Perk up the bedroom
Skriloff transformed his city apartment bedroom into an elegant, calm oasis in beige by adding different textures and keeping it simple. He constructed the platform and headboard out of 2 x 4 plywood, which he covered in batting and ultra suede fabric, stapled in the back. It matches the low-pile carpet. The ceiling was covered in beige wallpaper, which has a subtle pattern. A gorgeous piece of 14-foot-high paneling, removed from a city mansion in the 1960s, is positioned on the wall behind the bed. The overhead light fixture was dirt cheap but resembles a sterling example of mid-century modern: Skriloff constructed it from an agitator from an old-fashioned washing machine he found at a flea market, turning the part upside down and wiring it. The room looks like a thousand bucks—much more than that, actually—but by being resourceful and constructing some of the elements himself, Skriloff saved a bundle.
Make a dramatic statement
A large item with an interesting texture or shape, such as an oversized, sculptural lamp or glass or iron candle holder, gives the room a focal point (3). Grouping similar objects that vary in scale, such as glass vases, picture frames on a wall, pillows, or even similarly colored books, stacked attractively on a shelf or piled on a table, is much more effective than scattering them around the room. “Exaggerate things, to make a big drama,” says Mendoza. An antique iron grille looks great against a white wall, as do such one-of-a-kind objects as old clocks and dishes.
