The Top 10 Decorating Ideas to Steal from the Fabulous Beekman Boys
#FarmerCrushFriday: Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell's brand new book is the ultimate guide to mixing styles.
If you're a fan of Brent Ridge and Josh Kilmer-Purcell, aka The Fabulous Beekman Boys, you've definitely binged on their Cooking Channel show, you've likely tested out a few of their veggie-centric recipes, you may even have tried their delightful heirloom tomato pasta sauce. (Seriously, go buy their sauce.) And, if you're anything like us, you've most definitely swooned over their dream of an Upstate New York farmhouse—even Martha did!—which is why we were giddy to nab an early copy of their new decorating book, Style: The Attraction of Opposites, a delightfully comprehensive guide to mixing different eras, colors, aesthetics, price points and beyond. If you've ever wondered how to mix city and country, down home and worldly, or, dun dun dun, his and hers, meet your new bedtime story.
To tide you over until the September 15th release, here are ten of our favorite design takeaways.
1. Mixing high and low is a decorating art form that can take years to truly master. One recipe we love: This chunky gray-stained farm table, formal chairs, and a paper Noguchi pendant light. Goodbye dorm decor, hello totally chic dining room setup!
2. This kitchen's powder blue cabinets are undeniably dreamy, but the thing we really can't stop staring at in this space is the little display nook on the left—a leaning ledge backed by the home's beautiful raw brick. It's a textural backdrop for a collection and a very cool peek at the bones of the home.
3. The red radio flyer might just be the most nostalgic toy of all time. The simple shape and trademark hue also make it a great candidate for a little creative reinvention. This outdoor-friendly bar cart would be the perfect accompaniment to a down-home backyard fete. Don't forget the spiked Arnold Palmers and sweet tea!
4. Can you spot the beginnings of a micro-trend in this photo? We've been seeing skirted kitchen counters popping up all over lately. It's a totally country-casual look that thrives in a totally opposite environment, say, an industrial loft.
5. Rustic and urbane, under-the-radar and outright seductive—these glossy black wood-paneled walls fit right in to our recent sexy cabin obsession. Pairing them with midcentury furnishings in luxe neutrals and an ornate carpet softens the whole look.
6. Tired of the typical gallery wall treatment? Create a permanent installation on your walls using an array of ceiling medallions for a spot on white-on-white statement that is sure to wow guests. "Bare" walls have never been so eye catching.
7. "Mix n' match" is not a term often applied to the selection of kitchen cabinetry. Neither are "flea market" or "vintage" for that matter, but this eclectic country-inflected space manages to get in all the essentials without a typical cabinet in sight. An old card catalog, a series of glass storage jars, and a freestanding whitewashed island make for a beautiful space worth a pin if not a reno.
8. Our love for wallpapered bathrooms knows no bounds, but this incredibly cool newspaper treatment is next level. Taking it onto the ceiling creates an enveloping feeling that makes the statement even stronger.
9. Barn doors are undeniably having a moment, but this fresh iteration continues the wall treatment onto the slider itself for a cool trompe l'oeil affect. And take a closer look at that perfectly aged leather bench—it's a repurposed gymnastics pommel horse.
10. Wide-striped walls, double gallery-style hangings, and a cheeky chandelier featuring perpendicular lines—this space is a triple threat when it comes to ideas you need to snatch up right this minute.
