Randal’s Regal Rooms

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Name: Randal Dawkins
Location: North Williamsburg — Brooklyn, New York
Size: 700 square feet (approximately 490 square feet pictured)
Years lived in: 6

We first featured the apartment that Randal coined his “miniature country house” during our Small Cool Contest. Though situated in Brooklyn, Randal is spot-on with his description. To step inside this place is to become immediately removed from the surrounding urban environment and to be transported to what feels like the lavishly-decorated home of a king.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Apartment Therapy Survey:

My Style: A collected, layered aesthetic using interesting and quality pieces. I love “evolved” rooms — ones that feel like they matured over time, those not indicative of one particular period or style. The typical English and European country house would be an example of this. Mixing the high (fine pieces) and low (not necessarily valuable but decorative and interesting) in interiors makes the environment more relaxed, fun, and approachable. While I obviously love and appreciate antiques, a jolt of modernism, usually through art, is always a welcome respite to energize a room.

Inspiration: I’m an unrepentant anglophile, so obviously the English country house, and my design heroes never fail to inspire: Andrea Palladio, William Kent, John Soane, Nancy Lancaster, David Hicks, Billy Baldwin, Albert Hadley, Robert Kime, Christopher Hodsoll, Mark Hampton, Nicky Haslam, Michael S. Smith, Jeffrey Bilhuber, the list goes on…

Favorite Element: That’s a hard one, but I do especially love my high gloss bedroom
walls in Benjamin Moore’s ‘Deep Ocean’.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Biggest Challenge: A minimum of floor space.

What Friends Say: They love it. Every time they come over they are reminded of why I don’t tend to go out that much anymore. And that I dispel the myth that all early 30-somethings are mid-century modernists.

Biggest Embarrassment: My bathroom. Not that it’s terrible, it’s just standard
issue rental – tiled from floor to ceiling, that not much can be done with. That’s why it’s not pictured.

Proudest DIY: Pretty much everything.

Biggest Indulgence: Quality professional picture-framing.

Best Advice: I don’t normally like “decoration” for the sake of decoration. There should be an element of meaning and appreciation in what you surround yourself with. The most timeless (and economical) interiors are those that are filled with much loved and worthwhile things; not trendy schemes and inconsequential knickknacks. Buy the best quality you can afford and make sure you really love it. Truly loving a piece is very important as your taste can change over time, and chances are, the things you genuinely love will make the transition. Also, keep in mind one doesn’t necessarily have to have an unlimited budget to beautifully furnish a space. My apartment is definitely proof of this. Do your homework and shop around to find the best price; never buy the first thing you see, unless you’re sure you won’t find it or something similar somewhere else. Auctions, whether they are online or at an auction house are an excellent source for one-of-a-kind items that can often be gotten for very little money. Another piece of advice for those living in the five boroughs: Keep your eyes peeled the day before trash day. Believe it or not, New Yorkers throw out amazing things!

Dream Source: A good auction or charity shop.

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)

Resources:

FLOORS

ENTRYWAY

KITCHEN

LIVING ROOM

BEDROOM

Thanks, Randal!

Images: Annie Werbler

(Image credit: Apartment Therapy)