Hi, Gabrielle from Savvy Home here again!  Personally, I have always found dining rooms to be tricky. First, because the way furniture is displayed in a dining room often feels a bit weird: everything grouped around in the center, all the pieces around the same height, often empty walls. Second, well who  has enough space and entertains often enough to justify a dining room?

This is why I love the idea of a library dining room: elegant enough to host lively dinner parties, but multifunctional enough to be used for other purposes: children’s homework, meetings at home or even an occasional home office if you have a lap top you can easily put away. I feel as though Nate Berkus really achieved this dual-purpose room beautifully in his Manhattan duplex, don’t you?

1. Bookcases are not only useful if you own a lot of books, they also add some height to the room.

2. Whoever says bookcases also says art lamps. They just add so much flair and sophistication.

3. Choose a bookcase that has doors on the lower part and drawers to store away cutlery and fine china.

4. A table with drawers is also extremely efficient: each guest’s place setting in its place, ready to be pulled out.

5.Display books, fresh flowers and other artifacts when the table is not used for entertaining but make sure they all have a place to be put away quickly.

6. The chairs don’t need to be neatly stowed underneath the table. Display them around the room as needed.

7. Art, especially when oversized or stacked one above the other is great to balance the room’s high bookcases.

8. Doors can be useful to block out noise coming from the rest of the house when you need to concentrate on work.

9. Try a textured wallpaper, such as grasscloth, to further soundproof the room and make it feel more intimate.

10. With all the books and the grasscloth, you don’t even need a rug. The room is busy enough as it is!

Have you tried this double-purpose room at home? Do you like it?

See you next week!

Gabrielle | Savvy Home

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Hi, it’s Gabrielle from Savvy Home here again! Do you remember Bailey’s stunning living room? The entire house is just as gorgeous as that living room, and so I thought I’d share one last room, my favorite room. It’s one of those bathrooms that bring you back in time, while still containing all the modern commodities that we’ve come to love.

Whether you’re planning a complete renovation or just a small styling job, Bailey’s bathroom is sure to provide more than enough inspiration for a dramatic, masculine and lavish space.

1. Marble, it’s the ultimate material for kitchens and bathrooms these days. A darker carrara marble like the one above is traditionally less expensive than it’s pure white counterpart.

2. Lacquered navy paneling does wonders for the otherwise standard bath.

3. Classic white towels are always the chicest option. Have them monogrammed for a pop of color.

4. Mirror paneling is not only chic and lavish, it also opens up the space.

5. Shelving above the bath provides much needed storage.

6. If you have nice toiletries to display, consider an open medicine cabinet. It’s daring, but it can look fantastic.

7. Hexagonal floor tiles are a classic. Opt for ceramic as a less expensive option, or marble for full effect.

8. Antique brass fixtures give the space a sense of history and charm and warm up the cool color palette.

9. Candles for the bath are always a great idea.

10. Why not display family pictures in the bathroom for a personal touch?

What do you think? Would you dare high gloss navy paneling in your bathroom?

Gabrielle | Savvy Home

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Hi, it’s Gabrielle from Savvy Home here again! This week I want to dissect the room above, which I love because it shows that you can live stylishly in a super-snug space and it provides inspiration and ideas for doing so.

This room is actually a tiny studio on NYC’s Upper East Side and is the home of Matthew Kowles, who’s also the general manager of Charlotte Moss Interior Design. He calls it his “own little suite at the Ritz”. He room was featured in the December 2012 issue of Lonny Magazine.

I divided this feature into two parts so we really see the room from both angles.

1. A famous decorator once said: if you’re going to have white walls, you’ll need a lot of art! The same can be said for small spaces.

2. The TV is camouflaged in the gallery wall and propped on a commode which provides much needed storage.

3. A few green plants makes the room feel more organic and reduces the feeling of being in a white box.

4. The colors are kept neutral: creams, natural woods, with black and animal print accents.

5. An antique chair doubles as a bedside table.

6. This clever book storage doubles as an art installation.

7. When space is limited, wall-mounted lighting is essential!

8. Neutral curtains with embellished trim hides away all the clutter and adds texture to the room.

9. Oversized art adds drama, scale and flair. Suddenly a white box room feels like a gallery.

10. An old wooden desk is modernized by layering it with a glass table.

What do you think of this room? What clever small space solutions have you used in your space?

Gabrielle | Savvy Home

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Painter Enrique Garcia Lozano puts his money where his mouth is… by living in a gallery style loft, surrounded by his exposed work.

In the vast space of exposed columns, high ceilings and polished concrete floors, the artful display of paintings brings colour and texture to the space; while a mix of Mid Century pieces and vintage finds furnish the loft in a dishevelled yet cohesive whole.

The mezzanine kitchen is where it’s at for me though! The checker board marble floor tiles and table, its mismatched chairs, and stainless steel cabinets give the space a restaurant quality while feeling very cozy niched up high above the living area.

How about this tufted headboard in bright peacock blue velvet? With the colourful swirl pillow and the ox blood red throw, it comes alive and makes a statement in the otherwise stark white bedroom.

Photographers: P. Zuloaga & I. Sentmenat for Elle