Name: Pearl
Location: NYC
Type of Home: Loft
What inspired you to use color? I was born in 1975, so my eyes were weaned on suburban psychedelia; an early love was the rainbow-colored Herman Miller Chiclet chair grouping at our NJ children's library. My pediatrician had the best mod wallpaper, and it would help me turn on, tune in, and drop out while being immunized. Also, I'm an aggressive bargain hunter / thriftorexic, and colorful things are just more bang for your buck -- nothing I own cost more than $399...
I’m an art advisor, so the artwork preceded the $200 eBay velvet couch, and I think I just forced the colors together by sheer will... Yes, I know that the faux bois trend is a little bit much now, but I've been collecting for a while and I'm obsessed &mdash my inspiration is the artist Richard Artschwager, who makes woodgrain formica "quotations" of everyday objects. I like real-world references in abstract patterns in general: the $10 Adler pillows were bought because I have a soft spot for Q-Bert!
Color Tip: Decorate with colors that appeal to you! It's easy to have "good" taste shopping out of an expensive store or catalogue, but I prefer it when people really express themselves. I actually dress this way, with a lot of pattern, and I really have to watch myself because I know I have questionable taste!
Colors Used: Comparable Benjamin Moore colors: Italiano Rose, Rumba Orange, Buttercup, Jalapeno Pepper, Avocado, Slate Teal. I know I should probably keep a tighter palette!
Fall Colors Introduction -------------------------------
Welcome, everyone, to our Fourth Annual Fall Colors Sharing & Contest. We're looking for the most beautiful & colorful home in the world and sharing all of the great ideas we get with our readers. This year we're amping things up and hoping to do things better than ever. There are two basic phases, the Sharing Phase and the Voting Phase...
1. Sharing Phase - you comment, judges decide
The 40 best, completed entries will be posted on a daily basis for three weeks. You can view them all at anytime via our new, improved contest pages under ALL ENTRIES. During this time your comments are VERY IMPORTANT as our six judges will be choosing 16 finalists from each region based on comments and their own colorful opinion.
2. Voting Phase - you vote till you drop
Starting October 20th, finalist voting will begin on a daily basis through our new bracketed voting system, which will pit our 16 finalists against one another until only one remains. Sound exciting? We hope so.
Best, Maxwell
Your bedroom textiles are making me jealous. LOVE them. And the wood grain pillows are a nice touch.
Great pieces!
view racheloncegentry's profile
awesome
view hanako66's profile
Yes, I know that the faux bois trend is a little bit much now...
I really have to watch myself because I know I have questionable taste... I know I should probably keep a tighter palette...
This person is so apologetic for their taste, it makes me sad. You should just relax... as long as your are surround yourself with things that fill you with joy, you have nothing to be sorry for.
view Lauren Schreiber's profile
Oh, Lauren: THANK YOU for the words of support! With my line of work, I see all sorts of chic, minimal homes, and it's easy to get an inferiority complex! I just know that I can't live that way myself.
Regarding the bed linens, I hit up the usual sources: Dwell sample sales, Crate and Barrel Marimekko on sale, eBay -- but what I love the most are Ralph Lauren trompe-l'oeil patterned sheets. I don't know why more people don't talk about them: I have sheets that look like knitted Fair Isle sweaters a la Margiela, woven wicker, a kilim rug... They're not preppy, they're conceptual! I find mine in the sale bin at Century 21.
Cheers!
view barbapearl's profile
Pearl, you are so lucky you're not a single, straight, 28-year-old bearded male. I would force you to marry me.
view Kimber's profile
this is kooky & i like it! yes, you took risks & not everyone will love it, but it does a good job of putting your personality out there. i think when someone walks into your home, they should walk away w/ a whole new, deeper understanding of you.
view mariegael's profile
I quite like it, it is fun. If I could be so bold to make one suggestion though. Would the orangey coloured ottoman look better or fit better between the two olive chairs. Just a thought as the coffee table area looks a little confused (?).
view peachpie's profile
I love love LOVE your space. Don't ever be apologetic for your taste - this is clearly your own style, your joy comes through in the design, and you make it work together. Wonderfully quirky without being over the top. Where did you find the vinyl upholstered benches?
view ChDsgnStdnt's profile
can you please tell me where you got your coffee table? i love it!
pea green and orange is not one of my favorite combinations, but i'm really impressed that you found such unique pieces on a budget!
view lemonpie's profile
this one gets my vote!!!! loving you aesthetic sensibility!!!!
view formosagirl's profile
Oh, Peachpie -- yes, I probably should've put the David Hicks-covered ottoman (fabric was $14 on eBay!) between the chairs for the picture, it definitely would've made more sense. I guess I left it where it usually receives my feet!
So, vinyl benches are Stendig and were bought at Get Back Inc. in CT (www.getbackinc.com) -- it's a huge multi-floor warehouse filled with Herman Miller, Knoll, and other mid-century and machine age furniture. Seriously, it was tempting to buy chairs to sell at a markup back in the city; everything just needed a little cleaning.
I grew up coloring and doing homework on that coffee table, so who knows where the parents bought it in the '70s? I just painted it green.
view barbapearl's profile
How amazing to see an apartment built around works of art instead of the other way around! You obviously got those hot early paintings by inka essenhigh and su-en wong long before they were on the radar of the NY Times. I'm not a good home decorator myself, but I am a painter and it touches my heart to see a collector so creatively engaged with her treasures.
ps. Jalapeno, your living room carpet is your coup de grace!
view harko's profile
I covet your entire apartment and can't believe how great that Su-en Wong looks over the sofa. What a great blend of art and design. I am inspired.
view dirtybird's profile
Oh, thanks for comments on the artwork, that's really what's precious to me.
The Su-en Wong piece was a gift from the artist, and I love how it's so rude and cute at the same time! It still scandalizes my father whenever he comes to visit: "Pearl, do you realize that the girl is on a chamber pot?"
The Inka Essenhigh was the first artwork I ever bought and the first painting she ever sold, coincidentally. Every day I still can't believe I own it! She's such a good colorist, you could snag entire interior color schemes from any one of her paintings...
I wish I could have included a close-up of my red Patrick Wilson painting: it has tiny Le Corbusier "Petit Confort" chairs at the bottom...
view barbapearl's profile