Spanish kitchens on the Balearic Island of Formentera use rustic natural materials for unique kitchen look. Sandy white beaches and clear turquoise seas call most people to an island, but the architectural beauty of the homes cannot be dismissed. In these Spanish kitchens, concrete cabinet shells with rustic wood plank doors and drawer fronts offer a fitted look that still … [Read more...]
Chicken Wire Chic
Finding its way from the barnyard into the main house, chicken wire has some homeowners crowing. When we were building our cottage I mentioned using chicken wire on the doors of two hutches in our kitchen. I was met with a blank stare from the cabinet maker. Would it have sounded better in French or Italian? Probably not with my southern accent. Whether it's fabric backed or … [Read more...]
Sophisticated Safari Nursery
A safari theme baby's room by a DIY mom is designed for growth and exploration. We're having a baby boom at Atticmag, and our first new mom-to-be is Brandy O. You may remember her guest post Rugs in Morocco. I've known her long enough to believe there is nothing she cannot do. Expecting her first child in July, Brandy began a safari theme nursery by painting the walls of the … [Read more...]
Powder Room Think
Today, the traditional powder room focuses on a trio of key decorative elements. Traditional powder room design is becoming as easy as one, two, three: 1. Convert a piece of furniture — preferably vintage or antique into a vanity. 2. Add a decorative mirror and a pair of sconces over it. 3. Plan a tile or wall treatment to add surface interest. Even top pros like … [Read more...]
Canadian Stone Mansion
Tour Maus Park, a mid-19th c. Canadian stone mansion home to an antiques dealer. A rustic kitchen led me to Maus Park, a mid-19th century Canadian stone mansion and historic home near Toronto. One of my favorite kitchens here on Atticmag, when I originally posted it we all swooned over the combination of luxury and natural stone. Then there was the oil painting hung in the … [Read more...]
More Inspired Design Showhouse
Tour part two of the Inspired Design showhouse celebrating extraordinary women A large amount of space has been devoted to the Inspired Designs Showhouse here in New York City. It features two apartments full of rooms — nearly 10,000 square feet — created by 15 top designers as a benefit for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, founded by Evelyn H. Lauder. Each room was … [Read more...]
Inspired Design Showhouse
Tour the Inspired Designs showhouse in NYC with rooms dedicated to extraordinary women. Move over Kip’s Bay. A group of 15 premier New York interior designers combined talents in a unique showhouse event to launch a new condominium building on West End Avenue, a street that hasn’t changed so much in 30 years or perhaps longer. As it happens it’s in my neighborhood, … [Read more...]
Chic White Shag Carpets
Plush white shag carpets are a natural choice for mid-century inspired rooms Synonymous with the Sixties, wall-to-wall white shag carpets were a staple of every household in my neighborhood. Fast forward to the 21st century, and we find today’s shag is hipper, sleeker and very much back in style. Less is definitely more in the designer rooms featured, where solid white … [Read more...]
Art of the Drapery
Drapery fabrics are used to soften big windows in monochromatic spaces. Some designers have a knack for creating interesting and beautifully crafted drapery treatments that add ideas to a room. Then there are rare occasions when fabrics take on a life of their own as interior art forms. For me, this Long Island house by Jose Solis Betancourt, who practices in Washington, D.C., … [Read more...]
Turkish Mosaic Bathroom
Clean lines and monochromatic design create a space to showcase a Turkish mosaic. An antique Turkish mosaic stone horse became the highly artistic theme for a lovely and feature-packed penthouse bathroom by Chicago designer John Robert Wiltgen. Mosaics often appeared on old Roman bath walls and it’s great to see the idea updated. Installing the piece in a recessed niche over … [Read more...]
Picture Window Bath
A picture window connects a tranquil bath to an outside view. Grab a glass of wine, ease yourself (carefully!) into the freestanding tub, and gaze through the picture window to enjoy the view of the indigenous forest in Kynsna, South Africa. Then swaddle yourself in toasty terrycloth - that big towel warmer can handle quite a few. This spacious, minimalist master bathroom in … [Read more...]
Classic Carrara Bathroom
In a Carrara bathroom, white marble slabs and tiles are both the material and the message. A white Carrara bathroom has become the classic. The famous marble from northern Italy has found its way into our home and hearts. And in this bathroom it's on nearly every surface, including the floor, shower walls, tub deck and vanity top. The classic white Victorian-style cabinets and … [Read more...]
