Furniture – Ann Decker Design

An Unforgettable Entryway.

Published on September 20, 2021September 20, 2021 by Ann Decker ForsterLeave a comment

A Foyer is not only the center of the home but also the place where guests are greeted, shoes are left, book bags are thrown, and four legged friends lounge for hours each day. Therefore, it has to have the same presence and sensibility as the rest of the house and now this one does.

First on the agenda, was to shrink the width of the existing coat closet in order to open up the entrance to the kitchen. This move enabled a six foot, cased, arched opening into the kitchen as well as each adjacent room throughout. Larger arched openings created a softer transition between rooms and allowed much needed light to flood the Foyer, like never before.

Before the arched openings were created the Foyer felt disconnected and dark.

The Sanderson wallpaper was one of the generators for the design therefore, the best way to compliment it, while also dressing up the entryway, was to add wainscoting. It’s simple panels along with the addition of custom lighting completed the look of this elegant entry and created an easier flow throughout the first floor.

Sitting Pretty

Published on April 10, 2020April 10, 2020 by Ann Decker ForsterLeave a comment

This sitting room was so much fun to decorate because it already had elements like custom wainscoting, eleven foot ceilings, and an open floor plan that helped to add interest and light to the space.

The starters for this design concept were the window panels, oriental carpet, and antique hutch. Incorporating existing pieces into a new design not only offers a direction but also allows me to be more creative and work with what I have.

After

Before

The first thing I did was to update the existing panels by adding a 5” decorative tape on the leading edge of each. The tigers worked perfectly with the Kravet panel fabric and gave the windows that WOW factor. The cornice layout was tricky but we were able to fit four full tigers in by using the return to the wall. This window treatment set the tone for this room and later for the entire first floor.

Family Room Blues

Published on August 19, 2019July 24, 2020 by Ann Decker ForsterLeave a comment

From the start of this project my client had a really good idea of what she wanted. A family room where she could entertain, as well as a space for her kids to play comfortably.

The sofa was the one piece of furniture that was to remain and my client was not too excited about it so I had to find a fabric that would enliven the room as well as her love for the sofa.

This teal floral Thibaut fabric did the trick and it became the generator for the entire space. Teal is such a great hue because it works well with many different colors and the oversized florals make the fabric whimsical and fun for this young family.

A bar area was also added for setting out hors d’oeuvres or making a quick drink for friends. A 5′ alcove was the perfect spot to house a custom bar equipped with a wine fridge, wine rack, glass storage, and a countertop for serving.

In order to balance the room, cabinetry was added for toy and game storage. A custom cushion in a striped Crypton fabric on top could be used as a homework spot or for extra seating when entertaining.

The final touch was the artwork. My clients grandparents were accomplished painters but it was a matter of total happenstance that each piece complimented the design beautifully and completed the room.

Painted and waiting patiently to be upholstered

Final material selection

Armchair before….

Sexy and Sweet Sweet Dining Chairs

Published on February 28, 2019 by Ann Decker ForsterLeave a comment

These Dining chairs were so much fun to redesign. From the beginning, I knew that I wanted to change the overall look and not just reupholster them. The first step was finding the right material to really make them special. The original armchairs had fabric on their backs and leather on their fronts while the armless chairs were all leather. My client and I looked at mohair, wool/silk blends, velvets, leathers, and finally landed on this amazing paisley fabric. In my opinion, a paisley print can look too sweet if not executed properly, so I had to give it an edge. Thats where the red vinyl tape and nailheads came into the design. The tape also created a seamless transition from back to front on each chair. When upholstery is wrapped around the frame like this there has to be a way to finish it. Cording along the back edge was an option, however, I didn’t think it would hold up as well over time. Ultimately, my client and I both liked the sleek profile that the tape with nail heads added to these beautiful new custom chairs and it gave them the ‘look’ we were trying to accomplish.

https://wpcomwidgets.com/render/

A Modern Family Room

Published on October 29, 2017March 21, 2018 by Ann Decker ForsterLeave a comment

This modern family room is a great representation of the way we live today. A multi purpose room that is used for watching tv, a children’s playroom, lounging, and entertaining. When clients ask me to assist them in kitchen renovations more often than not they want a design that opens up the kitchen to an adjacent family room and this project was no different. A wall separating the two rooms was removed and replaced with a Carrera marble peninsula creating an easy transition from one room to the next. Since the first phase of this project was the kitchen, the family room fabrics had to coincide. Another consideration was that space is used for entertaining both adults and children so the fabrics had to be sophisticated yet durable. The white sectional sofa allows for optimal seating and is upholstered in a high performance Perennials fabric. For the drapery, a simple lightweight fabric was selected to allow for optimal light. A five inch Schumacher tape was chosen to line the interior edge of each panel along with a beautiful brass rod with lucite finials and rings. The rod added sophistication and glamor to this window decor.

Kitchen Roman Shade

Master Bedroom Makeover

Published on June 3, 2017January 6, 2021 by Ann Decker ForsterLeave a comment

After living in this Master Bedroom for thirty-five plus years, my clients decided it was time for an update. Their stone colonial has all of the beauty and character of an older home, but with that character comes small closets, limited lighting, and very few electrical outlets. It became obvious that the main objective for this project was to achieve optimal storage space. Unfortunately, creating a larger footprint for the room was not a possibility. In order to optimize storage, I designed custom bookshelves with docking stations, accompanied by high hats over the bed, and outlets in the baseboard. I also added a seven foot closet with built-in drawers and shelving, a window seat with storage inside, and an additional closet for shoes.

Having skilled carpenter, Mark Campbell on board was very important to the success of this project. He was able to repurpose old doors saved from previous renovations and reuse them for the new closet. A key factor to the design of the room was to keep the same characteristics of the woodwork which Mark was able to do by matching the new trim, molding, and baseboards.

At the start of this project my client told me that she wanted her new room to “feel happy and bright.” A floral Kravet fabric that was selected for the window treatments was the key ingredient to bringing in a variety of accent colors. The crisp white built-ins and Aberdeen Green walls were the final elements that tied everything together to make their new Master Bedroom feel updated and fresh. Check out the before and after photos below!

BEFORE

AFTER!!!

The custom woodwork was done by Mark Campbell of Greengate Woodworks. www.greengatewoodworks.com

The custom roman shades & pillows were done by Claudia of Urban Loft Window Treatments. www.urbanloftwindowtreatments.com

Rosemont Re-Design

Published on April 19, 2016April 11, 2020 by Ann Decker ForsterLeave a comment

This project began with my good friend and fellow Drexel grad Cindy Allan. Our clients beautiful oriental carpet was the generator for the decor of the room. Because the carpet was so ornate, we had to make careful color and furniture selections to compliment it. This client also had a few family heirlooms like her mothers china cabinet, a small dresser, and an antique Queen Anne style chair that were to be incorporated into the new Living Room Design. The desk got a new look with an upholstered back done in a beautiful chinoiserie fabric, the dresser was transformed into a colorful dry bar, and the antique chair was recovered in Brunschwig & Fils, Les Touches.

Rather than replacing the existing sofas we had them reworked, resized, and reupholstered in an extremely durable and washable Perennials fabric. The idea of having the sofas reworked was not only to make them look more modern but also to make them completely different from one another. This was accomplished by skirting one of the sofas and placing a detailed tape along the bottom. The second sofa was then floated in the floor plan and reupholstered without a skirt showing off its legs and lifting it up off of the carpet.

A colorful mountain landscape was placed over the sofa to accentuate many of the jewel tones in the room. Emerald Green taken from the painting was carried throughout the room by installing two upholstered and framed silk panels to the walls behind the new Etageres. The Etageres framed the clients large picture window and were stylized with a mixture of new and old blue and white pieces. The layering of bold and soft jewel tones throughout this living room brightened and updated the space.