Russian Hill Flat

Justin gave me a few themes to work with: worldly, vintage and unique

Justin has a great sense of style and is a true gentleman with a profound understanding of the world around him. Since his style is both elegant and playful, his space is both refined and unexpected. His artwork provided the palette and inspiration for the entire flat. Justin wanted his living room to have an eclectic modern feel with a Moroccan flair. We decided to take advantage of the cubby and turned it into a lounge where Justin could entertain casually. The aluminum candle chandelier gives an air of mystique all aglow when lounging on the suede pillows. Most of the pieces we chose for the flat are antiques. We layered many styles, blending shapes and melding furniture from many different eras. You'll find a Brutalist-inspired coffee table, a Chinese chest, hand-beaded Vietnamese lights and a Moroccan gate framing the mirror over his couch.

Russian Hill Flat

We painted each color in the pallette and ribboned them on the ceiling, widening the narrow entrance. The pictures are signed lithographs from an old hunting lodge.

Russian Hill Flat

We raised the eye in the bathroom by hanging the curtains from the ceiling. The towel racks are old Victorian locker cabinets, and the ladder is from a farm in the south.

Russian Hill Flat

His bedroom has turn-of-the-century Austrian crystal and marble lamps flanking a steel-framed bed. A 1950's tweed reading chair completes the room.

Russian Hill Flat

Since we were limited in the kitchen and couldn't change the countertops or cabinets, we simply worked around them! We painted the walls to allow the cabinets to blend. We found an old machine table, added steel plumbing pipes as legs, old stools as chairs and lifted the focus to the artwork and Depression Era hand-painted poster high on the wall.

Fillmore Penthouse

Barry and Josh gave me three themes to work with: Vegas, a mountain lodge and an after-party... what more would you want as men in their late twenties living the high-life?

We started with vintage glassware and light fixtures, harkening back to the Brat-Pack age. We added mirrors and a crystal bar to give a peak-a-boo view of the cityscape below. We applied a layered-stone finish to the fireplace, darkened the ceiling beams and added a travertine and maple coffee table to complete the living room. To bring the outside in, we took the roots and sand from each plant on the deck and added them to the fireplace finish. Barry and Josh loved the idea of having the energy in the garden soil embedded in the fireplace finish. Lastly, the large glowing red light fixture in the dining room creates just the right atmosphere late in the evening.

Fillmore Penthouse

Barry has very regal, almost opulent taste. He loves rich color and texture. He wanted his bedroom to feel like a modern-day kingly lair. We added layers of gold and bronze paint to the walls, and lush plants on either side of the bed. Barry already had his hand-carved bed, and really loved it. So, we took the bed-posts down to allow for more vertical room and added modern linen. Barry enjoyed his new space and that he didn't have to change who he was or what he liked. Lastly, as a surprise, I found some old photographs of Barry as a boy. We blew them up, framed them in linen and wood and hung them in his room. I will never forget his reaction when he realized that the 'cool new prints' in his bedroom were of him as a small boy!

Fillmore Penthouse

Josh's style is relaxed. He wanted his bedroom to feel more like a log-cabin. He wanted to feel like he was surrounded by suede. We had a shoe-string budget, so focused on great linens and a comfy chair overlooking his private balcony. He used his dual-purpose desk as a recording studio and the cityscape as inspiration. Outside his bedroom, we created a meditation space with rocks, a chair and jasmine.

Fillmore Penthouse

For the garden, we wanted to capture New England with the city's roughness. We found these old steel tables and let them rust in the rain. We used simple slatted teak tiles to level the ground, and add an element of nature to the pre-existing concrete floor. We wanted it to feel like they were on vacation whilst out on their deck over looking the city.