In a world of design possibilities, why be boring? Four talents share a bolder take on surface treatments.
Mix Master
“Old Florida meets the French Riviera” was the inspiration for Heather and Matt French’s pattern-happy overhaul of this Sunshine State residence. Merging these vivid influences in singular fashion, the husband-and-wife design duo employed a sophisticated medley of muddy, saturated tones and precisely scaled patterns to flavor the public and private spaces.
Take the library, a cozy entertaining enclave for wine and conversation, or the primary bedroom, a deeply personal and serene retreat just for the clients. In both rooms—and throughout the home—characterful wall treatments yield a wonderfully lived-in sensibility.
“Millwork played a crucial role in setting the mood and adding visual weight to the library,” Heather French affirms. “The green used on the built-ins is echoed in the wallpaper that envelops the room, with varying shades of the same hue layered throughout to create depth while maintaining a cohesive palette.” And in the primary bedroom, “The wallpaper is the undeniable showstopper,” she continues. “We intentionally played with mid-scale patterns, breaking the usual rule of mixing differently scaled motifs, and instead focused on introducing contrast through color and texture.” Adds the designer of the home’s resounding design lesson, “Successful layered decorating isn’t about more, it’s about more that makes sense together.”
The primary bedroom’s pattern-happy mélange includes Pierre Frey’s Momiji wallpaper and a Julian Chichester bed with a headboard upholstered in a Morris & Co. textile. Selvedge blue by Farrow & Ball on the millwork produces a soothing pop.
Blank walls have no business in this bold Saint Petersburg, Florida, residence designed by French & French Interiors. The library features a painterly Pierre Frey mural, while newly constructed millwork swathed in a custom emerald green hue acts as a chic framing device.
Heather and Matt French of French & French Interiors.
Old Soul
A new-build, white-box apartment can give the illusion of patina and history—and this Manhattan apartment designed by Benjamin Vandiver is proof. To bring an aged sensibility to the austere canvas, Vandiver began by coating the walls of the public spaces in a hand-troweled plaster finish inspired by one of Bunny Mellons homes. “It blurs the edges of the room and softens the light, making everything feel a bit more cinematic,” he muses.
The plaster lays a tonal base for Vandiver’s surprising symphony of antique French lighting, modern art and statement draperies in the living room. “The commanding presence of the curtains allowed us to have a bit more freedom with art,” he notes, referencing the large-scale contemporary work by Matt DiGiacomo, which sits in pleasing juxtaposition to the pools of chartreuse silk at the windows. “Style lives in the edit,” he says. “It’s knowing when to take one thing away or when to add the one piece that throws it all off kilter in the best way.”
The walls’ carefully layered sensibility carries through to the upholstery, where an irreverent array of textiles—tiger velvet, yellow check and floral chintz—“together suggest something painterly and relaxed,” Vandiver posits. “There’s just enough tension between them to keep things from feeling too composed. It reinforces the idea that the room was assembled not prescribed; collected rather than decorated.”
Schumacher’s Nancy Floral chintz on a tufted armchair lends a distinctly traditional note to a corner of this living room designed by Benjamin Vandiver. Antique French lighting and rustic accent tables frame a contemporary painting by Matt DiGiacomo.
Benjamin Vandiver.
Bold Statement
What was once an indoor playground for kids is now a sultry dining lounge thanks to Jessica Knauf’s creative vision. When the Colorado-based designer signed on to transform her clients’ new Denver home, she took inspiration from their love of entertaining in converting the abode’s quirkiest amenity into a decadent room for hosting gatherings large and small.
“They dreamed of a moody, elevated space that evoked the atmosphere of a tucked-away lounge in the city,” Knauf recalls. “We embraced the idea that the room would shine at night and leaned fully into that energy, layering in rich colors, luxe textures and inviting lighting,” she explains of the milieu. “Every detail is designed to feel immersive and warm.”
Arguably the crown jewel of said details is an 18-foot-wide mural depicting towering cranes, which Knauf played up by mounting it proud of the wall, accented by a subtle backlight and flanked by sculptural sconces. “The mural was our hero piece—epic in scale and dripping in character,” she says. “It set the tone for the room’s blend of elegance and a bit of attitude.” Against a backdrop of deep, enveloping teal paint, the graphic beauty of the mural pops, turning the walls into a highly original and memorable moment.
“Designing a space intended for nighttime use gave us permission to be bold,” she continues. “It’s glamorous, but grounded. Colorful, but never chaotic.”
Benjamin Moore’s Newburg Green wraps the walls of this Denver lounge, where a deGournay mural commands attention. Opposite a wet bar, designer Jessica Knauf composed a cocktail area fit with Lawson-Fenning seating. The sconce is The Urban Electric Co.
Jessica Knauf.