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Reality TV
Katie Constable’s Cockeysville home bears her stamp—the family room and her daughter Tavi’s space are both decorated with vibrant Lulu DK window treatments and upholstery, great expressions of Katie’s energetic spirit. The Plasma entertainment center is out in the open and still elegant. You no longer need to hide everything away, just make an effort to avoid clutter. “We didn’t want to commit to heavy built-ins and felt comfortable that the TV and ‘open’ console would blend in with the walls,” Katie says.
A Jonathan Adler-inspired lamp with black shade from Crate and Barrel, a special little addition well worth its price tag, sits on a wonderful table from Brocade Home.
Haunted House
Philippe Starck’s Ghost Chair (from Home on the Harbor) adds a subtle twist to any space—the piece is made of durable polycarbonate. We suggest placing it against a colorful wall or behind your desk, so it doesn’t fade from view. Move the chair around and experiment with its not-so-spooky-but-very-stylish possibilities! Heather Haas helped Katie decorate the well-ordered den. “I told Heather that we wanted something new and fresh [for the den], and she showed me a variety of ideas. We were nervous about the change in style from the rest of the house, but it came together perfectly.” –Katie
Baby Space
“We designed the room during the weeks before and after Tavi was born. My goal was to have a peaceful space for the baby,” Katie says. “My favorite parts are the fabric for the chair and curtains and the pink table.” The pink lacquered three-tiered side table from In Watermelon Sugar might be our favorite element, too. Octavia’s one lucky baby girl!
Poppy Star
Sarah Griswold Johnson is in the midst of renovating the Sparks house where she and her husband, Matt, settled six months ago. Because Sarah has a terrific eye and a penchant for design research, we knocked on her door to find out what’s in the works. Her bold Clarence House wallpaper in the front hall thrilled us. The “Flowering Quince” metallic background is bold in itself; on top of that the poppies are orange—what a perfect juxtaposition with the traditional elements in her space, like the Fife Hubbard sideboard sporting the yellow Asian-inspired bowl from The Kellogg Collection. The Federal-style giltwood bull’s-eye mirror bearing an eagle cartouche is an old family piece. “I had initially seen the paper in Domino or something… We have a big open window we look out, and I thought the paper would echo this and be bucolic and modern,” Sarah says. “It’s a great starting point—in fact we’ve played the entire house off the front hallway.” Your house should be an extension of your wardrobe (if you have a cool one), and Sarah’s truly is, a mix of learned classical tradition and personal statement.
At Play in the Attic
Clay’s attic room melts our hearts. From the adorable bucking rocking horse to the built-in bookshelves, every element of the tidy space is Clay-essential, right down to the cute portrait of Mommy and Clay framed in red. The cool helicoptors in the wallpaper are metallic! “Clay loves helicopters. I was at the Design Center and wanted Clay to have something in his room he could grow into and appreciate as sort of a younger boy,” Sarah says.
The Grass is Greener
Collaboration was the name of the game when Krista Smith and decorator Dan Proctor paired to renovate her Greenspring Valley home. Krista—a graphic designer by training—relocated to Baltimore from London in 2005. She’d worked for interior designer Louise Bradley abroad and, upon her Baltimore homecoming, felt an itch to do something creative, something challenging. “I had a lot of pent-up creative interior design juices that I needed to let flow,” Krista says. The house became her number one art project. Inspired by Kelly Wearstler’s and Mary McDonald’s sophisticated yet upbeat design styles, Krista has made her house an inviting and utterly imaginative family home. Take a look! Tasteful lighting touches and calming sea grass wallpaper from Budeke’s make this a foyer you’ll not soon forget.
A+ Kitchen
Krista’s unpredictable kitchen earns extra credit. Each item feels thoughtfully chosen but not overblown, from the unexpected wire-front secretary (partially shown) to the dramatic ceiling fixtures. The workstation’s marble is an artful, subtle mix of browns and beiges known as Calcutta gold. The robin’s egg blue cabinet stands out quietly: a nod to the original space. “The [secretary] was all Dan,” Krista says. “He designed it so the kitchen and family room could be one space…but it would give privacy to the ‘ugly’ kitchen goings-on. I was hesitant—now I think it’s genius.” “The lamps I found online. They are Circa Lighting. I really love them. Somehow they manage to be rustic and contemporary—not easy to pull off.”
Couch It
We applaud the way Krista approached the redo of a 1950s sofa handed down from her mother-in-law, who inherited it from her own mother. Now covered in steel grey silk, the sofa has a second life of sleek sophistication, thanks in part to Ibello Upholstery. “When my mother-in-law showed me the couch, it was in a barn, and covered in a slate blue and cream buffalo check. It was skirted, so you couldn’t even see the beautiful legs. The upholsterer removed seven layers of fabric. When I saw it finished I was giddy all day!” “I always wanted a Lucite table here. To me the key to their beauty is the thickness. But I could never find one that wasn’t a gazillion dollars. I found this a couple of weeks ago from a Lucite company in L.A. It’s one inch thick; it was affordable, and I am in love.” –Krista
A Jungle in There
“The wallpaper in the bathroom is by a British designer, Neisha Crosland—I fell in love with her in London.” The sink is Kohler and the light fixtures are from Circa Lighting.
Rewriting History
Georgian chairs create a beautiful juxtaposition against the chocolate brown lacquered walls. The antique chairs are upholstered in white leather with nailhead trim—so innovative and confident, it completely works. The drapes (not pictured) are Kelly Wearstler’s “Imperial Trellis.”
Decorator Dreams
“The cane bench was given to me by my mother-in-law. She has a really wonderful eye and found it at yard sale. It was painted black.”
Office of Style
The office station is streamlined—but the wall hangings add some mischief.
The Thinker
A sitting room is an intimate, cozy indulgence—shape yours until it’s one of your most welcoming places to lounge, read and think. The light fixture from West Elm makes a cheery statement. The Thomas O’Brien table says quiet elegance and the white silk draperies are another Restoration Hardware find.
A Reflection of You
“I love my vanity,” Krista says. “It makes me feel like a Barbie. I am 5’3” and brunette, so it must be magic.” Krista found her envy-inspiring vanity at C-Mart. The lamp is a Victoria Hagen for Target, who is known for her strong silhouettes. The vanity is by Alexa Hampton, daughter of the illustrious designer Mark Hampton.
In the Pink
Daughter Josie’s room features sweet day beds from West Elm, a spot that offers good price points and easy ordering. Bookshelves are smart finds from Pottery Barn Kids. The old-fashioned crib adds playful charm, while the bubble gum pink walls infuse pure joy. Family dog Angus likes to chill here. The imperial red lamps from IKEA give the whimsical room a real polish. “I thought they were so fun,” Krista says. “The lamps were featured in a spread about Kelly Wearstler in a special interiors section of [British] Harper’s Bazaar—I thought they were so forward in their design, and they were only 50 dollars!”