Designer Feature: Lisa Hilderbrand’s Charleston Project
When I saw this stunning kitchen in Traditional Home last month I had to know more. Designed by Lisa Hilderbrand of Welhil Interiors (and sister-in- law of famed Nantucket writer Elin Hilderbrand), this was a second project for the designer and client Sarah Hamlin after they moved from Connecticut to Charleston (which I’m considering right now with this winter weather.) It’s such a compliment when I client hires you for a second home, and I loved to learn that the family brought many of the items Lisa purchased for their previous home with them! This space is a great study in combining various styles, time periods and textures.
But first, let’s all have a moment of silence for this Lindsay Adelman chandelier in the kitchen.
And that window, that deserves some respectful silence as well…
Texture, color and a mix of styles makes this area really successful.
I love the elements in the hallways space
The dining room employs a bevy od silk drapes and a fantastic light fixture.
“We had been looking for antique garden statuary to act as supports for a glass-top table, but nothing was just right (too expensive, too far away, too scary). The client found these at local antique place in Charleston, and we loaded them into the back of her husband’s pick up truck. They worked perfectly, and even better, we didn’t have permanent back injuries!”
A large abstract work by Elyssa Rundle above a traditional antique table.
This gilt mirror was from their old home, and I love the wallpaper and painted trim.
Three pieces in this study were rough condition vintage finds in antique shop basements and on eBay!
” We found this Milo Baughmann coffee table frame in the dark basement of a mid century / antiques store in the Hamptons. Cracked, bleached, veneer peeling — I had it repaired, stained it dark, had a leather top made. The mid century lounge chair and footstool were also in rough shape — filthy, damaged and wobbly, but with great lines. It is very comfortable, but isn’t bulky, so it was perfect. After some TLC and reupholstery in gorgeous Jasper leather (also from Rosselli), it was transformed. The real jackpot, which I found on ebay — is a Paul Frankl D-chair (this is the original sidewalk photo posted with the online listing).”
Here are the original photos!
The master bedroom features gorgeous lamps previously used in a guest bedroom in their former home. I am loving the gallery wall and the light fixture!
“The client has a great eye for art and has been collecting for many years. From flea markets to art galleries in NYC, she has amassed a wonderful and ever changing collection. It’s always fun to see what she’s found and where things can be moved around. The neutral palette and great natural light of this house is really the perfect backdrop.”
A gorgeous light filled master bathroom.
A guest room and guest bath anyone would be happy to wake up in.
Some details.
The front of this house is simply to die for.
The incredible landscaping and yard of the house.
I’m DYING over the poolhouse.
Such a wonderful shot! The door color, urns and of course, puppy, make for such a warm and welcoming image.
I wanted to do a little Q&A with Lisa and she shared some really awesome suggestions and tips!
Favorite paint color/s? So many! Farrow & Ball Hague Blue is a perennial favorite. I am using it high-gloss on a dining room ceiling right now, just painted doors this color, have used it in a billiards room eight years ago, a walnut library. It can go navy or sapphire or teal, depending on light and sheen. It is beautiful with glossy black, rich antiques, giltwood, polished nickel… My sister will kill me for saying this, but I love Benjamin Moore’s Revere Pewter. I know, it’s not a secret, everyone loves a nice pale, warm grey, especially these days. I first used it throughout my house 10 years ago, and it’s still wonderful. Soft white trim, black doors, dark wood floors, so pretty. Grey has been all the rage, but classics are classics.
Ebay can be like looking for a needle in a haystack, or a needle in a barrel of needles… I sometimes start with a broad term, then see what comes up, and weed out from there. I’m working on a vacation home in Palm Beach, so I need some bamboo lamps for a bedroom. The lamps I want won’t necessarily be made of bamboo, but searching “bamboo-form” is probably too specific. Searching “bamboo lamps” gives me over 1000 results. To narrow this down, I look at what is cluttering up my search: floor lamps, so I include “-floor” in the next one; now I have fewer than 100 to search through. Better to subtract a term than to add one (like adding “table” might be too specific.) Also look at the category you want and those you don’t want. I was looking for mercury glass things, and hundreds of rear view mirrors for Mercury vehicles cluttered my search. By specifying my category, I narrowed my search. Antique carpets are tricky, especially on ebay. Almost every low-mid level dealer will include every possible search term in his description, so that no matter what you are looking his rugs will pop up. If I am looking for an antique Kazak rug, I will start with that search, but it gives me over 3000 results, 2500 of which I definitely don’t want. I have to subtract the kinds of rugs I don’t want: “-new, -persian, -heriz, -serapi,” which takes me down to under 500, which is manageable when I’m searching for the right little rug. No self-respecting rug dealer would call a Kazak a Heriz. When looking for antique rugs on ebay, caveat emptor. I’ve found great things, but some not-so-great. Unless I am very confident, I will only deal with a dealer who has a return policy. When searching for something like a Chinese art deco carpet, I start with “chinese rug,” (“rug” casts a wider net than “carpet), then modify by adding “-round, -oval, -runner,” which eliminates thousands. Scroll through and see if there are any pieces which seem to clutter it up (like dollhouse rugs!) or Aubusson rugs (which might be Chinese in ebay, but not what you want if you are looking for a Chinese deco rug)… Beware adding specific terms like “deco” to your search, because many sellers don’t know what this is and might not include it in their description. Scroll through a page of results with and without descriptives and make sure you haven’t eliminated what you are looking for. It’s still hit and miss. Sounds obvious, but always read description and dimensions carefully. Always have things insured. For big furniture items, always consider shipping method, and try an advanced search to see if something can be found within 100-200 miles before you fall in love with something on the opposite coast.
Favorite fabric/s? My #1 personal favorite is Michael Smith’s Templeton River Velvet. I had a custom sofa made for my library in “fern,” which is the most gorgeous rich emerald green. The cushion is full down, extra deep, and the library is in a far corner of the house, so I can sneak in there and hide… It was a splurge. Carolina Irving and Peter Dunham are also fantastic lines. I buy hundreds of yards of Kravet and Duralee velvets and linens too. No need to break the bank when you need lots of plain yardage. I like to save $$ and spend where it really counts. Favorite light fixture?
I just installed the most gorgeous light in a client’s kitchen in Texas. It’s called Le Pentagone from Jonathan Browning, and yes, it is as sexy as it sounds.
Which child do I like better? My own of course. I could take more risks, buy odd items and find homes for them later, experiment, buy something extravagant and know I’d have to make up for it later with tricks and good luck. I took a crowbar to a ceiling to expose original beams, stained my kitchen floors myself, learned by trial, error and doing. I love a good before/after, and I feel like I rescued a great but sad old house and made it happy again! Architecture: Bobby McAlpine & David Baker — McAlpine Tankersley Architecture Landscape Architecture: Mike Kaiser — Kaiser Trabue http://www.kaisertrabue.com Photo credits for the TH article: John Bessler Other photo credits: John Bessler, John Gruen & Lisa Hilderbrand
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