_{Jamie Drake in his en suite “sky garage.”}

If I was ever asked to choose someone who personifies the word fabulous I would have to say interior designer Jamie Drake whose buoyant nature and boldly colorful interiors have made him one of the design world’s most beloved personalities. Drake recently purchased an apartment in a high-profile new condo development in West Chelsea designed by architect Annabelle Selldorf (his neighbors include famous names like Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban, Kelsey Grammar and Dolce & Gabbana’s Domenico Dolce) which is featured in the April issue of Architectural Digest. Aside from being exquisitely decorated, Drake’s high-rise condo unit comes complete with an extravagant en suite “sky garage” which has a lift that brings his shiny black BMW from the street and straight up a modern glass elevator and into the garage  that is attached to his apartment. He even decked out the garage with a chic pendant light fixture from Ralph Pucci, installed a new slatted ceiling and incorporated decorative objects to dress up the space. Pretty fab, right? Below are a few more photos of Drake’s “Playboy After Dark” inspired penthouse. To see more of his apartment, pick up the April issue of AD or click here to see the feature on architecturaldigest.com. And click here to watch a video of Drake talking about the process of designing his new apartment.

I couldn’t be more excited for the uber talented design duo Tilton Fenwick for their recent feature in the New York Times which highlights the newly renovated Brooklyn home that designer Anne Foster (one half of Tilton Fenwick) shares with her husband Ryan and soon-to-be baby due in April. When Anne and Ryan purchased the new construction loft, it was boring and boxy with a layout that didn’t quite work so Anne and her design partner Suysel dePedro Cunningham, known for their whimsical take on tradition, set out to transform the space. The pair tweaked the floor plan, upgraded the finishes, added unexpected architectural details like a sliding barn door to divide the main living space and brought in bold pops of color and pattern to liven up the space.  The result is a stylish, multi-layered home that feels warm and inviting and reflects its owners perfectly! To read the full story and see the entire slideshow, click here to view it on The NY Times website. And to see before-and-after pictures with a full list of sources, visit the Tilton Fenwick blog here. Suysel and Anne – congrats my friends!

Photos by Trevor Tondo for The New York Times 

For the  2012 Hearst Designer Visions showcase, Elle Decor tapped Matthew Patrick Smyth to design a residence at 250 West Street that embodied the characteristics of the magazine. Smyth was one of Elle Decor’s 2010 A-List honorees and is best known for his versatility as a designer and his innate ability to blend classic style with comfort. He designed this residence for two gentlemen who live together as partners. One works in entertainment in Hollywood and the other works in finance mostly in London with frequent travels to the Far East and they chose the midpoint of New York as their primary home. They couple loves to entertain and enjoys global traveling which is reflected the worldly objects and influences that can be seen throughout their home.

In the living room, Smyth chose to ground the space with a dark color to add definition and allow the architecture to pop. The wall color is Midnight Blue from Benjamin Moore’s new line of paints called Color Stories. The ikat fabric on the sofa is from Schumacher and the rug is from Patterson Flynn and Martin. The photograph on the wall seen here is a vintage portrait of a young bride in India that was blown up and divided into 9 pieces that could each stand alone.

Like the other Designer Visions 2012 residences, this kitchen features Poggenpohl cabinetry, Silestone by Cosetino countertops, Jenn Air appliances, Ann Sacks backsplash tiles and Kitchen Aid countertop appliances.

I am absolutely obsessed with the wallpaper Smyth used in the home office which gives the space such dimension. It is from Hermes and the pattern is called “Feuillage.” The desk is actually an old galvanized steel oil drum which was cut in half then Smyth added a top that was customized by Alpha Workshops. The rich red color against the neutrals and the patterned wall covering really make the space pop. The chairs are from John Boone.

Here is a close-up look at the gorgeous wall covering…

In the master bedroom, Smyth turned an old, 19th century baroque door into a headboard and paired it with a steel bedframe from Room and Board. Talk about a high low mix! The side tables are from Ironies and the wall color is Greenwich Gate from Benjamin Moore. The accent walls in the bedroom space feature a wall covering customized by Alpha Workshops using Benjamin Moore paint which gives it such a textured look. You can see it in the photo below.

The closet in the master suite was outfitted by California Closets and is almost as large as the bedroom itself. You can only see half of it in this photo…I’ve never seen such an expansive closet in a New York City apartment!

By far my favorite space in the Elle Decor apartment is the dining room which, on the floor plan, is considered an “auxiliary space” since it doesn’t have windows. Smyth covered all of the walls, power outlets, doors and light switch plates in Schumacher’s “Nazrid Palace Mosaic” wallpaper which features repeating Moroccan star patterns and is reminiscent of  the tiles you would find in an exotic Moroccan palace.  He used Benjamin Moore’s Blue Veil to give the ceiling the airy feeling of open sky. The capiz chandelier is from Corbett Lighting and the ebonized pillars, which are from Smyth’s personal archives. An artificial olive tree from Lexington Gardens helps add a hint of greenery to the space.

The mirror here is from Oly and the ice bucket tray bowls and other accessories are from Michael Aram. The vase is from Hermes and the lamps are from Hudson Valley Lighting.

Here is a close-up of the tableware which is all from Hermes. I absolutely love how Smyth took this lifeless, windowless box of a room and completely enlivened it with his decorator’s eye. When you walk into the room you immediately feel transported and suddenly it is as if you’re dining in the courtyard of a stunning Moroccan Riad!

The Veranda apartment for the 2012 Designer Visions showcase was designed by Aussie Antony Todd and is an airy corner unit with a ton of light and a loft-like feel. It has a decidedly modern and global aesthetic with clean lined furnishings mixed together with some exquisite antiques. Antony designed this apartment to illustrate the lifestyle of a young couple who moved downtown from the Upper East Side with a teenage son who is away at boarding school. The eclectic mix of furnishings and accessories reflect pieces that this young couple have collected during their travels abroad. Many of the furnishings and fabrics sourced for this space came from John Rosselli, Dedar, Ironies as well as Antony’s own eponymous shop in the East Village.

I really love the juxtaposition of the paint colors in this space particularly his bold choice of the super dark, “Night Shade” by Benjamin Moore that you see on the far wall. The light gray shade is Silver Fox by Benjamin Moore that Antony uses often in many of his projects. The long, armless sofa is from Lee Industries and the shagreen side tables are from Ironies. The red French side chairs are from Antony Todd covered in a Dedar fabric.

Another item Antony uses in many of his projects are the Ann Sacks mirrored tiles seen on the backsplash which give the kitchen area a very sexy feel. All of the appliances re from Jenn-Air and the kitchen cabinetry is Poggenpohl with Silestone countertops.

Antony keeps the gray color palette and clean-lined feel consistent throughout most of the apartment, repeating the Benjamin Moore Silver Fox gray in the master bedroom here.  I love how he turned a pair of x-benches into bedside tables with the simple addition of a white laquer tray.

Perhaps my favorite feature of the master bedroom suite is this fabulous closet used solely by the lady of the house! She works in finance securing funding for luxury brands including Badgley Mischka who is one of her clients and favorite designers as evidenced by her closet full of Badgley Mischka clothing and accessories. The closet, seen here was actually styled personally by Mark Badgley and James Mischka. The custom closet design was done by California Closets.

 

Antony took a departure from the neutral palette in the son’s bedroom which is quite sophisticated for a teenage boy. He combined Benjamine Moore’s Blue Danube with his favorite Silver Fox gray shade and added in some punchy pops of yellow.

To see more of Antony Todd’s Designer Visions apartment for Veranda you can see a video tour here.

The House Beautiful residence for the 2012 Hearst Designer Visions Showcase was designed by the Rockwell Group which is very well known for it’s hospitality design projects. The muse that the Rockwell Group created to inspire their design was a stylish young couple who recently transplanted to New York from Amsterdam. They are sophisticated and well traveled and both have creative careers. The husband is  American and works as the Chief Curator of the new Whitney Museum downtown, while his Dutch wife runs a small, tailor-made denim company out of their home.  The home has a very clean feel with an eclectic mix of influences.

The living room of the House Beautiful apartment features a fairly neutral color palette with pops of orange and brown hues and a rich mix of textures. Throughout the space you’ll see a mix of Dutch and Flemish pieces which are a nod to the fictitious wife’s heritage. I especially loved the wall color chosen which was Cool Breeze by Benjamin Moore.

The apartment’s kitchen, which opens up into the living space, has a very modern feel with teak quartz cabinetry and Silestone by Cosentino countertops. The backsplash spanning the entire back wal is a handcrafted terracotta tile from Ann Sacks, another dutch reference inspired by blue and white patterned Delft pottery. All of the kitchen appliances are from Jenn-Air.

One of the bedrooms in the apartment serves as the wife’s design studio space where she works her denim line. There are denim in spired blue hues and a giant cork wall which serves as an inspiration board. I thought this space had so much personality  The wall color is French Toile by Benjamin Moore and the picture lights are from Hudson Valley Lighting.

The master bedroom had such a sultry feel with dark walls covered in a pattern called Byzance from the House on the Klong Wallpaper collection from Jim Thompson. There was also a beautiful cascading crystal chandelier from Corbett Lighting which you can see a glimpse of below.

You can see a full tour of this Designer Visions apartment designed by the Rockwell Group for House Beautiful here on the House Beautiful website.

Photos by Nicole Gibbons for So Haute