Marble Countertops! Selection time..

Posted on November 30th, 2011, in Home, House, Interior Design, Kitchen, Pinterest, Stone

On my Pinterest page, I have been pinning white kitchens for as long as I have had an account. When it came time to select countertops for our kitchen and bathrooms, it was easy to determine the direction to go in!

Kitchen pic

(Via: pinterest)

Bounato granite sign

(Photo: Lovejoy Designs)

Buonato Granite was where our contractor sent us. Mike was really knowledgeable about the various types of granite and marble options.

Man going through slabs

(Photo: Lovejoy Designs)

This is where all the fabrication happens too. Before the marble is cut, a template is made at your home to the exact fit of your space. Then the marble is brought back to the facility and cut.

warehouse pic

(Photo: Lovejoy Designs)

For our kitchen, as much as I love the white look of marbles, I was concerned about the staining that does happen. Mike found an alternative that still gives us that white look but is sturdier than a Carrara or Calcutta marble. It is called White Rhino and once sealed can withstand lemon juice, pasta sauce better than others. Having these kind of countertops in your home will require more upkeep than dark granite for example. So, when you are shopping for stone countertops, it is good to consider how you want to live.

Here is our powder room marble. It is called Supreme White; funny name seeing that it mostly grey. We are having all out countertops honed and leathered which gives them a matte, slightly distressed finish.

POwder Room countertop

(Photo: Lovejoy Designs)

Here is the Master Bathroom countertop.. gorgeous huh!

Masterbath countertops

(Photo: Lovejoy Designs)

Stay tuned for some furniture shopping next! This weekend I am heading to Stamford Antiques Center in Stamford Connecticut in hopes of putting me out of my misery in finding the perfect chandelier for our dining room…

phoebe sign

Gone…

Posted on October 27th, 2011, in Home, Interior Design, Kitchen, Renovations

One night we had a kitchen island and a working refrigerator. The next morning, no more appliances let alone many of the floor boards! Our construction at our new home!

tub

Here is a tiny 4′ x 6′ powder room, oh but just wait. Good things come in small packages! I have a good scheme for this tiny space.

powder room

 

Kitchen cabinetry coming soon…

 

phoebe sign

Kip’s Bay Annual Decorator Show house 2010. Almost a No Show…

Posted on October 23rd, 2010, in Art, Color, Decorating, Furnishings, Interior Design, Kitchen, Lighting, Showhouse, Wallcoverings

If you stand on the corner of Park Avenue and look on the south side of East 71st Street, you will see many gorgeous and stately townhouses. #106 East 71st is the location of this year’s show house. I was down there this past weekend and took a walk through. 

 

 Every year the Kips Bay Boy’s and Girl’s Club pick a townhouse, usually on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. Talented Interior Designers are summoned to design rooms. The house is then opened to the public for viewing. Last year’s spring show house was scheduled to be in a townhouse on the Upper West Side. 

Unfortunately, the house that was donated ended up being sold before it was opened! So they had to postpone the popular event to the fall. Luckily, they found another space at 106 East 71st St, ending up back in their usual location on the other side of the park…   

A couple of the rooms really stood out…Here are a couple of my favorites.   

Kip's Bay House Foyer   

Front entry designed by Katie Ridder and my ever talented, ever stylish friend, Susannah, who works for Katie Ridder.
(Photo: Lovejoy Designs)

Kitchen designed by Eve Robinson Associates
(Photo: Lovejoy Designs)

   

Dining room designed by Ellie Cullman or Cullman and Kravis
(Photo: Lovejoy Designs)

   

A Sitting Room designed by Elizabeth Pyne for McMillen Plus
(Photo: Laura Fenton)

   

Wall handcarved plaster by Artist Nina Helms
(Photo: Lovejoy Designs)