DECEMBER 2018

THE MAKIF INTERIOR DESIGN MAGAZINE

FEATURED DESIGNER ÍËÍßÒ ÍÌÎßËÍÍ YITZCHOK WAGSCHAL EDITOR IN CHIEF

EXECUTIVE MANAGING EDITOR

MOSHE HOLENDER

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER

MENDAL WAGSCHAL

CONSULTING EDITOR

SUSAN STRAUSS

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

RIVKY SCHWARTZ

ASSOCIATE CONSULTING EDITOR

PESSIE KRAUS

COPY EDITOR

MOSHE HOLENDER

ART DIRECTOR

JOEL FRIEDRICH

CONTRIBUTING ART DIRECTOR

MOSHE ADLER

EXECUTIVE ADVERTISING DIRECTOR ISAAC WAGSCHAL ÝÑÒÌÛÒÌÍ [email protected]

CELL 646-589-4541

MEDIA PARTNERS A ROOM, REIMAGINED (COVER) ACCENTUATIONS BY DESIGN &

ABODE )ë LIVING SPACE 2.0 BY SUSAN STRAUSS PRODUCED BY

ZMAN PUBLICATIONS ïð F ROM THE DESIGNERS DESK

ïî MA TERIAL SPOTLIGHT BY AARON HOUSMAN © Pnim Magazine. Published by Zman Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part in any form without prior written permission from the publisher is prohibited. The îî EYE FOR DETAILS publisher reserves the right to edit all articles for clarity, space and editorial sensitivities.

Pnim Magazine is not responsible for the kashrus FLASHES OF INSIGHT BY SUSAN STRAUSS of any advertised product or service that appears îê in these pages.

Pnim Magazine assumes no responsibility for the content of articles or advertisements in this îè M EET THE ARCHITECT BY YITZCHOK WAGSCHAL publication, nor for the contents of books that are referred to or excerpted herein. Ads should not be read on Shabbos or Yom Tov.

2| PNIM ײ¬®±¼«½¬·±² Everyone knows that architectural design trends come and go. What’s in style this year may fall out of favor in the futureO. f course, the important thing is not what our neighbors like, but what matches our personal taste and style and what composes the kind of living space that will make us feel most at home.

Still, even our own tastes may change over time. When designing a house, there is also an investment aspect to the decisions we make. Most of us sell a home at some point, and we want it to remain attractive. With those con- siderations, it often pays to implement timeless designs that we and others will appreciate far into the future.

Trim and millwork are timeless architectural features. Even those design -el ements have gone in and out of style; there was a couple of decades when moldings were rarely used inA merica. But a look at history should have told us that they would certainly resurge in popularity.

From the elaborate design and ornaments of the Corinthian columns of Ancient Greece, to the intriguing egg-and-dart design or of crown , to an understated molding featuring just a groove and a quar- ter-round bar, there are limitless possibilities and combinations to beautify our homes, and they have stood the test of time.A rchitects and carpenters have been designing beautiful moldings for thousands of years.The recent gain in the popularity of moldings proves that their appeal has not dimmed.

The history of building design tells us that elegant millwork is a feature that adds lasting value to any home.I t doesn’t need to be heavy or ornate—a simpler look can beautifully frame a space as well. In researching this month’s feature,I spoke with Aaron Housman of Ornate Ô·ª·²¹ Mouldings for some insights.H e mentioned to me that years ago, interest in millwork dropped precipitously and he lost around two-thirds of his busi- ness—until Susan Strauss revived it.

“She single-handedly brought back our entire business by coming up with beautiful designs that people just couldn’t turn down,” he told me. ÍÐßÝÛ I hope you will use the valuable insights in this issue as a guide to asking the right questions when it comes to implementing moldings and trim in your unique home. MOLDINGS FRAME YOUR SPACE AND HELP DEFINE THE FEEL OF Sincerely yours, Yitzchok Wagschal A ROOM, SO CONSIDER YOUR Editor-in-Chief CHOICES CAREFULLY. BY SUSAN STRAUSS

4| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 5 LIVING SPACE 2.0

< This entry by Susan Strauss Design features a recessed base trim. The smooth lines enhance the uncluttered and elegant feel of the space.

v A girls room, design by Susan Strauss Design, has large scale wainscot wall detailing and a soft palette to complete the classic scheme. All millwork pictured was supplied by Ornate Millwork. IGN S DE SS AN STRAU S PROJECT BY SU

T RIM IN THE HOME minimalistic with no trim at all.S usan added trim back Interior moldings and trim are generally associat- into modern spaces in a way that enhances the design ed with traditional design.I n olden times, and more while remaining light and minimalistic. recently when traditional styles were more popular, There are many different types of moldings to the aesthetic called for extensive and elaborate moldings—the more the better.A lthough moldings curves and ornamental motifs. create a beautiful style and appeal, they create a very It standard and usually necessary in any home to “heavy” look. When minimalism became fashionable, install a base molding around the perimeter of each moldings went out of style.T oday, although we are no longer in a strictly minimalist phase of home design trends, many people are opting for a cleaner and more well as protect the wall from furniture bumps. Casings IGN modern look. around and windows are also essential.T he de- S DE

There are options for trim in both traditional sign of these elements can enhance a room, but their SS and modern styles, and a subtle trim will enhance a AN STRAU modern space with a unique characterO. ne of Susan and windows with the surrounding wall, concealing S Strauss’s innovations in the design world has been to unsightly spaces and shims, creating a contiguous take moldings and put them elegantly into spaces with surface and helping to insulate the room.

a modern design. In the past, walls were either tradi- Today, the standard size for a base molding is 5 PROJECT BY SU tional, often with elaborate moldings, or modern and inches, and the standard size for a casing is 3 ½ in.

6| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 7 LIVING SPACE 2.0

In homes with a more modern look, people often of materials, for example, embedding brass into the install a recessed base.T his means that the sheet wall with the trim.A nother option is to use the entire headboard wall to create a design combining trims between. Casing can also be recessedS. ince there are and other materials. several ways to achieve this look, it’s probably best to A more modern and clean alternative to mold- ings is to layer the walls and ceiling with sheetrock. more comfortable with. Any design detail on the wall is created with layered When it comes to crown molding, recessed trim is sheetrock. This must take place during the sheetrock usually more ornate and has a more traditional look. process, not after. Applied molding is less layered and a little more mini- malistic. It is also less labor-intensive than the recessed PAINTING VS. STAINING option. You need to decide whether you want stained At times, when designing a modern and minimal- or painted trim before you decide which material to istic space, Susan Strauss will focus trim just on the buy. You can either choose a wood species that can ceiling and leave the walls simple. be stained, or you can order pre-primed molding that Decorative molding can also be placed in the middle of the wall in geometric and modern designs. Often in bedrooms,S usan Strauss creates a head- v and unexpected color choices for a luxurious and unforget- board that is wall trim.T he design can include a mix table lounge area designed by Susan Strauss Design.

could be made of several different materialsI.t is best thane, which is a stiff foam.T hen there is poplar, to order a trim that is primed and ready to paint. which comes from hardwood poplar trees.T his Traditionally, trim was made either of stone or species is the best in terms of durability—it doesn’t plaster. Today there are four basic types, called “spe- chip—and gives the option to paint or stain.H ome- cies” in the trade.T he oldest and most traditional owners who want a more beautiful stained wood can of the species now in use is plaster.P laster could be look into more expensive options like oak and maple, IGN

S used for any type of molding, but since it is suscep- which have a nicer grain than poplar. DE

SS tible to chipping, it’s almost never used on base The most commonly used species for molding is molding or casing. primed pine. It’s a soft and inexpensive wood that is

AN STRAU Slightly less expensive than plaster is polyure- used in basic homes. Most often painted, it can be S

stained as well. v The cheapest species of molding is MDF, which Various millwork elements are on display, coming togeth- is a composite of sawdust and cardboard glued PROJECT BY SU together.

8| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 9 ÝÑÓ

ÚÎÑÓ ÌØÛ ÇÑÙÎßÐØ×ÈàÙÓß×Ô ÜÛÍ×ÙÒÛÎŽÍ Ü»•µ S USAN STRAUSS

hen you are working on a project, noth- ing can replace the experience of going took off 30 minutes earlier… but it was in a different Éto the job site to see and evaluate the project with your own eyes. minutes, but we explained that 30 minutes means But sometimes it doesn’t work out quite the way a lot when you aresh omer Shabbos. In the end, we you expected.

During the past month,I and one of my associates went to Texas for a site visit. We left our homes for we had planned on taking to Washington,D C. the airport at 3:00A M on Thursday morning and We were the last people to board that plane. planned to be in Texas for the whole day, catching a I knew from the outset that it was going to take morning. us too long to get off the plane upon arrival. We

After our work was complete, we returned to the airport—but we were stuck due to a snowstormO. ur attendant made an announcement that two people canceled one after the other.

At this point we had nothing, including food. We It’s important to visit a job site in person because took an Uber to a place about 45 minutes distant you see different details and other things that you’re not able to see in pictures.T his was our last visit to every decent hotel was booked, and we had to stay the home we were designing, so that we could do ac- in a third-rate establishment. When we woke up at 5:00 AM, we weren’t sure if we were going to make it of furniture to be delivered there that day, because home for Shabbos…. then we could personally direct where to put the We looked into various options, like staying in items. Our trips don’t usually entail such nerve-wrack- Texas or going to Florida for Shabbos. The closest ing adventures, but we accomplished a lot!

and bounds, attracting both commercial and residen- tial clients locally, nationally, and globally.

We decided to take the risk. @ @susanstraussdesign

10| PNIM MATERIAL SPOTLIGHT

Ó±´¼·²¹ DZ«® ر³» Ý®±©² Ó±´¼·²¹

MOLDING AND OTHER

DECORATIVE TRIMS HAVE A

VENERABLE HISTORY DATING

BACK THOUSANDS OF YEARS

BY AARON HOUSMAN OWNER OF ORNATE MOULDINGS

uildings have been deco- rated since humans started Bbuilding them, and one of the fundamental elements of decoration is to add details to the seams where different architectural features meet. Decorative treatments that feature projecting or receding features in the surface of the material are called moldings. (Some, even in America, prefer the British spelling: mould- ings.) In Ancient Persia and Assyria,

12| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 13 MATERIAL SPOTLIGHT

bands in brick or enameled tiles, tion, including moldings.R enais- crown, such as cartouche, , rather than by adding physical sance style placed emphasis on egg and dart, and guilloche. elements like moldings to the symmetry, proportion, geometry Crown can also lend decorative building.Ancient Egypt used two and the regularity of parts. support for horizontal architec- simple types of moldings: a deep, tural elements, such as built-in curved groove called a cavetto U SES bookshelves and niches, and can and a projecting, semicircular bar be used in combination with other

called a torus. Moldings do more than moldings to add detail. The Ancient Greeks used add beauty and elegance to A frieze molding, based off molding inside buildings to visual- a room or building.I n certain the Ancient Greek concept, is a ly divide spaces into smaller units. applications, they strengthen the horizontal wall molding that is a They were the ones who really bond between two intersecting wide band, often adorned with an elevated molding into a deco- architectural features, like a wall ornamental . It usually runs rative art form. Moldings largely and a ceiling. For example, they under cornice molding, one-third originated as practical shapes can prevent stress-induced cracks to halfway down the wall.O ften, built into wood structures for rea- along the edges of plaster ceil- the space from the frieze up to sons of strength and support.T he ings. A picture-rail molding can the cornice molding is painted Greeks transferred those forms be used to hang artwork from.A t a different color from the rest of into the design of buildings that their simplest, moldings can cover the wall. This type of molding were now built of stone, where up unattractive seams between is common in rooms with high they served a purely ornamental two surfaces or materials. ceilings, as it visually brings the role. In architectural history, this Molding was popular inA mer- ceiling closer. ica up until the 1930s or so, when Molding can enhance any The Greeks also expanded architectural design began to see the repertoire of shapes and a trend toward minimalism.B y the adds dimension, creates visual 1980s, the minimalist style was interest and increases a home’s The molding superstructure of at the peak of its popularity and aesthetic appeal. Your particular horizontal bands that lie above moldings were seldom used.O ver choice of molding can give your support columns is called an the last two decades, though, the home a one-of-a-kind look. Mold- entablature. A very traditional, popularity of crown molding has ings can also be used on the out- full molding—appropriate for risen once again. There are many side of the home or on furniture spaces with ceilings of 10 feet or to add weight and substance.

higher—will include three bands, any style home. an architrave (the lowest), then a Crown molding today is a L O W ER frieze and at the top a cornice. generic term for all types of mold- MOLDINGS Today, most crown moldings are ing. However, there are different A popular type of molding less elaborate and only include types of molding with different that adds character to a room the cornice. uses. Crown is the most popular is chair molding. Unlike crown Then the Romans developed type of cornice molding—a sin- molding, chair molding is located the concept of molding even gle-piece molding that is installed further down the wall, often more and spread its use all over on an angle adjoining a ceiling dividing the lower third of the wall Europe. - from the rest for aesthetic appeal. During the Italian Renaissance, ing projects onto both the ceiling It is attached horizontally around architects consciously revived and and the wall, providing a beautiful the perimeter of a room. further developed the architecture transition between them.T here Most people associate chair of the Greek and Roman civiliza- are many different classic styles of rail as a type of trim that prevents

14| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 15

MATERIAL SPOTLIGHT

chairs from rubbing against the common to use semi-gloss paint walls. The term “chair rail” is ancient stone buildings.D uring on the casings because it is much said to have been coined by the this time, wainscoting was usually more resistant to marking than the Shakers (a 19th-centuryA meri- constructed from oak since it was can religious group), who placed readily available and easy to work Casing is always installed be- wood and pegs on the walls in with. Nowadays, wainscoting is fore the baseboard and chair rail, order to hang chairs to clean the mostly decorative and made from because they have to butt against a multitude of materials including it and because the doors are wood, MDF, and even PVC. installed earlier in the construction centuries ago to divide walls into Wainscoting is used in a vari- pleasing proportions. ety of applications but this type The chair rail creates a dec- of trim is most commonly seen in C USTOM VS. orative element in a room, but it more formal areas such as foyers, S TOCK also acts as a protective barrier staircases, master bathrooms, and

dining rooms. A rising trend is comes to trim the choices and areas or spaces where furniture is installing taller wainscoting, called options can be dizzying.T he moved around often.T his trim is Board and Batten, with hooks in two basic categories are stock commonly used in dining rooms, mudrooms for a decorative and trim and custom trim.S tock trim breakfast nooks, living rooms and durable storage area. are readily available, commonly foyers. While there is a lot of creative used styles that are universally Chair rail is a popular wood supplied. Stock trim is usually trim used today in new construc- designers advise that wainscoting made of pine and typically comes tion. Typically chair rail is between should never fall exactly halfway primed by the manufacturer. up the wall; this creates a choppy, Custom moldings are made static visual effect and is not at all to spec, style, size and species pleasing to the eye. of wood. The most commonly varies depending on the ceiling Moldings that run along used species in custom moldings height: if the room has 8-foot ce-il is poplar. Poplar is a hardwood ings, the chair rail will be placed Baseboards are important—they and offers durability and strength lower than if the room has 10-foot establish the foundation of a that pine does not.A dditionally, ceilings. To determine placement, room’s character—but they are poplar can be stained as well as a good rule of thumb is to take usually styled simply, and some- painted. the wall height and divide it by 3, times accented with a small piece At Ornate we work with clients then place the chair rail one third of quarter-round trim.B aseboards and designers to make your of the way up the wall.T radition- conceal the seam between the dream home come true, at least ally, chair rail is painted or stained in terms of trim. Our signature, to match the crown molding and/ protect the wall against bumps personalized customer service, or baseboards; designers with a from furniture. unmatched anywhere, is standard more contemporary vision prefer Casings are the trim that lines operating procedure here. Culling to paint the chair rail to match the a doorway. frames usually from extensive hands on experi- wall for a streamlined look. need room around them to ensure ence, we navigate you through Wainscoting is another popu- the design phase of your trim, lar trim. This is wooden paneling casings hide the imperfect joints oversee the project to ensure that lines the lower part of walls and shims used to level the door. proper execution and do our best along the perimeter of a room. Because doors get so much to bring about the desired results. It is thought that wainscoting use and are touched so often, it is

18| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 19 Ó±²«³»²¬¿´ •¬¿·®©¿§ ±º ¬¸» п´¿·• Ù¿®²·»® ±°»®¿ ¸±«•» ·² п®·•ô Ú®¿²½»ò ݱ²•¬®«½¬·±² ¾»¹¿² ·² ïèêï ¿²¼ º·²·•¸»¼ ·² ïèéëò ì

ë EYE FOR

DECURATED BY THET SUSAAN STRAUISS DLSESIGN TEAM

Great design shouldn’t need to come at a great cost. We asked Susan’s team to share their current favorites pieces to suit every style, and every budget. ï

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4. 5’ x 8’/ $690 Neiman NY 347-450-7847 @neimanny

5. Ellery Essential Upholstered Bed / $559

6. Vintage Race Day Applique Pillow / $41

8. $19.95

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22| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 23

What color temperature (Kelvin) should I install in Ú´¿•¸»• ±º spotlights? I like putting in spotlight bulbs with a color temperature of 3500K. It’s ×ÒÍ×ÙØÌ not too yellow and not too white—just right for Questions & Answers about Interior Design from Susan Strauss Send your questions to: [email protected] general household use.

What is a standard What is the difference between oil-based and wa- An oil-based stain is a stronger size for base mold- ings? What about casings? Base mold- wait in between coats, and the stain also takes longer to dry. ings have a standard They provide more options for contemporary tastes and size of 5 inches; the allow the grain of the wood to show much more clearly, but standard width of they are not as durable. casings is 3 ½ inches.

26| PNIM MEET THE ARCHITECT

t’s not common for an architect ×to be considered one of the most that’s just what happened to Elizabeth Time magazine named

People. Diller was born into a Jewish family in Lodz, in 1954. Her father’s and mother’s families had been wiped out by the Holocaust; she “grew up never knowing aunts, uncles or grandparents.” When she was six years old, the family moved to New York.

and architecture, and the talented and intelligent young lady chose to study at , a small institution that is one of the country’s ÌØÛ most selective colleges. While there, she began working with one of her profes-

found what would eventually become the , in 1979.

for projects at the nexus of conceptual art and architecture.T hey have complet-

such as the redesign ofA lice Tully Hall, ß®½¸·¬»½¬ a concert hall at theL incoln Center for Performing Arts; the renovation and expansion of the JuilliardS chool; part of the High Line, an urban park situated on A RTIST, DESIGNER, MASTER an obsolete elevated railway stretching 1.5 miles through Manhattan; a center ARCHITECT AND PRINCETON for creative arts at in Providence, Rhode Island; the Institute of P ROFESSOR, LIZ DILLER IS A

UNIQUELY TALENTED WOMAN. to be built in Boston, Massachusetts in

Broad Museum in ; and BY YITZCHOK WAGSCHAL much more. Diller and her partners are

28| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 29 MEET THE ARCHITECT

Previous: The Broad Museum in downtown Los Angeles, California. Left: The new Medical Center Building—the Roy currently working on an expansion of the and Diana Vagelos Education Center. Upper right: Institute of Contemporary Art, Boston, Massachusetts. Museum of ModernA rt. An example of Diller’s wildly creative and unique work is her design for a nature park on 13 acres near the Kremlin in Mos-

of other companies in a worldwide design

The park uses advanced technology to create four different ecosystems repre- senting the four main types of terrain and climate found throughoutR ussia: tundra, steppes, forest and wetland.I t even uses advanced techniques to keep the sections at different temperatures—theS iberian tundra micro-climate will be cold even in the summer, despite not being enclosed in a climate-controlled building!B uildings located within the park will meld seam- lessly into the trees and landscape, and paved areas will dissolve into paths over planted grounds seemingly at random. Elizabeth Diller calls the strategy “wild urbanism.” In recognition of her talents and unique contributions to architecture,D iller was PHOTO: WIKIPEDIA awarded the MacArthur Fellowship “genius grant” in 1999.I n her citation in Time, philanthropist Eli Broad wrote of her: “She imagines things the rest of us have to see to believe.S he can turn a metaphor into brick and mortar….L iz sees opportunities where others see chal- lenges. She can do the impossible.” Asked what the legacy of her immigrant childhood is, Diller says: “I have a real survivor’s instinct.”

< The Broad is a contemporary art museum on Grand Avenue in Downtown Los Angeles.

30| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 31 ̸» ÍØÛÜ

he Shed is a groundbreaking, creative arts space designed by theD iller Sco- Ì - foot structure, located where theH igh Line meets New York City’s historic Hudson Yards, is designed to physically transform on demand so as to support artists’ most ambitious ideas. The Shed’s “base building” has eight levels, including gallery space, a creative lab and a skylit event space.A telescoping outer shell can deploy from its position over the base building and glide along rails onto an adjoining plaza— doubling the building’s footprint for large-scale events. When deployed, the shell (which weighs 8.9

sound-, and temperature-controlled hall that

adjoining galleries of the base building allows for an expanded audience in the hall of up to 3,000. The movement of the shell is controlled by a dozen 15-horsepower motors that drive six steel wheels, which are six feet each in diameter, along a track. This is very similar to a gantry crane and is inspired by the shipping and rail industries,

at Hudson Yards. The projected cost to build is $435 million. Design experts say The Shed’s design is as much experimental as it is performative. While so-called “kinetic architecture” dates back to the drawbridges of the MiddleA ges, its use on such - citing possibilities for the architects of the future.

32| PNIM DECEMBER 2018 | 33 ر³»úͬ±²»

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