This home was a nod to old school Mediterranean in a faux sense of the word. Lots of elaborate plaster work and sponged walls. I had nightmares for weeks. It was “hated and dated” as  my friend Rob likes to say:) A young family of five bought it and wanted a fresh, clean look on a tight budget. So I delivered! It also needed a tiny bit of formality, hence the buttoned-up description.

Everyone loves the before-and-after viewpoint. I love the comparison because you really get a sense of the changes made and the transformation. You also get a sense of the difference that wall and cabinetry color makes.

Another fun element of this House Tour is you get a glimpse into my process with some 3D renderings – the sort of planning stage where we are selling the idea to the client.

Below in the dining room we did a lot of deleting. We deleted the faux finish walls and ceiling. There was a lot of it so it took some time, and lots of plaster work and sand paper. In the end it feels really wonderful to be in this room. It’s so open now that we were able to sneak in a bigger dining table. Perfect for entertaining.

After Photo of Dining Room: Design by Krista Watterworth Alterman

What’s great about the office transformation below is we reused the existing built-in cabinetry, painted it white and inserted a murphy bed. Now it doubles as a playroom and guest bedroom. It’s the perfect spot for visiting family members because they can go from playing all day to sleeping all night.

After Photo of Playroom with Murphy Bed: Design by Krista Watterworth Alterman

I think the kitchen went through the biggest change. Again, we kept the existing cabinetry and just re-worked it. Some cabinets changed location, the peninsula island was cut down to counter height, and everything was painted and re-freshed.  Even the molding on the base of the peninsula popped more with the light color.

After Photo of Kitchen: Design by Krista Watterworth Alterman

What I love about this master bedroom is you get to see the middle step! A 3D rendering used to sell the design ideas to our client, allowing them to get a sense of what it could look like. The third image, below, is the actual final design. I think it’s pretty cool myself.

3D Rendering of Bedroom Design

Final Design of Master Bedroom by Krista Watterworth Alterman

A few more pictures of the final design. Enjoy!

Benjamin Moore has made it’s pick for the 2017 Color of the Year, and this year they went bold. Last year they chose a white , but dark wall colors are definitely trending and I think they went with that trend for 2017. The color is called Shadow.

Shadow, by Benjamin Moore

The hue is a rich, deep amethyst. It’s dramatic, and could be paired with stark whites and other jeweled tones.

I’m going to be honest here, I’m not loving it. I do love if a dark room is done well.  What is missing in the room above is a repetition of the wall color. It’s almost ignored. A backdrop is only as good as it’s surrounding textures. There is also a black fireplace surround that comes out of nowhere. Below is this same color by Benjamin Moore  and it’s done well:

Photo from TheStar.com

Photo from People.com

Photo from People.com

Dark walls are difficult for a novice to achieve successfully. It takes a lot of trial and error to get it right.

I want to feel sexy and warm in a room with darker walls – rich and cozy, almost engulfed or hugged by my surroundings. But it must have the right amount of balance. Natural materials such as plants, marble, pottery, wood, metallics and rustic elements create a cohesive look. These darker colors feel historic, they give us a sense of place and time.

Below are some rooms that I love and I feel they are more well balanced, the light and dark hues are mixed appropriately, and they feel chic and rich.

Photo courtesy of Rejuvenation.com

Photo courtesy of UltraLinx.com

Photo courtesy of Coco Lapine Design

Photo courtesy of ApartmentTherapy.com

It’s true that everyone loves the new trend of mixing found and vintage items with a contemporary vibe. Clean lines mixed with barn doors and warm upholstered deep seating. Modern hardware and large scale rectangular tile with jute rugs and track arm sofas. It’s all fun and fabulous – I love it. It’s definitely something I do a lot of – my clients can’t get enough of the farmhouse modern look.

A few things are key:

• Cotton & linen
• A subdued accent color
• Greige (the color!)
• Distressed or painted wood accessories
• Painted white accents
• Found & vintage items
• Marble & jute

Below I had my very talented builder make this barn door to fit perfectly in this space. My client was a new mom and she wanted to be able to see directly into the playroom but she wanted to be able to close it off if guests were in the back bedroom.

Living Room by Krista Watterworth Design Studio

There was an odd, narrow and tall wall between the kitchen and hallway. I had the builder create this beautiful open “X” framed detail. We couldn’t remove the entire wall because it housed electric and central vacuum. I love the way it turned out. Also notice the painted wood tongue and groove on island.

Kitchen by Krista Watterworth Design Studio

Below is a great farmhouse modern look with the emphasis on the modern. The slab wood table is definitely rustic. The upholstered slipcovered chairs are warm and casual.

Dining Room by Krista Watterworth Design Studio

A large trestle table (that looks found) below mixed with a super modern light fixture and upholstered linen chairs below. A perfect combo of modern and farmhouse. Plus the parquet floors definitely create a rustic vibe.

Dining Room by Krista Watterworth Design Studio

A beaded chandelier with painted shiplap on the walls below is uber fresh. Add in some painted wood chairs that look “found” and by George you’ve got it!

Below are 20 Essentials for the Farmhouse Modern Look:

Pouf Stool // Factory Stool // Side Table // Basket Tables

Spruce Linen Chair //  Stone Linen Chair // Bisque Linen Chair // Henri Linen Chair

Droplet Wall Art // City Glass Pendant // Monarch Coffee Table //

Marble Top Side Table // Willowherb Armchair // Velvet Grand Sofa //

Puro Place Setting // Cable Knit Pillow // Stripe Wool Throw

Willow Farm Table // White Beaded Chandelier // Wood Saddle Counter Stool

What is the real meaning of farm-to-table? Seems self explanatory. Not only has the food inspired a craze, but there is an entire lifestyle behind it and interior design has been hugely influenced with farmhouse design.

Here’s the Wikipedia definition:

Farm-to-table is a social movement which promotes serving local food at restaurants and school cafeterias, preferably through direct acquisition from the producer (which might be a winery, brewery, ranch, fishery, or other type of food producer which is not strictly a “farm”). This might be accomplished by a direct sales relationship, a community-supported agriculture arrangement, a farmer’s market, a local distributor or by the restaurant or school raising its own food. Farm-to-table often incorporates a form of food traceability (celebrated as “knowing where your food comes from”) where the origin of the food is identified to consumers. 

Locally we’ve got some serious farm-rock-stars in the arena. I know in the Hudson Valley it’s hardcore. My sister and her husband are looking to become part of it. Stay tuned on that!

But the Sunshine State better be in the game. We are, after all, the SUNSHINE state! The best place to find out about local farm happenings is at Florida Food & Farm. Be careful, it’s an addicting world. Here are the players and influencers:

Kai Kai Farm

Their mission: Grow and package fresh, safe and nutritious vegetables which customers want and are willing to pay a fair price for, enabling sustainability, growth, and innovation in fresh produce production.

Photo courtesy of floridafoodandfarm.com

Photo courtesy of Helenalockey.blogspot.com

Photo courtesy of sitopia.co

Swank Table & Specialty Produce

I’ve been to an event here…it was totally rad.

Photo courtesy of Swank Specialty Produce on Facebook

Photo courtesy of Swank Specialty Produce on Facebook

Sons & Daughters Farm & Winery

I’m looking forward to exploring this special place.

Their history begins: In 2005, a series of hurricanes decimated the then-crumbling commercial nursery that had stood for nearly 3 decades at 5926 Fearnley Rd. The next several years were spent nurturing the land into an organic state free of chemicals, while also planting crops that would naturally thrive without pesticides and other harmful agricultural practices.

Photo Courtesy of Sons & Daughters Farm & Winery on Facebook

Photo Courtesy of Sons & Daughters Farm & Winery on Facebook

And here’s what they say about the Kombucha:

We then realized that ourselves and others deserved to have a non-alcoholic alternative that was just as carefully and lovingly crafted as the wine that we served.  And thus we started producing and refining Kombucha, an amazingly healthy fermented black tea frequently consumed in both Eastern Europe and Asia.  The result was a sparkling, crystal clear, and surprisingly refined drink that conjures up an elegant and festive experience for all those who imbibe. 

So how do you create your own farm table vibe at home?? Stay tuned… for now, visit some of our locals for some farm to table love!

Halloween – ah yes – Fall is here! I love this holiday because it is fun and full of creative excitement. Costumes, new recipes, and spooktacular parties. With the popularity of jet and charcoal glassware, and pottery, I decided to throw a very grown up and sophisticated Halloween dinner party. This is for adults only, and there is only one rule: no one is admitted without a costume!

Here is how to set a beautiful table and create an environment that is chic and sexy. I like to purchase dishes and other seasonal elements that I can use throughout the year multiple times not just for one specific event. Otherwise, my garage overflows with endless bins of stuff for one-time-use. That drives my organizational and functional sensibilities into overload!

Below are some beautiful elements to add to a beautiful table filled with black earthenware and rustic elements. I also love the idea of including brass, wood and linen touches throughout. Layering will be essential here. A black tablecloth with a white gauze runner is fabulous. And the rustic elements will give the table a dark and mysterious flare. The gold accents bring it up to date. I also love the green stalks, cranberries and pomegranates sprinkled throughout.

Photography by Nan Whitney courtesy of ArtPropelled.tumblr.com

Photo Courtesy of Refinery 29

Here are some items that would make for a beautiful tablescape! Good luck and…BOO!

Organic Plates //  Gold Flatware // Pomegranates

Hammered Bowl //Black Candlesticks // Vintage Charger //

Burlap Runner // Wood Bowl // Black Wine Glasses //

Wood Serving Bowl // Brass Bowl 

Branch Candlesticks //  Shot Glasses // Black Napkins //

There are so many ways to find inspiration online nowadays, but sometimes I love a good old-fashioned glossy magazine. There are so many great design magazines and I am honored to have had my work featured in a few of them.

I think what’s amazing about House Beautiful is that it’s been an industry standard for gorgeous and on point design since the late 1800s. And today they stay relevant with articles about how we live today, like this one Inside a Tiny Home That Feels Much Bigger Than It Actually Is – writer Brie Dyas captures the growing trend of living smaller.

Lonny is an online magazine launched in 2009 by Michelle Adams, who was just at the helm of the recent Domino re-release. Lonny is truly what is on-trend, in-the-moment type design. It is what the new up and comers pay attention to most. My favorite resent article is The Best Design-Savvy Bars On Insta –  Shelby Wax captures the importance and overwhelming popularity of design on Instagram.

Speaking of Domino, this is a magazine that keeps on ticking! Domino is known for it’s DIY flair and for useful articles like the most amazing uses of wasted space we’ve ever seen. Domino was one of the first shiny sheets that made everyone feel like they are a designer. Even a novice can create a beautiful home–that was a new thought at one point! They were HGTV in magazine form. I’m so glad they’re back! I spoke at one of their events in NYC called the Domino Bazaar where they brought together well know people in the industry with local trend setters and style makers.

Luxe Interiors + Design is becoming a household name in the design world. With magazines in New York, Palm Beach, Miami, Texas and more – they have defined cross branding and have cornered the market on local focus. I’ve been honored on many occasions to be in Luxe and I respect their exclusive market. Catching Fire in San Francisco is a great example of where Luxe shines. They are a beautiful magazine that understands the power of local artisans and professionals. Plus they open up the US to new products and small businesses allowing them to really make their mark (just like they’ve done with me!)

Dwell is my all time favorite of all design magazines. It is not only a publication the fully embodies modern day design, it is a brand of design creating live events, architecture, and product (such a line of the coolest prefab homes and now a new line in collaboration with Target). The homes reflected in Dwell are the homes that I dream about building and owning one day (on the ocean or close to it.)

If you are looking for ideas and inspiration on home decor, here are a few of my favorites: