A Time for Real Change

The Covid 19 pandemic has had a major impact on all of our lives. Our world has gotten temporarily smaller. The idea of unfettered travel is, at this moment, a thing of the past.

We are forced to be insular. Home is our safe haven. It is where we can remove our masks and feel a sense of relief.

It is profoundly amazing how much business can be done from home. Technology has allowed us to visually connect with anyone who has a computer and can zoom. 

From my perspective, all of this time at home presents an opportunity for change. I have always been passionate about creating joy for people through my design work. Now more than ever, a beautiful home feeds the soul.

Powder room “wallpaper.”

Best of Both Worlds

You who have been to my office know that I share a greystone with my husband Alan Koppel, owner of Alan Koppel Gallery. We have always had a strong aesthetic relationship and we have had a profound influence on each other. For the last 47 years, we have developed and honed our aesthetic, both individually and collectively. We both have clients who value our creativity.  My clients rely on me to to deliver interesting and functional interiors that reflect their personality. Alan’s clients respect his eye. They want him to find important art and unique collectable pieces that give their home a certain cache.

From time to time, we have had the good fortune of actually sharing clients. From my perspective, when this happens, the client ends up with a stimulating and elegant end result. And the clients who work with Alan and me know that.

A room comes alive with art on the walls and objects on horizontal surfaces.  Alan always has an array of paintings, photographs, sculpture and objects in the gallery. What I love about sharing clients is that I can dip into his inventory and try things out in my clients’ homes and on their walls. When things work I refer to it as “Instant Gratification.” Alan and my tastes compliment each other, so it’s like one-stop shopping for our clients. In my opinion, those clients get the best of both worlds.  

Happily Ever After

All the pain and complaining is over. All the displacement  and inconvenience is history. My kitchen is finished and I am thrilled. It is truly a feel-good room. Unlike my last kitchen, it has a zen quality.  

There were several major changes that make this room successful. The most significant material change that I made was selecting the marble, called Bianco Pergoni. It was important to me to find something with a soft veining, which provides a peaceful backdrop.

I also chose to remove all the upper cabinets to create a sense of open space. I replaced these upper cabinets with lighted open shelving, which gave me a stage for objects. I love displaying collections of unique and beautiful objects. My kitchen houses a salt and pepper collection, an array of vases (which I had in the old kitchen in the same place it is now), sets of dishes, a collection of olive oils and vinegars, and other objet d'art.  The fun is in the arranging of these distinct groups. Arranging for me is like following a train of thought. It doesn’t matter what I start with-- it’s the relationship between the objects that I’m responding to.

Another shift from the aesthetics of my old kitchen was adding up and down lighting on these open shelves. Lighting the objects in my collections is critical for the drama of the setting. At the same time, the LED strip lights that I used in the new kitchen help to create a peaceful, ethereal feeling. To achieve this look I positioned a strip of lights facing down on the bottom shelves, whereas the top shelves have one strip shining down and one strip shining up. When the main ceiling lights are off, the lights create a lovely ambiance.

I couldn’t have imagined a better outcome from such a disruptive and miserable happening. I love love love my kitchen. End of story.

SK

Living on Limbo Street

My Dad always told me “All good things come to those who wait.” I know that saying is true...But when I am in the waiting phase of things, I wish that I had a magic nose like  Samantha in “Bewitched” so that I could relieve my angst. Waiting for something to happen is living in limbo.

Until my kitchen is complete, I'm living here on Limbo Street!
SK

Kitchen Rehab Update

I have a renewed empathy for people going through construction. At best, it's a slower process than anyone wants. At worst, it is disruptive and invasive. Even when you are working with the best professionals, it seems as if strangers have taken over your house and are messing it up as if it’s theirs. Sometimes accidents happen, and things get damaged. You want things done right, but you want them done yesterday. It's a process that, at times, feels like it will never end. 

I can finally see the light at the end of a very long tunnel. Yesterday we received our refrigerator. Before that, I was hanging our milk and butter out the window. I had to beg the installers to temporarily install the refrigerator because the space that it will live in was off by 1/4 of an inch. That 1/4 of an inch is the difference between a successful installation and failure. Going backwards is a painful process. But it is common to have a mistake or two occur with a reconstruction job, and the only thing you can do is be patient. 

On the bright side, it’s very exciting to imagine what the space is going to look like when all the trades are gone and it's back to being all mine. I’m longing for that dream state. Stay tuned for another update.

SK

Making Lemonade Out of A Flooded Kitchen

I recently had a major flood in my kitchen.

I loved my kitchen. 

Everything had to be pulled out of the room. The cabinetry was not salvagable. The floor and even the subfloor were destroyed. The threat of mold and the level of dust forced us to move out of our apartment.

But there is a silver lining here: I get to design a new kitchen. 

Time to think about the space in a fresh way. I didn’t want to recreate what I had because I’m not the same person I was when I first designed the kitchen seventeen years ago. And being a designer, I have the need to make things as beautiful as I can and there are always new ways to do that.

Here is my plan.  I am changing all the surfaces to lighter colors.  I’m opening up the space by replacing all upper cabinets with two floating shelves. LED lighting is replacing halogen. I am moving from stainless steel countertops and backsplashes to glacier white corian tops and white marble back splashes that go to the ceiling. The half of my kitchen that was stainles will be brushed aluminum, which has a lighter, airier feel. The other half of the kitchen was an anegre veneer, which will be replaced by a chestnut veneer that is pickled to read warm, light grey in tone. The floating shelves will be of the same veneer.

I think the new kitchen will feel uplifting to be in. I can’t wait to cook my first meal there.

Look out for updates and more photos in the coming weeks!

SK

My Drawings

I love to draw. There are two types of drawings for me. Some drawings are just about my love of putting lines on paper. Pens and paper are very important to me. The finer the pen point, the better. And nothing thrills me more than extremely fine gridded paper. These drawings that I make are really glorified doodles. I must admit, they can get a bit obsessive!  

The other kind of  drawings are tools I use for showing my clients what I have in mind in in terms of a room’s layout, or furniture that I would like to design from scratch. I have had a lifetime full of opportunities to design free standing furniture as well as builtins; for this I am enormously grateful. This blog entry is more about pictures than words. I invite you to have a look.

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Secret to Creating Tranquil Rooms

I’m going to share a big secret with you. I’m giving you my formula for making a space feel peaceful and airy.  It’s my absolute favorite paint color. It’s called Mountain Scape. It’s a Benjamin Moore color #870. But the desired effect only happens when you paint all the walls, ceiling and trim in Mountain Scape.

The effect is magical. It makes you feel like you are living in a cloud. I have painted entire homes this one color. It is an ethereal experience. I think (this is not fact) that it lowers people’s blood pressure. How one uses paint affects our energy greatly--  Mountain Scape creates therapeutic tranquility.

FALL in Love with Change

Fall is here. In the Midwest we are able to enjoy the spectacular show of colors. As a child, I remember loving the sound of leaves crunching under my feet, and the feeling of jumping into a giant pile of dry leaves. Of course, Autumn also means sweater weather! From a domestic standpoint, it’s time to button up our screened-in porches and terraces in preparation for winter. Because our interior spaces become the focus again, I like to shake up the status quo.

Fall is a time for change… one of my mottos in life is ”Change is Good”. If you can embrace change, then you will live more flexibly. And flexibility opens you up to many new life experiences. Change can start small and grow into an attitude that can positively affect every part of your life.

In your home, moving objects and art around can create visual stimulation. It will refresh and enhance the way you see your home. In the name of Autumn I invite you to be playful and to experiment! Just have fun reimagining your space for a new season.

-SK

He Who Dies With The Most Toys Wins

I am energized when my clients have collections. It gives their space character and personality, and makes a home very personal. The art of displaying collections is joyful work to me, because I love arranging things. I have helped many of my clients display their collections. It is appealing when the display presents but also enhances the collection. In many cases, a collection looks best when it’s all in one area rather than spread out. 

My husband and I have many collections that suit our individual personalities.  Alan collects robots, space toys and space memorabilia. He collects TV tower antenna, art books, miniature models of famous buildings and Amazonian featherwork. 

I collect mid century vases, miniature chairs, mostly silver. I also collect silver candlesticks, silver tea sets and pieces of Sabatini Silver. Together we collect very small paintings by an Irish artist named of Claire Kerr- neither of us can resist her paintings. We also collect chess sets. Our passion for collecting and displaying our interests makes our home interesting and personal. We love moving things around. In fact, we love moving for that same reason. We get to see our stuff in a new space with fresh energy. It’s exhilarating.

The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree in our family. I invite you to enjoy my son Josh's collection of memorabilia which was featured in Fast Company magazine earlier this month by clicking on the image below.

-SK

Compatibility

I have close relationships with the artisans with whom I work. We have a mutual trust and respect for each other. We have decades of experience working together. We have made countless pieces of furniture, and have developed a visual language together. I have known my upholsterer for 34 years. Long before I became an interior designer, I was a costume jewelry designer. My business was in a building owned by the most upscaled upholsterer in Chicago. Ching Yung was the shop owner’s right hand man. He oversaw the drapery and upholstery departments of the business. Years later, Ching went out on his own. He opened his doors around the same time that I opened mine. I have been working with him ever since.

From the beginning I was delighted to work with Ching. I watched his business grow. Now he owns the building that his business occupies. Ching is very service oriented. He is not happy until the client is truly satisfied. Hence we have the same goal. His attention to detail is flawless. He asks the right questions. A piece of furniture doesn’t leave his shop until it is perfect. (By the way, I don’t believe in perfection-- it’s a myth).

The other important person in my design life is Travis Glazebrook. He is a true artist.  He makes furniture, but not ordinary furniture. Each piece that comes out of his shop is a collectable object, finessed brilliantly.

The first time we worked together, I was hired to copy a lady’s grandmother’s fancy carved dining chairs. When they were finished, you couldn’t tell the old from the new. We work very closely on finishes and have come up with unusual ways to treat wood. Travis can do anything. He understands fine design. His ability to interpret my ideas is profound. He is keenly aware of the history of furniture design, which I reference often. I almost hesitate to print his name because my need for his attention and his time is critical to getting my jobs done. 

I’ve learned a lot from these two artisans. This is not to say that all the furniture that I use comes from these two men. They are customized for a reason. The pieces I design with these two artisans are very special, and I am grateful for our many years of collaboration.

-SK

The Living Room

Designing a living room is like making a pot of stew. All kinds of ingredients blend together to give the room its distinctive character. Colors, patterns, furniture made of different materials, floor covering,  window covering, art and objects converge. It takes a bit of wit, whimsy and educated experimentation to make the stew delicious.  

A confident attitude goes a long way toward creating an interesting space. Often I start with the rug and progress from there. It also depends on whether we buy or make a rug. If we have it made, the furniture layout  will determine size of the rug. If we find an existing rug that we fall in love with, then the rug becomes the starting point of our living room.

It is fundamental to tailor the room to meet the needs of its users. Some people want a TV in the living room. Others may want the room to function as a place to entertain friends in a more formal way. Some people use the living room as a backdrop for an art collection. Some living rooms have more than one conversation area. If the home has a big dining room and seats a lot of people, it is important to have seating in the living room to accommodate the same number of people. I have a beautiful Carlo Molino stool that I pull up to a conversation area if I have more people than seats, for example.

The living room is the show off room of the house, as often the best art gets hung there. It is a public space for all to enjoy.

-SK

Confessions of a Fabri-holic

I covet beautiful fabrics. I used to collect antique fabric back when I made quilts...many lives ago. I would seek out elaborate pieces on my travels, especially when I visited NYC. I no longer have use for a few yards of this or that- instead, I now use yard goods for specific pieces of furniture that require exact amounts.  

I have a library of fabric samples that rivals the Merchandise Mart’s. Well actually, most of them come from the Merchandise Mart. Reps come to my office regularly with their new collections. I choose samples of what I like, which is how my fabric library has evolved. Everyone that knows me understands that I will not use a fabric that is highly directional. It must move in any direction. It gives me the creeps to move a directional fabric the wrong way. I also do not use paisley, for personal reasons.

I often mix fabric with fur. I love plush mohair. I find it irresistible. Maharam, Knoll and Gretchen Bellinger have the best plush mohair. Bellinger has exquisite jewel tones in her collection. I also love alpaca, boiled wool and velvet. And then there is silk! Jim Thompson at Holly Hunt makes luscious silks. It is common for silk to be dyed two different colors making it iridescent. The effect is amazing.

I find silk drapes very romantic. When they blow a little in the breeze they remind me of old movies. To enhance the allure of silk  drapes, there needs to be a sheer underneath. Then, the window is complete. Outdoor fabrics are very practical for people who have children and pets. They are very easy to clean, and practically every showroom has outdoor fabric. Many don’t even look any different than indoor fabric, they’re just much more durable.

In the process of designing a room, choosing the fabric with the client is my favorite thing to do.  The color, texture and hand make for a powerful statement in a room. It sets a tone for the style. You can dress a room up or down, depending on the fabric you choose. You can play it safe or you can make a bold color statement. You can accent with fabric or make it the main course. My advice is have fun with the decision. Don’t belabor it too long. Your choice should be uplifting.

Master Bedrooms

The master bedroom should have the the feeling of floating on a cloud. It is what we see when we open our eyes in the morning, and where we leave consciousness for sleep at night. The room should whisper…it should never shout. Objects that live in the bedroom are personal and meaningful to the people who sleep there, making it the perfect place for family photos.

The bed is usually the focal point of the master bedroom. It should be romantic and inviting. Bedding is an important element in creating this romance. I love to detail the sheets and pillowcases, and sometimes I use a narrow trim to accent a color already in the room. The bedding ought to blend into the room. Texture is a key element in softening the bed.

I also love a cozy place to sit in the bedroom. A chair or a chaise is a comfy place to read (or throw your clothes on!) The master bedroom is a private room, and it tends to be more lived in than many of the shared spaces in a home. It’s used each and every day. Even if you come home late and leave early in the morning, you will still spend time in your bedroom-so it's worth it to make it special. 

Kitchens

Kitchens are generally the focal point of the home. Everyone likes to hang out in the kitchen, especially when it is a beautiful room. The bigger the room, the more people will congregate there. I have designed many kitchens and what I know is that function and form are in equal competition.

The materials that are chosen set the tone. They should integrate smoothly with the rest of the house. I just redesigned a kitchen in a home where the walls are cinder block and the main floor is terrazzo. We used limestone for the kitchen floor and matched it to the cinder block and a chip in the terrazzo. It blended the with the existing materials beautifully.

A comfortable traffic pattern is key. You want to be able to walk around the island and sit on stools opposite the sink. I love as big an island as possible. Somehow, all the counter surface always gets used….especially if  there is more than one cook. I love redesigning kitchens because they have the biggest bang for the buck. A new kitchen truly changes the whole house.

-SK

Gardening

I am a weekend gardener. I am immensely happy to spend all my time digging in the earth. It always amazes me that I can put an unattractive hairy tuber in the ground and within weeks a plant will grow that produces truly amazing flowers.

I grow Dahlias. Actually, I grow a wide variety of flowers, but dahlias are my favorite. They are also the most labor intensive flowers to reproduce. Most perennials come back year after year. They sometimes need splitting. That’s a piece of cake compared with the work involved in growing dahlias. It is without a doubt, a labor of love. For me, they are irresistibly beautiful.

Where to start?

Dahlias require a cool dark home for the winter. I dig them out of the ground after the first frost. I wash and dry them for a week, and then cut them away from the mother dahlia. A mother can produce as many as 9 offshoots. I pack the offshoots in boxes filled with peat moss and put them in my basement wine cellar. Because I am obsessed with my flowers, I check on the dahlias every time we go to Michigan.

In the spring, I turn my garage into a hot house with heaters and pot the tubers in dirt. Then I wait for a sign of life. What I’m looking for is a baby plant peaking through the dirt. I replant the dahlias outside when the ground is 60 degrees, and they start blooming about the third week in July. Then the fun starts.

I love love LOVE arranging the dahlias. I have a pink Yves Klein table in my living room in Michigan, which is a perfect backdrop for the array of pinks that I grow.  

Homes have a seasonal clock of their own-- my dahlias  are a celebration of summer.

-SK

Consistency

A beautiful home raises the spirit of everyone who lives there. Good design enhances one’s aesthetic intelligence. It truly enriches one’s life.

My goal as a designer is to create “feel good rooms”…. Rooms that draw you in… rooms that stimulate and inspire. The sum total of everything in the room should feel like a symphony.

For me, the most important rule of design is consistency. When every room is a different color and every bathroom uses different materials, there is chaos. Consistency of materials and wall color have a calming effect psychologically.

Building a house from the ground up is a privilege. It allows for total consistency. My favorite place for this to happen is the floor. A consistent floor makes a strong architectural statement, especially when the floor material is stone or terrazzo. This way the floor can flow uninterruptedly into the shower without needing a curb!

-SK

Early Influences

The purpose of this blog is to share my thoughts on design. It is a platform for me to put forward my opinions and  experiences. I invite you to comment on what speaks to you and what doesn’t. The relationship between designer and client is  intimate. It is based on trust. It takes time for both parties to develop that trust. I think it is valuable to learn who the designer is that you are interested in. And it is always a leap of faith.

My aesthetic awareness began in my early childhood. I was very aware of the beauty of my environment. We lived in a  building where people were design sensitive. A well known architect, an art dealer, an artist and a high end lighting manufacturer were just some of the people who lived in this vintage coop in Hyde Park. I knew everyone’s apartment and still remember the nuances of each family’s style.

When I was 11 years old, my parents took me to London, Paris and Rome. That trip changed my life. I became aware of  visual differences--  the fact that different cultures have their own style. I loved the romance of Paris and Rome. I loved the formality of London. This  stimulating visual education affected me deeply.

I didn’t know it then, but I was profoundly influenced by French and Italian style.

After the trip, I  secretly wanted to live in Rome or Paris. Paris has always seduced me. The French have a way of being that is naturally beautiful. One can actually see French and Italian  influences in my work. For example, I love to use the Royère bucket chair in people’s bedrooms. It’s cozy, enveloping and captures a sense of that French romanticism. From Italy, I am always looking for the  opportunity to do something in the style of Giò Ponti. His designs are stylized,  sleek and finessed.

I find that revisiting my early influences in design can help to paint a more complete picture of my work today. Check back soon for new projects and more details about my design philosophy.

-SK  

My Philosophy

I invite you to explore a sampling of my work on this website.

Each project has its own unique feel. My goal is to reflect the individual client’s personality, style and needs, while integrating
my insights and design knowledge to create a beautifully distinctive environment.

My background in Fine Arts as well as extensive international travel have enriched my
visual vocabulary. The use of rich color and luxurious textures combined with an eclectic
attitude towards furnishing are elements that permeate my projects.

The rooms that I create have a “feel good” quality. As one client so simply put it: “Sherry always honors my sense of design and lifts it up to a beautiful new place.”
-SK