How To Pare Down Without Sacrificing Style
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Tricia Foley's pared-down sense of style is purposely hard to date. The designer and author inhabits an 18th-century farmhouse in the quiet hamlet of Yaphank, Long Island, a living laboratory that she's filled with the touchstones of her aesthetic: nubby neutrals in linen and jute, Wedgwood basalt-ware serving pieces from the 1700s, walls in ethereal shades of white.
Though the bones of the house are centuries old, her embellishments could exist in any era. "I always seek out things that are timeless, even though that's such a tired word," Foley says. The look is clean and spare but imbued with an indelible warmth. Hers are spaces in which the world recedes—calm, contemplative, and ideal for curling up in. "I love decoration," says the former magazine editor and consultant for such brands as Ralph Lauren and Waterworks. "But I'm more of a purist in terms of simple, functional design."
This serene ethos is well documented in her most recent book, Life/Style ($45, Rizzoli), and has earned her commissions from the likes of Isabella Rossellini and Chris Rock; she has worked on projects from the Hamptons to Ireland. Her latest endeavor is restoring a 1790 Federal-style house in Yaphank village. "I love design that's in it for the long run."
"Dramatic and whimsical, but still sleek." Foscarini twiggy floor lamp, $2,433; foscarini.com.
"The color palette is so beautiful." Rogers & Goffigon shaker linen, available to the trade; rogersandgoffigon.com.
"Mixes with everything." Wedgwood basalt ware, prices vary; replacements.com.
Foley's Advice: Don't be afraid to stick with what works. "I tend to look for the perfect thing and then live with it forever. I am the kind of person who buys six pairs of the same shoes."
"As a desk or side table—legs don't get in the way." Saarinen dining table, from $2,216; dwr.com.
"Handblown and amazing." Deborah Ehrlich hurricane lantern, from $600; erbutler.com.
"I use them everywhere." West Elm jute rug, from $39; westelm.com.
Foley's Advice: Vary texture in tone-on-tone neutral rooms to create subtle moments of interest: the hand-hewn against the polished, matte against luster, light hues against saturated. "I use dark jute rugs on my dark wood floors, and you almost don't notice them. Almost."
"It always just feels right." Benjamin Moore simply white paint, from $40 a gallon; benjaminmoore.com.
"I adore the warm bronze finish." Rocky Mountain Hardware barn door track, from $5,667; rockymountainhardware.com.
"Perfectly scaled and totally comfortable." Restoration Hardware maxwell sofa, from, $3,995; rh.com.
Foley's Advice: In streamlined spaces, quality is king. "I would much rather have one nice object than a room full of so-so stuff."
"Defies a time stamp." Dornbracht tara fittings, from $1,469; dornbracht.com.
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