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Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

PIGEONS

papier-mâché, nancyleecarter.com

PHOTOGRAPH

“Blue Lady” by Tim Carter

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

bucolic setting

Two years ago, when artist Hayley Sarno moved into an apartment on Manhattan’s Upper East Side, she knew exactly what the space called for, decoratively speaking. With its unspoiled 1920s architecture, the one-bedroom abode still possessed original trellis detailing and exposed rustic beams, lending it an almost pastoral air. To emphasize this quality, Sarno imagined soft pastel walls, painted floors, and a few judiciously selected floral prints. She never found the time, however, to set her plans in motion. Enter her best friend, interior designer

Patrick Mele

, to whom Farrow & Ball generously offered paint and wallpaper to assist with the apartment’s redecoration. After a session with Erica Silberman, one of the company’s expert color consultants, Mele and Sarno settled on a Gustavian-inspired palette of grays and blues, accented by vivid oranges, pinks, and greens.

BLOUSE

Petra by The Row barneys.com

SKIRT

button-front mdsstripes.com

EARRINGS

caroletanenbaum.com

PHOTOGRAPH

“The Beach” by Tim Carter

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

pastoral charms

Using Farrow & Ball colors exclusively, the pair painted the once-beige living and dining areas an ethereal blue and coated the worn pine floors with a soft stone gray. Throughout the rest of the home, Sarno was fearless. Following Silberman’s advice, she chose a brave pumpkin orange for the kitchen and a mint damask wallpaper for the bedroom. Taken together, the color scheme produces a delightfully old-world ambience. “I wanted to stick with the somewhat rural color scheme, the light blues and grays, in the main room since they make such a great canvas,” says Sarno. “But I also wanted to have a little more fun in the kitchen and bedroom.”

In the living room, a floor painted in Farrow & Ball’s Purbeck Stone and a canvas floorcloth—created by Sarno’s mother, Nancy Lee Carter—provide an artful (and price-effective) alternative to installing new flooring.

DESK

(similar to shown) Parsons dining table in white westelm.com

TEA TABLE

teak, www.munder-skiles.com

COLUMN 

plaster, coreytippinstyle.com

DAYBED 

patrickmele.com

CHAIRS

Louis XV fauteuils in blue velvet, jensbuettner.com

RUG

painted floorcloth, nancyleecarter.com

ILLUSTRATIONS

(upper left and upper right) “Staffordshire Dog 1 (smoking)” and “Staffordshire Dog 2 (drinking)” by Hayley Sarno

ILLUSTRATIONS

(lower row) “Corinthian Column,” “Ionic Column,” and “Doric Column” by Hayley Sarno

WALL COLOR

Borrowed Light (235) farrow-ball.com

PAINT

(on floors) Purbeck Stone (275) farrow-ball.com

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

before

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

before

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

brave new world

Next, Sarno and Mele scavenged through New York and Connecticut for a selection of furniture that exuded comfort and glamour. In addition to a 19th-century French daybed, they discovered a pair of blue velvet bergères and an ornate vintage mirror. To balance the standout antique silhouettes of these pieces, the duo utilized unexpected art and textiles. Set against silk ruffles, floral upholstery, and animal-print bedding are Sarno’s own stylish creations, including her illustrations of pineapples, parrots, and Staffordshire dogs. There are also works by her mother, the painter Nancy Lee Carter, and uncle, the fashion photographer Tim Carter. “Hayley and I both wanted to infuse elements that we haven’t seen in many of our contemporaries’ homes,” explains Mele. “The apartment’s decor makes a nod toward the best of the past, while still striking a modern chord.”

Old-school chairs contribute a classic touch to the dining area.

FLOWERS

green vase with handmade paper geraniums, johnderian.com

ANTLERS

Black Forest, johnderian.com

PAINT

(on floors) Purbeck Stone (275) farrow-ball.com

PAINT

(on doors) Lamp Room Gray (88) farrow-ball.com

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

This folding screen hides an unsightly air conditioner!

DEER MOUNT

Black Forest, johnderian.com

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

Sarno’s illustrations (available for sale on domino.com) grace the walls of her bedroom.

ILLUSTRATION

“Fantastique” by Hayley Sarno

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE

A custom headboard in a Bennison fabric blends seamlessly with tiger-striped Pratesi bedding and pale-green St Antoine wallpaper from Farrow & Ball.

LINENS

pratesi.com

NIGHTSTANDS

Shoestring Style 203-826-8575

UPHOLSTERY

(on headboard) Paradise in original on oyster, bennisonfabrics.com

ILLUSTRATION

(above headboard) “Pineapple Face” by Hayley Sarno

WALLPAPER

St Antoine (BP 945) farrow-ball.com

TRIM AND CLOSETS

(not shown) Lamp Room Gray (88) farrow-ball.com

Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE
Photography by BRITTANY AMBRIDGE