Dream Closet - A Place of Her Own

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I am a firm believer that every woman's Dream Closet should begin with her dressing table. Women who have 'dream closets' are most definitely ladies who sit down to put makeup on each day. The style of the dressing table is the footprint for the dream closet.  

A dressing table has been a part of my room since I was thirteen. It's a cozy spot that lets me pull myself together to start the day and then prepare for rest at night. For many years I had a white skirted table like the one above but now have my dressing table  built-in to our dressing room/closet.

My recent post Dream Closet - Hisness (HERE), brought together design choices for the gentlemen. After admiring the bones of Nate Berkus' New York apartment, I spent a bit of time (ok, I lot) clicking through the real estate listings on Compass. The romantic style of pre-war buildings gets my imagination going; I can't help but wonder what sophisticated and elegant women walked through the lobby doors over the years. Jackie and Audrey perhaps.

Lets explore the choices for my client and put together her dream closet for a Greenwich Village condo.The flow between principal bedroom and ensuite bath establishes the style for the dream closet/dressing room. Soft neutrals, varying shades of white and cream highlighted with muted gold tones create a tranquil sleeping oasis for 'her'. The image below is an accurate rendition of her existing bedroom space.

'Her' bedroom is tranquil and elegant like the lady.

This sophisticated and elegant lady likes her bedroom to have a tranquil and light feel. Layered fabrics, gold accents and a bit of sparkle brought in with crystal chandeliers, cut glass and silver accents are preferred over trendy glitz. My client started her wish list with a few things to avoid when designing her Dream Closet.
Most importantly she does not want her personal things displayed as if the space was a showroom. Subtle elegance will set the stage for her generous dream closet. One of the bedroom's has been converted to give additional space to the ensuite and provide a luxurious footprint for the dressing room.

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The client has carried the hardwood floors throughout her apartment and softens the space with neutral area rugs, we will continue with this classic look. Walls and closet components will be in soft white with brushed gold hardware; it adds an element of sophistication without the bling factor (a big don't for her). Notice the depth of the drawers in the image above; this is important to help keep the contents inside controlled. More drawers with less depth = better organization. She uses the KonMari method of organization at home and when packing for travel.

via neatly designed

The shallow depth drawers in the top layers feature locks to secure jewellery. The drawers will be outfitted with inserts to keep precious pieces organized. We will make use of the full length closet doors in several area's customizing them with mirrors.

making the best of a corner

We will adopt an almost identical plan to the one above that will make use of one of the corners of the room. Thankfully there are two windows in the room that provide natural light, fresh air and an incredible view. Drawer space will be built under the sills and the shelving will frame the windows.
The roll-out shelves and hidden scarf rack will accommodate my clients passion for Pashmina scarves. Two small crystal chandeliers will bring a feminine appeal to the room, pot lighting on dimmers will be spotted in strategic places.

Dressing table island and glass doors for handbag display.

The room is generous in size, so a dressing table island similar to the one above will add more storage and a place to view outfits. The ceilings are high and additional storage above the racks or triple racks with pull down poles will work well. The client wears designer labels and has a wonderful collection of handbags, but she does not like closets that are display rooms. So we will have one predominant shelf section with clear glass doors (see image above on the right) to keep her vintage handbags on view and protected.

  

Everyday and less precious jewellery will be in easy access drawers with built-in dividers. It make look appealing to have shoes, handbags and jewellery on display in a dressing room; but all of these pieces should be put in protective spaces. Dust, sunlight and air can diminish valuable pieces.

A folding antique mirror similar to the one above, is a prized possession of the client. It will be strategically placed in the space to give a full view of all her fashionable looks. With a statement piece like this, it allows us to position the mirror to play back from the smaller full length mirrors on the corner closets. 

High on her Dream Closet list.

The image above really captured my clients dream. Windows in the room are high like the ones pictured here, so we will mimic the drapery and valance. The round tufted over-sized ottoman has always been on her wish list. A custom upholstered piece with a bit more height will be created for the space; it's the perfect spot to sit while dressing.

And for the pièce de résistance - the dressing table. 

My client's dream closet wish list includes a lavish dressing table. She has always had a special spot to house her obsession to perfume, fine skin care products and an abundant amount of makeup. Feminine skirted tables have been a part of her dressing table past, but for this room she has opted for a built-in. The table itself will feature a glass top to protect the surface; the side walls and back wall will have mirror insets to capture every angle. A stand-alone movable mirror will sit on the tabletop. Drawers will flank each side of the dressing table area and be equipped with custom crafted dividers to house all of her beauty needs.

A collection of antique silver and crystal pieces adds charm.

This is one area where the client wants things on display. Her collection of antique silver and crystal dressing tableware's will be displayed on silver trays and directly on the white table top. Ambient lighting on dimmers give the tabletop a romantic glow and provide lighting for makeup applications. Fresh flowers in every room - this is actually a Pinterest board of mine (HERE), but it is also somewhat of a motto of my client. My clients collection of unique floral vessels will add to the charm and make the simplest of blooms seem special.

Special requests and treatments that we will include:

• in-drywall hidden speakers. Ambient music via a wall docked ipod will enhance the spaces (bedroom, bath and dream closet) via in-drywall speakers that can be heard but not seen.
• no TV 
• a hidden safe for valuables
• handbag cubbies behind glass. Limiting the handbags to a smaller space will keep them upright, the glass will keep them protected.
• hidden laundry built in to cabinets
• valet bars throughout the space
• space for shoes under long garment hanging spaces AND a section of shelves for shoes that has clear glass doors
• a folding luggage rack to assist with packing for all of her journeys
• no bar fridge, coffee maker or beverage cart 
• a vintage silver champagne bucket to sit on the dressing island .... for flowers of course.

Her Dream Closet includes luxurious and feminine detailing, combined with an organized space created for a professional woman's needs.

Dream Closet - Hisness

Let's face it - when it comes to dream closets, the attention has been given primarily to 'her'. Start an Internet search for dream closets and you will find hundreds of images and information about extreme closets for women. Rooms of shoes and walls of clothing that seem to go on forever makes me wonder if the dream is the closet or the surplus of contents.
On the shortlist are dream closets for 'him'. I have a board on my Pinterest devoted to 'hisness' {found HERE} - that features all of the strong armed decor charm that reflects a gentleman's taste. Admittedly, it doesn't tip into the 'sportsman', but leans to the debonair and urban sophistication of a man.

Capturing my attention is the recent sneak via AD into Nate Berkus and Jeremiah Brent's new Manhattan apartment. The Greenwich Village 15th floor apartment is a conversion of two floors with the main living space at the entry level and three bedrooms on the floor below. The pre-war style apartment is a favourite of mine that features high ceilings, long paned windows and intricate moldings. I have to admit it had me pouring over the real estate listings on Compass - if you have a few idle hours to dream, go HERE.

One of the highlights of the personal space are the his and his closets for Nate and Jeremiah. Details were ironed out for both men to suit their style and needs.

Nate and Jeremiah's closet.  image Douglas Friedman

Love the moldings, long dual mirrors on each side of the closet breezeway, and the patterned wall-to-wall carpet. The amount of shoes is probably necessary for the public events Berkus performs, but it is enviable. The tour starts in the video below.

And so, if it was my client requesting a 'hisness' dream closet, what would I include?

Let's start with the bedroom and bath; these area's should be coordinating and set the tone for the style of the closet area. My client wants masculine, dark, luxurious. So the bedroom styling will be similar to this.....

Layers of charcoal, BOND on the wall, lacquer night table and leather headboard.

The principal bath area will reflect the tone of the bedroom. Rich woods, iconic basket weave tile on the floor and white subway tile as the feature in a walk-in shower grand enough for a party for two (hisness will have guests in the shower of course). Old school cross handle faucets and an over-sized rain-fall shower head add a vintage vibe that works in this old New York apartment style. Ample storage for toiletries, mountains of luxurious towels, a shaving mirror, lighting on dimmers, and the necessary separate water closet add the finishing touches to his premium space. Of course there is a small wall mounted TV to ensure every news flash is captured.

Features for the haberdashery style closet are about form and function. The list of needs for the closet starts with the way the client prefers to keep his clothing. Are the jeans hung up? or folded and stacked on a shelf?  or folded in a drawer? If he travels often on business, the luggage and travel toiletry case will need to be close at hand, so we'll make room for them. Are his dress shirts folded on a shelf or hung on hangers. Decisions, decisions.

The space above offers so much. Like the other Greenwich Village apartments I looked at, this one has a window. It's a bonus to have air and natural light in the room. The cabinets are rich toned wood - notice the drawers on this unit are not too deep. I think this helps keep the contents at a manageable volume. Retractable valet bars are a must - if placement allows, install several. The pullout shelf allows hisness to lay out pieces to coordinate or pack. Personal items like photo's and memento's add charm.

When the size and layout allow, adding a wardrobe island is ideal. The mix of black and white works with natural woods. Notice the sideboard table on the back wall. My clients dream closet will have a distinctive piece of furniture to add character while providing storage.

It's all in the details. Space to shine shoes and storage to keep shine kits at hand, racks that roll out to display pants he's looking for easily; make getting ready effortless. Dividers in sock and underwear drawers are a must. Double-tier hanging racks throughout the space with drawers and shelves interspersed bring balance to the dream closet. When the hanging racks are lined up in a row it can begin to look like a retail space - so mix it up.

And let's not kid ourselves, men have a lot of shoes too. Don't forget shoe horns and shoe deodorizers to tuck in to each pair.

One wall devoted to shoes.

Easily accessible space for organizing ties and belts is a must. This tucked-away closet addition pulls out and provides needed space at the bottom to store away personal items.

A place to sit is so important in the gentleman's dream closet. He needs a comfortable and stylish chair to sit and put on his socks/shoes or to rest for a few minutes while he takes an important call. A compressed bar tray and a hidden bar fridge will ensure that everything he desires is at his fingertips.

A generous and sturdy luggage rack is needed to help him pack and unpack from his journeys. This one is available via 1stdibs.

Widdicomb folding luggage rack

On the check list for a luxurious dream closet for hisness is:

• a small TV to catch the news as he dresses,
• a clock (he's not always going to have his watch on),
• good quality wooden hangers for suits and shirts (no wire hangers)
• a combination of pot and ambient lighting that are on dimmers
• a full length mirror (or two), a hidden safe for valuables,
• personal pictures set in similar frames to give a cohesive look, memento's and treasures that hold meaning for him,
• a space to write a note or balance a laptop while on the phone,
• a recharging center for all of his electronic needs,
• don't forget the lint brushes tucked in to a drawer near his suits,
• and if he is so inclined - a professional steamer set up and ready to go rather than an iron.  

   
   

Credenza space - Nate and Jeremiah

Luxury with unique pieces and special finishes that reflect his personality will make a closet he is dreaming about.

{honest, he's dreaming about a dream closet too}

Renovation Road

I've been stalking following a house renovation in our neighbourhood for a couple of years. Yes, that's right - a couple of years. The house originally went up for sale in approximately June 2011 - after the sale the process of permits, approval of the historical society and rebuilding began.  The original post with details on the homes history is HERE.

But let's cut to the chase and look at the house as it is appears today {still not complete}. This is Point O'View located at the foot of Trafalgar Road at the lakefront in Oakville.

The veranda's look out to Lake Ontario.

This house is literally steps to the shore of Lake Ontario. In addition to the incredible views of the lake {think the beauty in the summer, the storms over the water and the snow-scape in the winter}, the house benefits from the micro climate conditions right at the lake.

The house was built in 1902 - this is the property as it appeared in 2010.

The house was listed for $2.8 M, and after the two and a half years of process, permits, plus design and build costs the investments far exceed that number now. When the home sold it was 4,000 square feet and I was told by someone on the project that it is now 7,000+ square feet. The new homeowners were slated to move-in in June, however the process seemed to be delayed and although much of the house seemed complete the interior walls were not insulated and dry-walled. When I wandered by a few weeks ago you could see that crews were finally given the go-ahead to close in the walls.

Work on the exterior proceeded and the property has already started to take on a settled appearance. Anyone who has gone through a renovation can admit that beautifying the exterior is usually the last thing to happen, but this General Contractor took advantage of the wait time developing the beauty outside too.

A wood burning fireplace/oven is housed in the small structure {top left of the image}.

The half stone wall allows sunlight and lake breezes to be enjoyed by the pool and still brings privacy.

Like the house itself the mature trees bring history to the property. New plantings have been carefully selected to work with the era of the house.

The plantings are settling in quickly. I love the parking pad with grass growing between the brick.

Things have got to get a bit ugly and scary before they get pretty. The underpinning of this house had me wondering if the old home would survive the process.

 

the house was open and exposed for months

Many of the houses in our community must pass the approval process of the Historical Society. Albeit that it is important to preserve the heritage of the buildings at times it affects the buying/selling process. This house was kept within the general frame of the original building with a full excavation and underpinning. Some of the original windows remained on the house while others were replaced.
The balance is that the house has kept it's original character and has become more energy efficient. I also think the house has gained a tremendous amount of charm that will surely increase as layers of garden are added over the next few years.

People walk along the path at the lake and stop to take in the view of the house. 7,000 sq feet over three floors and multiple levels.

This area is still being worked on and I'm interested to see if it will be a water feature. The plinths with the custom iron arch is generally the embellishment for a wishing well.

Maybe added to the top of a well like this one at Patina Farm. image via Brooke's instagram

via pinterest

This is only a small part of what the new windows and veranda's are about.

Lake Ontario

I'm looking forward to seeing the finishing touches of this charming historical property and hoping that one of the Canadian shelter publications gets the opportunity to photograph it.

Have a Glamourous Weekend

via Margaret de Lange for Skona Hem

Whether your weekend is filled with noisy, fun-filled gatherings or quiet time alone; I hope you drive in the Glamourous lane of life.

Entertaining Outside

     One of the things I love about summer is the opportunity to entertain outside. Whether it's taking in a favourite restaurant patio, a picnic at the park or firing up the grill at home, it all speaks of summertime fun.

Entertaining outside at home is in the forefront of my mind right now. There is a wide selection of choices to make an intimate dinner for two or a grand soiree into a memorable event. To help you get in the summertime mood as well, here are a few suggestions to put on your check list.


The nostalgia of a picnic is hard to resist. Pack a basket of yummy food, grab a couple of blankets, a pillow or two, and snuggle down with nature. 

Date night can take on a whole new plan when you set the stage for a romantic night on the patio. A table for two with pretty linen and an abundant amount of tea-lights will set a romantic mood. 

No matter who you are entertaining the recipe for a special dinner outdoors is easy. Layer the table linen, add flowers from the garden, keep the meal simple and enjoy the company.

via griege

If you have a covered balcony or terrace, create an oasis that will provide an intimate sitting area and a small dining space. The fresh black and white stripe fabric is carried throughout the space, it is enhanced with crisp white linen and boxwood globes in glossy black pots. The space is traditional and relaxed.

If your space does not have a covering to protect from the sun or rain a large market umbrella on an iron base stand is the perfect portable option.

One of my favourites !                                        via Traditional Home

Black iron patio set is softened with generous plantings & delicate petals.

Who says you have to put the dining table on the porch or veranda. If you have a property with a pretty vista to admire while you entertain, then drag the table out to the perfect spot and set the table.

dinner in the field

Dine in the center of the rustic beauty.                     via xavier nicod antiquities garden

When it comes to style, outdoor rooms are a reflection of your good taste and an extension of your life indoors. Bring your style outside.
 
Elegant, stunning, simple lines..........

via latimes.com

Abundant, elegant, traditional, mystical space ............

Garden Overload by Tony Duquette

Bright, fresh, modern European appeal.................

via athomearkansas

In the past I chose to not have an outdoor dining area. My children didn't like bugs or wasps flying around the food {can't blame them}, so we cooked outdoors and ate inside. In later years we would enjoy appetizers and bevy's on the patio surrounded by the flower garden while off to the side the grill was cooking.


Whether it's pre-dinner appetizers or enjoying the first cup of coffee in the morning, creating an outdoor room to relax doesn't have to be a big undertaking....but it should be special.

create a cozy early morning coffee spot outdoors

Colourful cabana - a daybed covered with white and bright can be created on the porch, the gazebo, cabana, or sitting under large market umbrella's on stands.

Cool, sophisticated, white. Paint it out - all white and add the simple glam.

Then there is the ultimate outdoor spaces complete with pools, elaborate gardens or views that give the illusion that you could reach out and touch the ocean. Even you don't have that on your agenda, they are some of the prettiest properties to dream about.

On a visit to Greece we enjoyed some of the most memorable outdoor dining spaces - Katrin's in Mykonos {AMAZING food experience}, the fisherman's wharf at OIA {Santorini}. But the most outstanding by far was the outdoor cliff dining room at Andronis Luxury Suites.

Dining on the cliff at Andronis Luxury Suites. via glamourbeginsathome

Yes - this is the spot for the wine tasting & pairing dinner. What an experience. source

For me, right now the thoughts of outdoor entertaining are focused on the inspiration of rustic European designed dining and a cozy lanai. Here's a sampling of what is catching my attention.........

A rustic wood table and chairs with aged linen - tucked among the trees.

A Lanai complete with fireplace and comfortable seating - perfect, no matter what the occasion or weather.

Embrace the season and take it outside.