To Shine or Not to Shine…

To shine or not to shine–that is the question! Let’s talk high gloss today:

I frequently preach the gospel of making a design statement in this blog. After all, one must take a bit of a design chance in order to achieve nirvana. Design greatness often means pushing the boundaries of good taste and this sometimes means breaking the “rules”. One of these rules has always been that walls should be painted a dignified satin or eggshell finish.

Many top designers such as Miles Redd and Steven Gambrel have discarded those rules and have glossed up everything from walls and ceilings to cabinets and floors. Of course, there is a method to their madness. One must choose carefully the right room and color before going crazy with shine.  For my money, libraries, dining rooms and powder rooms are perfect foils for high shine glamour. Jewel tone colors such as sapphire, garnet and malachite or the stark contrast of black and white look spectacular when done in a high gloss finish.

Whatever your high gloss fantasy is make sure you use a painter experienced with this type of application. High gloss finishes show every imperfection, so excellent preparation is key.

Here are some of the ways we are inspired by bold high gloss interiors and we’ve gone ahead and picked out Benjamin Moore paint swatches to match. Go ahead and let it shine!

The Pink Pagoda // Christina Murphy

Green and Pink High Gloss Walls green pink BMMiles ReddMiles Redd High Gloss impact wallsMiles-Redd-colorsBeautiful orange lacquered wallsOrange Lacquered Wallsorange

 
 

Mod In Palm Beach

Palm Beach has attitude.

Slim Aarons, the famous lifestyles of the rich and famous photographer, famously explained his career as photographing “attractive people doing attractive things in attractive places”, and Palm Beach was one of his favorite haunts. Lizzie and Jonathan Tisch, New York A-Listers, certainly qualify to be in a Slim Aarons photograph. Jon, who is Chairman of Loew’s Hotels and Lizzie, fashion maven extraordinaire (think Vanity Fair’s Best-Dressed Hall of Fame), have created a stunning Palm Beach pied-a-terre that exudes Palm Beach chic mixed with Miami sizzle with a touch of Hollywood thrown in.

main-pic-1Their penthouse is featured in this month’s issue of Elle Decor. Designers Timothy Haynes and Kevin Roberts have conjured up all this fabulousness.

pic-2-The hot pink tiger velvet sofa is drop dead glamorous. Over-the-top you say? Absolutely.

pic-3-Lapis blue on the chairs and the vibrant pink and red painting by Christian Marclay provide high-watt energy in the dinning room.

 
 

Form and Function

Anyone who knows me knows I hate practicality. The word practical has always implied, for me, something that is “good” for you (think spinach and sensible shoes). But I confess there are certain areas of the home where practicality is necessary, the breakfast room being one of them. I’m pondering this because my breakfast room is ready for a makeover and, of course, my design compass is set for glamorous, but the reality is that it needs to stand up to the abuses of a 16 year old teenage boy and his friends.

With that in mind, On Madison has assembled a montage of breakfast rooms that will stand up to your daily grind while looking fabulous at the same time. See our inspiration images and shop the looks below!

Lacquered Trestle Table and Elliot Chairs Don’t let the chairs fool you. You can’t “kill” these brass framed Elliot chairs, especially when upholstered in a vinyl, leather, or indoor/outdoor fabric:

Elliot chairs with tableTrestle Table + Elliot ChairKelly Wearstler Elliott Chair / Christopher Pillets Neat Table

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Saarinen Table and Turquoise Ostrich Chairs A marble topped Saarinen table and durable ostrich embossed leather make for glamorous meals yet are both easy to clean:

Delphine Krakoff

saarinen-adlerJonathan Adler Louis Chair / Saarinen Table

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Concrete table top with modern chairs: Keep a sealer on this concrete topped table and it will be impervious to just about any abuse. Modern chairs in metal and vinyl stay chic yet are family friendly.

Chandelier-kitchenlucca-dining-tableDesign Homes Co. Scarlet Dining Chairs / Made Goods Noor Table

 
 

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