Décor It Girl and Haus Interior owner Nina Freudenberger offers some great tips.
Best way to figure out a color scheme for a space?
Start with the walls. The easiest way to chose a paint color is to find the one object in the room you obsess over. Within that piece, choose the color which draws your eye. Take the actual object to any paint store and have it color matched (most paint stores will mix the exact color if you bring in an item, fabric, etc.) If you are worried its too dark, have them add white to lighten it up, or go as far as to have just a hint/glow of that color in the majority of white.
What are the best items you find for the cheapest when decorating?
Amazing finds at flea markets such as Brimfield, Mass; Twice a week, the Bekman Gallery debuts a limited edition of an artists work, starting at $20. The artist list is incredible.
Where do you go for inspiration when you’re all “New Yorked City-ed out”?
I go upstate to the Hudson Valley. Not only is it an amazing place to visit but it’s also home to some of my favorite antique stores. Make sure to stroll down Warren Street in Hudson, and to drive all the way north on Route 9, through Springfield and Rhinebeck for great vintage furniture shopping along the way.
What is your favorite New York building/architecture?
The Four Seasons Restaurant by Philip Johnson. Being enveloped inside the genius of Mies van der Rohe’s Seagram building and the moving wire mesh curtains (due to the air-conditioning, which reportedly was a “happy mistake” found out only after the installation) is enough for me to be sure that this is an absolute masterpiece of architecture and interior design.
If you were a restaurant which one would you be?
A cross between Marlow & Sons, and Charles.
If you were a book which one would you be?
I would hope to be A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers… at least, one day, hopefully….
Can you share some “Haus” tips with us?
Trophies – whether using just one or a few, these look great on a bookshelf or end table in your library. Think about having them engraved with your favorite funny quotes.
Rope Knot – perfect as a door stop or place on the lower shelf of an entry console for a nautical accent.
Fouta Towels – these are 100% organic cotton and a great alternative to standard terry cloth. Wash them twice, they become extremely absorbent and are less abrasive on the skin than a typical bath towel.
Haus Interior, 250 Elizabeth Street, NYC, Tel 212 741 0455
