Country and Town House

UK’s Country and Town House profiles Robin Baron Design’s provincial haven in Chappaqua, New York.

From “American Dream”, By Lucy Cleland:

“When a New York family bought a piece of land just outside the city, they finally made their vision of their dream home a reality, with the help of interior designer, Robin Baron.

Two years ago, New York-based interior designer Robin Baron, who’s worked with everyone from politicians to film stars, was presented with her perfect design brief: ‘to have a clean slate, where I can create a house from the ground upwards.’

The brief came from a prominent attorney and his wife, whose first (more modest) home Robin had designed 10 years previously.  They had bought a plot of land in Chappaqua, Westchester County (a well-heeled New York suburb) and the husband wanted Robin to make his longstanding vision of his “dream home” a reality.  ”I remember he told me that he didn’t want to spend too much money on his first property because one day he wanted to create something ‘beautiful and grand’.”  And that’s exactly what happened under Robin’s designer eye.

With most major decisions about a property made during the construction phase, Robin, who started her interior design business 18 years ago after a successful career as a fashion designer, was involved right from the beginning.  She could therefore influence the division of space, the light, the flooring and other elements which, she says, affect the whole concept.

After a two-year process from initial plans to finally moving in all the furniture – in which time the architect was ill, so Robin ended up designing all the interior layouts and architectural detailing – she created a 10,000 sq/ft, five-bedroom, seven-bathroom home in a Normandy-chateau style that not only fitted the brief of grand (almost an understatement), but also appealed to his wife’s desire for something “warm, inviting and cozy”.

When asked about her signature style, Robin proudly exclaims that she doesn’t have one. Her design ethos is firmly guided by her clients and their lifestyles.  Even personally, she doesn’t have a preferred look – it’s constantly shifting as she so often ends up falling in love with the look she’s currently creating:  “I get really into the project,” she says, “and I love clients who remain open and want to explore who they are.  My inspiration comes from understanding them and getting inside their head.  That’s what makes the whole process so exciting for me.

“The family trusted me completely,” continues Robin.  “They didn’t feel the need to micromanage the project and they really let me push them.”  But, she admits, having creative involvement from the client is crucial and the most fun bit, too:  “When the project was finished, we were sitting in the garden and the wife turned to me and said, “I’m going to miss you so much.  You have been like a life coach to me.”  To me, the relationship between designer and client is the most important thing.”

Getting the creative juices flowing for Robin involves not just showing a raft of pictures from books and magazines to her clients, but personally taking them around to look and touch rugs, fabrics and furnishings to really try to understand what they are looking for.  “Design for me is a visceral thing.  It’s an emotive reaction to something so I’m constantly looking for the hidden language behind what my client is seeing and telling me.  It’s a bit like being an interpreter.  From one germ of an idea, everything can grow.”

Although the house was a “new build”, the family wanted a traditional and classical feel.  The imposing entrance (pictured previous page), with its high ceiling and antique French limestone floor, demanded something to make it appear older.  To achieve this Robin created a paint and plaster mural that made the wall look and feel textured and “lived in”.  And, for that personal touch, the family’s King Charles spaniel was painted into the scene.

The combination of opulence and comfort runs throughout the entire home – from the antique chandelier and decorative use of gold paint in the formal dining room (bottom) to the cozy fireplace and beautiful daybed in the master bedroom’s private sitting room.  And touches such as using leather book spines as a trompe l’oeil on a cabinet door in the library to disguise unsightly electronic equipment, custom-made rugs throughout the house, and her use of double trim on many of the furniture pieces, define the huge amount of intricate detail that has gone into the project.

Aware of the masculine and feminine desires that needed to be reflected within the home, Robin faced her biggest design challenge when it came to the bathroom which is attached to the enormous 1,800 sq/ft master bedroom.  Husband and wife are awarded their own separate bathing areas within the space, which are connected by a shower with glass doors on either side.  The hue on the colored marble graduates from green for him to pale pink for her (above left), with the custom-etched pattern on the marble remaining as the constant to link the design.  The custom-made cabinets have different finishes-mahogany stain for him and hand-painted with antiqued detail for her.

When it comes to sourcing furniture and textiles, Robin is not one just for the upscale shops of New York (although she favors Stark Carpet, for its huge variety, starkcarpet.com; Newel for antiques, newel.com; Holly Hunt for contemporary furniture, hollyhunt.com; and Lewis Mittman for upholstery, lewismittman.com).  She’s just as likely to pick up cheap finds in warehouse or fleamarkets and then transform them back to – or even better than – their original state.  The grand-looking chairs in the entrance were discovered at a fleamarket, but were completely renovated and reupholstered by Robin’s raft of experts, and throughout the house, it’s impossible to tell what’s antique and what’s not.

It’s evident that the family had a generous budget to realize their dream house, but for money-conscious homeowners, who want to add value to their property without spending a fortune, what does Robin recommend?  “First and foremost, you need to make your house feel like a home, a respite that keeps your spirits up during difficult times.  That’s the most important added value you can get from your home.”  And if someone’s trying to sell their home?  For added commercial value she advises spending money on painting the home.  “the right colors either add or detract light,”  she explains, “and a potential buyer wants to feel happy in the house.  The thing they take away with them is an emotional feeling.”

And that’s the lesson we can learn – while the price of bricks and mortar can go up – and, as we’re witnessing now, down, the feelings, emotions and care that we invest in our property can only ever serve to enhance our lives for the better.”