COMMUNITY
Interior Spaces
Julie Robinson's Favorite Room
By Moira C. Silva
It was just a square,” designer Julie Robinson of Julie Robinson Interiors recalls about her favorite room. “But today I could move in and not change a thing. . . it’s stunning.”
The guest room nestled in a woodsy corner of the modern architect-designed home overlooking the south shore was already familiar to Julie. She had practically earned a night’s stay. During the past 20 years, multiple owners of the house have hired her to facilitate projects ranging from raising the sunken living room to renovating the kitchen.
A few years ago, when the current owner decided it was time to redecorate a guest room, he looked to Julie for inspiration. She recalls they were able to get right to work. “Usually, when I first start with a client . . . there a thousand directions you can go.
Working with a repeat client means I know the rest of rooms, style of house, what a clients likes and their lifestyle.”
She immediately envisioned balancing antiques against a palette of neutrals to create a sophisticated look that felt warm and inviting. The owner was already nodding his head when she presented him with modern fabric swatches, featuring animal prints.
Since he valued functionality, Julie made suggestions like having a comfortable chair where a guest could read and bed linens that could be machine-washed. She also encouraged the use of natural elements like wool, stone tiles and cotton linens to keep the toxicity level to a bare minimum. The owner expressed that he also wanted to be environmentally friendly by re-purposing some furniture he had inherited from the home’s previous owner.
They imagined that maintaining these interests would create an eclectic feel, which, Julie explains, “is far more interesting than a cookie-cutter room from a catalogue.”
Smoothing out the Wrinkles
The challenge to “to take the vision out of your mind and show it to a client using fabrics and sketches,” is one that Julie always enjoys. Once plans were developed to create a room featuring clean lines mixed with unique “found” pieces and modern accents, Julie began researching window treatments and carpet selections. From there, the project hummed along, with tiny bumps in the road that only the legendary princess from The Princess and the Pea could feel.
Despite this summer home’s clean and cool feel, painted in a peaceful gray, the guest room called for warmth. After conducting several colors studies, Julie and her client agreed on a light cream color by Ralph Lauren Paint called “barn owl white,” which was applied by expert painter Terry Crimmen. Julie blended the movement from gray to cream by selecting a sand-colored wool carpet by Prestige in Hastings in a herringbone style.
After reviewing the owner’s collection of furniture, she selected two modern barrel chairs because they were “structurally sound and had a nice shape.” Richard Dumas, master upholsterer at Julie Robinson Interiors re-covered them in a peaceful green, textured fabric.
Looking beyond the owner’s basement for the right pieces of furniture was a joyful challenge for Julie who explains, “It’s a search that becomes an obsession. . . . it’s a little harder than ordering through a catalogue but is much more rewarding. Then each room is truly special.”
The Makings of a Retreat
Sailing around the world with her small children in tow, not only expanded Julie’s perspective on decorating, but it also developed her ability to be resourceful. “I’ve seen how people utilize things on the islands. How they recycle. It all ends up in your brain in terms of how you look out at the world.”
Chinese figures and a 1940s pottery lamp caught her eye at a one of the massive antique fairs held in Brimfield, Massachusetts each year; she placed them atop an Italian walnut veneered bureau. Also at Brimfield, she also spotted a wooden standing lamp, rich with character, and two similar, but not matching, early American single draw side tables. The hunt continued as Julie sought linen shades for a pair of antique Chinese lamps, which she decided would serve as bedside reading lights. And, since all guests needs a place to rest their suitcases, she ordered an early American reproduction bench. “Without being matchy, these dark pieces work well together, contrasting the light-colored walls,” Julie explains.
Following Julie’s design, Richard Dumas crafted headboard with curves to accentuate the tiger print fabric covering it. The custom tiger-striped pillows and dust ruffle against a muted custom linen duvet unify the stylish, but welcoming look.
Natural wooden blinds hung above triple corner windows, give the space a sense of warmth while the cotton tapes pick up the peaceful green in the tiger print fabric and re-covered chairs. Julie notes, “Wooden blinds are a really good treatment for the Vineyard because you can wipe pollen . . . there’s some versatility in style and they look good. They last longer than Roman shades and don’t mildew.” Easy to open, they also invite guests to gaze at the surrounding natural views.
Together, these elements make for a fine respite from the sun, as guests can escape from a bright July day to relax in a cozy, darker room.
Sweet Dreams
“The designer does the backdrop, the furniture, the window treatments, but you hope the owners will then bring in their own personal objects that they like. . . like their own art.” The owner’s choice to feature Island art – a beach scene, done by Allen Whiting and another early evening scene painted by Kib Bramhall – evokes an easy Vineyard vibe.
Within a winter’s time, the guest room which had once featured modern florals and a plain Formica headboard, now felt exotic and restful. The transformed room is well suited to the refined, yet tranquil single story house which wraps around an inside garden, complete with an art nouveau fountain.
Julie is sure the owner is also happy with her personal favorite room as she notes, “when you go into a room you did several years ago, and nothing has changed, that means they like it.”
The guest room nestled in a woodsy corner of the modern architect-designed home overlooking the south shore was already familiar to Julie. She had practically earned a night’s stay. During the past 20 years, multiple owners of the house have hired her to facilitate projects ranging from raising the sunken living room to renovating the kitchen.
A few years ago, when the current owner decided it was time to redecorate a guest room, he looked to Julie for inspiration. She recalls they were able to get right to work. “Usually, when I first start with a client . . . there a thousand directions you can go.
Working with a repeat client means I know the rest of rooms, style of house, what a clients likes and their lifestyle.”
She immediately envisioned balancing antiques against a palette of neutrals to create a sophisticated look that felt warm and inviting. The owner was already nodding his head when she presented him with modern fabric swatches, featuring animal prints.
Since he valued functionality, Julie made suggestions like having a comfortable chair where a guest could read and bed linens that could be machine-washed. She also encouraged the use of natural elements like wool, stone tiles and cotton linens to keep the toxicity level to a bare minimum. The owner expressed that he also wanted to be environmentally friendly by re-purposing some furniture he had inherited from the home’s previous owner.
They imagined that maintaining these interests would create an eclectic feel, which, Julie explains, “is far more interesting than a cookie-cutter room from a catalogue.”
Smoothing out the Wrinkles
The challenge to “to take the vision out of your mind and show it to a client using fabrics and sketches,” is one that Julie always enjoys. Once plans were developed to create a room featuring clean lines mixed with unique “found” pieces and modern accents, Julie began researching window treatments and carpet selections. From there, the project hummed along, with tiny bumps in the road that only the legendary princess from The Princess and the Pea could feel.
Despite this summer home’s clean and cool feel, painted in a peaceful gray, the guest room called for warmth. After conducting several colors studies, Julie and her client agreed on a light cream color by Ralph Lauren Paint called “barn owl white,” which was applied by expert painter Terry Crimmen. Julie blended the movement from gray to cream by selecting a sand-colored wool carpet by Prestige in Hastings in a herringbone style.
After reviewing the owner’s collection of furniture, she selected two modern barrel chairs because they were “structurally sound and had a nice shape.” Richard Dumas, master upholsterer at Julie Robinson Interiors re-covered them in a peaceful green, textured fabric.
Looking beyond the owner’s basement for the right pieces of furniture was a joyful challenge for Julie who explains, “It’s a search that becomes an obsession. . . . it’s a little harder than ordering through a catalogue but is much more rewarding. Then each room is truly special.”
The Makings of a Retreat
Sailing around the world with her small children in tow, not only expanded Julie’s perspective on decorating, but it also developed her ability to be resourceful. “I’ve seen how people utilize things on the islands. How they recycle. It all ends up in your brain in terms of how you look out at the world.”
Chinese figures and a 1940s pottery lamp caught her eye at a one of the massive antique fairs held in Brimfield, Massachusetts each year; she placed them atop an Italian walnut veneered bureau. Also at Brimfield, she also spotted a wooden standing lamp, rich with character, and two similar, but not matching, early American single draw side tables. The hunt continued as Julie sought linen shades for a pair of antique Chinese lamps, which she decided would serve as bedside reading lights. And, since all guests needs a place to rest their suitcases, she ordered an early American reproduction bench. “Without being matchy, these dark pieces work well together, contrasting the light-colored walls,” Julie explains.
Following Julie’s design, Richard Dumas crafted headboard with curves to accentuate the tiger print fabric covering it. The custom tiger-striped pillows and dust ruffle against a muted custom linen duvet unify the stylish, but welcoming look.
Natural wooden blinds hung above triple corner windows, give the space a sense of warmth while the cotton tapes pick up the peaceful green in the tiger print fabric and re-covered chairs. Julie notes, “Wooden blinds are a really good treatment for the Vineyard because you can wipe pollen . . . there’s some versatility in style and they look good. They last longer than Roman shades and don’t mildew.” Easy to open, they also invite guests to gaze at the surrounding natural views.
Together, these elements make for a fine respite from the sun, as guests can escape from a bright July day to relax in a cozy, darker room.
Sweet Dreams
“The designer does the backdrop, the furniture, the window treatments, but you hope the owners will then bring in their own personal objects that they like. . . like their own art.” The owner’s choice to feature Island art – a beach scene, done by Allen Whiting and another early evening scene painted by Kib Bramhall – evokes an easy Vineyard vibe.
Within a winter’s time, the guest room which had once featured modern florals and a plain Formica headboard, now felt exotic and restful. The transformed room is well suited to the refined, yet tranquil single story house which wraps around an inside garden, complete with an art nouveau fountain.
Julie is sure the owner is also happy with her personal favorite room as she notes, “when you go into a room you did several years ago, and nothing has changed, that means they like it.”