Fells Point Condo Update: An Unexpected Juxtaposition of Styles

This Fells Point condo update was great fun! The challenge was how to blend antique, traditional, and mid-century styles in a cohesive manner while featuring the client's extensive pottery and fine art collections.

A treasured 165-piece collection of American Art Pottery was one of the driving aesthetic forces for the overall design. To house the pieces, and make the collection a focal point, we specified a custom built-in that draws the eye as you enter the home. It includes interior lighting that supplements natural sunlight, providing perfect articulation of the design and colors of the pottery by day. It also allows the pieces to glow and bask in the light at night, adding drama. Two window seats include textiles reflecting the color palette of the pottery.

The next design challenge was how to incorporate several of the client’s existing pieces, including a favorite chesterfield Hancock & Moore tufted leather sofa, a heavily carved Bavarian mirror, console heirloom pieces from his parents, a grandfather clock, and new iconic mid-century designs the client had been eyeing for years. In fact, at the outset of the design process, the client told me that the womb chairs and Noguchi cocktail table were a must.

In order to tie all these components together, we created a vignette opposite the sofa that blends the antique with mid-century, creating an unexpected juxtaposition of styles and a unique overall design.

Once these key elements were established, the other details of the design fell into place.

The dining room evolved into a minimal, clean-lined mid-century statement with a console and blue accent chair. The original black & white marble floor was retained and paired with area rugs to soften and ground the space with tones found in the textiles, pottery, and wall color.

A devoted patron of local artists, the client has a collection of “Maryland Themed” art by McClintock, Dick Brown, Nancy Fine, and Debbie Lynn Zwiebach. Art placement and composition on the wall are an important part of the overall room design. I especially enjoy this component of a job, when I can create a more unusual type of installation. In this case, we decided to place all of the "Baltimore Themed" art across from the bed.

My goal for each design project is to create a beautiful environment that feeds the client's soul and improves their quality of life. The finished spaces provide a place of refuge and joy- an oasis that works equally well in solitude or while entertaining. This Fells Point project does exactly that -- it surrounds the homeowner with nostalgic treasures that connects them with their past and incorporates new elements that revitalize the space, creating a sense of optimism for the future.