Posted on by margaretof@gmail.com

Inspiration

I have two style inspirations.

One, who may be rather expected because of her very popular interior design style and prolific influence, is filmmaker Nancy Meyers. The second, Walton Goggins, an actor, may be rather unexpected because he is not as widely known for his interior design style. 

I’ll begin with the more unexpected influence – Walton Goggins. He most recently appeared in the 3rd season of The White Lotus. With the popularity of the series and its characters (my favorite is Victoria Ratliff played by Parker Posey; that accent!), much has been written lately about the actors. 

I came across this Architectural Digest article and Open Door AD video tour on YouTube of Goggins’ house in upstate NY. During the pandemic, his family relocated from LA to an old house on lots of land in the Hudson Valley. In the AD article, Goggins summed up his thoughts upon finding the house, “We were buying a feeling, an idea of a new way of life for our family. We were tapping into the generative idea of a place.” I feel similarly about our apartment. 

Although the actual style of the rooms is not the look I’m going for, I was inspired by the interior of Goggins’ home for these reasons: 

  • The decor fits with the time period the house was built (1920s) and architectural style of the house (Scottish hunting lodge); 
  • Goggins and his wife have seamlessly and thoughtfully infused their personal touches throughout the house including their art collection and personal treasures; 
  • All the rooms have a very lived-in feel – they are rooms where you want to sit down, put your feet up, and relax.

The last point is a good segue to the more well-known Nancy Meyers aesthetic. Meyers has written and/or directed numerous romantic comedies. On each of her sets, she has created warm, cozy, lived-in homes for her characters. Think of the homes in The Parent Trap, Something’s Gotta Give, and The Holiday. They are beautiful, functional, and comfortable. They exude a sense of easiness and timelessness. 

Although each of Meyers’ sets is different, there are certain commonalities:

  • Neutral tones on walls and upholstery;
  • Comfy slip-covered furniture;
  • Layered lighting;
  • Rooms that are both casual and sophisticated at the same time, and always functional; 
  • Fresh flowers and candles on table tops;
  • Kitchens with practical items openly displayed (copper pots on pot racks, pots of fresh herbs on counters).

I am drawn to Meyers’ style and would like to replicate it in our apartment. 

Additionally, as Goggins did in his house, I’d like to keep with (at least some) style elements of our pre-war 1920’s building while infusing our space with artwork and personal touches. 

Although the two inspirations are not the same style, what Goggins and Meyers have in common is their flair for designing functional and pretty interiors that are very inviting. They create a feeling of comfort and warmth, which, in my opinion, is the definition of “home.”

Posted on by margaretof@gmail.com

Goldilocks and the 3 Paint Colors

The first project we wanted to tackle was painting all the rooms. 

The color on the walls when we moved in was a dull pistachio – it was everywhere, in every room, on both walls and trim. For an apartment with such classic, early 20th-century, pre-war elements, the color did nothing to enhance it. 

So we began with the question of “What color?”

We wanted a clean, crisp, classic look. In addition we knew we didn’t want to change anything about the original 1920’s oak floors that had been finished with a medium-dark stain. 

Adhering to those considerations, we quickly decided on white walls for every room. Which thus led us to the next question “Which white?”

On the surface this may seem like an easy question to answer. It is not. 

There are many whites to choose from, each with its own undertone and amount of light it reflects.

We knew what we wanted – a soft, true “white” white. We knew what we didn’t want – a white that casts too beige or yellow or off-white, or a stark, hospital-like white. 

With a little bit of research and help from friends with lots of experience painting rooms, we narrowed our choices to 3 colors (all Benjamin Moore):

  • Oxford White
  • White Dove
  • Simply White

I painted swatches of the colors on sections of walls in a couple of rooms and looked at the colors at different times of day. 

The conclusion: 

— Oxford White was too stark (cool and very bright – it jumped out at you); 

— White Dove was too subdued (warm but not quite bright enough); 

— Simply White was “just right.”

It had just the right amount of warmth and yet looked like a true white in both south- and north-facing rooms. It was bright without being stark. It was the tone and feel we were looking for.

Here’s how it came out: Stay tuned for photos

Posted on by margaretof@gmail.com

Day one

Immediately after closing and getting the keys to the apartment, we brought over our vintage record player.

It’s a 1970’s Italian design Milani record player known as a “trash can” because of its shape. We first saw one like it in Italy, found this one on Italian eBay, had it shipped to the U.S., and kept it in storage until now. 

This was the first item we moved in – before any furniture – because what better way to christen our new place than by playing a Billie Holiday original LP on a vintage record player.

It definitely scores high on the coolness scale.