THE ELEGANT CPW APARTMENT
New York City’s Central Park is the backdrop for this tasteful apartment; cracking the window ushers in the chatter of birds and the whoosh of passing taxis. Egan Seward, lead designer of Thomas Jayne Design Studios, reached out to me to woodgrain the library doors in a painterly fashion. As I went through the final steps of this finish, Thomas came by for a site visit. Walking through the rooms with the client, they agreed that the color of the metal front door could be improved. Thomas recommended that I woodgrain it, and so the project was expanded. I was told to have fun with it! With full artistic license, I bookmatched the graining, bringing continuity between it and the newly finished library door.
After the client had moved in and lived in their apartment, I was invited to come back and bring light and cheer to the foyer. Noting the pale rose and burnt orange in the rug and artwork, I mixed a glaze that complemented them. I applied this to the walls and crown in a stippled technique, softening it with a badger brush. The varnish on top of the walls and crown was a pearlescent luster that I applied using a hand painted stripe, giving the crown depth. The ceiling got a fresh coat of Farrow and Ball Churlish Green paint. The foyer became more inviting and graceful.
The conversation piece of the dining room is a hand painted silk wall covering done by another artist, and since the gallery wall color was changed, the dining room’s trim fell out of continuity. I applied a metallic glaze to the trim, shifting from cooler to warmer tones to highlight the different colors in the surrounding silk. This subtly metallic finish enhanced the unique silky wall covering, framing and anchoring the floral pattern.
What began as a simple wood graining on the library doors had developed into a multifaceted project. The gallery is a windowless room with several doorways, and the client desired more of a cheerful atmosphere. I was again invited back to brighten up this room. I repainted and glazed the ceiling to match the foyer, uniting them. The glaze helped bring subtle depth and movement to an otherwise lifeless space. I applied a varnish with low luster, effectively reflecting light in the room.