20 of Those Coziest Home Offices on

“Cozy” might not look like the first thing you’d use to describe your ideal workplace; it may make you think about quilts and clutter which do not inspire efficiency. However, “cozy” can indicate a room that’s warm, inviting, layered and, yes, actually organized. For example, personal items, a comfortable seat and a rich blend of textures all provide the comfort that “cozy” implies. Here are 20 of the coziest home offices around — and what makes them so.

Chalet

Cushy leather club chairs, a roaring fire and cowboy artwork add Western heat to the complex office space.

Margaret Donaldson Interiors

Grounding the room with a reddish, well-worn Oriental rug is a great way bring in warm textiles. Library lights and an overhead lantern make a soft light spectacle. I believe I’d reward myself to getting my job done while lounging in that overstuffed chair.

Krieger + Associates Architects, Inc..

A cozy library vibe incorporates warm wood floor-to-ceiling shelves stuffed with books and a comfortable leather chair for reading.

Adrienne DeRosa

A table tucked into the corner, grass cloth wallpaper, warm timber tones and heaps of novels make this workspace in a Frank Lloyd Wright home reassuring.

Beach Glass Interior Designs

Rich grey walls, a comfortable chair, a stately wood desk plus a long and comfortable window seat give this workplace its cozy appeal.

Moving Home To Roost

Individual touches — such as the graphic floral wallpaper, the dress form, the power of shelves with neatly exhibited supplies along with the artwork wall — provide this workspace a very personal appearance.

Personal touches make this area, also; the wall above the desk looks like it’s a collection of meaningful favorite things. The low wood ceiling, braided rug, built-in shelves and rustic chair give a camp atmosphere.

Gast Architects

A rich texture palette, autumnal hues, a red leather armchair and a blazing fire will tempt the homeowner within this workplace.

This ideabook is giving me severe office fireplace envy.

Laura U, Inc..

Exotic shapes and colours provide this workspace the feeling which the owner has attracted precious items from far-flung adventures.

The Cross Interior Design

This is stripped-down cozy. The black, white and shades of grey keep the palette clean and allow for eclectic touches, such as the library wallpaper, chalkbaord wall and amazing table lamp.

Diane Bergeron Interiors

Grass green and glistening white keep this office light and fresh, but the vintage camel leather desk chair, overstuffed sofa, thoughtful lighting and architectural information on the ceiling make it inviting.

Oak Hill Architects

The wraparound desk, individual spaces all within precisely the exact same room, low pendant lighting, red throw cushions for when one needs extra lumbar support, and beautiful windows make this a space where a group could work in harmony.

Jute Interior Design

Vintage industrial bits are made comfortable by soft creams and tans and also a large woven rug underfoot. This office holds a great deal of items, but they’re neatly organized, along with the reclaimed wood plank provides a great deal of space for spreading out.

Tim Barber Ltd Architecture

Wood grain, layered rugs and that to-die-for modern take on a coffered ceiling attract trendy charm for this transitional office. The large window gives it a tree home feel.

Nicole Lanteri Design

Allowing work right next to the radiator on a chilly day creates this workplace supercozy, for starters. The casters on the chair allow the employee to go from background to files with ease, along with also the small proportions of this space feel just perfect.

Debra Campbell Design

Warm gold tones, traditional design, wood trim and a bay window make this type of room where anyone would like to devote a great deal of time. It seems like it’d make paying bills less painful.

Studio Schicketanz

Instead of being pushed against a wall, this desk loves sitting in the middle of this space, atop an area rug. The furniture structure is tight, yet the room isn’t too full. The ceiling and walls and built-in shelves keep it from slipping from cozy status to cramped status.

RLH Studio

This office has a classic men’s club vibe — rich tufted leather chairs, timber paneling, an iron chandelier, a coffered ceiling and, best of all, a panel opens to reveal a hidden bar.

RLH Studio

Oh, and this very same men’s clubfashion office does have a desk. (I thought you might ask.)

You can have Hollywood Regency elegance (starburst mirror, animal print desk chair) and clean surfaces yet still have a homey-feeling office. The printed drapes, grass cloth wall covering, private photos and window seat are reassuring touches.

Joe Schmelzer, Inc. dba Treasurbite Studio, Inc..

This office, filled with the homeowner’s favorite collections, is a portion of a full-blown man cave.

Watch the rest of this guy cave, a remodeled basement

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Easy Green: Cut Electricity Use With 15 Unplugged Home Devices

Whether you want to slash your energy bill, go greener or be prepared next time the power goes out, those hand-cranked and other human-powered household items can help you get the job done in style. In the slick and innovative to time-tested classics, every one of those 15 finds offers a refreshing antidote to 24/7 plugged-in lives.

Lehman’s

Hand-Cranked Blender – $98.95

This hand-cranked blender out of Lehman’s will give you a workout while you whip up this breakfast smoothie. The Lehman’s catalogue is a fantastic resource for nonelectric alternatives to ordinary household items — the company was set to function Amish communities but now enjoys widespread attraction.

Pigeontail

Papervore Coffee Table

This coffee table doubles as a paper shredder and as a conversation piece. Insert the paper on top, crank the handle and watch as ribbons of paper fill up the oil base.

Poketo

Handy Manual Shredder – $45

This slick little hand-cranked paper shredder might be all you need for handling small amounts of paper and it looks really adorable that you will not need to hide it.

Anthropologie

Vintage Rotary Telephone – $198

In a power outage, cordless phones will not work, even if the telephone line is still operational. This revamped vintage rotary phone will keep working when newer models fail — and looks adorable to boot up.

Etón

BoostTurbine 2000 Backup Battery Pack – $59.99

Having the ability to use your cell phone in an emergency is key. Now you can always have backup energy with this slick little hand-cranked electricity generator out of Etón in your pocket.

Terrain

Ball Jar Coffee Mill – $98

Coffee connoisseurs insist that the top brews begin with legumes ground in a Burr grinder. This one is run by a very simple hand crank, and it has a charmingly old-fashioned appearance.

Crate&Barrel

Chemex 8-Cup Coffee Maker – $38.95

The simple, elegant design of the Chemex coffeemaker makes it a designer favorite — and the effortless pour-over method makes amazingly delicious coffee.

Lehman’s

Clipper USA 19-Inch Reel Mower – $599

Plan a greener backyard in more ways than one this year by trading in your gas-powered mower for a conventional reel version. Fantastic for smaller yards, this traditional push mower will give you your workout whilst trimming the grass.

Fred Flare

Dynamo Solar Crank Radio – $34

I like that this petite radio offers your choice of electricity method: solar or hand fold. Additionally, it is so good looking that you’re guaranteed to find yourself using it all of the time — not just when the power is out.

Hayneedle

Weston Hand Juicer – $27.99

Some juicing purists think that the warmth from a typical electric juicer takes something away from the freshness of raw juice this hand-cranked version will maintain your juice as fresh as you can.

Terrain

Glass Juicer – $28

Trade in your black orange orange juicer for this utterly basic glass version and save a bit of room in your cupboards.

Williams-Sonoma

All-Clad Food Mill – $149.95

A well-stocked kitchen should not be without a fantastic food mill. Use it to process tomatoes and create applesauce, mashed potatoes and heaps of different dishes.

WebOfficeMart

Table-Mount/Wall-Mount Manual Pencil Sharpener, Black – $25.65

Just like those that used to grace teachers’ desks all around the nation, this traditional black pencil sharpener does the task with a satisfying turn of the deal.

IKEA

Ljusa Flashlight, Hand-Powered – $4.99

You won’t have to remember to keep extra batteries on hand with this adorable little hand-powered flashlight out of Ikea. Stash a few around the home and leave an extra in the car for roadside crises.

Lehman’s

Greatest Hand Wringer – $199.95

Give your clothes dryer (a notorious energy hog) a rest with this classic hand-cranked wringer from Lehman’s. After washing squeezing the surplus water will shorten drying period.

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Pacific Northwest Gardener's February Checklist

February is an exciting moment in our area’s gardens. This is the month when we proceed from planning to doing. Dust off those gardening gloves and enjoy a few leisurely hours doing what anglers do best — puttering.

Does your garden need a little something? This is a good excuse to visit your favorite nursery and see what’s shining this season. While you’re there be sure to pick up seeds for your favorite flowers and vegetables. Of course, you can not possibly come home with no a new rose, can you? My favorites would be the English roses. What about you personally?

And will you honestly resist those cute little pots of pansies, primroses and stunt daffodils?Just a few bucks and you’ll give your winter containers a fresh lease on life.

Consider me your private gardening and shopping coach!

More regional backyard guides

Marta Rojas

February highlights. There ought to be something in your backyard that brings you joy each month of this year — maybe it is unexpected fragrance or even a bright splash of color. Or perhaps it is the birds a plant attracts.

Witch hazel (Hamamelis mollis) has all three of those qualities thanks to its spidery flowers this season. Be certain to include at least one of those great shrubs in your winter garden.

Amazon

Growing Vegetables West of the Cascades – $21.95

Plan a vegetable garden. With numerous gardening books available, how do you pick? I must confess I have a few — every invaluable for reasons that are different. This book by Steve Solomon is regarded as the number-one book for dependable Pacific Northwest info — add it to a library.

Start sowing. Collect your seeds, assess the planting dates and begin sowing. I enjoy spending a few hours in my greenhouse when it is cold and blustery outside. The superb earthy odor reminds me that spring is not too far away.

Paintbox Garden

Salad greens are easy to begin now in an unheated greenhouse, using a coating of row cover for protection on specially frosty nights or under hoops outside. These greens create a fantastic cut-and-come-again crop and taste so much better when they go from backyard to table in only minutes.

Paintbox Garden

A cold frame also extends the harvest and leaves extra room inside the greenhouse. It’s also invaluable for hardening off the following month as you get them ready to be transplanted into the garden.

Le jardinet

Move the mason bees out. Now is your time to wake those mason bees upward! Place them where they will get warm sunshine but are protected from rain.

We made this very simple mason bee condominium utilizing scrap lumber and parts of downspout pipes. The tubes on top are full of mason bee cocoons, while the lower ones are ready to be filled by the next generation of bees.

We needed to modify this design, however. Swallows nested in the apex the first season and caked on breakfast. So we’ve since added some fine mesh so that the bees can come and go in peace.

Urban Hedgerow

Or you may make a habitat for a great number of pollinators by providing a seasonal assortment of tubes and blossoms — decorative as well as functional.

Le jardinet

Start your sweet peas. Certainly sweet peas are among the highlights of a summer garden. Their intoxicating fragrance and amorous color blends create them a must-have for a sunny spot. Nurseries usually carry seedlings, but they are really easy to grow yourself. Renee’s Garden is regarded as one the top seed sources for sweet peas.

Make tubes from paper, pack them gently with potting soil and include 1 seed (soaked overnight in water) per tube. Every seedling will create a much deeper root system than those in shallow nursery pots, and the whole tube may afterwards be planted in the backyard.

That is a fun job to do with children of all ages.

Gardening with Confidence®

Plant roses. Bare-root and potted roses can be found this month. Look for people with multiple powerful canes and an outward-facing structure.

Ask your nursery professional for information on which ones are disease resistant, fragrant, heirloom varieties or long bloomers. There are so many to pick from.

Le jardinet

Care for containers. Give your containers a mini makeover by tucking in some dwarf spring bulbs. You don’t even have to plant the bulbs — only hide the nursery bud in the surrounding foliage. ‘Tete a Tete’ daffodils, shown here, are just one of my favorites, with every bulb throwing up multiple flowers. Echo the colors already in your container for a cohesive appearance.

Treat yourself in your favorite nursery, discover your trowel and enjoy your garden this season.

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Fantastic Lakes Gardener's January Checklist

Many Great Lakes gardeners are holed up inside dreaming of spring right now. Apart from curling up with a hot toddy and a garden catalog or site, anglers can find some pleasure from the winter garden and get a jump on the gardening time to come.

Barbara Pintozzi

Enjoy the beauty of the winter garden. Without snow, there is stark beauty in the winter garden. Dew, or Hoarfrost, transforms plants into lace. Grasses, like this native switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) are especially showy when coated with hoarfrost.

Barbara Pintozzi

Maintain winter interest with evergreens. As snow cover can be unreliable and fantastic Lakes gardens can vie during a January thaw, it is important to have evergreen perennials for winter attraction, such as hellebores (Helleborus x hybridus, Helleborus niger), coral bells (Heuchera hybrids) and hepaticas (the native Hepatica nobilis var. Obtusa, shown). Water these evergreen plants to prevent dessication, if there isn’t any snow.

Barbara Pintozzi

Sow seeds. January is the best time to sow seeds of hardy annuals and perennials that need a period of cold or stratification for germination.

Some could be sown in containers outside, while others, like these breadseed poppies (Papaver somniferum), should be sown directly into the backyard. The seeds can be sprinkled on top of the snow where they are to be grown.

Barbara Pintozzi

Discover your garden’s bones. The snow-covered fantastic Lakes garden is all about lines and shapes. The almost monochromatic setting shows off the arrangement of well-branched trees and shrubs, like this young native redbud (Cercis canadensis).

This simplicity of snow and construction can enable the gardener to observe the bones of the backyard, indicating areas for improvement. The middle of winter is an superb time to dream of this backyard and draw up strategies for modifications to be made next spring and summertime.

Barbara Pintozzi

Snow transforms even nonwoody plants. All these coneflower seed heads (Echinacea purpurea) appear to be wearing hats.

Look around and take photographs from windows of this midwinter backyard to ascertain where points of winter interest could be improved or incorporated.

Barbara Pintozzi

Give birds a beverage. Bird-watching can help get a fantastic Lakes gardener through winter. The ideal way to attract birds to the winter garden is to provide a heated birdbath. Even more than meals, birds need clean, open water for drinking and bathing. Whether electric or solar powered, on the ground or elevated to a deck or stand, a heated birdbath will draw more and diverse birds compared to any lone bird feeder. Site the birdbath at which it can be seen easily from a cozy chair inside.

Barbara Pintozzi

Bring blossoms inside. Great Lakes anglers can endure from blossom withdrawal in the midst of the winter. In addition to forced bulbs, orchids can be a fantastic fix. Bring an insulated bag in case you go to buy one on a bitter-cold afternoon, as plants and blooms could be ruined by the cold between leaving the shop and putting them into the home.

There are lots of publications on orchid care, such as Bloom Again Orchids, to guide your purchase and care of orchids. Start with less overpowering, easy-care orchids, like this moth orchid (Phalaenopsis hybrid).

Barbara Pintozzi

Have a field excursion. If everything else fails, the best remedy for a serious case of cabin fever is to head out to your local conservatory to observe flowers and breathe from moist, fragrant air. Standing under swaying palm fronds (here, Dypsis leptocheilos) on a sunny day can make you forget about the snow and the cold.

More guides to Great Lakes gardening

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Youthfulness Energizes a Philadelphia Townhouse

This once-stuffy federalist townhouse at Philadelphia’s Society Hill neighborhood has undergone a transformation similar to Philadelphia’s very own. It was conservative and traditional, but artwork, youth and imagination have breathed new life in to it. Interior designer Kelly Nelson and her husband moved in 13 decades ago when she was pregnant with her first kid, now 12. “After I had my second child, the first floor, with its galley design broken into small rooms, was not working for our family,” she states. “It was either move to a larger home or renovate and stay in the neighborhood we loved.”

The remodel opened up the first-floor rooms and back courtyard. Nelson maintained a lot of the traditional moldings, wainscoting and built-ins but freshened things up with vivid colours, lively fabrics and abstract artwork. “By comparing modern choices with more traditional fabric and furniture options, we made a home that felt true to both the design of the home and our very own lively design aesthetic,” she states. Check out how this daring mix of new and old turned out.

in a Glance
Who lives here: A family of 4 and cat Shadow
Location: Philadelphia
Size: 2,700 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms

Kelly Nelson Designs

This narrow entryway sets the tone. High-gloss turquoise paint plus a vintage 1960s light top traditional wainscoting. A marble checkerboard floor underlines the jewel box first impression.

Nelson also substituted the original square door for this arched one to echo the shape of the front door and its transom.

Wall paint: Peacock Blue 2049-40, Benjamin Moore

Kelly Nelson Designs

This custom-painted cupboard was inspired by the colours in a Lucette White painting from the couples’ artwork collection. “We created a very traditional French torso more lively by painting it bright colours,” Nelson says.

Cabinet: Grange

Kelly Nelson Designs

Before, the dining area was very traditional, using federalist furniture, a brass light fixture and these china cabinets, which had glass doors. Nelson had the doors painted the backs a daring orange for a more modern look, then added tradition back into the mix with her brown toile transferware pieces.

“I like to use a great deal of color, but at a house this size it’s easy to go overboard,” Nelson says. She painted all the walls white and allow the color come in via furniture, artwork, accessories and accents, such as these shelves.

The parrots are vintage 1950s majolica pottery, as well as the pansy print is from Natural Curiosities.

Kelly Nelson Designs

Nelson ripped out the existing brass light fixture and’d Warren Muller, a favorite Philadelphia artist, create a special chandelier out of her grandmother’s depression-era glass collection. “This fixture set the groundwork for the home’s combination of traditional and modern elements,” she states.

Wall paint: Patriotic White 2135-70, Benjamin Moore

Kelly Nelson Designs

Toile and striped cloths on the parson’s chairs are a nod to classic townhouse design; the colours of this chandelier inspired the pink and green color palette.

Kelly Nelson Designs

This brightly colored abstract painting at the dining area is by Ivan Stojakovic. Postrenovation, it is about the only remaining dividing wall in the downstairs inside.

Kelly Nelson Designs

Average of a townhouse, the kitchen is narrow and long. Nelson opened it up into the living area and added a very long kitchen island. “I can not remember when we sat down in the table; we love to assemble at the staircase,” she states.

Cabinets: Downsview; backsplash tile: handmade glass, Mixed-Up Mosaics; pendant lights: Le Klint

Kelly Nelson Designs

A painting that the couple picked up on a trip to Portofino, Italy, inspired the blue and orange living area palette. The backs of these bookshelves are painted the exact same color of orange as the dining area shelves. The same limestone used on the kitchen counters surrounds the fireplace. An Oriental rug pays homage to classic townhouse style.

Kelly Nelson Designs

New French doors and large windows let in the light. “Opening up the living area to the back courtyard makes the home feel so much larger,” Nelson says.

Coffee table: Eglomise, Beeline Home; Lights: Splatter, Beeline Home; vases: Arteriors

Kelly Nelson Designs

Tip: “When blending throw pillows, I usually go with a sound, a large-scale pattern and a small pattern,” Nelson says. “To make them more contemporary, I stay far from piping them and I like to make them big; if you’re going to the cost of getting them made, think larger than 14 inches!”

Although residing in a building zone (think: washing dishes in the tub) was a challenge, it had been well worth it. The open design and modern touches fit your family’s lifestyle to a T.

Painting: Rebecca Rutstein; flowery cushion fabric: Schumacher; orange cushion fabric: Osborne & Little

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A Fantasy Indoor-Outdoor Home at Nicaragua

Peta Kaplan and Ben Sandzer-Bell first traveled from Chicago into Nicaragua in 2005 for a family holiday, but volcanoes, wildlife, markets, colonial architecture and beaches made them wish to call the area home. “On the last day of our trip, obtaining all agreed that indeed Nicaragua was the type of location our South African and French backgrounds resonated with, we found ourselves looking at five properties in Granada,” says Kaplan.

They bought a colonial house on the border of a historic district with plans to remodel, but the house was in such poor shape that they demolished it — only the red clay roof tiles were salvageable — and rebuilt in a typical colonial-Granada style that celebrates earth tones, organic shapes and a fuzzy line between indoors and outside.

at a Glance
Who lives here: Painter Peta Kaplan and sculptor Ben Sandzer-Bell
Location: Granada, Nicaragua
Size: 1,292 square feet; two bedrooms, 2 baths
Cost: $54 per square foot

Louise Lakier

The couple created an open-air space for a profound relation to the surrounding character and animals. The coffee table is part of a repurposed door from the couple’s layout and construction firm, CO2 Bambu, which generates bamboo shelters.

Kaplan’s original paintings hang across the house. Her collection “Stray Dogs of Nicaragua” was shown extensively throughout the U.S.

Louise Lakier

The rooms open into a central courtyard and small swimming pool. “The kitchen is our backyard, and the pool is in our living space,” Kaplan says.

Using its open layout layout, the home was a magnet for drifting creatures. The couple shares the home with three dogs — Mango, Princessa and Dwayne — along with six cats: Salvador (Dalí), Diego (Riviera), Georgia (O’Keefe), Thurgood, Stubbie and Ziggy.

Louise Lakier

The pool’s undulating lines and untiled finish are meant to embody a river. “Our biggest splurge item was our river-inspired pool, as we knew it could be essential for the Granada heat. It was our best investment, and not a day goes by when we are not inside,” Kaplan says.

“Our style is best described as respectful of vernacular colonial architecture, combined with touches that permeate our home from Morocco to India to Peru to Argentina — all of areas that have impacted us throughout our journeys,” Kaplan says.

Louise Lakier

Kaplan painted murals to expand the backyard. The wall sconces are from San Juan de Oriente, a village known for its ceramics.

A vibrant cascade of tile intended to resemble a waterfall adorns a narrow stairway into a terrace used for biking and stargazing.

Louise Lakier

“The terrace is the best place for moon bathing and enjoying the night wind,” Kaplan says. “When we lie and have a look at the birds flying overhead at the conclusion of each day as the sun goes down, we have the feeling of a permanent vacation.”

Louise Lakier

Louise Lakier

Arching, organic shapes come up across the space, in doors and other openings, partitions, shelves and counters, while natural earth tones inspired the colour scheme.

Louise Lakier

Arched doors and windows appear in the main bedroom also, letting light and garden views in.

The ceiling is made from sugarcane, although the apparel is cedar.

Louise Lakier

The couple’s biggest design challenge was finding a way to bring light and air into the restroom.

Louise Lakier

They solved it by creating an opening into the sky over a little rock garden next to the shower.

Sandzer-Bell’s relief-figure sculptures hang on the enclosure wall.

Louise Lakier

More earth tones and curved forms show up in the main toilet, where relics from the couple’s travels also show the appreciation and influence of varied cultures in the couple’s design aesthetic. “We store in local markets searching for exceptional artistic pieces that catch the heart of local culture,” Kaplan says.

Louise Lakier

Like most of the rooms, the main bedroom opens into the courtyard, where among the few six cats stretches on cement tiles sourced from local factories because of their organic, organic coloring.

Louise Lakier

Local organizers assembled all of the wood doors in the house out of pochote, also called spiny cedar.

Louise Lakier

Sky-blue tiles in the kitchen produce among their house’s few bursts of vibrant colour. The cabinet doors and shelves are cedar. The door hardware is from India.

Louise Lakier

Mint, basil, parsley, cilantro, dill, basil, oregano, tumeric, ginger, aloe vera and lemongrass all grow within reach of their kitchen.

Louise Lakier

Sandzer-Bell coated his piano in Financial Times posts about peak oil, flooding in New Orleans, Iranian conflicts along with also the election of President Ortega in Nicaragua. “Doing a collage on the piano was his second option, after wanting to cover his vintage Mustang convertible in newspaper clippings, but our boys vetoed that idea, so he depended on the piano,” Kaplan says.

The bamboo dining table was formerly part of a doorway in the couple’s Granada office.

Louise Lakier

Kaplan and Sandzer-Bell fell in love with the lot when they felt the wind current traveling up the broad street from Lake Nicaragua five blocks away.

“Our town is authentic, unique and architecturally rich. We can sit outside our house and watch the street go by — a horse, a family of goats, four individuals on a bicycle, or a horse and cart,” says Kaplan.

The couple hired a local artist for U.S.$200 to paint the large exterior mural of a Paul Klee painting that has sentimental value to them.

Louise Lakier

Sandzer-Bell and Kaplan sit inside their backyard with their dogs Mango and Dwayne, and kitten Ziggy.

“Our lifestyle goal for this house, beyond the architectural and design elements, was for every one of our four boys to utilize it as a vehicle for traveling in Latin America, to be exposed to new cultures, life in the growing world, and to get Spanish. Proudly, we may say that has become the case,” says Kaplan.

One of their sons, Oren Pollack, also relocated to Nicaragua. He resides in a custom bamboo home assembled by Kaplan and Sandzer-Bell’s company.

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Grand Openings to Get a Dallas Ranch

Although this midcentury Dallas ranch house had good bones, the closed-off layout just didn’t work for Lori Golman and her husband. Working closely together with Mark Domiteaux of Domiteaux + Bagget Architects and overall contractor JR Rowan, they opened up the tiny spaces to create the house feel larger and more entertainment friendly. An interior designer, Golman built the house in a soothing neutral palette, combining contemporary art and furniture with cherished inherited antiques. A resort-like backyard completes the picture.

in a Glance
Who lives here: Rick and Lori Golman
Location: Dallas
Size: 5,000 square feet; 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms

SLIC Interiors

A previously closed-off pub area now connects to both the living area and the living area. A neutral color palette combines both spaces that are inviting.

Fireplace surround: ceramic tile, Ann Sacks

SLIC Interiors

A new little butler’s kitchen behind the bar produces a handy space for organizing snacks and beverages for parties. “I love my new bar area,” Golman states. “It was my dream to rip down the walls and generate a bar area where everybody could stand during parties.”

Constructed bookshelves create an ideal backdrop for the couple’s collection of antiques and art.

Wood and Glass side table: Donghia; urchin-like lighting fixture: Mecox Gardens

SLIC Interiors

Durable Caesarstone quartz covers the butler’s kitchen counters. Ann Sacks ceramic tiles wrap round, doubling as a backsplash and since the fireplace surround.

Floating shelf: Poggenpohl; sink, faucet: Dornbracht

SLIC Interiors

Golman splurged on these custom sliding doors; she loves how they create the space feel much more open.

Laundry appliances: Miele; sliding doors: Lumicor copper mesh glass; door hardware: TKO; builder for doors and cabinets: Charles Tate Company

SLIC Interiors

Mecox Gardens chairs along with a steel table from David Sutherland create a modern and sleek seating space just outside the pub.

SLIC Interiors

Golman loves clean lines and simple wallpapers. “I enjoy tailored appearances,” she states. “In most ways I design like I dress. I utilize monochromatic color schemes, adding in pops of color to add uniqueness to some space.”

She discovered these blue leather tufted armchairs from Mecox Gardens and paired them with a vibrant painting of her favorite flower, a peony.

Painting: Joe Mancuso, from Conduit Gallery

SLIC Interiors

The small nook that previously hosted the property’s pub now has a tiny, intimate seating space.

Wall covering: Phillip Jeffries; pub stools: Crate & Barrel; pillow: Mary Cates & Co.; java table: Ligne Roset

SLIC Interiors

Golman attracted the white quartz in the pub into the kitchen counter tops. Combined with maple cabinets and a blue glass mosaic backsplash, it makes the space feel refreshing.

Appliances: Thermador, KitchenAid and Sub-Zero; pendant lighting: Alison Berger for Holly Hunt; glass mosaic tile: Ann Sacks; apron sink: Kohler

SLIC Interiors

Lori Golman stands in front of the Kohler work sink having a attached cutting board, ideal for flower trimming.

Blinds: Conrad

SLIC Interiors

A serene master bedroom provides a retreat in the end of the day.

Rug: Stark Carpet; bedding: Frette; lamp: Donghia

SLIC Interiors

A treasured piece of art from New York hangs above Christian Liaigre Latin seats in a cozy sitting area with views of the backyard.

Side Effects: Knoll

SLIC Interiors

Landscape architect Peter Godat helped Golman construct her vision for a contemporary backyard area. An acid-washed concrete deck flows together with the blue slate pool surround.

Outside furniture: David Sutherland Teak Collection

SLIC Interiors

Aluminum-framed doors offer access to the backyard during the informal living area, family room and master bedroom, creating great indoor-outdoor flow.

SLIC Interiors

The home’s unique layout was divided into little spaces. Golman as well as the architects opened up these spaces to make the house feel larger and more entertainment friendly. This formal living space, place right behind the dining area, benefit from one of these smaller spaces.

Wall covering: Phillip Jeffries Manila Hemp; daybed: Donghia; seats: Christian Liaigre; table: Donghia; ceiling pendant: Stanley Korshak; art: Cameron Martin

SLIC Interiors

On the left side of this living room sits a classic Louis XV desk and ottoman given to Golman by her father, who owned an antiques showroom in Dallas. Another cherished gift, a classic Baccarat Boulle liquor collection, is on the desk.

Lamps: Donghia

SLIC Interiors

The formal dining area feels elegant and grand, with a classic table, a Baccarat chandelier and ivory toile textiles. An antique Japanese medication cabinet anchors a back corner.

Painting: Charles Andresan

SLIC Interiors

Frosted aluminum and glass doors in the entrance set the tone for the inside’s contemporary design. A Venetian mirror and antique rococo console create an eclectic combination.

Sconces: Vaughan; background: Fromental silk chinoiserie

SLIC Interiors

A miniature modern chair from Christian Liaigre and a art piece that Golman purchased in New York contrast with the more elaborate elegance of this rococo design on the other side of the entrance.

“I enjoy combining different elements. In this space I combined my father’s elaborate antiques with contemporary art and furniture to create something unique and relatable,” states Golman.

Pillow: John Robshaw for ABC Carpet & Home

SLIC Interiors

White walls and light floors create a gallery-like atmosphere for Golman’s father’s antiques and its art collection. This vignette sits between the living area and the entrance.

Rug: Madeline Weinrib for ABC Carpet & Home; chest: antique carved teak; art: Aaron Parazette

SLIC Interiors

Now that the interior is finished, Golman’s next project is a facelift to the front part of the home, at the beginning of 2013.

Share your remodeled family house with us!

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8 Strategies to Tap Into English Gent Style

A true English gent includes a dapper, tailored fashion. Savile Row, a street in London’s Mayfair, has been renowned since the 19th century because of its array of conventional men’s custom tailoring shops. The clean style of Savile Row can quickly translate to your house — see how with the ideas below.

Elizabeth Reich

1. Tufted herringbone and leather. A tufted brown leather chesterfield sofa oozes English fashion. Mix in a few upholstered side chairs at a traditional herringbone-patterned fabric for 2 traditionally British looks at one room.

Lompier Interior Group

2. A bit of wallpaper. We English have a continuing love affair with background. To keep it subtle, just paper a wall or beneath a chair rail. Select a neutral colour scheme and a conventional or graphic pattern to keep it masculine.

Atmosphere Interior Design Inc..

3. Sheets were tailored by crisp. Every English gent knows how important it is to get a crisp, clean tailored shirt prepared to go. Steal this look for your bedding by using freshly starched, crisp sheets. Choose something with simple piping to finish the look. Try to find 100 percent cotton, a high thread count (200 or higher) and a good-quality (long) thread such as supima, pima or long-staple Egyptian cotton.

David Howell Design

4. Pinstripes. The London city boys at the financial area love their pinstripe suits. Channel your pinstripe suit by upholstering a tailored couch or chairs in a dark pinstripe fabric. Try dark grey with cream pinstripes or put in a little color with some thing in navy and green, like on this couch.

Accent the dark fabric with bold colours in mustard, burnt orange or deep crimson.

5. Neutrals using a subtle shade. Stick to a neutral palette, like the grays, creams and beige shown here. Black accents help ground this plot, along with the dark red velvet couch adds a splash of colour.

6. A British bulldog. A dog is every Englishman’s closest friend, especially a British bulldog. Add playful bulldog art or dog silhouettes to your strategy — this works great in kids’ bedrooms too. Solid dark walls and pinstripe drapes keep the look masculine.

Scot Meacham Wood Design

7. Textured layers. Textured layers make you want to sink into a room and relax. Just take a timeless leather couch and try mixing layers of pillows in wools, velvets, silks, linens and cottons — all in a similar neutral colour.

Heavy tailored wool drapes (in plain fabric or a pattern of clean lines) can make the space feel extra cozy.

JD Ireland Interior Architecture + Design

8. Tailored, upholstered mattress. A neat upholstered bed frame provides a very tailored finish to a room. The grey striped fabric puts this mattress firmly at a gentleman’s entire world. Maintain the bedding neatly tucked into the mattress frame. You can nevertheless layer pillows, but try a long bolster rather than lots of fluff and layers.

These wall-mounted lights take jumble off the bedside table and provide focused task lighting for reading.

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A Brief Recap of Historical American Home Design

According to Vincent Scully, Jr., in his book American Architecture and Urbanism, a defining characteristic of the American built landscape has been the tension between two competing forces. While the apparently limitless all-natural landscape created a desire to keep moving, to learn what was beyond that forest and over that mountain, a countervailing yearning to stay rooted in 1 spot also took record. Our built environment has been an outward expression of our anxiety about leaving the security, security and familiarity of home when we can not help but follow the dictum”Go West, young man.”

This duality has been expressed in many ways in the design of the houses. From an emphasis on flat continuity anchored by a vertical totem to our fascination with the RV (even if it’s tethered into a parking space), we want the illusion that we can get up and proceed at any moment while having the security of being attached and adjusted into a home. It’s not surprising that our national pastime is baseball, the 1 sport where scoring is attained exclusively by leaving and returning home.

So let’s take a look at the way American house layout has expressed and tried to resolve this tension — what may happen when the realization hits that the trend of growth is changing.

Daniel Contelmo Architects

Even in the colonial era, a stress on the flat line was a defining characteristic of home layout. Design features like placing horizontally proportioned upper-story dividers tight into the eave with constant sill trim below bolstered this nascent horizontal expression.

While most houses of this age, especially those in New England, put the mass of the chimney in the center of the home, there was likewise a trend, especially in the mid-Atlantic and South, to put the chimneys in the sides. In the latter instance, all of the horizontal motion is contained and stopped, especially with vertical components like pilasters at the corners.

The tension between wanting to stretch out and break free while being hauled in position is clearly evident.

Between Naps on the Porch

The houses of 19th-century America had a linear aesthetic, despite the era’s predilection for revivals. Home designers could not help but weave all of those horizontal themes and trim into the layout when faced with inherently vertical fashions like that of the second empire. Therefore the towers, mansards and vertical factors are held in check with a ribbon of trim that weaves in and out to deny this perpendicular.

Bud Dietrich, AIA

Obviously, it was the genius of Frank Lloyd Wright and the other Prairie School architects to resolve — or exploit the tension caused by the duality between horizontal and vertical. While creating homes that seem to float on the property and in which each design decision serves to accentuate the flat, even Wright could not help but create this massive central vertical anchor that firmly roots the house to its location.

Dick Clark + Associates

Yet the homegrown Prairie School dropped from grace, as transplanted Europeans like Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and Walter Gropius introduced International design to America.

But we Americans altered that style to suit our character. Therefore it was not the idealized modernism of Le Corbusier but versions that were more linear and stretched, more expressions of growth and not as much of Europe’s urbanism.

Home layout took on a new kind as a result of a car-dominated culture that celebrated the freedom of the open road. Relaxed, casual, distribute throughout the landscape, the brand new ranch-style house gave expression to the expansiveness of the soul. And as the desire to be rooted at a location gave way to increasing mobility, the perpendicular totem no longer appeared.

Butler Armsden Architects

As a result, variations of this ranch house fill the U.S. landscape from east to west and Canada into Mexico. This ranch house, sitting on its horizontal lot with all the ocean in front and the mountains behind, is a full expression of the American dream and the California lifestyle.

Princeton Architectural Press

Occasionally a home can take on the characteristics of the Conestoga wagon and Airstream trailer, ready to pick up and move whenever the owner’s tires of this area.

However, what happens when ever-increasing advancement means less space to build and explore?

Union Studio, Architecture & Community Design

Perhaps then we have a critical look in taming the auto. And while we are at itwe could build communities as opposed to developments. Places where we still have the single-family home, but this time it’s built for sustainability and efficiency. These areas could be, after all, more in tune with the agrarian ideal that’s been at the core of our built environment for centuries.

More: Back into the Future of this House

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Blues Blaze Into Fashion for Fall 2012

Start looking for blue as one of the handful of colours touted as”in” this fall. Pantone, a company which develops and preserves color management systems used by designers, calls Olympian Blue (consider the grim on the Greek flag) one of the year’s best hues. And trend bloggers are reporting seeing a significant bit of peacock blue and teal — profound, watery blues which have a touch of green in them on the runways.

Most homeowners can’t or do not need to modify the colours of their interior with every passing fad, but if you are looking for a small way to make a large change in your house, try introducing these hip blue colours in your decor.

Suggestions for autumn’s hottest oranges

Jennifer Ott Design

Select up on the blue fashion by incorporating one or more of those colours on your interiors, clockwise from top left: Peacock Blue GLB01, from Glidden; Caribbean Blue Water 2055-30, from Benjamin Moore; Hyper Blue SW 6965, from Sherwin-Williams; and Tidal Teal 5006-8B from Valspar.

House + House Architects

A teal accent wall in your bedroom paired with spicy oranges and yellows creates an exotic vibe reminiscent of faraway places. Just make sure you keep the flooring a light, neutral colour and limit the art and accessories to a few important pieces, to avoid the space from feeling overly busy and cluttered.

Martinkovic Milford Architects

Tons of extreme colour can be overpowering in a space. If you want to go bold on the walls but want a more soothing effect, take a tip from this beautiful toilet and keep everything else straightforward, neutral and light.

Laura U, Inc..

Peacock blue is striking in the bedroom contrary to the white, black, brown and gray hues.

Oceanside Glasstile

These glass mosaic tiles from Oceanside Glasstile make a gorgeous accent wall. The colours are reminiscent of cool blue Mediterranean waters, perfect for carrying a long, relaxing soak. With such a solid decorative part on the walls, the room needs no other art or bold colour to enhance it.

Jessica Helgerson Interior Design

If you are worried about investing a massive chunk of change on wall tile which you might grow tired of down the street, or just do not have a budget which can accommodate it, try tapping into your internal abstract artist (or enlist the help of an artistic friend, or even employ a pro) to paint a color-field accent wall on your preferred cool hues. This could be supereasy to alter out if you desire another look later on.

Macy’s

Trina Turk Blue Peacock Comforter and Duvet Cover Set

Stick to bold blue accessories to get a smaller-scale approach for this trend. This bedding by Trina Turk could gussy up the dullest of bedrooms. It’s a great way to inject some colour into a neutral bedroom without needing to dig out your paintbrush.

West Elm

Potter’s Workshop Tableware – $50

These new dishes from West Elm include a beautiful beaded pattern in this year’s hip colors of blue.

Crate&Barrel

Seaport Vases – $79.95

Collect a few of those vases together in a place of prominence in your house, and you’ve got a wonderful spot of colour. Add some yellow and green through cut flowers, and you’ll instantly have a beautiful, colorful focal point.

FLOR

Remembrance Carpet Tile, Teal

Flor took inspiration from faded, antique oriental rugs for this line of carpet tiles. The pattern is very forgiving if you just happen to fall behind in your housecleaning, and the green-blue colours pair nicely with so many other colours, from grays into purples to greens into other blues.

Chiasso

Carly Pillow

These cushions are perfect perched atop a camel-colored couch (or any other furniture with a neutral colour ).

CB2

Picture Pool Sofa – $1,099

Normally I suggest staying away from bold, stylish colors for things which you don’t wish to change out very frequently, but sometimes you fall in love with an item and discover a way to make it work. This peacock-blue couch looks fantastic in a minimalist, contemporary space where it can be the star of this series.

Jonathan Adler

Leather Moroccan Pouf | Jonathan Adler – $275

If you love this colour but don’t need to dedicate an entire couch for this, try thinking in relation to smaller, less costly pieces, like this fabulous pouf from Jonathan Adler.

Z Gallerie

Aquarius Stemware – $39.80

If your drink of choice is red wine, then be forewarned that it might not seem so great in those blue-tinged stemware pieces, but go right ahead and fill them up with your favorite white wine, champagne or sparkling water.

CB2

Phoenix Swoon Bar Stools – $139

If I was on the marketplace for new counter stools, these are on top of my list. I love the clean lines and gorgeous shade of blue.

Wisteria

Carved Stool – $259

Looking for some interesting pieces to improve your living room? This handsome concave-front console and also carved blossom in Olympian Blue are standouts.

IKEA

Brukbar Glass – $1.49

Bring Olympian Blue in your dining area without breaking the bank. This juice from Ikea costs just $1.49.

The Business Store

Ombré Rug – $39

Beautiful cool colours stitched together in an ombré effect create a terrific runner. The palette complements a hot wood floor nicely, but it would also look very stylish on a gray polished concrete flooring.

Inform us: What’s your preferred blue hue? Have you ever used it to boost your home’s interior?

More ways with blue

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