House Tours
Layers of alluring velvet and multiple swoon-worthy, loungey spaces make this home a lavish den for entertaining
Photography, Alex Lukey
House Tours
Layers of alluring velvet and multiple swoon-worthy, loungey spaces make this home a lavish den for entertaining
Sexy! That’s how this home is regularly described by guests as they stroll through,” says designer Alison Knapp. “They’re enveloped in a dreamlike lounge-style aesthetic.” And the mood is made decidedly more mysterious due to the home’s hidden doorways, intriguing asymmetry and large-scale ceiling adornments. “Everything here is bigger than life, and credit for that goes to the fearlessness of the homeowners,” says Alison. “They knew what they liked, so we took their vision and ran with it.” A baby grand piano sits in the sumptuous cocktail parlour so friends can riff over drinks, and in the great room, feather-soft seating and a soothing smoke-and-sand palette invite guests to linger. Throughout the home, bold moves with wood are contrasted with brave moves with glass. “Because when you go big with a mix of materials,” says Alison, “you get a look that isn’t just rich, but one that commands attention.”
The foyer is the home’s statement space. Supersized chevron-laid tile leads the way in mottled grey and black. “Everything else was left intentionally spare, with only this slim textured bench and overscale wall art,” says designer Alison Knapp.
Photography, Alex Lukey
DESIGN, Alison Knapp Interior Design. Architect, Jenny Bognar, JB Drafting and Design. FLOOR TILE, Concept Flooring. Pietro BENCH, Sunpan; FABRIC, Kravet.
“The clients wanted a sexy parlour. We fashioned it after a piano bar. You walk in and expect someone to show up with martinis,” says Alison. The velvet tub chairs are moody partners for the smoked glass coffee table. 
Photography, Alex Lukey
Barbara CLUB CHAIRS, Gresham House. Chair and cushion FABRIC, Kravet. Cagney RUG, Elte Mkt. London COFFEE TABLE, Sunpan. Flos’s Captain Flint FLOOR LAMP, Robinson Lighting & Bath. WALL ART, Yellow Korner. ART FRAMING, Celadon Art. Sarinda WALL COVERING, Crown Surface Solutions.
“We needed a coffee table with the monolithic largesse of sculpture because this is a huge room with 20-foot ceilings,” says Alison. Hence, this five-foot-square table, which features two interlocked sections – one rift-cut oak and one lacquered.
Photography, Alex Lukey
COFFEE TABLE, WINE RACK, Alison Knapp Interior Design.
“The walnut plank ceilings add intimacy, warmth and a dynamic that you’d never get with flat, white ceilings.”
“The great room’s fireplace has an asymmetrical built-in cabinet that hides a pullout turntable for parties,” says Alison. When afternoon gives way to twilight, the graphic chandelier, which hovers beneath the suspended walnut plank ceiling, warms the room for guests relaxing on the dusty-black chenille sofas. The two floating-frame-style armchairs look great from any angle, including the kitchen, behind them.
Photography, Alex Lukey
Sonneman Lighting CHANDELIER, Robinson Lighting & Bath. ARMCHAIRS, Elte. CHAIR FABRIC, Robert Allen. SOFAS, Whittington & Co. SOFA FABRIC, Kravet. Imola Ceramica FIREPLACE SURROUND, Concept Flooring.
“A hidden door in the millwork leads to a well-stocked workroom. That’s where all the mess stays.”
Panel doors in this cabinetry hide storage and disguise a range hood. “This kitchen is visible from a number of angles, so we came up with undetectable ways to keep the area looking sleek and neat,” says Alison.
Photography, Alex Lukey
Mustang COUNTERTOPS, BACKSPLASH, Interstone. CABINETRY DESIGN, Alison Knapp Interior Design; FABRICATION, Jan Cabinets.
The kitchen gets big points for function; however, once these pendants are dimmed, the space assumes the opulence of a wine bar. “It’s not unusual to find friends perching atop these leather-and-brass stools as the wine is poured,” says Alison.
Photography, Alex Lukey
Shayan PENDANTS, Nuevo. Rake STOOLS, CB2. Arteriors VASE, Cocoon Furnishings.
Oak panels on the wall lend a hotel vibe to the primary bedroom. Alison contrasted the rumpled linen bedding with preppy leather stools. The room has an air of mystique thanks to a hidden section in the wall, which opens to reveal pullout shoe storage.
Photography, Alex Lukey
Line 2 FEATURE WALL in Venge Brown, The Door Boutique. Hemp DUVET, SHAMS, Crate and Barrel.
Dangling pendants in masculine black and brass beckon to bedtime readers. “Using pendants, not lamps, cuts down on bedside clutter,” says Alison. The walk-through closet is architecturally imposing. “The closets were intentionally designed to be admired, not hidden away,” says Alison.
Photography, Alex Lukey
“We capitalized on these high-gloss custom closets to create a glamorous runway to the primary bath.”
Photography, Alex Lukey
Custom CLOSET DESIGN, Alison Knapp Interior Design; FABRICATION, Jan Cabinets. Hudson Valleys' Melrose PENDANTS, Robinson Lighting & Bath.
“This powder room was created with one thing in mind – a wow factor.”
The dramatic powder room invites guests to lean into its moonlike backlit mirror to primp and preen; wallpaper that mimics textured stone creates a beautiful backdrop. The pendant is a teardrop trio that drips beams of light on the vanity.
Photography, Alex Lukey
Custom backlit MIRROR and VANITY, Alison Knapp Interior Design; FABRICATION, Jan Cabinets. Pat WALLPAPER, Phillip Jeffries. Modern Forms’ Cascade PENDANT, Robinson Lighting & Bath.
Sightlines from the primary bedroom ensure glimpses of the ensuite’s regal cut-crystal chandelier. When a bath is drawn, its sparkle reflects and shimmers in the water. Lavish twin vanities are topped with circular mirrors to catch and release the room’s abundant natural light.
Photography, Alex Lukey
Photography, Alex Lukey
Fleurco’s Solis MIRROR, Watermarks Kitchen and Bath Boutique. Magino STOOL/MAGAZINE RACK, Ginger’s. Custom VANITY, Alison Knapp Interior Design; FABRICATION, Jan Cabinets.
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