Q & A

1. What is the first course of action you took when beginning this project?

In the beginning of all my projects, it is most important to observe and understand the space and the client. In the case of the dining room at Glynallyn, based on the architectural details, I envisioned modern entertaining in a traditional Georgian style. I worked with our craftsmen to develop the essential pieces that would transform the dining room. Included in these elements were the large scaled wood flooring, the custom built credenza and the light glazed wall color. These unique details were in contrast to the rest of the Tudor style home. The flooring was laid in a geometric pattern, complementing the room’s architectural details, the custom built credenza balanced the proportions of space, and the glazed wall color transformed the room to brighten and accentuate its unique architectural details.

2. What is your favorite aspect of the Process?

The most enjoyable aspect of the process, in the dining room and when working with clients, is discovering the balance of traditional and modern elements in the room. Finding the comfortable balance of unique antiques, furniture pieces and accessories with clean modern upholsteries and accents is exciting. A good example of this in the dining room would be the 18th century shield back bench reupholstered with a modern textured fabric which is found in contrast to the set of vintage Louis XVI chairs with original distressed leather seats. The inherent architectural strength of the room also led to celebrating the traditional architecture and using restraint in accessorizing and wall décor…knowing how far to take it is an important part of the process

3. Did your final adaptation deviate from your original design vision/idea?

The end result is always better than the vision. The end result has a spark of energy that develops throughout the process and is unexpected. It always brings such great satisfaction to hear from the client “I knew I would like the room, but it truly exceeds my expectations…you always seem to surprise me with an unexpected touch.” At the showhouse, I enjoyed hearing comments of visitors, “I love the arrangement of the tables, I never would have thought of that” or “you always surprise me with something new, I love the modern fabrics among the traditional pieces.”