Jamie & Byron’s Elegant Art Canvas

Name:Jamieand Byron with Roux, Simone and Coco
Location:Cow Hollow — San Francisco, California
Size:2,300 square feet
Years lived in:1 — rented

We first saw Jamie and Byron’s dining room in the 2011 room for color contest. Painted shades of grey, their apartment embodies a sense of mystery and glamour. Byron describes it as the canvas for Jamie’s artworks, and they truly make a statement on these walls. Her whimsical pieces against the impressive grey walls create intriguing juxtaposition. Each room is a new exhibit, showcasing something curious and visually stimulating.

The combination of high ceilings, immaculately finished moldings, stately furniture and inspiring artwork in their beautifully refinished early 1900’s apartment feels like something out of an old movie. Jamie and Byron have put great care into decorating their space, which is an ongoing endeavor, not to be rushed. Their design process involves Jamie initially coming up with different schemes for furniture layout and design. She sketches concepts and they discuss as a team. Decisions are made together and ideas continue to be generated throughout the process.

Jamie is an amazingartist. Her portraits of animals, collaged on the living room wall, are so magnificent, I couldn’t help but think how cool that zebra would look in my own bedroom. The small office niche outside the dining room serves as Jamie’s studio, which struck me as an interesting choice considering its size compared to the spare room. However, Jamie finds comfort in her little studio niche, as well as convenient access to the sink she uses for cleaning, and some of the best natural light in the house. This little corner at the heart of her home is where the creative process begins.

杰米和拜伦已经创建了一个环境,plays with scale to showcase the architecture as well as the art and little natural details woven throughout. I felt transported, immersed in the saturated walls. Their space exudes drama, beauty and elegance. It’s completely breathtaking and dreamy in person.

Apartment Therapy Survey:

Our Style:Modern traditional with an eclectic twist and a healthy dose of whimsy.

Inspiration:We find inspiration all over the place! It grows from those things that we love in life, such as gardening, plants, animals, history, travel, art, music, films, food, living, loving! We simply love to be surrounded by the things that we love. Particular inspirations over the past year while we were decorating the apartment include: plants and wildlife, French country décor, and a love for serendipitous surprises.

Favorite Element:We loved this apartment as soon as we saw it because it was such a huge contrast with the street life and feel of San Francisco — it made us feel like it was another world entirely, a European getaway with our own special flourishes.

Biggest Challenge:We like to take advantage of wall space and since we have a lot of it, it’s been a bit of a challenge to fill it, where appropriate. We’re in no rush to acquire artwork and objects, because we want to love everything that becomes a part of our life, but sometimes, bare walls can be sad walls!

What Friends Say:“It’s like an art gallery!”

Biggest Embarrassment:We have two bedrooms we haven’t really decorated or furnished yet, but more than that, while we love our three cats wholeheartedly, they are a constant source for clawed furniture, dozens of strangely abandoned cat toys, wild-west cat hair tumbleweeds, and the occasional accident. Cats will be cats!

Proudest DIY:We both really love the portrait that Jamie painted, which hangs above our dining table. It was lovingly made and is a truly unique addition to our home. It’s our nerd flag!

Biggest Indulgence:The apartment itself is kind of an indulgence. Perhaps our giant entryway mirror framed with a beautifully old tin ceiling is our biggest indulgence.

Best Advice:Learn from others — start by flipping through books, catalogs and magazines to see what you like. Not only are these great sources for ideas, but they also let us communicate to each other about what we like and don’t like, and why. To create a home we both really loved, we found our countless discussions of how to marry our tastes invaluable. PS Maxwell’s outbox is genius.

Dream Sources:Flea markets, antique stores, estate sales…

Resources of Note:

ENTRY

• Half Table: Craigslist
• Long Console: Pottery Barn
• Small Mirror: Antique
• Large Mirror: Big Daddies Antiques

LIVING ROOM

• Animal Portraits:Miss Bojambo
• TV Cabinet: H.D. Buttercup
• Large Round Side Table: Big Daddies Antiques
• Small Bronze Side Table: Neiman Marcus
• Floor Lamp: DWR
• Love Chair: H.D. Buttercup
• Pouf: H.D. Buttercup
• Couch: H.D. Buttercup
• Sisal Rug: Pottery Barn
• Cat Tree: Hollywood Franklin

SITTING ROOM

• Venetian Mirror: H.D. Buttercup
• Bookcases: Custom
• Leather Chairs: H.D. Buttercup
• Coffee Table: Big Daddies Antiques
• White Pouf: West Elm
• Sisal Rug: Pottery Barn
• Easel: Restoration Hardware
• Paper Sculptures:Miss Bojambo

DINING ROOM

• Metal Cabinet: Big Daddies Antiques
• Dining Table + Chairs: H.D. Buttercup
• Lamps: Velocity Art and Design
• Credenza: Anthropologie
• Oil Portrait:Miss Bojambo

KITCHEN

BEDROOM

• Bed: Anthropologie
• Side Tables: Antique
• Lamps: CB2
• Sisal Rug: Pottery Barn

CORNER OFFICE NICHE

•桌子:Horchow
• Chair: Room and Board

Thanks, Jamie and Byron!

(Images:Lindsay Tella)

Originally published 3/2012

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