Madame's Study - Mansions in May, 2003 at the Cross Estate, Bernardsville, N. J.

A woman's study that is both feminine and practical at the same time. A 1956 Saarinen dining table has been re-envisioned with a base covered in 12,000 Swarovski crystals and lime green pig suede for the top. Her desk chair wears a St. Laurent fabric as a bolero, and a handbag is displayed as sculpture. In this room our lady of the house can retire to read, dream, and watch old movies, or she can be part of the world with her wireless keyboard and a 42 inch computer monitor (by connecting her CPU to the plasma screen) she can surf the web, send e-mail, or handle the family business online.

This two bedroom apartment for a handbag designer reflects her fashion passions. Uniquely envisioned with a strong couture foundation, most of the fabrics were purchased from shops in the Sentier district in Paris. The bedding and drapery are by the designer Thiery Mugler, the living room pillows by Christian Lacroix and the drapery bows are from a Dior dress. A vintage Chanel pin from Owen Forest -at the flea markets, was used to decorate the settee. In the dining room, ordinary chairs were slipcovered as dresses, and the apartment was enlivened with eight foot high Dior sketches on the walls and a polka dot floor.

Previously, a manufacturing space with stations for seamstresses, this 4,000 square foot home was influenced by ocean liners, Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movies and the tropical deco hotels of Miami Beach with their sweeping eyebrow overhangs and designs in relief on their facades. Rounded corners, architectural glass details, and sculptured walls provide the primary elements that make up this loft. A floating wall of Venetian stucco and gun-blued steel provide the separation from the kitchen and dining area.

This seven thousand square foot home creates a link between the Chrysler building in NYC, and Italian villas begun in the 15th century - Italian deco. In order to achieve a sense of history, we purchased and designed furnishings and treatments that have a strong presence and are conceptual anchors. For example, the living room fireplace was inspired by the Italian mirror from Lorin Marsh and the facade of the Chanin building. My clients requested a home that they could "use" as a family with many friends and classmates. Though sumptuous, the rooms are not precious and are continually in use, as they should be.

This exploration into "Zen Kink" - as dubbed by William Hamilton, Design Critic at the New York Times - in an October 16th article, was inspired by the adjoining "Master" bedroom by the architect William T. Georgis. In a standard sized Manhattan bathroom, I juxtaposed a textural exploration with ceremonial Asian bathing and sexual innuendo. The ceiling was clad in black glass tiles, and the tub in Mexican river stones. Concrete pavers were installed for the floor, surrounded by river stones. The antique water bucket would be filled from a pot filler that I used over my custom granite pedestal sink, to bath ones' partner. To sharpen the contrasts, a gorgeous stainless steel commode was installed and could double as a bidet with the adjoining wall mounted magic wand. A buddha and a monk's bowl (from Palisander) and silk kimono (from Shanghai Tang) balance the macho hardware and 82 inch industrial zipper. Make note - there isn't a mirror to be found here, the bath with toothbrush is down the hall.

"My Conversation Room" was presented at the 2004 Architectural Digest Home Design Show co-sponsored with Home Portfolio.com. I designed this artsy and comfortable sitting room to surround myself with personal history, favorite objects, art, and sculptural textures. Most importantly, it is a room I would love to sit in with friends talking and even engaging in -prickly - conversation, hence the cactus. The textures I speak of are glass beaded wallpaper behind the sofa, a checked velvet upholstered wall, sensual drapery panels for softness, and a llama wall to wall carpet. Also, I used fabrics in mohair, metallic leather, and faux Persian Lamb in gold. There are concrete pedestals, oxidized steel tables and sculpture, and the cactus, of course. The colorations were all in muted beiges and browns. For gravity I brought in my collection of vintage black and white photography by Andre Kertez and Gary Winogrand, as well as, objects and books, such as a monograph titled - ...It's Still Privileged Art (another cactus). The vintage table lamps, by James Mont and the re-edition Serge Mouille sconces add to the sculptural interplay of shape and texture. This well received room truly presented my philosophy that I am creating sculpture in the form of an interior with aspirations to be art.