Starting with an almost clean slate, Nicole played up the fireplace by playing down its bulky size and démodé style.
The simplicity of black never detracts from its chic appeal and, in this room, it adds up to sophisticated comfort even the dog can enjoy.
When Nicole Sassaman's client first saw this California high-rise condo, he was seized by the view of the modern city that lay before him. His vantage point didn’t befit the surroundings, however. The 1960s architecture, beautiful in its day, had tired like an aging star. The blonde bookcase and oak herringbone floor looked yellowed and drawn and contrasted dreadfully with the other limestone and granite flooring. How to unify the space and reclaim this condo as a cosmopolitan retreat that wouldn’t sacrifice style for comfort?
To invigorate and modernize this space would be less about furnishings and more about color. A palette of black, charcoal, white and beige was chosen to give this space the cool, masculine, rich feel this client had admired at Ian Schrager’s Hudson Hotel in NYC. The colors cleaned up the space and created a balanced contrast between major elements like the fireplace and floor. Charcoal and beige were used to warm the room and skirt the compartmentalized, stark effect that plain black and white color schemes sometimes give. Splashes of color in accents throughout the space added spice and kept the room from looking austere. As with makeup, deft shadowing highlights some structures and minimizes others.
Taking herringbone-patterned floors from oak to ebony may seem like a daredevil move, but before the bold stain treatment, they were more ballroom than chic cosmopolitan living room. And, they did nothing to enhance the rest of the home’s luxurious limestone flooring with black granite accents. The new ebony floors pick up on the granite, blend the fireplace and create the rich look the client desired.
A faux fireplace of bulky proportion and dull color is no focal point for a condo like this. Now it pops in black and white and, to heat up this transformation even more, an electrical insert was added that offers realistic flames and an option to warm the room.
With all those shelves flanking the fireplace, it’s easy to want to fill up every available space. Nicole chose only interesting antiques like cameras and books. “It keeps the focus on the elements that matter,” she says, and away from knick-knacks that distract from the overall sophistication of the look. It’s a lot less to dust too.
A cream area rug defined the living room and anchored the furnishings (matching cream sofa and chairs) in front of the fireplace. The pulled together room? A manly space any woman would fall for.
Nicole Sassaman
369 South Doheny Drive, #203
Beverly Hills,
CA
90211
310.293.5505
Project Location:
Century City, CA
Objective:
inspired by Ian Scrager's NYC Hudson Hotel, this homeowner wanted to revamp his dated but extremely high quality condo into a sophisticated contemporary space that integrated the home's great traditional features.
Budget:
$20,000 -- $40,000
Focal Point:
An amazing view constantly pulls the eye outside, but after a complete overhaul, the living room fireplace successfully vies for attention.
Color Palette:
Black, charcoal, white, and beige with splashes of color in the accessories.
Products Used:
Sofa and chairs, Mitchell Gold
Martha Stewart paint in Tortilla and Swiss Coffee
Nicole Sassaman-designed accessories
And, below are some of the best online sites for Contemporary and Modern Products…Check Them Out!
;)
;)
;)
;)