a room design

when chairish asked me long ago to do a mid-century room design, the timing was off and my schedule wouldn't allow for it.  this time around, i obliged.  the task at hand entailed mixing up mid-century modern with any style and i knew this would be a fun and creative endeavor.  most of the furnishings i chose,  and more great mid-century pieces can be found here.  since this style of furniture features clean lines it is easy to incorporate any of these furnishings into your space.  

the start of this office design began with the colorful, and very electric, mid-century modern splash oil painting; this anchored the entire room.  from there, i searched through many pages of furniture on the chairish site and this almond lacquered paul frankl mid-century modern desk captured my attention.  i really love the clean lines, brass hardware, and neutral color to help balance out the bold art, graphic vase, and printed pillows.  this design i liken to a symphony of styles, color, textures and contrast.  the two pillows, one in wool and the other in green silk, offer up great visual appeal while having very different lines in the pattern.

this italian mid-century modern floor lamp from 1955, made of bronze and iron, provides sleek lines  much like the desk while also contrasting the rounded lines of the industrial chair.  the pod chairs...well...those are just too cool!  they add another texture and more neutrality in contrast to the explosive and bold art and pair so well with the brass c jere style octagonal table.  so there you have it,  my symphony in design.  xx, dana

for more specific details on any of the above furnishings, click here.  

a peek inside a cosmopolitan manhattan apartment

the home of fashion consultant amanda ross has a chic and eclectic yet slightly bohemian vibe.  the intermingling of many styles adds an air of culture to this warm and intimate space.  happy thursday.  xx, dana

photos:  domaine magazine, photographer-brittany ambridge

designer crush: veere grenney

veere grenney

veere grenney

veere grenney

it always makes me happy to find a beautiful something. it could be a butterfly fluttering in the sun or a bunch of flowers, or a beautiful fabric.  today i found beautiful joy in the wonderful designs of veere grenney.  his designs evoke a peaceful balance, a juxtaposition of materials and styles, all with an air of luxury.  xx, dana

a peek inside a manhattan penthouse

neutral herringbone wood floors, stone ceilings, modern furnishings, and fine art bring an air of sophistication to this charming penthouse.  i'm in awe of the bold wall covering mimicking abstract art over the brass stairway.  happy tuesday.  xx, dana

designer:  rafael de cárdenas/architecture at large

room design

i was asked by modani recently to design a dorm or first apartment for a college student.  the focus being "if you think back to your first touch of independence when you moved into a dorm room or apartment and could go back in time with the decorating expertise you have now, what changes would you make?"

this is my design based on my first apartment.  at that time, i was very much into french country mixed with old and new.  i had an old pine french country syle armoire that anchored my living room (and kept my ugly tv out of site), combined with a cream, roll-arm sofa, a chest for a coffee table, lots of baskets (they were cheap) and old barn window grids used as art.  today, my designs still mix up modern with old but have evolved and become more refined to include french louis-style furniture, anything gilded from italy and france, antiques, touches of chinoiserie all mixed up with bold color statements that are subtle yet strong and sometimes are quite bold.  more often than not, i now fuse my designs with feng shui balancing principles (after college i went to california to get certified in feng shui).  

in this design, i had a young and vibrant college lady in mind.  she's on the go and seeks the comfort and serenity of her space when done with her long day at school and perhaps work too.  the sofa is the anchor for the room.   it can fold out for friends that stop by and are there late studying or having fun, and need a place to sleep.   i'd put a pair of the modern, baroque chairs parallel to the sofa and load up the sofa with the throw pillows and soft throw.  the chinoiserie coffee tables (from one kings lane), would go in between the chairs and sofa but are small enough to move around the space for parties and such.  the poufs provide much-needed color and portable sitting spots.  the art was brought in to balance the white space, and give color; but also the wood element (in feng shui) was needed.  baskets were my savior back in the day, and i just love having them around to throw keys, pencils, paper and other items in that can be retrieved quickly.  uggs...ahhhhh...uggs...to slip on at the end of a long day.  xx, dana

modani furniture conceptualizes on contemporary and modern furniture (modani.com) at very affordable prices.  you can find them here or at stores in new york, chicago, los angeles, miami, washington d.c., houston, atlanta and toronto, canada.