Designer Denise Elmendorf completely redecorated her 70s style condo when she and her husband moved in. She has collected antiques since she was a teen and used them with rich, masculine colors like olive, brown and rust to create an Old World look . She shares her secrets for stretching her decorating dollars with Kitty Bartholomew :
- Shop estate, tag and garage sales for the best deals on antiques.
- An inexpensive alternative to the rich look of an authentic Persian rug is a vegetable-dyed wool reproduction rug.
- Although Elmendorf wanted a stone fireplace, the ones she priced were too expensive . She bought a plaster fireplace from a catalog and had it faux painted to look like stone. She used a real marble surround which heightened the fireplace's tromp l'oeil stone effect.
- To make the tiny entry grander, Elmendorf removed a wall to open up the space and used large-scale pieces, which she explains makes a small area feel bigger and more important.
- In the dining room, Elmendorf positioned the dining table at an angle on the squared off area rug. The interesting effect allowed her more space for other furniture pieces.
- The kitchen ceiling was raised. Some of the new cabinets go all the way to the ceiling and others were hung lower for display area on top.
- Instead of a built-in center island, Elmendorf used a marble-topped baker's table .
- The countertops are travertine stone bought inexpensively because it was the end of a crate. The pitting is sanded out, giving a rich, worn patina to the stone .
Guests Denise Elmendorf
Homeowner/Designer, Back Street and Associates
1039 Hope Street
South Pasadena, CA 91030
Phone: 626-799-6842
Fax: 626-799-6587
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