In Caitlin Cavagnolo’s dream world, she and her husband, Tyler Randall, would live in an abandoned Italian villa, where large tapestries cover the walls and the furniture is worn-in but beautifully so. Of course, you don’t have to be in your ideal location to channel those same vibes at home. When Tyler and Caitlin bought their one-bedroom apartment in Jersey City, New Jersey, in 2016, there weren’t soaring cypress trees out front and frescoes on the ceilings. But it did have an in-unit washer and dryer, a basement, and a balcony. Plus, there was plenty of wall space to hang a tapestry of their own. In the greater New York City area, that’s amore.

For Caitlin, Italian villa equals a space that feels “calming and soothing and a little bit grand,” she says. After making light renovations to their 650-square-foot home over the years, including installing new kitchen counters and swapping the old laminate floors for wood, the couple called on Caitlin’s sister, Hayley Cavagnolo, the designer behind Hayley Bridget Interiors, for help. “When Hayley doesn’t like things, it shows on her face,” says Caitlin. “I definitely saw a look of ‘this could be better’ when she would come over.” 

More kitchen storage was priority number one. Caitlin is an avid cook and—blame it on her Italian heritage—likes to make her pasta from scratch. By extending the marble countertop, they gained shelves for her cookbook collection and an extra workspace that’s perfect for her pasta maker. The new millwork continues on the opposite wall, encompassing deep drawers and cabinets for bulky flour packs and serving platters. “Before, I’d have to pull out a ladder to get to things,” says Caitlin. “Now everything has a home.” 

As if it’s just returned from a summer vacation on the Amalfi coast, the apartment now emits a warm glow. Hayley landed on Farrow & Ball’s Hay, a dusty yellow, for the kitchen cabinets and Benjamin Moore’s Elephant Tusk for all the walls. But when it came to the doors, her sister had a special request: She wanted them to be blue. Hayley presented the couple with two shades, and she wanted to use them both to trick the eye into thinking the panels are deeper than they really are. “I was trying to figure out a way to make the doors more appealing, and adding this trompe l’oeil detail gave them a more decorative look,” says the designer. Despite the painterly touch, the overall color palette for the apartment is definitively tight. “It’s a small space,” continues Hayley. “Cohesiveness is important, especially when you’re layering so much.” 

The splash of dark blue reappears on the bedding. For Tyler, keeping—or at least reimagining—the pieces of furniture they already owned was crucial. “He’s an avid composter and recycler, and he hates waste,” Hayley points out. The couple’s simple wood bed frame fell into the “let’s rethink this” bucket (the headboard is now wrapped in a custom slipcover), as did the dining chairs that now boast round cushions.

“Every time I’d come over, I told [Caitlin] how uncomfortable they were,” Hayley says of the seats. The designer pulled a Rose Tarlow stripe fabric, which plays nicely with the nearby living room armchairs—a Chairish score Hayley re-covered in Loro Piana’s Gritti Midnight. “I just love a stripe; it never goes out of style,” she says. “And when I’m designing something for my brother-in-law, I need to really think about what’s going to be classic for years.” 

Continuing to be mindful of just how small the apartment is, Hayley made a linen slipcover for the TV, that way Tyler and Caitlin don’t have to stare at a black box 24-7. But when they do want to catch up on episodes of Apple TV’s Silo, the piece of fabric can be removed in a flash—just about as fast as their pitbull-boxer mix, Jackson, will claim his space on the sofa. “We’ll sit down and he’ll come up and kick one of us off our spots,” says Caitlin. They’re quick to adjust their seating arrangement to make sure he’s comfy. “Jackson kind of runs the show,” she adds, laughing. Luckily he’s not very furry to begin with, but any hair he does shed is left behind on the durable mohair mat Hayley made to help preserve the couple’s existing couch.  

The designer wasn’t the only one thinking scrappy. When Tyler’s job became fully remote, everyone realized he needed a place to post up that wasn’t the Saarinen dining table. Using CAD renderings that Hayley mocked up and some woodworking tools left over from their first renovation, he crafted a wood base for a narrow desk. Hayley later hooked him up with a slab of honed marble to go on top. The one-of-a-kind piece now lives in the couple’s bedroom. You’d never guess the sleek leather and chrome chair in the corner is actually meant to go at the desk or that his calculator and gum are stashed in the decorative box. 

The tiny bathroom, which houses the washer and dryer, was also overdue for a makeover. First up: a vanity cabinet where they can store laundry detergent (before, they’d just plop it in the washer drum after use) and surplus toothpaste. “There would be a lot of things we’d buy again because we couldn’t see how much we had,” says Caitlin. Hayley made the room feel even bigger by shifting the inset medicine cabinet to the side wall and mounting an extra-large mirror. Even the electrical work came second to the mirror plan. The sconces are layered on top of the glass sheet. “I wanted a little jewel box, something you go into and feel like you’re in this beautiful place,” says Caitlin. One might say, Tuscany. 

The Goods

Grand Rug (Sand), Nordic Knots ($795)

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Alexander Walnut Wood Side Table by Jake Arnold, Crate & Barrel ($399)

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Elephant Tusk, Benjamin Moore

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Audrey 03, Madeaux by Richard Smith

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The post This Couple Got the Old Italian Villa of Their Dreams—But in Jersey City appeared first on domino.

What do Dakota Johnson, Emma Roberts, Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Hudson, and Tobey Maguire all have in common (other than their top-notch acting skills)? Their interior designer. All five stars have turned to Pierce & Ward to give their homes an Old Hollywood, lived-in feel. Since 2012, Louisa Pierce and Emily Ward, the design duo behind the firm, have created spaces that tell a story: moody living rooms with worn-out leather club chairs and crackling fires; large kitchens with beat-up butcher block counters and antique brass knobs; libraries filled with old books and Persian rugs. It’s no wonder the people who play some of our favorite movie characters want to work with them. In their book, A Tale of Interiors, Pierce and Ward share the renovation secrets that make their spaces feel cozy and a little bit magical—and most of them are surprisingly simple.

Embrace “Ugly” Hues

Shades of beige and brown are rarely the go-to paint colors of choice, but Pierce and Ward, who coined the term ugly colors, say every house needs a dose of muddy tones. “We don’t want rooms to be too pretty and perfect. When you have those filler hues like pea green, puke-y mustard, and baby vomit, it somehow makes it better,” says Ward, laughing. They offset these underappreciated shades with beloved classics such as blush pinks and butter yellows.

Pierce & Ward’s Go-To “Ugly” Colors

Trailing Vines, Benjamin Moore

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Brindle, Benjamin Moore

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Pierce & Ward’s Go-To Pretty Colors

Nutmeg, Benjamin Moore

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Manchester Tan, Benjamin Moore

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Use Inexpensive Tile in Unconventional Ways

Despite having an A-list clientele, Pierce and Ward are both partial to classic, budget-friendly materials like subway tile. “You can do interesting things with grout colors and cover an entire kitchen with it,” says Pierce. They play with format, too. In one renovation, they picked a $5.99-per-square-foot black and white hex tile and laid it out in a floral pattern from floor to ceiling, even covering the range hood in the motif. When the budget allows, the designers also love clay tile for its organic feel and light-bouncing capacity. 

Restore 3 in. x 6 in. Ceramic Bright White Subway Tile ($1.20 per square foot), Home Depot

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Metro Hex Matte White with Black Dot 10-1/4 in. x 11-7/8 in. Porcelain Mosaic ($9.36 per square foot), Home Depot

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Work With the Cabinets You Have

Dakota Johnson could probably afford any kitchen she dreamed up, but in her mid-century California home, Pierce and Ward chose to restore the original 1940s metal cabinetry and spray-paint it in Benjamin Moore’s Alligator Alley. “The house was built by Carl Maston, a really well-known architect in L.A. who was quite ahead of his time,” explains Ward. “We wanted to stick with what was there because it was already so good to begin with.” 

So it makes sense that when installing brand-new butcher blocks or cupboards—their preferred style is a simple Shaker panel—they look for imperfections. “We always tell our cabinetmaker, ‘Don’t make it too perfect,’” says Pierce. “Even if a cabinet is a little crooked, it’s okay.” The designers also place a lot of importance on vintage hardware, which they often source on Etsy. “I just want to find the right brass that’s not too shiny,” says Ward, who always looks for an antiqued finish. “It makes a new house feel so much older.”

Alligator Alley, Benjamin Moore

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Vintage Solid Brass Handles, Etsy ($30)

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Find Inspiration in What’s Already There

For Johnson’s main bathroom, the design duo worked with what they had when choosing a dominant material. “The downstairs level had concrete floors, and the upstairs had old hardwood that needed to go,” explains Pierce. They brought the cement scheme to the upper floor and covered the space from floor to ceiling. Earthy burl-wood mirrors and peachy roman shades soften the harsh surface. “The house was surrounded by trees, and so the setting also came into play,” adds Ward. “What’s outside is really important when choosing a surface or palette.” 

Burl-Wood Wall Mirror, West Elm ($299)

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Fabric Roman Shades, Amazon ($30)

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Don’t Shy Away From Wallpaper All Over

No stranger to a good floral wallpaper, Pierce and Ward often turn to wall coverings to add texture to a room, but they warn there is a right way and a wrong way to do it. “We love sourcing vintage wallpaper because we try to avoid using the hottest patterns,” says Pierce, who also notes that metallic surfaces are a big no-no. When it comes to application, the designers like to cover everything (sometimes even the ceiling) in the most inexpensive option rather than going the high-end route and doing only a feature wall. And for a custom touch, match a shade to use on the moldings and trims: “It gives its own little story.”

Majorelle Wallpaper (Petrol), House of Hackney ($325)

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Block-Print Flowers Peel-and-Stick Wallpaper, Spoon Flower ($129)

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The post The “Ugly” Colors Dakota Johnson’s Designers Use to Give a Room Depth appeared first on domino.

By far the most impressive room on any episode of MTV’s Cribs was the home movie theater. Sure, we’re all familiar with the concept of a TV area, but these spaces—complete with rows of recliners, in-wall stereo systems, and (on occasion) popcorn machines—hit differently. The thing is, from a style perspective, they all tend to look the same: The steps are swathed in slate gray carpeting; the boxy seating is made of squeaky leather. Marie Cloud, the Charlotte, North Carolina–based interior designer behind Indigo Pruitt, knew this when she was tasked with creating a theater for last year’s Southeastern Designer Showhouse in Atlanta. Having never tackled one before, she welcomed the challenge. “You don’t typically see this space decked out, but for me, it was an opportunity to throw my sauce on it,” says Cloud. 

The designer wanted it to be welcoming, cozy, and functional, even when there was nothing actually playing on the screen. “It can be a space where you can throw a girls’ night or your family can gather and just catch up,” she says. “The TV doesn’t have to be on for that.”

Re-create Those Old Theater Bones

The curved ceiling and flexible molding that Benecki Homes and Source in Atlanta introduced immediately made the ground-level room feel like an Art Deco theater. The difference is that these walls are high-tech: The speakers are built within them, so you can actually feel the vibrations of your favorite action movie. But Cloud knows that color is a big part of any sensory experience, too. The designer landed on Farrow & Ball’s Brinjal, a paint that reads as either eggplant purple or Merlot red, depending on the lighting. “When you use jewel tones, it adds a sense of ease to your body,” she says.

Pick Your Lighting Mood, Then Find Your Seat

The key to any movie-watching space is being able to take the room from light to dark so you don’t have to worry about harsh glare interrupting the show. That’s why everything in this space is “dimmable by the dial,” notes Cloud. And when the overhead bulbs and brass sconces are turned off, lit-up onyx pedestals and under-stair strips will help you find your way.

Treat the Lowest Level Like a Living Room

When you first walk in the space, you might think it’s just another living area. There’s a custom Brooke & Wilson sofa, a graphic Moattar rug, a round coffee table, and a long console topped with leaning art by David Coleman Jr. propped on top. For both tables, the designer partnered with Hartstone (the company that handled the hardscaping outside the house). “It added an organic element to the space that felt fresh and clean,” says Cloud. You could plop right down on the couch, have a chilled glass of wine, and never think about watching a movie—that’s the point.

As you make your way up the steps, you’ll find two rows of plush black recliners from RowOne that were designed specifically based off women’s input (both from an aesthetic and comfort point of view). “My goal for this room was for it to be an ode to sisterhood, a space for the woman of the house to bring her girlfriends,” says Cloud. “When they described the intentionality behind the research of this chair, I knew that’s what I wanted in my space.”

Carve Out a Hideout Within Your Escape

Did you spot the pocket door at the back of the theater? That’s for when you really want to feel unbothered. Cloud turned the tiny closet into a book nook–slash–general hideout. “We do too much for others, and sometimes we need a little corner to get away,” says Cloud. “Mine is my [clothes] closet, but it’s not as gorgeous as this.”

The post This Eggplant-Hued Home Theater Has a Secret appeared first on domino.

I just doubled my storage, and no, I didn’t move apartments. I got a new bed frame. 

Upgrading my classic IKEA Malm bed to the lift-up storage model gave my towels, bedding, books, winter coats, and tote bags a proper home. While I’ve always kept those items under my bed (usually crammed inside a random suitcase), to get to anything in the center, I’d have to manually lift my mattress and balance it on my back while crouching over and pulling up the wood slats. It wasn’t a pretty picture, and may or may not have led to some chronic back pain. 

The classic and storage Malm beds are almost identical, but while the classic comes in four colorways and four sizes, the storage version comes in just two colorways and two sizes. Luckily, the size and color I wanted, full and white, came in both. The prices also differ quite a bit; for the full size, the upgrade takes you from $329 up to $659. My favorite difference: Rather than open-air sides, the storage version is completely closed. That one seemingly simple difference is what ultimately inspired me to make the swap. I knew this tiny upgrade would make my entire apartment feel so much cleaner—all of my stuff would be out of sight and, more important, it wouldn’t be such a pain (literally) to access stuff. 

Malm Storage Bed, IKEA ($659)

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The Assembly

The bed was delivered the next day (yes, you read that right) for $39. Delivery didn’t include assembly, so I hired a TaskRabbit. After watching the skilled professional with a 5-star rating take a full two hours to build the bed, I knew I had made the right choice. Paying him $150 saved me what would have been an entire weekend of frustration.

Now I simply pull a strap at the foot of the bed and—voilà!—my mattress opens to a 45-degree angle. 

The Organization

I have what I like to think of as a brand-new closet (it’s just one that lays flat on the floor!). Rather than reverting to my old ways and keeping my belongings in old suitcases, I went back to IKEA and tricked it out with interior storage compartments. Because there are so many options, I asked the interior design leader for IKEA U.S., Abbey Stark, for some pointers. She recommended a combination of Skubb and Parkla, both of which are soft zippered containers, as well as Kugis, a lidded plastic box. Full closure keeps dust at bay, and handles make them easy to pull out.

Before I put my order in, I got out a ruler and graph paper and drew the bed and containers to scale so I could play around with different orientations. After landing on the below layout, there were no surprises once my order arrived.

So what goes where? I started intuitively, putting anything that was soft and flexible (table linens, bedding, pillow inserts) in the fabric containers, and any hard objects, like books and extra taper holders, in the structured Parkla boxes. Because the Skubb boxes are the largest (they’re 36.5-by-21.75-by-7.5 inches), I saved them for bigger items like towels, and relegated smaller collections like tote bags to the Parkla containers. The nice thing about the soft containers is that they’re both sheer, so I don’t need to waste brain space remembering what is where. 

Skubb, IKEA ($7)

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Parkla, IKEA ($2)

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Kuggis, IKEA ($30)

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The post I Treat the IKEA Malm Storage Bed Like the Linen Closet I Never Had appeared first on domino.

Kohler has been playing with its archival colors in all kinds of ways lately, reissuing greens, pinks, yellows, and more for its bathtubs, sinks, and toilets. The eye-catching moves continue with the company’s latest collaboration with artist-designer Dr. Samuel Ross and his industrial design studio SR_A. Yes, you’re seeing straight: It’s bright orange.

Formation 02, a limited-edition silhouette for the Eir smart toilet, is the second entry in Ross’s Formation line with the brand, preceded by an architectural faucet made from a new composite material called Neolast. The electric hue draws inspiration from Tiger Lily, a color Kohler introduced in 1967 for various applications in the bathroom and a signature of the designer. 

Brutalist in style, the commode’s shape pays homage to the velocity and power of water. Unique molding and tooling techniques result in a base with dramatic angles and texture, not unlike cliffs or crags carved over time by water. Combined with the orange color, Formation 2 would make a serious statement in an all-white, windowless powder room, funky pool house, or a maximalist main bathroom. (This isn’t the first time we’ve been taken with an orange toilet—peep the tangerine surprise in this Paris apartment.) 

It still comes with all the features of the Eir: a heated seat, customizable cleansing, nightlight, hands-free opening/closing, automatic flush, and a touch-screen remote. “Formation 02 combines our industrial expertise and technological prowess with our strong belief in the power of creativity to challenge and drive forward progress,” says Scott Edmunds, vice president of Kohler Marketing. The piece will debut at Milan Design Week this year and be available at sra.kohler.com on April 16. Who said shower tile was the only way to go bold in the bathroom? 

The post Kohler Is Bringing Back This Vintage Toilet Color—And the Shade Is Shocking appeared first on domino.

Most people don’t believe Sandra Schpoont when she tells them she’s a lawyer. Usually, they assume she’s an artist or some other creative type. “I’m very design conscious,” says Schpoont. She can’t help it: She was raised that way, with a mother who had a strong interest in interiors and an uncle who was an architect. “We had pieces by [George] Nakashima in our house growing up,” she adds. When Schpoont spotted a sleek glass-clad building going up in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, back in 2008, she immediately knew she wanted to live there, even if it meant leaving the Park Slope brownstone she’d lived in for 20 years. 

Once the condo units, better known as 1 Grand Army Plaza, officially opened, Schpoont and her husband, Steve Axelrod, found themselves on the 14th floor in a three-bedroom apartment with sweeping views of Brooklyn. The interior is famously very white, a signature of the architect, Richard Meier. For as much as they loved the space over the years, Schpoont and Axelrod started to take note of the things that bothered them, like the particleboard cabinets, the drab bathroom tile, and the oven that rarely seemed to work. 

Ultimately, the pandemic gave them the push they needed to renovate. With their four kids now out of the house and remote work becoming the norm, the way they lived had drastically changed. Suddenly, they didn’t need all the guest bedrooms to be dedicated solely to sleeping. And, hey, a wet bar would be pretty cool, right? Plus Schpoont realized the opulent space that captured her on day one could benefit from a little more warmth. In fall 2022, a neighbor introduced them to Salle, an architectural design, interiors, and landscape firm helmed by Isobel Herbold and Palmer Thompson-Moss.

First, Herbold made some simple suggestions, like flipping the couple’s existing Poltrona Frau sofa to face the windows. “It never occurred to us to turn it around!” says Schpoont. The shift helped them accomplish another key goal: spotlighting the outdoors. 

The couple had also never thought to put furniture in their entryway. Salle custom-designed a bench with a small drawer where they can stash keys. As you sit there and take off your shoes, you’re greeted by a botanical silk wallpaper by Italian fabricator Elena Carozzi.

The bones of the building constantly posed a challenge when it came to furniture layout. “None of the walls of the exterior are parallel with the interior walls,” Herbold points out. In the case of the bedroom, it made the most sense to create pieces from scratch that match the space’s exact dimensions. Years ago, Schpoont and Axelrod had an angular dresser constructed to fit perfectly in the corner. “When we first got it, I thought it looked like a giant filing cabinet,” says Schpoont. But the piece grew on her over time. In addition to housing clothes, it disguises a pop-up TV lift. “It is extremely useful,” she adds. 

While most might stick a chaise in the corner of the bedroom closest to the glass bathroom wall, Salle opted for a simple plant pedestal so as to not interrupt the sight lines. “We kept everything quite minimal,” says Herbold. “We chose that clear blown-glass light fixture over the tub to relate to that view and layered glass.” 

Then there were the construction-heavy updates that required the couple to temporarily move into a rental in nearby Clinton Hill. They splurged on all new electrical, mostly because the old recessed fixtures would chip around the edges every time they went to change a bulb, but also so they could add minimalist pendant lights in the kitchen over the dining areas. 

Speaking of the cookspace, Salle introduced warmth in the form of a copper backsplash (the fridge handle and faucet are the same pink-tinged metal) and white oak lower cabinet doors. The designers also plopped in a bonus island near the windows that serves as cookbook storage and Schpoont’s baking station. “I’m known for my Thanksgiving desserts,” she says. “I don’t bake as much as I would like to, because then I would just eat it all the time.”

Axelrod is the cook. Every Friday night, he comes home early and gets dinner started (a much more pleasant task these days with a new Viking range on hand). “It’s a nice way to start the weekend,” says Schpoont. With each of their kids (and their significant others) in the area, there’s never a shortage of guests to sit around the teak dining table on the terrace.  

On quieter evenings, Schpoont will post up in one of the pink chairs next to the newly appointed bar. Previously, there was a glassed-in home office in this corner of the apartment. But with the kids out of the house, Salle moved the couple’s WFH space to a guest bedroom, designing a mid-century-inspired modular desk unit in the process. “When I’m sitting in one of these swivel chairs, I’ll look out at the apartment and it’s beautiful; it’s a nice place to be. I didn’t always feel that way,” Schpoont says.  

The Goods

Paulistano Armchair, DWR ($1,996)

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Lamina LED Linear Suspension, Lumens (from $1,495)

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Copper Faucet, Nivito ($969)

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Gray Allita Outdoor Chaise Lounge, Wayfair ($1,625)

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The post White Oak, Floral Wallpaper, and a Wet Bar: How Empty Nesters Reworked Their All-White Apartment appeared first on domino.

When Jonny, a music producer, and Krystal, a floral designer, took a trip to Inness, a hotel in upstate New York, they took note of the ladder-back chairs surrounding the long communal dining table and the larder pantry painted a rich coat of ochre. This was the vibe they wanted to create in the 1860s cottage they recently purchased in nearby Rhinecliff. They tracked down Post Company, the design agency behind Innes, and asked if they would take on their historic property: It’s one of the oldest preserved houses in the area and measures a mere 1,250 square feet. Post Company accepted the challenge. 

“[Innes] has a lot of restraint and a minimalist sensibility, but through a lens of warmth and intimacy. I think that’s what resonated with them,” says Leigh Salem, one of the partners at the design firm. The couple’s home was the definition of small but mighty. The expansive windows automatically made the interior feel bigger than it is, and there were nooks and crannies aplenty (read: storage opportunities). Krystal and Jonny never expressed interest in tacking on an addition, not even when it came to their primary bedroom in the attic. The bones of the house were perfect as is. It simply needed a luxury resort–inspired twist.

Build a Tempo With Color

There is a rhythm that pulls you through the house the moment you walk through the mudroom door and it goes: dark, light, dark, light. “There’s often an inclination with smaller houses that a lighter palette will be perceived as larger, but we were more interested in creating a language of thresholds between light and dark,” explains Salem.  

The tricky part wasn’t choosing what paint colors to use, it was the fact that Jonny and Krystal were living in London while the renovation was going on. “Committing to an exterior house color without seeing it in person was daunting,” says Jonny. Fortunately, they had friends in the area who kindly visited at various times of the day and in different weather conditions to take pictures and videos.

The mudroom, now lined with closet doors that hide everything from overflow cookware to the washer and dryer, made the couple a little nervous the first time they saw photos of it. “It appeared more orange than anticipated, almost pumpkin orange,” recalls Jonny.

Post Company urged them to stick with the rusty red color (Benjamin Moore’s Tawny Rose), at least until they saw it in person. They agreed and eventually found the photos really didn’t do it justice. “Now it’s everyone’s favorite room because it provides a wonderful contrast,” adds Jonny. As you reach the end of the 4-foot-long hallway, you are introduced to the kitchen, swathed in Soapstone by Portola Paints. When you round the corner up the narrow staircase to the main bedroom, you’re greeted by a moody gray surprise.

Stress Awkward Spaces

Rather than try to open up the low ceilings in the attic bedroom, Post Company decided to call attention to them by covering every surface of the cavernous space in Portola’s textured Dry Ground limewash. “We’re not trying to fool anyone,” says Salem. The only visual trickery is the cabinets tucked within the pitch of the dormer: It’s the couple’s primary closet.

While Jonny traveled back to New York a few times toward the end of the reno, Krystal went six months without seeing the house. Their first night in the home was a bit of a blur (mostly due to jet lag, they admit), but they do remember one thing: lying in bed watching the snow falling outside. “It felt truly magical,” says Jonny. 

Reach Peak Bathroom Goals

Previously, when Jonny and Krystal entered their bathroom, they’d find two small freestanding sinks to the right and left of the door and a tub-shower tucked in the corner. To achieve a more comfortable bathing experience, Post Company shifted the shower placement to the center of the room where the ceiling height is the tallest. Then they clad the whole thing in dramatic slabs of Calacatta Rosa marble, mimicking the same level of saturation in the mudroom downstairs.

The central shower placement also lets whoever is in there enjoy the views out of the bedroom window. “When you’re in a more private space, you don’t necessarily have to  close your bathroom door,” Salem points out. Going with two small doors over one large swing one allows for some flexibility without totally blocking the path to the bed.

Not pictured? The bathroom’s moody lighting. There are two matching sconces over the new vanities on either side of the door, as well as a canned bulb that throws light down the center of the shower. 

Push the Kitchen to the Walls

The main design challenge in the kitchen was making way for a proper dining table. Post Company swiftly nixed the peninsula that was bisecting the room and brought in a vintage Belgian table that can double as an island when there aren’t chairs around it.

They continued to elongate the space by adding a stretch of lower cabinets across the windows, which now fall in line with the new bleached white oak floorboards. They won back storage by cladding the wall that leads to the mudroom in floor-to-ceiling cupboards that disguise the pantry, refrigerator, and microwave. 

Pick Overhead Lighting Wisely

Knowing that the petite cottage gets loads of natural light from the large windows (which Post Company simply replaced with efficient versions from Marvin, keeping the openings the same size), the need for overhead lighting was fairly minimal. “We don’t love using recessed lighting, especially in a compact house like this where materials are super-important,” says Salem. For any area that needed an overhead fixture (over the coffee table, above the kitchen sink), they brought in brass and oxidized brass spotlights from Long Made Co. and Roll & Hill that contribute to the home’s newfound patina.

The post Narnia Who? This Cottage’s Attic Doors Reveal a Dramatic Marble Shower appeared first on domino.

From dreamy decor to top-notch amenities, Domino’s Wish You Were Here series is your first-class ticket to the most design-driven getaways around the world. Whether you’re looking to steal away for a few days or just steal a few ideas for back home (we encourage both, for the record), check out where we’re checking in.

Long before pandemic-fueled escapes to the countryside or the area’s resurgence of wanderlust induced by seasons of The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, the Catskills region of upstate New York has been a centuries-old getaway for fresh-air-seeking city dwellers. And for good reason: Charming hamlets and valley vistas are a welcome respite from the concrete jungle. And then there’s the views of nature, the cast-iron bathtubs, and the thought that, maybe, one day, you could live there for real. Until then, the best hotels in the Catskills will only solidify that idea. 

Piaule, Catskill

What we love: A fourth wall made for leaf peeping. 

Every moment at this getaway was crafted to showcase one of the most universally renowned designers: nature. “Booking a room” here is a loose translation for checking into a sleek prefab wood cabin with a floor-to-ceiling view into the forest. (The spa, which is only open to guests, boasts a massive hot tub that also looks into the trees.) Even the man-made elements inside take their cues from what’s outside. In the bathrooms, blue tile nods to the hotel’s location on a bluestone quarry. The surrounding oak trees inspired the wood paneling. And the lobby’s terracotta Gianfranco Frattini sofas resemble autumn leaves.

The Boarding House at Seminary Hill, Callicoon

What we love: A new take on Shaker (and all-you-can-drink cider).

Local design firm Homestedt (a husband-and-wife team of former Brooklynites who made the Catskills their full-time home, nudge, nudge) meticulously restored this 1930s hospital with a focus on natural materials and the luxury that comes from well-made things. From beechwood utensils and enamel serveware to pots and induction stovetops, everything you need to make simple home-cooked meals is right there in your country-style kitchen. In the bedrooms, kilim rugs lead the way to luxury Wright mattresses dressed with crisp linen sheets. Dotted throughout, details like fauna-inspired canvas art and ostrich-feather dusters hung on peg rails add the right amount of lived-in warmth to the otherwise minimalist environment. And just down the road, you can visit the property’s family-owned cidery, where more than 60 varieties of apples and pears contribute to a seemingly endless supply of sparkling liquid gold. 

Callicoon Hills, Callicoon Center

What we love: Summer-camp utopia all year long. 

This century-old resort blends modern design and nostalgia in a way that embraces everything you’d want in a grown-up sleepaway experience: top-notch amenities, playful decor, and nothing but good vibes. Thanks to the Brooklyn-based creatives from Post Company (the firm that also worked with Scribner’s and Inness, below), the 65 guest rooms are filled with a variety of custom furniture (such as wavy settees and wood light fixtures), along with thrifted finds like cushy bench seating that might seduce you to stay inside. But a charming coffee shop, scattered firepits, and communal picnic tables make it too easy to find new friends. 

Camptown, Leeds

What we love: Country-cool cabins plus a standout restaurant. 

Camptown, a revamped motor lodge and property dotted with clusters of cabins, is true to its name: full-on adult-camp vibes. Gravel pathways snake around the site, illuminated at night with twinkling string lights, and pass by an ultra-inviting firepit that’s always roaring right at dusk (making it a central gathering spot). Reimagined by the folks who own Rivertown Lodge in Hudson, rooms are outfitted with heated bathroom floors, Frette linens, and Marshall Bluetooth speakers; it’s country cool with pops of cottagecore. If your cabin comes with a kitchenette, you’ll have a darling Masataka kettle to use with very good Tandem instant coffee, but there’s a 24-hour accessible pantry if you need more provisions. The on-site restaurant, Casa Susanna, makes Camptown the whole package—chef Efrén Hernández’s Mexican cuisine is worth a visit alone.

Inness, Accord

What we love: An all-inclusive compound that oozes luxury.

It makes sense that this place would be named after a 19th-century landscape artist from the Hudson River School—it looks just like a scene from a George Inness painting. Set on top of a misty rolling hillside in the middle of 220 pastoral acres, this retreat and members’ club, founded by Freemans Sporting Club owner Taavo Somer, redefines modern farmhouse through a marriage of Scandi-chic and rustic Americana. Clean lines complemented by antique seating, hand-thrown ceramics, and customized lighting from Roll & Hill feel indulgently cozy, while crowd favorites like Frette robes and Aesop amenities keep it modern. This year, a spa and fitness center will debut: In addition to five private treatment rooms, expect hot and cold plunges, a sauna deck featuring radiant-heat stone floors and cedar walls, and various movement classes.

Scribner’s, Hunter

What we love: Eleven new 12-sided huts for peak nature viewing.

Every since it opened in 2016, vacationing New Yorkers have posted photos of the property’s iconic lobby fireplace and stark-white guest rooms with dark maple floors, vintage rugs, and custom-built furniture (all thanks to Brooklyn’s Post Company). But now they’ll have new photographic fodder: eleven new circular-ish cabins called the Rounds, each with sunken sofas, Japanese cedar soaking tubs, and an oculus for stargazing. We can’t wait to double tap.

Hutton Brickyards, Kingston

What we love: Private patios made for conversation and cocktails. 

A stately hall, a historic cottage, and a handful of cabins make up the inventory of this industrial-chic hotel, which is set on a former brick-making factory’s grounds. From the inside of the pine interior, no two views are the same, and every room is a whole vibe with a mood-setting record player and an expansive private deck for coffee at sunrise or sundowners at dusk. It’s also the best place to stay during Field + Supply.

Hotel Lilien, Tannersville

What we love: A lounge you’ll never want to leave. 

This storied estate–turned–boutique hotel, dreamed up by Field Theory, is filled with a quirky mix of handpicked treasures and classic Victorian antiques. Once the 1890s residence was restored, the 18 rooms were transformed into airy yet earthy hideouts with rattan headboards against soft white walls, but the heart of the hotel is really in the lobby’s library and cocktail bar. In the “neighborhood’s living room,” guests can thumb through tomes while surrounded by original shiplap paneling, stained-glass windows, and seating that begs you to sink in and warm up by the wood-burning stove.

Wildflower Farms, Gardiner

What we love: Feeding the chickens (and gathering eggs!) every morning.

Situated on 140 acres that overlook the Shawangunk Mountains, Wildflower Farms lives up to it’s name: You’ll wander through a field of blooms to get to your room (there at 65 cabins, cottages, and suites on the property), and in the mornings, you’ll mosey over to the chicken coop to feed the birds and gather eggs for your morning breakfast. The rest of your day can be spent soaking in one of two outdoor hot tubs, or cozying up with a book around the communal firepit near the lobby. When you’re ready to nosh, it’ll be at Clay, the on-property restaurant. But if you don’t want to leave your steel-and-wood–beamed cabin (designed by Electric Bowery), we won’t judge you: The limewash walls, olive green velvet sofas, and deep-soaking tubs will make you feel like you traveled much father than just 90 minutes from New York City.

Where to Shop 

• Newt Boutique. Quaint and colorful, the newest addition to Kingston’s shopping scene is filled with everything from artsy office supplies and quirky stationery to striped ceramics and printed pillow covers. You won’t leave empty-handed. 
• Long Weekend. This interior design studio and home goods store in Livingston Manor sells the kind of vintage chairs and Turkish rugs that are worth renting an SUV for—trust us.

Where to Eat

• Catskill Provisions. Founded in 2010 from a passion for beekeeping, this woman-owned gastro-distillery offers craft cocktails, elevated bar bites (don’t skip the beer-battered cauliflower “wings”), local gifts, and, of course, bottles of bee-friendly booze to go.
• Millstream Tavern. This seasonally driven Woodstock gem recently reopened with executive chef Dan Silverman (an alum of Starr Restaurants) at the helm. In the colder months, duck inside to enjoy elevated comfort dishes like butternut squash risotto, but in warmer seasons, grab a seat on the riverside wood patios that were made for brunching. 
• Moonburger. For a quick grab-and-go lunch, this hip vegan burger spot in New Paltz hits the spot.

The post Breezy Summer Vibes (Firepits! Modern Cabins!) Await You at the Best Hotels in the Catskills appeared first on domino.

Eliza Gran’s earliest memories of her family’s Ghent, New York, property stretch back to before her father, architect Warren Gran, even designed and built their perfectly simple cabin in 1979. Every summer for the first decade of her life, Eliza remembers squishing together with her parents, sister, and gigantic Irish setter into a tent on the plot of land where their home was destined to stand. It was a good introduction to tight quarters. 

What is now a four-bedroom house started as just a 400-square-foot, four-rooms-in-total structure, with interiors clad entirely in cheap pine and two sliding glass doors that were always open.

With just two bedrooms on the second floor and an open plan on the first, the home possessed characteristics that Warren embraced over the course of his career. He went from drawing up plans for large houses in the Hamptons and Connecticut to being the go-to guy for New York City’s public schools in the 1970s and ’80s. He also devised housing for the homeless and single-room occupancy dwellings, and worked on historic preservation projects throughout the city. “He didn’t want to design mansions…he wanted to design for people in New York,” Eliza says. “He wanted everyone to be able to live, whether they were rich or poor.” 

The impact of these experiences is evident in the Ghent cabin. Warren was committed to nothing excessive, nothing wasteful—plus he was broke throughout the building process, so he hired just one local guy to help him construct it. “Here we are 50 years later, and it’s all completely held up,” Eliza marvels.

It was also a place of respite from the family’s chaotic, circa-1800s brownstone. “It was incredible, but it was decrepit and falling apart,” recalls Eliza. The cabin’s location is isolated at the end of a winding road in the middle of the woods, a good thing in her view. “Nobody knows it’s there,” she says wistfully. “And there was nothing to do. There still isn’t. It’s like enforced boredom.” When she was a kid, the house was so small, they couldn’t have guests. Instead, all they had, and needed, were the essentials: hamburgers for dinner, long swims in the pond, and lots of reading.

The same solitude exists today, but over time, the house expanded as Eliza’s family did. Warren began tacking on bedroom after bedroom to accommodate Eliza, her husband, and their three children, as well as a hallway and closets. It still only has one bathroom, and the kitchen got smaller, but nobody minds. While the additions were made more than 20 years after the cabin was initially built, it looks like it was always intended to be this way. That was thanks to Warren’s established style of residential architecture, which was similarly angular and clad in clapboard.

After spending more than a decade in Los Angeles with her family, her parents’ passing called Eliza home to New York for good; she now resides primarily in nearby Hudson. But she had her work cut out for her when she returned. Medical issues prevented her mom and dad (and really, anyone else) from visiting the house for a few years, and mice and vines took over in their absence. 

Fast-forward a few summers (and many, many garbage bags later) and Eliza, a designer and stylist, had a blank canvas to work with. Her goal with the furnishings was to keep things as her parents would have: functional, simple, and everything with a purpose. That translated to incorporating touches of Scandinavian design (peep the Marimekko outdoor chair and lots of IKEA) and secondhand items like the living room coffee table and various lamps and textiles. Color and texture come in doses by way of vintage dishes and cookware from Second Show in Hudson, patterned bedding from Kerry Cassill, throw pillows from Minna, and the great outdoors. The living room’s original wood-burning fireplace is still in place, as are a set of oversize lightbulbs that have never been changed. “Nobody can explain this,” says Eliza with a laugh. An example of one can be seen over the bunk beds. “I don’t know why they’ve lasted for 50 years,” she adds.

Eliza feels a certain responsibility for seeing the structure through to the next generation, in part because it connects her to her parents and their love for the home (and each other). “They really created something beautiful,” she says of the escape. Thankfully, her kids feel the same way as she does. 

The post This Designer’s Hudson Valley Cabin Tripled in Square Footage Over 3 Generations appeared first on domino.

“I don’t know if you know this, but apartments in New York are tiny,” jokes Ryan Dziadul, vice president of PR and business development at Jonathan Adler. So when he and his husband (and their new dog, GoGo) moved into a new roomier apartment in Manhattan’s Midtown East neighborhood, they were thrilled to see it came with a terrace, which they planned to use as another room.

The only problem? The outdoor space is only about 4 feet wide, and even though they wanted it to be where they’d sip their morning coffee, eat dinner, and unwind at the end of the day, a traditional round outdoor umbrella just wouldn’t fit. Enter the half-round outdoor umbrella, which Dziadul’s husband found on Amazon and for only $60. “I did not know there was such a thing,” he admits. “But we’ve had it for two weeks and it’s already a game changer.”

Now the pair can dine alfresco even when it’s drizzling, and when the sun hits the terrace during the day, they can lounge in the shade. With the twist of a knob, Dziadul can easily put the umbrella up or down (though he says on his particular one, the directions are backward), and it’s sturdy enough to withstand New York’s windy winter and prespring showers. 

You don’t need a tiny terrace to use one in your own space. The half-round shape is ideal next to fences and walls or in cramped outdoor spaces. Dziadul’s favorite feature? The sunny orange color, though it’s available in five other shades, too. “I like to think it’s a treat for the neighbors across the street,” he says. “It’s not only a gift for us, but a gift for them.”

Tangkula 9-Foot Half-Round Outdoor Patio Umbrella

Tangkula 9 ft Half Round Outdoor Patio Umbrella in Orange, Amazon ($60)

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The post This $60 Half (!) Umbrella Makes Finding Shade in Your Itsy-Bitsy Outdoor Space So Easy appeared first on domino.