. Lime green, orange and hot pink are coordinated through accessories, fabrics and artwork. It was refreshing and lively, perfect for a warm climate.



In contrast, Donald F. Schermerhorn's space called for serenity now. Greys, eggplant and eggshell colors in his Loft Lounge with a floating bed, glass fireplace wall and seating area were a sea of calm.



The solid chair forms are lightened by the floor length panels at the window and vase stands that hold Chinese glazed pottery jars from Florian Papp. An abstract oil painting in matching tones complete this exercise in tranquility.



Garrow Kedigian's The Artist's Retreat was a tiny area on the top floor. A seating area with a wall banquette and table had a Neoclassical and Greek motif. This masculine work space combined classic elements, including Tuscan red walls with a a cream inset border to match the Greek Key rug.