Diaz + Wearstler

The October addition of Elle Decor features Cameron Diaz's New York City apartment done by Kelly Wearstler. My favorite room was the emerald and brass kitchen with ebony cerused oak floors. The jewel tone and metallic color combination is unexpected and enchanting.

Graphic Floors & the Louis Cube

Using graphic patterns on the floor is a fabulous way of transforming an ordinary space into something extraordinary. I especially like using them in small spaces such as entries, dining rooms and bathrooms.

I am currently working on a powder room using a marble Louis cube. This pattern, which was named after King Louis XIV, has been around since the Greeks and Romans used it on their floors. It is amazing to me that is still feels modern and current centuries later.

Louis marble cube 

Design by Kelly Wearstler from AD

Wythe Hotel, NYC

Design by David Netto from Veranda

Design by Kelly Wearstler

Emerald Green

Emerald green is one of my favorite fall/winter colors. It is sophisticated, classic, and has tremendous depth and versatility. Whether used as a wall color, or as an accent in a room, it works with just about every color you pair it with.  I especially love how it plays off black and white.

Interiors by Daniel Romualdez

Interiors by Kelly Weastler

 

Interiors by SR Gambrel

Viceroy Santa Monica

KW-Mercer Island

This month's Elle Decor features a house done by Kelly Wearstler for a couple on Mercer Island. It has a much more restrained color palette than her usual work but the dark and moody atmosphere seems a natural fit for Washington's inclement weather. The spiral brass staircase in the double height library is my favorite element.

Precious Stones

I found this amazing line of precious and gem stone slabs while looking with a client at Cumar for kitchen counter tops. They are all handmade and extraordinary looking in person. They are suitable for indoor applications and available in limited quantities. Here are some of my favorites with a fascinating explanation from Cumar of what they are made from:

STROMALITE

This stone has its origins in the first microbe on this earth. The Stromata microbe was the first living thing on the planet earth (over 3 Billion years old) and was the source of the increase in oxygen from 2% to 22% and so enabling humans to exist. It is a sea algae which still lives in a few localities, notably western Australia. This panel is made from many specimen pieces of Stromatolite to magnify its unique wavy pattern, which is a distinguishing mark of this particular stone.

CLASSIC QUARTZ

Classic Quartz is one of the most beautiful of all precious stones. It is probably the best-known precious stone because of its association with healing throughout history. Each slab of these specially selected specimens of Classic Quartz has been painstakingly laid out and hand assembled to take full advantage of the markings in this precious stone.

BLACK PETRIFIED WOOD

It took over 240 million years to create this precious stone from Madagascar, where rare specimens of petrified wood are blended together with magnificent ammonites and chambered nautilus. Petrified wood has been preserved for millions of years by the process of petrification. The process turns wood into quartz crystal. It is harder than steel. Some pieces of petrified wood have retained the original cellular structure of the wood and the year rings can be easily seen.

ICE BLUE CALCITE

Calcite is a calming stone, highly healing. It stimulates the metabolism and it reinforces the immune system. It reinforces the bones, purifies the blood and regularizes the heartbeat. It helps the spleen and the pancreas and it removes tensions that prevent vitality, creativity, emotions.

WILD TIGER IRON

The precious stone tiger iron gemstone forms naturally when golden tiger eye, red and yellow jasper and black hematite quartz band together forming a ripple pattern of vibrant colour.  This is considered the three in one crystal for its trio of grounding qualities. The Tiger eye grounds and give patience, Hematite grounds the self for emotional protection and Red Jasper is know to connect one to the earth.

These slabs are truly pieces of art.  I can envision using them as a feature wall, similar to this application: 

Interior by Kelly Wearstler

Or wrapping a structural column to make it the focal point of the room:

Interior by S.R. Gambrel