Interview with New York Interior Designer Sara Gilbane

Earlier this year, the seasoned, Traditional Home and youngster, Lonny collaborated to create a new digital shelter magazine, TRADhome. In it’s debut issue, TRADhome names 20 New Traditional Designers to Watch. On the coveted list is New York-base interior designer, Sara Gilbane. She is known for her classic modern-traditional style and artfully combining low-key and elegant pieces. Sara’s interiors are chic, yet grounded in practicality.
 

Simplified Bee: When did you know you wanted to be an interior designer? 

Sara Gilbane: After my first day of work at Kemble Interiors. I was thrilled to be working with Celerie Kemble and Christina Murphy and once I dove into those fabrics I never looked back!

SB: How would you describe your personal style? 

SG: I come from a traditional background and love bold color and pattern mixed with neutrals. My style has a bit of an eclectic loved feel with a sense of calm.

SB: Who would you most like to collaborate with on a project? 

SG: Architects Peter Pennoyer or Gil Schafer. 

SB: Do you have “go to” paint colors? If so, which ones? 

SG: Benjamin Moore Linen White, Dove White, and Super White are always used on my moldings. Farrow and Ball Skylight is another favorite- a pale grey blue that makes you feel like you have been enveloped in a cloud.

SB: Which of today’s interior design trends are here to stay and which ones will we see fade away?

SG: Ikat, zebra, sisal, jewel tones, reclaimed wood, and bold color are all trending but they are classics and will never go away. Perhaps neon is one trend we will (gladly) see go.

SB: Where do you recommend clients splurge versus save? 

SG: Splurge on drapes, wallpaper, and a custom sofa ( you will LIVE on this for 20 years and it will be amazingly comfortable). Save on cocktail table, side tables, lamps. With this splurge/ save combo the splurge items are so unique people assume the rest of your pieces are special. Then again.... if you fall in love with something, buy it. Since you love it you will always find a way of working it into your next home.

SB: I love the timelessness of the nursery you designed that was featured in TRADhome. Tell us about your favorite design elements in the space. 

SG: We used a classic wool rug with a timeless geometric pattern in charcoal grey, celadon green, and slate blue to hide stains. The room had a tremendously high ceiling so we added silver star wallpaper on the ceiling and a custom painted pale blue and white circus tent stripe on the walls to add a sense of whimsy to the room. The deep mulberry colored rocking chair is one of my favorite pieces. It is so comfortable and the shape makes it perfect for a growing child ( not stuck in a nursery forever).

SB: You are embracing social media and write a blog {Travel for Design}, are on Facebook and can be found tweeting {http://twitter.com/sgilbane}. Do you prefer one over the other? What is your advice to other interior designers who are timid about trying social media marketing outlets? 

SG: I love the blog though I do not have nearly enough time to update it as much as I would like to. I need to be better with tweeting! I would advise other designers not to be timid. I was not sure anyone would read our blog and we have over 6,000 hits a day! Go forth and blog, tweet, and tumble!

SB: Fill in the blank. No room is complete without… 

SG: Art.

SB: What’s next for Sara Gilbane Interiors? 

SG: I would love to design a range of fabrics and wallpapers for one of the fabric houses. I am fabric obsessed!

*images via Sara Gilbane Interiors and TRADhome

Jane's House: The Master Bedroom

Jane's House as of April 20, 2011

Editor's Note: This post is the second in a series detailing the design of my sister's new house. If you missed last week's installment for Jane's study, go HERE.

Well, the construction of Jane and P.W.'s house continues at a quick pace -- indeed, the exterior is all but finished, the drywall is up and the flooring is going down. As they've set a closing date for the end of the month, I'm going to redouble my efforts to finish the decorating plans for a few key rooms. This week, we'll be focusing on their master bedroom.

                            

The master bedroom is generously sized at 14' x 16', with a nice bay window overlooking the backyard, which will make for a lovely seating area for reading and relaxing. Like many couples, Jane and P.W. are looking for a balance of masculine and feminine, warm and cool tones and all on a strict budget! Moreover, they already have a nice bedroom set and are hoping to get a new look without investing in new furniture. Fortunately, this means I'll be working with some great basics that can act as the foundation for our new design.

Jane and P.W.'s existing bedroom furniture are from Pottery Barn's Valencia bedroom furniture line, whose classic yet clean lined pieces are stained a dark mahogany, as well as an existing white armchair and ottoman. These pieces are the perfect transitional building blocks and will add weight and balance to the lighter, more eclectic accessories and small furniture items that we'll be layering in to create depth, interest and personality.

Jane has her heart set on this soft modern Ikat print duvet set from DwellStudio. It's palette of grey-blue, greige and sand will be the jumping off point for the room. We'll pull out the cool grey-blue with the sheets a throw pillow for the white chair and the warmer greige for the walls, painting the room in Farrow & Ball's Elephant Breath, a color with interest and depth that goes way above simple beige.

The next layer will come in with accessories. The first task will be to swap out the simple oil-rubbed bronze knobs on the dresser and side tables with some gorgeous mercury glass knobs from Anthropologie. Yes, they're a splurge when buying in bulk, but they'll completely transform the pieces, bringing in the more ornate, traditional elements that Jane is so drawn to. 

Next, because this is a bedroom, I didn't want to get too crazy with color and pattern, opting instead to create interest by varying textures and materials. As the main furniture pieces are dark wood (as the floors will be), I wanted to create some balance with lighter accessories. A pair of alabaster table lamps bring in a classic material, while the modern silhouette echoes the simple lines of the furniture. A bone mirror over the long dresser will add interest and a feminine touch. A bone side table repeats the material over in the seating area, where we'll also add a leggy chair with a feminine print (in a not-so-feminine grey) to balance out the larger, skirted armchair. A small garden stool next to it will bring in a touch of metallic.

So here's the look all put together:--

Source list:

Elephant's Breath Paint (Farrow & Ball)

Valencia Sleigh Bed (Pottery Barn)

Emile Lamp (Crate & Barrel)

Mercury Glass Melon Knob (Anthropologie)

Valencia Side Table (Pottery Barn)

Round Bone Mirror (Wisteria)

Valencia Dresser (Pottery Barn)

Carly Chair (Crate & Barrel)

PB Basic Armchair (Pottery Barn)

Dotted Trellis Azure Pillow (DwellStudio)

Chinese Garden Stool (Wisteria)

Chenille Jute Basketweave Rug (Pottery Barn)

Pintuck Azure Sheets (DwellStudio)

Batavia Dove Duvet Set (DwellStudio)

Bone Side Table (West Elm)

San Francisco Decorator Showcase 2011–Sneak Peek

The stately brick Italian villa estate located at 2950 Vallejo Street is the site of this year’s San Francisco Decorator Showcase. The 6,244 square foot mansion sits in on one of the most coveted blocks in San Francisco near the Presidio and steps from the Lyon Street steps.

{Entry Terrace by Kate Michels Landscape Design}

Originally constructed in 1927 by Gottschalk and Rist, the home provides breath-taking views of the Bay and Golden Gate Bridge. The image above was taken from the home’s living room.

{Master bedroom closet by James Tarantino}

The estate was purchased in the 1970s by Joseph P. Tarantino and his wife Nancy. They raised four children in the house, including fashion designer James Tarantino. Some of James’ beautiful gowns he designed are on display in the showhouse in the master bedroom closet.

For the 34th Annual San Francisco Decorator Showcase, four floors of living space in home have been completely renovated with modern, high-end appliances and finishes. The kitchen and baths have also been completely remodeled and modernized. Over thirty designers from the San Francisco Bay Area have contributed to the spectacular showhouse. The details in this home are truly amazing. I was most impressed with the flow of the home. The harmonious color palette and feel from room to room is remarkable and not typical for designer showhouses.

The tour opens to the public Saturday, April 30th, but here is a sneak peak of some of the rooms:

{Entrance Hall by Willem Racke Studio and Leigh Edwards Interiors}

{Living Room by Kathleen Navarra, Navarra Design}

{Kitchen by Tish Key Interior Design}

{Dining Room by Grant K. Gibson Interior Design}

{Master bedroom by Matt Murphy Studio}

{Master bath by Val Fiscalini Designs}

{“Going to the Chapel” sitting room by Josephine Fisher Interior Design}

{Bath by Chamber + Chambers Architects and Nancy Hammonds Design}

{Penthouse bedroom by Cathleen Gouveia Design}

{Rumpus room by Jonathan Staub and Marion Philpotts-Miller}

{"Two Sides to Every Story" bedrooms by Lisa Bakamis and Jeff Schlarb - identical floor plans, with different color palettes.}

As you can see, this is an amazing designer showhouse. I plan on showing more details of the home in the upcoming weeks. But, if you are in the area or will be visiting San Francisco in the next month, I encourage you to go to this must-see design event.

SHOWCASE DETAILS:
San Francisco Decorator Showcase runs from April 30 – May 30, 2011. 

Showcase is open Tuesdays through Sundays and Memorial Day. 

Showcase is closed on Mondays except for Memorial Day.

Tickets are available at the door and are $30 for general admission; $25 for seniors.

Group rates available and must be arranged in advance by calling (415) 447-5830.

Master Bedroom Design: Almost There...

Back in December, I updated y'all on my master bedroom (re)design as we swapped out our queen bed for a king and our tiny end tables and dresser for more ample (and more glamorous) storage. At the time, I was dubious as to whether or not I'd be able to get anymore done on the room before Baby G's arrival, as the nursery had become my top priority decorating-wise.

Well, I suppose that nesting instinct really kicked in my last few months of pregnancy and I was able to add a few more decorative touches that really make the room feel more complete. While I'd still like to add some curtain panels around the three-windows and some artwork (or something!) on the wall opposite the bed, I feel like the room is really starting to take shape.

I added this sunburst mirror that I picked up from Horchow on sale over the the long dresser. The finish is a goldish-silver (or gliver) that I think adds some warmth to the room. I didn't want to stick with just silver -- it seemed too matchy-matchy (and a bit cold with all the grey in the room!). The other big change on this end of the room was swapping out my old (and a bit dull) Pottery Barn rug for this graphic cream and blue flatweave from DwellStudio.

My big splurge was this Jonathan Adler screen (also scored at Horchow on sale). I really wanted something substantial in this corner, not only to fill the space, but to help balance out the height of the four-poster bed on the opposite wall. 

I love, love this vintage Chinoiserie lamp. I scored it off High Street Market on Etsy some months ago (alas, it had been languishing in my hall closet for months before I got around to finding a black paper shade for it). I also added a greek key finial for that extra little touch.

A few more shots of the room in its almost finished state. I'll be honest, since the arrival of Baby G. the room isn't looking quite as pristine, what with G.'s bassinet next to the screen and my dresser now cleared off to make way for the changing pad and associated accoutrement. We'll be moving Baby G. upstairs to the nursery in a month or two when his sleeping schedule stabilizes, but for now I'd like to remember my bedroom as the sanctuary it was, rather than the mess it's rapidly become!

Ah well, I know in time we'll get there again!

10 Reasons I Love this Master Bedroom

1. The color palette. Wheat and cream punctuated with cool slate blue and rich coffee is soothing, gender neutral and classic. The perfect choice for a master bedroom where you're looking to balance competing tastes and create a sense of calm. 

2. The iron chandelier with wood bead trim (Visual Comfort). It's a wonderful mix of materials that lends the traditional shape a very up-to-date feel.

3. The bold curtains. While the fabrics used on the bed are quiet and monochromatic, the African inspired print from Peter Fasano lends a much needed graphic punch. The dark coffee tone picks up on the dark wood of the bed frame while the slate blue trim ties in with the other blue accents used throughout the space.

4. The ceiling moldings! I'm a sucker for a gorgeous ceiling, and the beautiful trim here is classic, but still streamlined enough to work in a more transitional space.

5. The greek key rug. I'm of the opinion that greek key is a pattern that goes with absolutely everything -- and it's a great way to bring in some geometry when you're working with florals, paisleys or other more intricate (and feminine) patterns. Besides, I love something soft underfoot in the bedroom. 

6. The sunburst mirror. Despite being ubiquitous, sunburst mirrors are still a favorite of mine -- and this one from Ironies is absolutely stunning.

7. The curtains hung around the bed. The oatmeal linen (the same linen used on the duvet) with the wrought-iron hardware is simple and unfussy -- essential for keeping the room more gender neutral and adult. The subtle ribbon and button trim on the drapery adds a touch of glamorous luxury while still keeping the overall look understated. I also like how high they're mounted (to the height of the windows), which accentuate the high ceilings and help balance out the large windows adjacent to the bed.

8. That painting (by Christina Long). While I'm a lover of art for art's sake (and not just for matching your decor), that painting does an outstanding job of bringing together all the colors used in the room. It's also lovely and intriguing in its own right. Bonus: Christina Long's work is also relatively affordable!

9. The beautiful throw pillows. If the bed is the star of a bedroom, then the throw pillows are the star's jewelry -- and it's essential that they shine. The mix of fabrics and styles on these pillows is lovely and tie in the room's color palette without feeling matchy-matchy. Note how the bolster includes a trim reminiscent of the drapery's zebra-inspired print while the euro shams incorporates the embroidered linen on the bed's drapery.

10. In short, this room epitomizes classic, thoughtful design at its best.

Photography Credit: Traditional Home. Interior Design: Amy Bergman.

Dash of Modern, Pinch of Traditional Interior Design

This sweet modern nursery room was featured in a previous Simplified Bee blog post focused on Girly, Girl Bay Nursery Room Designs. I recently came across the article in Style at Home which featured images of the rest of this Vancouver Arts and Crafts style home and wanted to share them with you.

To help decorated the home, the owners turned to designer, Peter Wilds from boutique, The Cross. His task was to artfully blend the couple’s modern taste with the home’s classic look. A neutral white & gray color palette with blue accents is carried throughout the central living spaces. In the family room which is open to the kitchen, the walls and trim are washed in white.  A tobacco leather sofa is paired with the Oly Studio Pico Cocktail table. This round table has a beautiful scalloped shell top and industrial iron base. The spectacled cow hide rug provides wonderful texture and contrast.

Here in the all white kitchen you can get a good sense of how dark the wood flooring is. The classic white kitchen cabinets are paired with white ceramic subway and carrera marble. I love the white wooden stools with gray cushions selected for the kitchen island.

In the dining room, a midcentury style Saarinen table is paired with traditional ballroom-style chairs. Painting the chairs a gray-turquoise is a wonderful way to carry the color palette throughout the space. The full length mirror and crystal chandelier add playful touches of glam to the room.

In the living room, the furniture arrangement emphasizes on the room’s focal point, the traditional fireplace and the painting by Douglas Walker. Again, cool whites and grays are mixed with bright pops of blue. The clear, modern coffee table helps keep the space light and airy.

Across from the sofa in the living sits a pair of white upholstered armchairs with contrasting nailhead trim. They flank an Oly Studio Pipa side table in pierced resin. The side table’s squiggly pattern is repeated in the Elisabeth bedside table also by Oly that features a beautiful woven pattern over an antiqued mirror. The same side table and silver lamp is placed on the other side of the fireplace for symmetry.

In the bedroom, the cool color palette continues, however the cool blue accent color is replaced with warm and rustic reds. Centered above the bed is a modern, white flower mirror. You can find one similar here. Large ikat pillows are a perfect finishing touch on the bed.

Is this modern classic home fit your personal style?

*all photography by Janis Nicolay via Style at Home