The Art of Layering

Layering is all about building on a style, not just adding more stuff to a corner of a sofa or room. Designer Barclay Butera shares how he's successfully layered fabrics, accessories, colors, textures and even furnishings in his British Colonial / Asian-style home.

Butera took a unique approach to outfitting his sofas--he covered the bases in leather and covered the cushions with a velvet paisley. A variety of fabrics are found on the pillows, including silk, raffia with linen trim, damask and faux leopard. He stacked two identical crushed bamboo coffee tables in order to reach the height of the sofas. A grouping of candles, a small bowl with fruit and stacked books completes the vignette without overpowering the eye.

Floors and walls are covered in seagrass and raffia, respectively, and trim is painted a high-gloss white to create a neutral backdrop, which forms the foundation for the extensively layered spaces. Area rugs are layered on top of the seagrass to visually separate the living room, dining room and entry. Another natural material that enforces the neutral foundation is bamboo. Tortoiseshell bamboo shades and rods are used for every window in the home, bamboo floors are found in the kitchen and bamboo fencing is used outside. Butera says it's an inexpensive material with a variety of tones, which is helpful when mixing in other light and dark pieces of wood furniture.

The bookshelves are also a study in the layering technique. Butera has numerous collections, among them English silver, decanters, clocks and porcelain. His tip for creating a visually interesting display without it looking too cluttered is to combine the different elements--glass, wood, silver, etc.--in three-dimensional displays. Some pieces are hung directly on the wall, while others are propped against the wall or set in inexpensive stands.

He renewed the kitchen cabinets with a fresh coat of high-gloss white paint and embellished the doors and drawers with trim for dimension. He installed a new granite top to complement the existing slate backsplash. He infused the space with a slightly contemporary look with a stainless steel island and refrigerator. At the far end of the kitchen is a settee and two side tables instead of a traditional breakfast set.

Butera's bedroom is a stately design with traditional white-painted wainscoting and crown molding, striped wallpaper and paisley accents. The seagrass carpet provides the necessary neutral upon which the design is built. He's placed a Persian rug underfoot to coordinate with the reds, blues and greens in the accessories. The paisley design element is continued into the second bedroom where it's found on the walls. The pattern helps to offset the large, chunky black bed frame. Gold leaf pieces add to the elegance. Louvered closet doors add visual interest.

Toile comes into play in the third bedroom. Butera upholstered the walls with what he terms a "new world" toile. He chose matching bedside lamps with decoupaged shades to balance the space and to bring in additional depth and texture. The center table doubles as a nightstand and writing desk. It features a gold top and handpainted toile design on the drawer fronts.

The first thing you notice in the master bathroom is the dramatic contrast between the dark paisley wallpaper and crisp white tile. A teak storage cabinet lends an Asian look to the room. A botanical print on the paisley paper adds yet more dimension to the space. Instead of using one large mirror over the vanity, he installed two and framed both out in the same molding detail.

The beautiful design on the walls leading downstairs looks like an intricate stencil but it's actually a patterned wallpaper. Almost every inch of space is covered with framed art, photos and mirrors. The runner on the stairs is punctuated with a seagrass landing for another inventive layered look. Not all of his artwork is hung directly on the wall--he creates casually elegant arrangements by resting paintings or prints up against larger pieces.

Guests
Barclay Butera
Designer, Madison Lane
1745 Westcliff Drive
Newport Beach, CA 92660
Phone: 949-650-8570
Website: www.buterahomefurnishings.com
Also in this Episode

Kitty Bartholomew: You're Home : Episode KIT-1205
•	The Art of Layering
•	Layering The Table