House Beautiful February/March 2022

The House Beautiful reader is someone whose home is her bedrock. She is always improving it because the process – and result – delights her. Happiness in her home comes from easy luxury and highly personal style. Her home is a gift to share with family and friends.

$4.99

in this issue

IN THIS ISSUE

Meet the Cover Designer

Alison Victoria Chicago and Atlanta @thealisonvictoria As the star of HGTV’s Windy City Rehab and a seasoned interior designer, Alison Victoria is a fan and client favorite. Known for her warm spirit and fun, savvy approach to problem-solving, she’s particularly gifted at sourcing old pieces and bringing them back to their original glory in a new home. ON THE COVER: Photographer Robert Peterson Interior Designer Alison Victoria On the cover: Art, Mark Sargent via The Design Bar. Sconces, Circa Lighting. Table, CB2. Chairs, vintage. Sofa, vintage, in Fishman’s Fabrics. Side tables, HomeGoods. Coffee table, RH.…

1 min

IN THIS ISSUE

OPEN HOUSE EXPECTATIONS vs. REALITY

WANT TO TALK? E-MAIL ME AT EDITOR@HOUSEBEAUTIFUL.COM. Jo Saltz: Your job is to sell a perfect vision. So how honest do you feel you’re allowed to be with your clients at the start of a new project? Nicole White: I’m blunt. Many clients, especially those who come to us through Instagram, don’t realize the full scope of a project. We make contingency budgets mandatory for unexpected issues, like opening a wall to find rotted pipes that would take $20,000 to fix. Luis Medina: Some clients may you expect to do a project for way less because their aunt or grandma did it for way less. Then they go to someone who is willing to lie, and they end up disappointed. To avoid miscommunication, we document everything. Samantha Josaphat-Medina: We have potential clients fill out a…

4 min

IN THIS ISSUE

Sweat It Out

WHAT IF THE ONLY THING KEEPING YOU FROM AN invigorating workout were proximity? Skip the drive (or snowy sidewalk trudge) to the yoga studio, and you might actually squeeze in a class. A home gym tailored to your athletic preferences and personal aesthetic, not to mention just steps from bed, is an exceptional motivator. Stock it with dumbbells and a soft mat, or invest in virtual lessons with a trainer. In pandemic times, designers have “seen an onslaught of great at-home equipment and programming options,” designer Brad Krefman points out. Why go any place else for a workout? GENERAL ASSEMBLY PROJECT: JOE FLETCHER; JOY STREET DESIGN PROJECT: SEN CREATIVE; BK INTERI KEN FULK PROJECT: DOUGLAS FRIEDMAN/TRUNK ARCHIVE; PURSLEY DIXON FORD INTERIOR DESIGN PROJECT: ANNIE SCHLECTHER; LAUREN BUXBAUM GORDON AND NATE BERKUS…

2 min

IN THIS ISSUE

The Good Place

IT ALL STARTED WITH the stove. Alison Giese’s Arlington, Virginia, clients selected their kitchen’s centerpiece—a Lacanche range in a deep, dusky gray—before hiring the designer to oversee a top-to-bottom overhaul of the ’90s-era space. “Their take was, ‘We know this is going to be an investment. We want to do things right the first time,’” Giese recalls. “They were willing to do high-end appliances to get the kitchen they wanted.” Giese went on to curate a sumptuous material palette to match the handcrafted French range: brass hardware, bespoke oak cabinetry, stone countertops. But before any of this could be actualized, the floor plan needed fixing. “The working area was all crammed into one side of the space, and they really didn’t know what to do with the other half,” Giese explains.…

2 min

IN THIS ISSUE

Which Material Is Right for You?

HARDWOOD Solid hardwood flooring consists of planks made from single slabs of timber, which means every set is unique. “Mother Nature makes hardwood,” says Jennifer Meska, director of merchandising at LL Flooring. “That means that if you have a hardwood floor, you have a floor that no one else in the world has.” Beloved for this reason, hardwoods are a popular, albeit relatively pricey, pick. If scratching is a concern, look for a wood species with a high Janka rating. Choose Your Shine Every hardwood floor needs a protective coat. MATTE The lowest-luster option, this contemporary pick conceals blemishes while emphasizing the details in the wood grain. SATIN By far the most common, a satin finish lends a moderate shine and velvety look. GLOSSY While great for highlighting certain spaces or beautiful hardwoods, its high sheen makes dirt, smudges,…

2 min

IN THIS ISSUE