Caroline Hirsch is a woman with great personal style – a style that includes an enviable lifestyle. I have had the pleasure of creating two homes for her.
She takes meticulous care of her homes, so much so that I jest that with five minutes notice I could arrive with cameras, lights and a few flowers and start shooting photographs immediately.
Shelter magazines are in the business of creating seductive images of rooms we want to be in, and lifestyles we want to have. I love to create images that seduce, but truth be told, not all homes are as beautiful, or as well-styled as we see in print.
I can however tell you, with great confidence, that more than a decade later this home looks as good now as it did then…
Everyone seems to enjoy seeing ‘BEFORE and AFTER’images of interiors – in this case the AFTERimages are of Michael Kors and Lance Lepere’s apartment. (The BEFOREphotos are from the previous owner – an Emmy Award winning television personality.)
AFTER – Entry Foyer
BEFORE
.
AFTER – Kitchen
BEFORE
.
AFTER – Living Room
BEFORE
.
AFTER – Fireplace
BEFORE
.
AFTER – Bookcase
BEFORE
.
AFTER – Dining Room
BEFORE
.
AFTER -Master Bedroom
BEFORE
AFTER – Master Bathroom.
BEFORE
Finding an apartment can be a daunting task for anyone, but having a vision, and VERY high standards can make the process all the more challenging!
Michael Kors and Lance Lepere looked at every apartment listing that held any promise over a very extended period of time, within a tightly defined geographic area, before finding this apartment.
As you can see in the ‘Before’ images, the place did not ‘show well’; however, Michael and Lance could see through the ‘rustic rural pastiche’ to see that the ‘bones’ could work for them – together we made it come to life.
Michael Kors was my first client. I had the pleasure of working with him on many projects large and small over a long period of time, however, this was a particularly meaningful project for me. In addition to expressing the very specific point of view of a style leader, it was also to be a home for my long-time friend, and his partner.
It has been wonderful to witness Michael and Lance’s happiness together in this apartment.
The dramatic scale of the custom ‘Grandville‘solid teak four-post bed from Robert Lighton truly commands this spacious Master Bedroom in a large Colonial Revival home located in Westchester County, New York.
The bedding is from Frette, with a custom decorative pillow made by Genesis Upholstery that features two antique textile fragments with metal threads applied to a silk ground, mounted onto a cotton velvet covered cushion with bronze cording.
In the left corner is aBoudinchair and ottoman made by Jonas– upholstered in a Holly Hunt/Great Plains fabric. The early 20th century Austrian table is from Fleur,and holds an antique Chinese bronze vessel made into a table lamp.
The antique Mahogany Parlor chair has a seat upholstered in a Mokum fabric ‘Focus’.
There are seemingly endless possibilities when considering how to cover one’s bed. As seen in this image of my bed in Brooklyn Heights, I prefer a simple bed cover (or comforter) with an antique textile folded at the end of the bed for interest and decoration, and a couple of decorative pillows. As the season’s change; or when the mood strikes me; or when a new antique textile enters my home I like to switch things up…
However, when it comes to sheets for my bed I am pretty basic – I like WHITE.
“I want to have my own business within five years”.
That was my mantra when I moved to New York City in 1984.
I had completed my studies in Art & Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design in the Spring of that year, and with the enthusiasm and naivete of youth I moved to the big city with big ambitions!
Boldly going forth without giving this saying a passing thought;
“Be careful what you wish for!”
In late Summer of 1987 a young fashion designer asked me to design the new offices and showroom for his growing company: His name was Michael Kors, and he was my first client…
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
