Sneak peek into celebrity living rooms

Sting and his wife tapped Lee F. Mindel, of architectural and design firm Shelton, Mindel & Associates, and restoration architect Anthony Close-Smith to renovate their early-18th-century London townhouse. In the living room, where Matisse prints and a Picasso grace the walls, the silk-and-wool rug acts like a photographer’s reflector, spreading light from the windows evenly throughout the space. The low tables are by Yves Klein, the side table is by Diego Giacometti, and the sofa fabric is by Holland & Sherry.

Jennifer Aniston collaborated with designer Stephen Shadley to transform a 1970 residence by Harold W. Levitt in Beverly Hills into an inviting retreat where she hosts frequent gatherings. The living room is an intimate space that opens to views of a koi pond. The low table is from Todd Merrill Antiques. Glant linen is on the sofa, which Shadley designed, and the chair velvet is by Manuel Canovas.

Sir Elton John and his partner, filmmaker David Furnish, asked Martyn Lawrence-Bullard to design their Los Angeles residence. The living room’s onyx-and-chrome low tables are by Lawrence-Bullard, and the carpet is by The Rug Company.

New York designer Stephen Shadley renovated Diane Keaton’s Spanish Colonial Revival home in Beverly Hills, originally built in the 1920s by architect Ralph Flewelling. The overall aesthetic was to be plain and simple, with a deep but not reverential bow to California’s Spanish heritage. The living room features works by Maynard Dixon and William Ritschel. The pots are Hillside, from the teens and ‘20s; the daybeds are Monterey pieces.

In Manhattan’s Chelsea neighborhood, Gerard Butler worked with architect Alexander Gorlin and film designer Elvis Restaino on his 3,300-square-foot open loft in a converted manufacturing warehouse. The living space is centered around arched, brick-framed windows that look out at the Empire State Building. The chandelier and leather chairs and ottoman are from ABC Carpet & Home.

Cher turned to friend and interior designer Martyn Lawrence-Bullard to help conjure up “something ethnic, spicy, and romantic”—albeit in creams, ivories, whites, and buttery beiges—for the interiors of her duplex, perched high above Los Angeles. For the main living space, Lawrence-Bullard designed comfortable seating, covered in Kravet fabric, where the actress can relax and enjoy the views. Also in the living room is a zebra-print rug by Edelman on top of a Stark sea-grass carpet.


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JA

Highlight your home with Matisse

Something as useful as a carpet could now become the new highlight in your home. A very interesting composition of colors and interweavings can be seen in the carpet collection of Sonya Winner.

The most colorful piece of her collection would probably have to be her design "After Matisse" which is inspired by French artist Henri Matisse's style.

The carpets are being made on request. Composed of 26 seperate pieces of carpet, the pieces are being weaved in Varanasi - the rug making capital of India. Those handmade masterpieces are available in different sizes, to fit your home perfectly.

Also other designs are available, but basically all of them give a very nice visual accent.

You can even see some pictures of the manufacturing process, you if you want to have a look at it, you can check it out at sonyawinner.com .

www.sonyawinner.com

MN

Living Rooms with Open Floor Plans

Explore these beautiful open living room designs and learn tips for defining space with furnishings, architectural elements, and flooring.

Comfort has no boundaries in modern living. Big, open, airy living spaces are ideal in an age where friends and family move freely between the couch and the kitchen.

Open plans have a rich tradition in American homes. In many historic farmhouses, for example, the front door opens directly into the living room. Without a foyer, the space between seating areas directs traffic flow through the room and often beyond, as seen in this Sonoma County farmhouse where the living room is also open to the home's main stairwell.

Open living rooms are a natural choice in high-rise living, where space is a precious commodity, and where walls would block the panorama of window views.The goal here is a living room that appears to float in front of wraparound windows. Without any dividing architecture, the orientation of furnishings is key. In this urban condo, the living area runs the length of the space as opposed to the dining table, which traverses it horizontally. The difference creates a sense of separation.

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