My all-time favorite, comfy-cozy looking space has to be this room, which is in the London home of the great designer, John Stefanidis. I featured it on my blog many years ago, but I felt it was worth revisiting, especially since I recently bought the book, Living in Style London, because it featured Stefanidis' small library.
So why is this my ultimate cozy room? First, it has to be those red silk moiré-covered walls. Red can be vibrant and energizing, and yet, it seems soothing here. That moiré fabric is repeated on both the sofa and the table skirt, which further bathes the room in red so that this nook of a room feels safe and warm, as if nothing bad can happen here. (What I can't tell is if the sofa and table skirt are made of silk, like the walls, or rather cotton.)
Can we talk about those needlepoint pillows? They add warmth and texture, thanks to their wool thread, while their geometric and floral designs (which, by the way, are not too sweet-looking) add some pattern that keeps the room from feeling too peaceful and tranquil. To me, a room that is too restrained seems, well, unnerving and the antithesis of comfortable.
Then, there is ample but soft light. Again, if it were too dark, the space would seem a little scary. The lamps, much like the use of red, bathes the space in warmth. And Stefanidis' assemblage of art adds a layer of personality to the room. We might not understand why he chose to congregate these pieces together, but he does, and that's all that is important.
And then, you have those books. Lots and lots of them. If you remember reading Mr. Stefanidis' list of favorite books that appeared on this blog a few years ago, you know that the designer is very well-read, a trait that is probably attributed to these books. Or maybe it's the other way around. Perhaps the books' presence here can be attributed to the designer's love of books. Well, whatever, it's a wonderful room, and one which ranks up there as a personal, and perennial, favorite.
Photos #1 and #2 from Living in Style London; #3 from Mr. Stefanidis' website.
Love his hanging of art on the doors, I did it myself out of necessity, having too much to hang and not enough wall on which to hang it. A bit of Velcro does wonders to keep the pictures in place while the doors are in use and people love the effect. It is especially good for flat hollow-core doors that have no soul of their own...
ReplyDeleteI love this room. Timeless and rich and red! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteMary
He uses lavender with red + Love that. JS is just wonderful. xxpeggybraswelldesign.com
ReplyDeleteI used to work for JS, I have visited this room, it is small and perfectly formed. His whole house is incredible!
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you that rooms that are too restrained are uncomfortable and unnerving. Good to know I'm not alone on that front. And this room just shows what's missing from so many hoses these days, warmth and color. It also nice to see a library with books that look like they have actually been read.
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