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Cheerful makeover of a breakfast nook
My client recently purchased a home that was built in 1853. The previous owners had renovated the kitchen and incorporated a built-in bench to create a breakfast nook. My client hired me to turn this nook from drab to cheerful and modern. She wanted a comfortable place to enjoy her first cup of coffee in the morning and to read the paper before heading off to work.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
 
We chose iconic furniture in white to lighten up the space: a Saarinen pedestal table with solid marble table top, flanked by two Saarinen Tulip swivel chairs. Eero Saarinen, famed architect and furniture designer, designed these pieces back in 1956. Since then, they have become easily recognizable icons of American modernism. Aside from the clean lines of these pieces, I love that they are comfortable and practical (I am big fan of the swivel seats!), easy to clean, and the white color provides a perfect backdrop for colorful seat cushions. Instead of sticking with the plain colored cushions that the chairs came with, I had my workroom create custom cushion covers for the chairs. My workroom also made a coordinating seat cushion and pillow for the built-in bench. Because my client was looking for a fun, modern look, we chose a fabric recently designed by Jonathan Adler and available exclusively to the trade through Kravet. My client was immediately smitten by this fun and vibrant fabric and loves her new breakfast nook.
["After" Photography by Randy Gross]
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Surround yourself only with things you need or love
At the beginning of each year, magazines are filled with tips on how to de-clutter your home. I am going to spare you another long list of tips on how to get organized, but want to leave you with my first rule when it comes to curating your home: "Surround yourself only with things you need or love".
I would encourage you to walk through your home with a keen eye on every major item you own and ask yourself whether you need it (it serves an important function) or whether you love it. If it doesn't fall into one of those two categories, it is probably not worth hanging on to. Once you have de-cluttered your home of items that are not useful or that you do not love, work with an interior designer to curate your house with items that you love and make you smile. This way you will create a home that makes you happy and recharges your batteries.
Wishing you and your family a happy new year!
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