Coldwell Banker Homes & Estates Magazine - May 2017 | Page 13

For a duplex apartment with 360-degree views on
the top two floors of the Sherry Netherland Hotel,
Nunnerley complemented the loft-like floor plan and
wall-to-wall Central Park views with lustrous finishes,
including a silver-leaf screen and snakeskin ottoman.
textures and color. Color is sensual, subtle and bold.
It makes a room come alive and is an essential part
of my vocabulary as a designer. I can’t think of any
colors I dislike, but there are some I especially love
— paper-bag brown, bitter chocolate, cinnamon, pis- filled with pieces from the same period. I love mixing
traditional and modern, period pieces with contem-
porary design. It’s the interplay between modern and
traditional that creates dimension and depth in each
interior.
tachio, cypress and grape. Off-beiges and pearlized
grays I call “shadow colors” for the way they change
with the light of the day, making it so interesting to
enter a room throughout the day. As far as texture, I
do like to use luxurious fabrics like silk and cashmere
in combination with more humble materials like linen
and grasscloth. In a recent project, I covered the foyer
walls in sumptuous leather, the sitting room walls in fine
Irish linen (ideal for hanging pictures), the dining room
in sateen French gray wallpaper. I believe that having
many different textures and rich colors in a room adds
a constant sense of rediscovery. Let’s talk about the role of art in your
work. What’s your philosophy?
Art and design must both live in harmony to-
gether in any room. My background is in architecture
and fine arts, which give a true depth to my work,
bringing together the past and the present, with special
attention to the role of art. I have always been fasci-
nated by the cross-section of art and design. [Hav-
ing worked at the Marlborough Gallery when she first
moved to New York, Sandra has been a well-known
member of the city’s art cognoscenti ever since.]
Can you elaborate on your thoughts about
blending contemporary and traditional
design elements?
It’s so important to mix contemporary elements
into the most traditional interiors, because I strongly
believe in breaking the rule that good design must be What’s the biggest mistake you see your
clients making when it comes to selecting
art?
The biggest mistake that I see clients make is
that they don’t trust their own instincts in selecting
art, and oftentimes, they are concerned about where
the artwork will be displayed. I encourage my clients
to mix different kinds of art, such as tribal or folk art
and sculpture, with more everyday things like books
or whim sical pieces. This allows the eye to make new
and unexpected discoveries. I also believe that great
art should not be confined to the living room or other
public spaces. It is important to incorporate art in a
non-precious manner. I love hanging paintings on a
large wall salon-style, for example, with a variety of
sizes mixed together. Art should live throughout a
house, including in more intimate spaces like kitchen
and dining areas — even a powder room can be a
great place to hang a piece of art.
What was one of the greatest design
lessons you have learned along the way?
As I always tell my clients, you’ve got to get the
bones right first. If you don’t, you’re going nowhere, no
matter how hard you try. It begins with the architecture
of the space and often involves reconfiguring layouts,
altering dimensions, and adding or subtracting details
to make spaces more functional and responsive to
my clients’ lifestyles. It is one of the greatest design
lessons I’ve learned along the way.
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