xxx MH Studio

Well, it’s been a while. We didn’t mean to neglect you, but we’ve been busy busy busy at the Studio!

Last week, MH Studio was featured on interior designer and writer Tamara Stephenson’s sizzling hot design blog, NEST . We love going for Tamara for tips on how to design well: that bathroom tile CAN be used as a trivet, that hydrangeas look best in blue, and keep the tiki bar. But what makes her blog really special is her advice on how to LIVE well: how to have a picnic, how to have a party, how to make lemonade. So we are very flattered that Tamara featured our master bedroom for the Westchester Design Show House (but more on that later! We swear!)

Anyway, we hope that leaves you in suspense. We’re sorry for taking such a vacation from this blog, but wanted to assure you that we HAVE been up to something since. . ..January (oof), and to thank you for continuing to follow us.

xxx MH Studio

Books, suspended tester bed, blue hand painted walls, all from MH Studio for the Westchester Designer Show House

http://nyti.ms/gGuTXf

Photo courtesy of the New York Times

photo courtesy of Stellenbosch vineyards

The ride in to town is on streets lined with huge old oak trees and the typical lime-washed white buildings. Founded in 1679 by Simon van der Stel under the employment of the Dutch East India Company , many of the original buildings have been preserved or carefully restored.  One of the first buildings you see of what is known as Cape Dutch architecture is the Krige House.

Photo by Shari Markbreiter

Also among the earliest houses, it is single storied, has a thatched roof, is lime-washed white on the outside and has a single dormer gable at the center. As the style developed, the gables became more ornate and were modeled on baroque architecture from Holland in the 17th and 18th centuries. Here is one of the earlier curvilinear gables:

Photo by Shari Markbreiter

As the style progressed, the details became more stylized, as seen in this gable with slightly more flourish to it and a bas relief at the top center:

Photo by Shari Markbreiter

And finally, this house called “La Gratitude“.  It is one of the most well known homes in Stellenbosch, not only because it has a perfectly proportioned facade with a classically styled gable, but mostly because of the bas relief above the gable window of the “all seeing eye of the Almightly”.

Photo by Shari Markbreiter

Tomorrow we will go to Fransshoeck in search of more examples. Totsiens.

"Orange Car" by Bastienne Schmidt

Next I visit Lori Bookstein Fine Arts, a gallery in Chelsea on 10th Avenue. I really enjoy bringing clients to visit Lori’s gallery. She has a deep commitment to  educating her clients about the works that she sells and clients are very appreciative. We look at many pieces together and I make my selections: Tine Lundsfryd, Varujan Boghosian, Sharon Horvath. and Louise Kruger.  There are others, but I must stop.

Transfer II by Tine Lundsfryd

Fabrics are next. There are so many fabric houses that I love to work with, it’s always so hard to limit my choices. After many trips through the trade only show rooms of  New York’s D & D Building I seem to have found many of my fabrics at Cowtan & Tout so I put in a call to Vesna Babic, National Sales Manager for Cowtan & Tout. Just as kind and gracious as always, Vesna generously  donates these fabric choices  from their brands: Colefax and Fowler, Larsen, Manuel Canovas and Cowtan & Tout. I enter a state of fabric bliss.

Carpet, fabrics, tile, wallpaper

Furniture and fabric at the upholstery workroom

And on and on I continue.

There’s only one problem with all of this: I have only 7 weeks. With “that look” in my eyes and steely determination set in my face,I’d better jump on it! I sit down and start to sketch. In no time flat, we’ll have a full set of drawings and elevations.

Elevation of kitchen and bathroom

The call goes out to Zack Kaplan, President of ZMK Group, a contractor that we have just worked with on a three apartment combination on the upper west side in Manhattan. Zach confirms my worst fears by exclaiming, “Crazy!”, followed by, “Let’s get it going.” We are off at warp speed; no small miracle.

I decide on orange  - a color that makes me feel happy – and glossy aubergine – the color that speaks to me of ’30′s glamour.

Inspiration colors

I’m off to source fabrics, furniture, rugs, art, paint, wall paper, tile, stone, dishes, flatware…and that’s just for starters. Demolition begins:

Demolition begins!

Seriously?!?

Seriously?!? I sat quietly on the floor, back on the east wall facing the pile of debris and the enormous safe bolted to the wall. It is a small space – maybe 350 square feet – with doors that nearly crash into each other, a deep walk-in closet with an awkward shape and random shelving, and an alcove with very old tiling. There was almost nothing of architectural significance, including the anemic crown molding. Seriously?!?

Crashing Doors

Awkward walk in closet

As my intrepid designer Britt took notes of this scary scene, she was politely quiet  - but I’m sure she was wondering if perhaps I was off my rocker. I sat on the dirty floor and mulled the possibilities. There’s a reason, I thought to myself, that no one has taken this space, not in the last two years that the show house has run and again not this year.

Britt surveys the chaotic space

Think, Shari, think! And that’s when the concept hit me. It’s not uncommon for New Yorkers to live in a studio apartment this size, or for out of town folks to have a little city crash pad. What was needed: a kitchen, a bathroom, a place to sleep, a place to eat….I am off and running!

Rock Crystal Lamp

The custom colored “stucco veneziano” walls serve as a gorgeous backdrop for the ripple fold drapes. The Bergamo fabric has such a soft, elegant hand. On the left, the sofa is an MH Studio design and the fabric is from MH Studio’s own “Tucker Collection”.  The carpet is a modified Greek Key pattern, a design motif that I really enjoy using.

Our dad has produced many news stories for national television, so he knows what it takes to get things right. And keeping the kids happy is definitely a top priority for this shoot.  I’m sorry that the lighting in the back of this image is not very strong as it does not do justice to the wonderful Tine Lundsfyd painting over the mantle.

Dad keeps the kids engaged

Both of the children are fascinated with the glass marble collection. They delight in rolling them across the patterned carpet and watch them go zig-zagging along, again, and again.

Very cool marbles!

OK everyone…back to your places. The camera is ready to roll!

I check in with the family to make sure that “wardrobe” is progressing. We’ve been asked not to wear pattern, black or white. Mom works for the exclusive children’s company Papo d’Anjo so no doubt the kids will look adorable.

The kids are excited about what’s going on. Our littlest guy wants me to know how much he loves the Sponge Bob Square Pants shower curtain. Perhaps not a highlight in a designer’s career, but I do appreciate the feedback.

The team discusses changing the angle of the photograph to do a “long shot” of the room. Although I’ve been a part of numerous photo shoots, I’ve never thought about how images will work on a magazine page with ad copy.

Uh, oh! I am a bit flipped out – the day before, I styled the room from a totally different view. No worries…but, I’ve got to scurry and re-style the room.