Written Text:Mark Sikes
Calm, Cool & CollectedTake a tour inside interior designer
Mark Sikes' stunning West Hollywood home to discover how he
incorporates his eclectic collections and rede?ines California
casual.
More Is MoreVintage Herms ashtrays, silver boxes and Chinese
porcelain add personality to Sikes' space. "The trick is to place
collections throughout the home in small doses, creating story
lines that are revealed along the way," he says. (Off slide) More
about the room: The 1920s Mediterranean-style home originally
featured Hollywood Regency details with a dark color scheme.
Whitewashed ?loors and updated arched windows transform the ?irst
?loor.
Location, Location, LocationUpon entering the dining room, a
console teems with potted orchids and glass orbs; two large vases
anchor the stunning vignette. "Think about unique places to arrange
your collections: on tables, on top of bookshelves, in the kitchen,
in the bathroom," says Sikes.(Off slide) More about the room: Lined
in elegant Gracie hand-painted wallpaper, Sikes keeps the mood
light and casual with bamboo window treatments, Belgium linen
drapes and a custom built-in bench.
Stacking Up"I believe in clustering, leaning, layering and
stacking," says Sikes of creating distinctive decorative
statements. Short stacks of books are topped with antique silver
boxes or one of his dozens of seashells. (Off slide) More about the
room: "I love how the outdoors come in and the indoors go out,"
says Sikes of the unusually large potted trees inside that play up
the greenery outdoors. "There is a California traditional feel to a
Mediterranean faade."
On FireIn the living room, sketches and a pair of large white
Italian vases and glass hurricanes create symmetry. "Start with a
foundation, then just pop things in," advises Sikes of out?itting a
mantel. (Off slide) More about the room: Sikes balances the cream
color palette with a blacked-out ?ireplace and places his prized
?lea-market ?ind, a large tortoise shell, inside for drama.
In the StacksKnocking down a wall to open up the kitchen allowed
Sikes the space to build custom cabinets for his hundreds of
fashion, photography and Assouline design books. "Throughout the
cabinets I tuck silver pieces and vintage wood boxes, plus a few of
the porcelain items," he says. (Off slide) More about the room: The
chef-style kitchen features John Rosselli hurricanes,
blue-and-white Spode china, Viking appliances and bowls of
tangerines atop custom marble countertops.
Basket CaseSikes uses wicker baskets to create a look of
effortless elegance in the kitchen. "They're convenient and it's
just about them being functional," he says of two baskets that hold
dozens of sunhats and Birkenstocks. "But the colors do go together
and add to the causal feel."(Off slide) More about the room: "There
is a lot of texture throughout the home," says Sikes. "Bamboo
blinds and wicker, which I think warms the space, can work in any
room."
Animal Planet"Here, because the walls are so vast, I wanted to
do a collection of my bird prints," says Sikes. A skylight and
several framed mirrors brighten the space and keep the landing from
feeling congested by the more than 20 pieces.
Opposites AttractIn a second-?loor guest room, contrast is the
name of the game. Playing up the dark walls and light furnishings,
Sikes creates depth by layering natural ?iber rugs and a thin
striped mat. "It adds to the soul of the home," he says.(Off slide)
More about the room: To create the illusion of a canopy bed, Sikes
fashioned hanging bars from the ceiling then draped heavy linen and
sewed valances. "It's the look without the investment or the weight
of a four-poster bed."
White HotThe upstairs study pays homage to all of Sikes'
favorite magazines. "We did white bookcases so the white spines of
the magazines blend," says Sikes, whose seashells decorate the tops
of the cases. (Off slide) More about the room: Because he spends
endless hours here ?lipping through the magazines to get
inspiration for his blog, Sikes created "cozy nooks and corners"
with tan ikat fabrics and wicker chairs.
Color CodeFor the master bedroom, Sikes drenched the space in a
variety of soothing blue tones that are both strong and clean.
Smoky mirror panels lighten the fabric-lined walls. "The rest of
the room has a sexy vibe, but the sitting nook is a breath of fresh
air," says Sikes.(Off slide) More about the room: Accented with a
balcony looking over the English-style garden, Sikes keeps the room
from feeling one note by layering "various prints and patterns and
fabrics of pillows," including a needlepoint one sewn by his
father.
