Interiors
The inside scoop on creating your dream house.
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If
your home has a value of several million dollars or
more, you should seek the same level of counsel and
guidance when designing the interior that went into
the architectural planning. It is important that you
allocate a proportionate amount for the inside spaces
in your initial budget.
“I think it’s really wise to focus on custom
interiors,” says James David Petersen, director
of Interior Design at Wadia Associates, a New Canaan,
CT, residential design and planning firm.
Here are trade secrets and tips from the seasoned designer,
whose numerous notable projects include the White House’s
private living quarters under the administration of
President George H. W. Bush, the Beacon Hill townhouse
of Senator John Kerry and his wife, Teresa Heinz Kerry,
and the American Embassy in Paris.
Invest in rich custom or antique rugs (1), (2), (5).
Standard-size carpets won’t do in a room that
requires very substantial floor covering. “Today’s
new houses demand very, very beautiful old rugs that
were originally made for palace-size rooms of the American
Belle Époque and for European châteaux
and great houses,” says Petersen. While he has
designed custom rugs for clients, Petersen says he prefers
to search out rugs that already exist. “The world
is loaded with gorgeous antique rugs, and I love how
they get when they are old – the colors are often
faded because they were made with vegetable dyes that
in time have aged to the most fantastic, mellow richness.”
One can expect to pay upwards of $100,000 for such a
rare find.
Hire master painters (1), (2), (4), (5).
A superior custom paint job requires work done by master
technicians, consisting of correct time allocated for
skim coating and preparing the walls. Entrance halls,
foyers and grand stairwells are favored locations for
creating special paint treatments such as marbleizing
or masterful murals. Generally Petersen tries to keep
elaborate paint treatments to a minimum. The current
trend is toward a sparer aesthetic, which, Petersen
believes, is offset by the exquisite custom woodwork
that is evident in new-house construction. “Good
custom woodwork and good bone structure will take you
a very long way in creating an elegant, finished look,”
says Petersen.
Fill in the blanks (all photos). Decorate
large expanses of wall – with pictures, mirrors
and lighting fixtures. Mounting groupings of large prints
such as botanicals, maps and architectural renderings
framed with impressive mats will help absorb some of
the wall area. The addition of gilded brackets with
large porcelain pieces will accent and provide added
dimension to flat framework.
Treat yourself to window dressing (1), (2),
(5). Exquisitely made, finely trimmed, perfectly
proportioned curtains are the ultimate decorating luxury.
Custom-made window treatments should always complement
the architectural character of the house.
Keep the home fires burning (2), (4), (5).
Unused fireplaces look like idle stage sets. Newer construction
homeowners might want to consider having a faux painter
apply an uneven black wash or paint over too new brickwork.
MEREDITH
GRAY
Wadia
Associates
New Canaan, CT wadiaassociates.com
