By Joy, on May 2nd, 2012
 Looking towards Living Area This is a 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath condo that we are currently working on. It has a distinct Modern feel to it with the curved walls and sleek minimal trim. I can see Art Deco pieces working so well in this space. We have finished some light remodeling on it and I wanted to give you a peek.
 Entry The concept for the space was to be high contrast with minimal finishes and an overall calm feel. We did custom walnut cabinetry in the living space that has a rich deep look that is very clean. Also we added deep gray silk draperies at the living room windows for another pop of contrast. The walls and ceilings were all repainted, going with a light, cool palette to neutralize the putty color that was there to begin with. The light fixtures were all replaced with elegant polished chrome pieces.
 Looking towards Living Area
 Custom Cabinetry The overall space is quite striking. It would be a great display space for art and really lends itself to the gorgeous views from the living and dining room windows.
 Dining Room  View from Living Room  Dining Room View Here are a couple before pictures for comparison. No more old putty paint color:
 Old Entry  Old Cabinetry Next step will be bringing in the furniture. What do you think so far?
By Joy, on April 12th, 2012
This is a small project we completed for the daughter of a good client of mine. She asked for assistance in redoing her living room and I was thrilled to help. It was just one room but doing one room in a house or condo can make a huge difference in the overall feel of a space. She expressed that she would like a style that was more contemporary and chic to go with her professional lifestyle.
BEFORE:
Here are some before pics of the space. You will see that the furniture has a transitional feel and it was not as clean lined as she was wanting for the new look, with lots of different colors everywhere.
Also, the light floors did not coordinate with the built in cabinetry which she had redone recently. The fireplace surround had green tile with brass accents, which also had to go. The window treatments were grass shades which did not have much presence in the room.
AFTER:
We selected a sophisticated and warm palette of smoky gray, bronze, caramel, and chocolate. For the floors, we redid them in a deep cherry color to coordinate with the fireplace wall cabinetry. The fireplace surround was replaced with black slate. We also selected a custom made wool Nepalese rug in a beautiful gray color with cream border.
For the walls we deepened the yellow to more of an ochre color and also added full length draperies out of a bronze striped silk with white wooden blinds for privacy. The draperies add a lot of height to the space as they draw your eye upwards.
The furniture was a mix of warm gray linen on the sofa, luxurious caramel color leather on the armchairs, and bronze, gold, and chocolate silks and velvets for the toss pillows. The coffee table is bamboo with a glass and steel side table, accented with a gold iron lamp. With this furnishings arrangement we were able to add one more seat while still allowing access onto the patio.
You’ll have to ignore the paint cans as these were taken right on installation day. I think the space came out beautifully and this was one of my favorite color palettes to do. It could work in a feminine or masculine setting and is very warm and relaxed. Now it just needs some coffee table books and a huge orchid on the table!
What do you think?
By Joy, on April 11th, 2012
A couple of weeks ago I was in Dallas and had a chance to do some antiquing there. We were on the outskirts of the city and meandered into several little shops and stores. One thing about antiquing is that there is a fine line between “antiques” and “junk” that is often crossed but if you are patient you will come across some real gems.
Here are some of my finds:
An amazing walnut armoire that probably dates to the 1930′s or 40′s. It is such an incredible piece it took my breath away. It has this unique undulating front with book matched walnut veneer and gorgeous handles. The feel of the piece is somehwat delicate because of the smaller size but also masculine with the pronounced wood grain.
Inside it has individual compartments with glass doors and drawers for sweaters and shirts on the right- perfection. On the left is space for hanging clothes.
What a great little piece. The best part about it- it was $295.00! And on sale for another 15% off. In Boston this piece could easily have gone for 10x that amount.
This is a quirky find but it caught my eye because I often see these in antique shops in Boston. It’s an English brass log box to store wood by the fireplace. Another bargain at $125.
Another great find was this walnut bed. I think I have an obsession with walnut- the figuring is just so beautiful. The lines of this bed were simple and elegant. It would be perfect for a traditional or contemporary interior as a way to add rich wood tones to the room. Again, a steal at just under $300.00.
Lastly I can’t help but include probably my best find of the day. This is what I mean by a fine line between antiques and “junk” but if you can’t help but laugh then it makes hunting all the more fun.
Bubba’s Briefcase- looks like they wanted $9.99 for this piece of craftsmanship.
And a Texas sunset to end on…
By Joy, on April 3rd, 2012
Spring is here and who doesn’t love a quick little pick me up for their home? The best place to look for one of those is often a catalog. They have some great finds that are good quality and can be mixed in with more high end items for a well balanced look.
Here are some of my latest finds that all have a graphic punch:
The Giardino Outdoor Collection by Ballard Designs is chic, clean lined, and could work well in a traditional or contemporary setting. The bold umbrella immediately caught my eye. The collection is made of black powder coated iron and teak which will age to a soft gray over time.
These colorful Dhurries by West Elm would work in almost any interior. Why not throw one of these into a playroom, kitchen, office, a mud room, or even an entire beach house to add a pop of color? They are woven of wool and/or cotton and come in various sizes.
The Monaco Black Rattan Chair from Pottery Barn has a great relaxed 1920′s feel with a beautiful lines to it. The black painted finish gives it an updated feel and it would be great on a summer porch or in a vacation home.
And lastly these Morrocan Pendants from Pottery Barn are quite beautiful and would add elegant mood lighting to any setting. They perforated bronze metal would cast an amazing pattern into the room when lit.
What are you thinking about for the spring?
By Joy, on March 21st, 2012
Often clients will have a piece they want to hang onto for sentimental value and that was the case with these chairs today. They belonged to the client’s father and they wanted to keep them and somehow integrate them into their home we were remodeling. Their taste is clean and contemporary but these chairs add a nice heirloom feel to the space.
This is what we started with: a pair of vintage red leather chairs from the 1940s. They have nice lines and are comfortable to sit in so they were a good option for keeping and reupholstering.
 The seats had some damage to them in addition to the leather being worn so they had to be rebuilt.
We selected a rich deep blue leather to reupholster them in, switched out the brass nail heads for satin nickel ones, and refinished the legs to a deeper walnut color. Here is one of them in the new space- what do you think?
By Joy, on March 14th, 2012
Now that winter is coming to a close (and really feels like it never properly got started) everyone is starting to think about fresh flowers and planting. Spring! It’s always nice to bring color to your home, whether through a garden or on a roof deck or terrace if you are a city dweller. Let’s take a look at some picks for planters:
This is a Georgian style planter with geometric pattern that is weatherproof. It has a fantastic patina on it that will get even better in time:
 Georgian Style Lead Planter This French citrus planter is made with removable wood slats and cast iron posts so that it is easy to get the fruit trees out in the winter. Perfect for the orangerie we all have. But if you have room for even one or two trees how amazing would it be to pick fresh fruit off of your terrace. Or place a pair or either side of your front door with some boxwood planted in them.
 French Citrus Planter I love this contemporary option: the Vaso Rettangolare Illuminated Planter by Design Within Reach. It is made of polyethylene and is lightweight which makes it a great option for roof decks with weight restrictions.
The Terra Cotta Lady Planter by Ballard Designs is fun and whimsical. This would be great in a window for a small punch of flowers.
 Lady Planter Lastly a great basic but chic Black Stone and Resin Planter by Crate and Barrel.
 Stone and Resin Planter
By Joy, on March 12th, 2012
“Beauty, not luxury, is what I value.” I recently read an article about the late designer Tony Duquette in Harper’s Bazaar and found his thoughts on design and design philosophy to be very refreshing. According to his long time design partner, Hutton Wilkinson, he “had absolutely no snobbery.”
He was known for his more-is-more aesthetic with over the top and avant garde designs. He had a real gift for pulling whatever was in his mind and making it come to life, whether it was jewelry, costumes, or interiors. His creativity overflowed and pairing that with a sensibility to work with any material (he reportedly would even spray paint skateboards and hot dog baskets gold) is true originality.
 Emerald and Diamond Brooch set in Gold, from 1st Dibs Beauty can be found anywhere, from the most expensive bauble to a simple cut flower or view out to the ocean. I think at any moment of the day you can find yourself stopped by a scene or thought or feeling that can be beautiful. The seemingly uncensored creativity of Duquette’s mind is my inspiration of the day- it seems like he really let himself be free in his designs which is admirable.
 Multi Stone Necklace, available from 1st Dibs
 Necklace worn by the Duchess of Windsor
The studio of Tony Duquette recently did a collaboration with Coach and created some relatively affordable jewelry pieces. The Duchess’ necklace (with real jewels) originally cost around $850.00. You can now buy a similar piece from Coach for $498.
 Coach's Bib Necklace
By Joy, on September 12th, 2011
For Labor Day weekend my husband and I went to Chatham and spent four days there with several other couples. We walked along the dunes and took pictures of the beach. Some of the colors are just incredible- these pics were taken with my blackberry and still look pretty good:
 Chatham marsh
Here is a shot of the beach- who can’t get inspired by the waves crashing onto the shore:
 Beach
All along the beach was the most magnificent seaweed that was a deep acid green. Plus there were many horseshoe crab shells that created a great color combo. As I said, inspiration can come from anywhere:
 Seaweed and shells
Here are some selections I would put together off of that:
 Anjelica Sofa Jayson Home
 Vintage Glass Bottles Jefferson West, Inc.
 19th Century Biedermeier Chest of Drawers
L’Antiquare
What do you think? Do you enjoy the beach as a source of inspiration?
By Joy, on September 9th, 2011
Almost time for the weekend and what better thing to think about than a beautiful canopy bed to sleep late in tomorrow morning. These are some of my favorites:
This is the exotic Zambia bed with turned wood posters in a rosewood finish by Artifacts International, available at M-Geough. The intricate carving is amazing, offset by the smooth headboard.
 Zambia Bed
The Cornell bed by Gerard, which is part of Dessin Fournir, is done in mahogany with a brass canopy. It is available at the Martin Group. This is such a sculptural piece that really makes a statement. It would be great in a loft or large bedroom.
 Cornell Bed
This Italian Campaign canopy bed from Anthropology is one of my all time favorites. The lines on it are so elegant and it is a timelessly beautiful bed. I’ve seen this in several bedrooms and one of my favorites was a tropical island location. It had sheer panels attached to the canopy which draped all around the bed. Can you imagine laying in that and listening to waves crashing outside?
 Italian Campaign Canopy Bed
Lastly we have the Antonia iron canopy bed from Pottery Barn. It also has an upholstered headboard covered in a champagne linen and cotton blend so you get the best of both worlds. This is a great no-nonsense bed with simple detailing.
 Antonia Bed
By Joy, on August 24th, 2011
A few weekends ago, we went to NYC for my birthday and my husband surprised me with tickets to see the Alexander McQueen exhibit at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I was thrilled and we planned to stop by for an hour before dinner. How silly we were. The line to get in was out the door and down the street. We considered waiting but planned on coming back the next morning before we had to head home, which was the final exhibit day.
 Dress, Autumn/Winter 2010/2011, Image via Metropolitan Museum of Art
 Image via Metropolitan Museum of Art
 Image via Metropolitan Museum of Art The next morning we got there an hour early and there were literally several thousand people in line already! And these were all people with tickets. The line went down the block, wrapped around itself several times and continued on into Central Park. And that was just one of the lines- there was a second in the other direction. It was incredible. We sadly did not get to see the show but this just illustrates the desire people have to get up close and personal with the brilliance of Alexander McQueen.
For anyone not familiar, McQueen was a British fashion designer and couturier known for his provocative and controversial collections and runway shows. He had such an amazing, uninhibited artistic expression that took you to another place completely and is such an inspiration to anyone who is an artist of any kind. The colors, textures, shapes, and forms he used were combined in such unique and exciting ways.
I highly encourage you to take a walk through his collection at the Metropolitan Museum via this video- it is well worth the few minutes:
VIDEO:
Alexander McQueen: Savage Beauty
The nice part about watching this is there are no crowds and the curator explains everything beautifully. I wonder where the collection will be taken next…
 "Cabinet of Curiosities", Image via The Metropolitan Museum of Art
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Welcome to The SDG Blog Schranghamer Design Group is a residential interior design firm based in the Boston area. Commissions are undertaken for a wide range of clients with a focus on creating high quality spaces that are timeless and innovative.
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