How excited was I to open up today's New York Times home section to see the work of the talented Tilton Fenwick gals featured on it's pages! The article showed Anne and Ryan Foster's newly renovated Brooklyn loft apartment. Filled with color, pattern, site-specific art, texture and the right amount of quirk, the project is a fantastic showcase of their ability to fuse the above so effectively. With a love for classic fabric patterns from Brunschwig and Pierre Frey, these best friends create spaces that bring those patterns forward in an unexpected modern way. Named after their college dorms, Tilton Fenwick's Anne and Suysel learned the design ropes from working with chic classicists Brockshmidt and Coleman, Ashley Whittaker and Markham Roberts. Kudos, TF ladies!
Photos by Trevor Tondo/NY Times courtesy of Tilton Fenwick
Ryan and Anne Foster with Suysel Cunningham shot in Anne and Ryan's Dumbo living room. Anne is due in April. I am sure she is thrilled the nursery is complete. That's one less thing to worry about, since the phone will be ringing off the hook with new client calls.
They moved a coat closet to create a more gracious entry area. Fuschia with a hit of yellow? I love it. The mod mirror lacquer wall by Agustin Hurtado, Mirror: “Abate Slate” from Anthropologie, Lamp: Christopher Spitzmiller, Console: “Edward” by Thomas O’Brien for Hickory Chair, stools from Etsy reupholstered in Kelly Wearstler for Lee Jofa “Bengal Bazaar – Magenta.”
The living room color palette is sophisticated while unusual. Showstopper “Blanket” feather painting from artist Cindy Kane: New York inquiries via Cynthia Reeves Gallery, Sofa: Kravet’s “Medley” reupholstered with contrast seat cushion and modified base (we removed legs to make it more Brooklyn loft-friendly).
Chair: Vintage 1970s Century from eBay with reupholstered seat in Oscar de la Renta for Lee Jofa fabric, “Kublai Khan – Sable-Amber“, Vintage footstool: Showplace Antiques on 25th Street, Rug: Barclay Butera for Merida Meridian “Dune – Black”.
Barn doors create a division of space adding a traditional twist. Boom! Fuschia fabric captivates and dominates the room. The space, a converted master bedroom was turned into a larger living area, with exposed track barn doors and a Murphy bed for insta-guest room capabilities! Griffin chairs from Lawson-Fenning in custom Sequana “Donegal Tweed - Fuschia” fabric, rugs: Barclay Butera for Merida Meridian “Dune – Black” (a go-to! we also used a similar rug in the Hamptons Showhouse), S shaped tables: Mr. Brown, Mushroom shaped pouf: Scout Design’s online boutique Mercantile, throw: Missoni Home. The 6′x4′ photograph is “Wildwood 2009″ by photographer (a fellow Dumbo resident and friend of Suysel’s!) Reynaldo Banogon.
Black and white upholstered chairs inject a graphic sense of fun in the kitchen dining area. The table is a vintage outdoor zinc-top table found on One Kings Lane, the pendant light is the Goodman Pendant by Thomas O’Brien for Visual Comfort with a hot pink cord cover (for $24!) from DesignerCords.com
Personal meaning should come across in the art selection, and this is a good example of that. Art and objects on the wall collected over time. The large black and white photograph was a gift from Anne's husband Ryan’s best friend, Jeff Martin. The photo depicts a football game between rival high school teams Northfield and Deerfield in 1965, where a fire of the building behind the field wasn’t enough to even pause play! Photo was taken by Robert S. Van Fleet, courtesy of Northfield Mount Herman School archives.
The sunny yellow headboard makes the bedroom happiness central. The coordinating Porthault linens with a hit of that same yellow are great with the headboard. Wallpaper: Farrow and Ball “Lotus,” Bedside Table: Ming Faux Finish Lacquer Table in Faux Shagreen, from Lamshop (furniture by decorator Lindsey Coral Harper), Lamp: Zebra by Beeline Home (furniture by decorator Bunny Williams), Bedding: “Mimosa” from D.Porthault and Les Indiennes, Art above bed: “Sea Blossoms” by artist Autumn Rose, via UGallery.com.
Anne and Ryan are expecting their first child any day now. They created a colorful haven of a nursery with ethnic touches and pops of color that don't read cutesy time but stylish. Crib: Oeuf “Sparrow” in white, bumper and pillow in fabric by Martyn Lawrence Bullard, “Sultans Garden – Indigo Saffron”, Second pillow fabric: Brunschwig and Fils “Chan Paisley – Saffron” art: Screen print by James Rosenquist from 1stDibs@NYDC, Rug: Merida Meridian Tufted Wool “Interlace” in orange and white, mobile in custom fabric: Handmade by Lulu, via (Dumbo-based) Etsy.com.
Florentine dragged papers don the bathroom walls merging classic and modern. Mirror: Gordon Mirror from Arteriors, vanity: Hutton Washstand from Restoration Hardware, faucet: Henry (one of their go-to's) from Waterworks, flooring: Bolon from Studio Four NYC, wallpaper: Twigs “Pheasant”
The addition of bright cobalt Nemo tiles in the shower carries the color story from the walls to the stall shower.
