A bedroom added in an attic is bound to be an interesting, unique space and a bonus for the house. One of the most dramatic transformations I've ever seen here was the Old-House Attic Master Suite our artist-decorator friend Amy built for herself and her husband. So I believe in attic bedrooms. We’ve presented other ideas for attic spaces but I think bedrooms are most … [Read more...]
Wintery Walls
Dark gray walls with white accents remind me of this chill and stormy season. When it comes to wall color, dark gray walls go against my instinct for wall color that reflects -- rather than absorbs -- natural light. That usually means colors with light to medium values. Lately, though, as I’ve focused on gray in the kitchen, perhaps as a prelude to repainting mine, and I … [Read more...]
Plum Crazy
1960s plum purple is hitting the walls – sometimes full-strength and sometimes muted. I first noticed two Plummy Dark Rooms -- both in England – but at the time it was difficult to find a plum purple paint if you had the yen. Since then the hues we find among the sweet summer produce in the supermarket have hit the fan decks, upholstery fabrics and accessories. Today, some of … [Read more...]
Cinderella Fireplace
The story of a salvage mantel and how that lucky find transformed a really ugly fireplace. The dirty little secret when we bought our house is that neither of us liked it. My husband fell in love with the property. I wanted a mid-century ranch – all on one floor. But there we were, buying a two-story center hall colonial with ubiquitous not-our-taste wallpaper and a fireplace … [Read more...]
Hollywood Legend Kitchen
Even a long-dead movie star like Hollywood legend Errol Flynn can distinguish a house. At some point, Hollywood legend Errol Flynn, the star of film classics like 1935's "Captain Blood" and 1938's "Robin Hood," lived in this 4500-square foot, 1926 Mediterranean style, hillside home in the Hollywood Hills. The house has an 18 x 21-foot kitchen plus a panoramic city view from … [Read more...]
