I was honored to be a part of this years 18th Annual ‘Rooms with a View’ design show at the Southport Congregtional Church, which despite Sandy’s efforts to shut us down, was a huge success. People stepped away from their flooded basements and powerless homes to visit 12 designers’ vignettes that were all extremely diverse. Each vignette told its own little story and captured a moment of design that hopefully inspired those who were able to visit the show and will inspire all of you (our followers!) A big thank you to all who made this show possible at the Southport Congregational Church. It’s nice to see everyone coming together to support such a wonderful church and the design world as we continue to stimulate the minds around us!
This years theme was ‘Design on a Shoestring’ and was a tribute to the late and great American decorator, Albert Hadley. You’ll notice Hadley-isms in many of the vignettes as well as a variety of color and composition which Mr. Hadley was a fan of – as long as there wasn’t too much beige he was happy! The vignettes:
John Murphy from Tracker Home Decor designed the most exquisite “Poker Room” with BM Panther Black walls, linen upholstered barrel chairs with nailhead trim, coordinating curtains using a gorgeous Scalamandre trim and an antique side table/bar
The bar that kept on giving
Even the poker table base is made from an old barrel – divine!
Bachman Brown created a Mid Century Modern playroom that the kids absolutely adored. How genius are the cork board walls? He showed us that a little lacquer and the right upholstery can go a long way
The striped Stark rug adds a punch of boldness and contrast that helps tie the room together and grabs the attention of all viewers
Allison Caccoma created an homage to Albert with a hand painted sunburst mural, black and white faux bois flooring, St. Thomas tufted sofa and gorgeous Passion Flower paintings by Christian Brechneff. Mr. Hadley would have swooned over her design and the color scheme
Topher Carnes and I (Rebecca Tier Soskin) wanted to create a playful vignette to show you what can be accomplished with very little money and a lot of ingenuity. Here, in our ‘Unfinished Business’ space we used bold citrines and lime greens against a bold black and white mural on the wall. The abstract art added even more energy and color which shows you just how important it is to fill your walls with things you love
We’d like to thank all of those who contributed to our vignette and made this playful office possible. The pale blue candelabra lamp is from Dunes & Duchess, The desk chair is a combination of Kravet, Brunschwig & Fils and Fabricut, the blue water painting is by Alex Schuchard, The colorful abstract painting is by Reagan Geschardt and the wall mural was hand painted by Topher Carnes
Additional thanks to Quadrille Fabrics for their Henricot Floral fabric in lilac and Danny Geschardt who painted the fabulous lime green, blue, fuscia, black and white abstract painting seen leaning against the cabinet. Also to Herm Freeman whose large abstract painting on the wall had visitors ooh-ing and aah-ing
Jennifer Gresinger created a cozy and inviting sitting room with pale yellow walls, a built-in filled with various books and decorative objects, a custom made chaise with Albert Hadley’s firework fabric and a beautiful photograph taken in Italy by a local artist, Barbara Erdman. I could spend several hours in that chaise!
The scalloped lantern is from Coleen and Company, and the scalloped mirror is from Ballard Designs. Both compliment each other and add to the idea that you’re lounging in a room by the water
Lynde Easterlin created a relaxing sitting room with just enough impact to make this otherwise traditional space young and trendy. The console table, slipper chairs and ottoman are all from Oomph
The antique sconces and gilt mirror hang on a Kathryn Ireland paisley wallpaper and the slipper chairs have the perfect pop of green to tie it all together.
Jack Franzen, Ann Franzen, Katrina Franzen and Jody Foote created an adorable screened in porch with pops of color and simple furnishings that are perfect for porch living
The goldfish appropriately named “Albert” and “Hadley” had their first debut at the show
Lisa Ehrlich created this ‘first young woman’s studio apartment’ with a custom made fuscia velvet day bed, faux python side table, Land of Nod table lamps and a small Made Goods side table. The wallpaper is from Osborne & Little and is the perfect cross between sophisticated and whimsy
The little touches like the greek key trim, stack of books and accessories are what make a house a home. I wish my first apartment looked like this!
Ryan Humphries, an artist from Brooklyn, created this fun and fantastic vignette using all custom made furnishings, flooring, walls and ceiling design. A throwback from the 80′s that you should enter at your own risk
The fuzzy pink stereo system which included a record player reminded us just how far we’ve come with technology
Paola Salinas created the perfect dressing room for a woman looking to organize her wardrobe and relax while putting on a new pair of shoes. The faux bois wallpaper by Nobilis is even more smashing in person and the lighting by Vaughn adds just the right amount of “jewelry” to the room
The built-in is perfectly styled with fashinoable clothes and a few bottles of perfume for a splash of something sweet before running out the door
Kelley Schutte created a rich burgundy and black dining space with an inviting tablescape. The geometric rug is a lovely addition to the space, keeping it warm and romantic
The sunburst mirror and cane hanging from one of the dining chairs were her ‘ode to albert’ pieces which added a special touch
Thanks again to all who participated and attended the show
