Transforming a Room
I hope you all have a copy of my latest issue of “Living” - our March 2021 magazine is on newsstands right now! Among the many wonderful stories in this issue - photos of a recent redecorating project at my Bedford, New York farm.
Just like many of you, I spent much of last year at home. Most of my work time was spent on phone calls, in video conferences, and various virtual appearances and broadcasts. And then whenever possible, I gardened, I cooked, I baked, I cleaned, I organized, and I re-arranged. I decided I wanted to change the function of a small dining area in my Winter House between the foyer and servery to create a comfortable sitting room for online meetings and my morning coffee. It seemed like the perfect opportunity since I could be home to oversee all the work. We replaced the carpeting, cleaned the wood floors, and then with the help of my colleague and dear friend, Kevin Sharkey, redecorated and revitalized the space. I included reupholstered furniture in gorgeous Fortuny I already had, and silk velvet from Schumacher. I added glazed gold and platinum "garden stools" made by Christopher Spitzmiller as side tables. A large brass tray atop an iron base serves as a coffee table. And stunning mirrors I had collected over the years and beautiful drabware plates were hung on the walls by our friends at iLevel. It all came together so nicely. Please check out the entire story about this room and the other areas I redid in the March issue.
And enjoy these photos of some of our transformation process.
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- This room had long been used as a small dining room for parties. Last year, with many of those gatherings canceled because of the pandemic, I decided to rethink its function and create a more usable space.
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- On the other side, I had a gorgeous loveseat. Take a look at the March issue of “Living” to see where this piece of furniture ended up.
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- The first step was to change the carpets. The old carpeting was removed, and the floors were cleaned of any dust and stuck on old padding. Here is Fernando mopping the wood floors.
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- Then the floors were polished with a rotary floor buffer. This floor is now ready for the new carpet.
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- Some of you may recall, I changed the carpeting in several rooms. For this task, I enlisted the help of Westport Carpet and Rugs in nearby Westport, Connecticut – they’ve been taking care of my carpeting needs for many years. For most of the rooms, I used the same sisal. I like its durability, natural color, and coarse, slightly scratchy feel. After the padding is rolled out, the carpet is also rolled carefully over the space.
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- Here, the team adjusts the carpet, so it is completely centered in the room. Because the carpet is cut slightly smaller than the space to expose the wood floors, the area between the carpet edges and the walls is about four-and-a-half inches along every side.
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- The rug is down and the padding is trimmed to fit.
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- The next stage was to hang pieces on the walls – decorative plates, mirrors, and artwork. Because some of the items needed precise positioning, I called on an expert to help. David Kassel owns ILevel, the only company in New York City that specializes exclusively in arranging and securely installing and hanging all types of art. The plan was to hang drabware on nearly all the walls in the room. All the plates were carefully placed on tables in preparation for hanging. Sticky notes indicated the size and number of duplicates.
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- Here’s Empress Tang watching all the activity. The cats sometimes like to lounge in this room. Don’t worry, Tang – you will love the new look.
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- Before hanging any of these valuable Wedgwood plates, they are all arranged on the carpet, so I could decide the plate composition.
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- Each plate is carefully hung and measured in the same way it was arranged on the floor.
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- We also used these plate hangers from Martha by Mail. Anyone remember these or have some of their own?
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- Here, David and Carlos from iLevel hang one of the mirrors in the room. And then check it for level – everything is always checked and double-checked for straightness.
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- Here’s a good thing… whenever leaning heavy artwork or furniture against a wall, always place towels underneath and behind the edges so nothing gets damaged. I save lots of old towels for these types of tasks.
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- Art and photos should always be hung after other decorations have been decided. The height and width of pieces will always affect the hanging of any print or painting. I already knew exactly what furniture was going in this room, so all the mirrors and plates could be hung appropriately.
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- Here is another wall of plates – perfectly positioned between two floor-to-ceiling windows.
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- I now use this table by the windows for some of my virtual meetings. From here, I can see through the porch and hear all my canaries and parakeets singing and chirping.
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- This table fits nicely under the mirror. You can see it decorated with gorgeous plants in the current issue of our magazine.
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- This is one of two reupholstered arm chairs done in this beautiful and luscious olive silk velvet from Schumacher. F. Schumacher & Co. is a fifth generation business and the only supplier of decorative textiles from the 19th century still privately owned and managed by direct descendants of its founder, Frederic. The company sells fabrics, wall coverings, trimmings, furnishings, and floor coverings.
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- Here is a photo of the two chairs upholstered by Interiors Haberdashery in Stamford, Connecticut – each with a side garden stool made by Christopher Spitzmiller. Follow him on Instagram @ChristopherSpitzmiller. This area is now a designated sitting area for guests.
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- Here is the sofa I had reupholstered in a lovely Fortuny fabric – also done by Interiors Haberdashery.
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- I just love how the room came together – so comfortable and inviting. See the entire space in the magazine along with other areas I rearranged. I hope you’re inspired to do a little redecorating in your own homes this weekend. Enjoy!
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