It is no secret that I am obsessed with old world Great Gatsby 1920’s glam. After seeing The Great Gatsby, I found myself wishing I could view such decadent decorating and opulence in Westchester County. My wish was answered when I heard about The 2013 Designer Showhouse in Scarsdale (where my husband is originally from!). Every other room was better then the next. This was a true Dream Home. I picked out some of my favorite rooms to share with you. There are only 3 weeks left to view the Designer Showhouse, and I highly recommend viewing it. Hurry, tours end June 9th! Have you viewed The Designer Showhouse of Westchester? Which room is your favorite?
The Sun Room
Rachel Laxer
The concept of “relaxed elegance” is how Rachel Laxer thinks about design. Rachel is always drawn to spaces with light, so the John Houshmand coffee table seemed to be the perfect anchor for the sunroom. His use of amazing woods juxtaposed with the clarity and the strength of the glass is unique. This is the room to drink a coffee in the morning and at the end of the day, kick off your shoes, go barefoot and have a martini. It is all about the understated luxury and the use of organic, natural materials such as the agate window tassles on the Holly Hunt “open spaces” natural linen that have been made up into window treatments by Eva’s Decorators. The Jacques Jarriges saddle leather and lacquer chairs from Valerie Goodman Galleryb NYC and the extra long and super comfortable Promemoria sofa, Stark silk rug, David Weeks tripod light from Pucci International, bronze Alexander Loge stools from Donzella and the cream lacquer side tables and rock crystal accessories from Robert Kuo. The absolute star piece in the room is the stunning Kenro Izu platinum print of “lounging calla lilies” that float in space on the back wall on loan from the Howard Greenberg Gallery, NYC, NY and the Ruth Orkin and Morris Engel classic photos of old NY.”
“Sleeping Beauty II” Bedroom
Zoya Bograd, ASID Children’s Room Designer. Rooms by ZoyaBä
Storytelling is at the heart of every design by Zoya Bograd, ASID and her captivating “Sleeping Beauty II” Girl’s Bedroom at the Design Showhouse of Westchester is no exception. This is the follow up to her “Sleeping Beauty” Nursery from the Kips Bay Designer Showhouse in 2012. Ms. Bograd (a master of re-interpreting antique styles) welcomed the sprawling Scarsdale Mansion with its beautiful turn of the last century detail. It was easy for her to bring the soft romance and 1920’s elegance of the ballet to this home, a fairy tale come true of a home. “No matter what the design of a structure may be, I enjoy using a base of classic lines mixed with modern touches, especially in a little girl’s rooms. They add a simple and enveloping warmth and comfort to any style or décor.” As you enter the room, you are immediately transferred into a world of magical serenity. The color inspiration for the room is the first fresh feeling of springtime. The country green color with iridescent glaze wall treatment brings an instantaneous feeling of the first day of spring when flowers are beginning to bloom, birds are chirping and happy butterflies dance through the garden. Stenciled flowers with Swarovski Crystal accents add a sublime touch of drama while mimicking the whimsy of the Odegard rug. The artwork of the Fairies characterizes the heart and soul of the room while remaining true to Tchaikovsky’s “Sleeping Beauty” Ballet story. The Gustavian style furniture is designed by Ms. Bograd and is part of her “Princess Collection”, which was introduced at the Architectural Digest show. The newest addition to the collection which is featured in the room is the Princess Vanity. Another new element to the collection that is featured in this room is the stunning Zoya B Gustavian White with Silver rubbed finish. Each exquisite piece of the collection is Made in America and is offered in a variety of environmentally safe finishes. Handmade, one-of-a-kind toys from Russia adorn the space and make the room come alive with a playful feeling. Luxurious and scrumptious Dupioni Silk fabric is employed in all of the customizable bedding and furniture fabrics. Elegance abounds with every detail, including the Murano Glass rose knobs used on the smart self-closing drawers. The spectacular custom Italian crystal chandelier and sconces add just the right touch of sparkle and round out the space.
The Dining Room
Debbie Gottlieb Finelines Interiors
This elegant and gracious room was inspired by its profusion of delicate details, reminiscent of icing on a cake; hence the theme: something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. Cherry blossom embellishments abound, with a gorgeous Levar Kerman rug from 1910 serving as the perfect base. Walls are layered in rich buttercreams, offset by a barely-blue half-tint ceiling. A 1900 English settee pairs with chairs that are given a modern, tailored treatment in alternating chartreuse and teal. Something old, something new enchants in this sumptuous space, where antique and modern pieces marry blissfully. Recognized for its understated elegance, Debra Gottlieb’s signature style combines classical design principles with modern elements. Her well-honed sense of color and pattern enable her to transform spaces into rooms that creatively reflect clients’ tastes. The result is beautiful living that is sophisticated, functional, and timeless.
Third Floor Game Room
Donna Benedetto Designs
The space in its original state was a bit dark, so Donna immediately headed in the direction to lighten it. Donna followed a less traditional approach to a game room. The ping-pong table is glass and chrome and has been drawing more adult attention than attention from the children. Donna also multipurposed the space so it could be used as a game room or a great space to entertain and have cocktails.
The overall feel of the space is relaxed but mixed with sophisticated design elements.
Susan Anthony
Bedroom
Susan Anthony designed this room for a young single woman who she imagined was working in the fashion industry. She is chic and fun and has a traditional sense of style with a touch of the bohemian about her. Susan started with a magical chandelier, bergere and benches from John Rosselli and mixed in some witty pieces like the lucite framed copper on paper artwork and a pair of 1970 star burst mirrors designed by Zajac and Callahan. Plush wool carpeting, elegant custom drapery and hardware, and the Ralph Lauren gilded Persia bed finish the room.
The Master Bedroom Sitting Room & bathroom
Jacqueline Hosford, ASID
The inspiration for the master sitting room grew from several realizations about the existing conditions as much as the intention to create a space that would entice its inhabitant to linger, relax and emerge re-centered. Our intention was to showcase how an essentially traditional room envelope can be done in a simpler, contemporary style. We wanted to use a very matt paint finish that would show off the details of the exquisitely carved boiserie paneling while creating a contemporary feel. Additionally, the adjacent bathroom featuring a robin’s egg blue toilet and console sink, had to be worked into the blend. Upon finding the Botanical Silk (Stark Fabric—Aldeco) the entire design concept literally blossomed. The fabric suggested a stylized interior garden with its giant dark blue flowers, so why not place this “garden” absolute center of the room, aligned with the two light-filled windows through which the real gardens can be viewed? The space evolved quickly into a play of matt against mirror, rich blue supported by greys and silvery tones, in concert with antiqued gold’s and bronze—contemporary set against traditional French.
Living Room
Ken Gemes Interiors
The first time Ken entered the Scarsdale Living Room, he was in awe of the incredibly delicate ceiling medallion and acanthus leaf corners that featured a somewhat faded gold leafing to highlight the intricate moldings. The grand scale of the room was inspiring as well, with 10’ ceilings and a room size of 25’wide by 35’ long. Ken carved the space into three seating areas, each with a different purpose. The right side of the room features a beautiful deco bar and a black lacquered game table. The center of the room offers the largest seating area with two comfy 8’ sofa’s and club chairs, all centered on the marble fireplace. The area to the left features a grand piano, as well as a cozy seating area for smaller groups. The room remains very open, to allow for easy movement between each seating area as well as access to the outdoor space. The herringbone sisal rug, which is 18’ x 33’ in length serves to warm up the space and unifies the three separate areas. To open the room and bring the outside in, layers of window treatments were eliminated and replaced with simple curtain panels on wrought iron hardware. The seven beautifully carved arches were painted a crisp white dove to further brighten the space. Although the room still appears grand and elegant, it is a wonderfully cozy multi-purpose room that is meant to be lived in and enjoyed by all family members.
The Ladies Sitting Room
Carey Karlan
The Ladies Sitting Room was designed to be a serenely feminine retreat for the lady of the house — a place for relaxation, conversation, to have tea and cocktails, or to entertain an intimate group. Located off of the classic foyer and next to the formal living room, the tone is luxurious with an attempt to create the perfect tension between the new and the traditional. The sofa is a camelback but with a sleek leg, the modern coffee table is glass and lucite and the andirons are mid century from 1st Dibs. The JD Staron carpet is a fresh take on a timeless Moroccan design, woven with wool and metallic threads. The extraordinary wall treatment, executed by Heidi Holzer Decorative Work, is soft pink venetian plaster with mica powders inlaid with specially dyed gray abalone shell in a panel design. This rare and highly skilled artisan finish adds architectural interest to the room. The trim and fireplace were painted and glazed a soft silver. The window treatments were inspired by the image of a ball gown. The softly curved “bodice” valance is highlighted with a jewelry like star ornament and the lush Nobilis silver metallic damask bursts forth like a full skirt. Mirrors are used extensively rather than art so as to not compete with the decorative panels and to add glamour. The only art in the room are two small, mysterious “eye gaze” portraits leaning on the mantle–a slightly subversive touch to give the room a little edge.
