Designers face-off in $10,000 decorating challenge

Home and Garden

Designers face-off in $10,000 decorating challenge

Atlanta interior designers, each armed with $10,000, decorate three apartments at the Westchester at Peachtree Valley, as part of a design challenge sponsored by the Georgia chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers and Archstone Apartments.

Three Atlanta designers were given $10,000 each to decorate an apartment at the Westchester at Peachtree Valley. The results? See for yourself. First up: Robert Grayson, 48, of Robert Grayson Interiors who designed a place for someone grown-up and sophisticated.

"She's a career-minded young woman on the go, and this is her sanctuary. She wants a comfortable space, very soothing and very adult," Grayson said. That's why he chose a relaxed chocolate and blue color scheme. Grayson got creative with the living room art. "I bought a photo mural at Ikea and split it into three panels, which makes it look totally different."

"There are strong stainless steel accents in the architecture of the building so I echo that with pieces like a wire lounge chair that serves as a focal piece. It's almost a piece of sculpture, but it's very comfortable."

A large round mirror reflects the living and dining rooms.

Grayson, who has a background in graphic design, created a dramatic piece for the dining room by painting a canvas drop cloth. "I saved a lot of money by doing the art myself," he said. Large pieces in a small space make the space look bigger.

The art over the bed is a 3-by-5 rectangle of cement board painted with a silhouette in matte and glossy paint. "It cost $24 plus the paint, and it's something anybody could do," says Grayson. The queen-size bed with an upholstered linen headboard and footboard was $400 from IKEA. He splurged on the Restoration Hardware bed linens.

The sophisticated lady Grayson had in mind would no doubt have lots of dinner dates, but he equipped the kitchen with appliances anyway.

Grayson hung his own framed photographs on a bedroom wall.

Grayson hung Ikea shelving under the living room art and topped it with pears to add a splash of green to the room. His favorite places to shop include Ikea, West Elm, Pottery Barn, and Crate & Barrel for furnishings, and Scott Antique Market, flea markets and antique stores for accessories.

Bathroom accessories are creme, brown and blue to match the decor in the rest of the apartment.

Corinne Matthews, 35, owner of Dream Room Designs, decorated for "a professional who has busy, bustling days and wants to come home to a place that is tranquil and relaxing."

"I chose green as my color focus because it helps to bring the outdoors in," Matthews said. "Apartments can be very sterile feeling, sort of thrown- together and temporary. I wanted to create the feeling of a high-end condo, a place that felt like a real home."

Matthews, a talented seamstress, put her skills to work. She found a striped fabric she loved and combined it with coordinating solids to create accent pillows, curtains, bed coverings and a shower curtain. "If you're handy with a sewing machine, or know someone who is, it's the perfect way to customize your home."

A wall unit doubles as a work station in the bedroom. "I incorporated a lot of wooden pieces with great graining and textures," Matthews said.

She selected a glass dining table because it doesn't overwhelm the space. The plush green area rug helps anchor the living and dining room.

The kitchen is clean and uncluttered. Appliances such as coffee makers, toasters and microwaves take up precious space.

Matthews spent about 12 percent of her $10,000 budget on accessories. She made the bed pillows and coverings herself.

She used the same color scheme throughout the apartment. "You want to continue your theme from room to room, not have an assortment of things that look disconnected," Matthews said.

Matthews likes to shop at T.J. Maxx, Home Goods and Marshalls for accessories such as this Asian inspired dinnerware.

Designer Linda Balocco, 50, created a space for active adults. "They could be young or they could be old, but they want to be in a place where they can walk to the museums and shops. I imagined someone who would want a comfortable, easy-to-clean space that lives larger than its 750 square feet."

The artwork in the living room is a Balocco original. She left the walls white. "I was happy with the apartment's creamy white walls and glossy white crown moldings. I hung simple white transparent linen drapes to allow the natural light to come through."

The living room sofa is also a sleeper. It blends perfectly with the white leather chairs.

A cocktail cart holds a plasma TV at one end of the living room.

The dining room is simple yet stylish.

Balocco also created the art over the bed. Her favorite places to shop are Design Within Reach on Peachtree, By Design on Cheshire Bridge and YLighting.

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Three Atlanta designers were given $10,000 each to decorate an apartment at the Westchester at Peachtree Valley. The results? See for yourself. First up: Robert Grayson, 48, of Robert Grayson Interiors who designed a place for someone grown-up and sophisticated.

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