PROFILE-The Interior Design Issue, February 2012

DESIGNER: Leandra Fremont-Smith

Photography Trent Bell

 This Space, This Way:

This living space inside a traditional Tudor home features strong gothic influences, a unique slate for Leandra Fremonth-Smith to create her interior design. Her goal was to seamlessly blend the furniture, art, and accessories together, while taking her client’s request for contemporary flare into consideration.

“In order to keep the scheme grounded, I implemented Victorian, Gothic, and English furniture with clean lines, such as a modern rendition of a classic wingback chair and an English legged sofa with a sleek, curved arm,” she explains. “The large Victorian urn accented with green cattail balls is originally from a Portland foundry and is dated 1890.”

The cattail balls bring the outdoors in and mirror the moss found in the gardens surrounding the house. Texture and origin influenced the fabric selections, including the French Moroccan Ikat on the blue chairs, the South American hand-embroidered fabric on the footstool, and the Old World tapestry designs on the sofa pillows. The grounding elements of the historical and antique fundamentals complement the room’s modern lines and accents, making the space well balanced.

Signature Style:

“It is my goal to transform a living space into an area that reveals  traditional details paired with contemporary sleekness for a stylish yet comfortable place to call home. Paying attention to detail and educating the client are vital parts of my design philosophy. My inspiration and challenge is integrating color, architectural details, and the landscape outside to give my client a home environment he or she will cherish.”

Trick of the Trade:

“Painting the fireplace a dark charcoal gray (it was formerly white) turned it into a major focal point and enhanced the leaded windows.”

The Goods:

Blue chairs flanking the fireplace: Lee Industries, leeindustries.com
Hand-embroidered “Mackie” footstool: by Jamie Young at Simply Home, simplyhomepage.com
Kingston reading chair: by Bernhardt, bernhardt.com at Dwellings, 207-781-3711
Embroidered throw & pillow: Holland & Sherry, hollandandsherry.com
Chatham sofa: by Bernhardt, bernhardt.com at Dwellings, 207-781-3711  
Sofa pillows: Zoffany, zoffany.com; Scissors & Seams, 207-657-2227
Iron urn: c. 1890, originally from a Portland, Maine, foundry
Rug: by Surya at Simply Home, simplyhomepage.com
Gold martini table: Visual Comfort & Co., visualcomfort.com
Twist sconces: by Eric Cohler at Fogg Lighting, fogglighting.com
Art deco coffee table: Pillars, 207-869-5164
Painting over the mantel: by Richard Keen, Weir Arrangement 172 with Hull, 30” x 30”, oil on canvas; at Elizabeth Moss Galleries, elizabethmossgalleries.com
Painting over the bar: by John Andrews, 24” x 30”, oil on canvas, at Elizabeth Moss Galleries, elizabethmossgalleries.com
Mantel paint color: “Thunder Gray” SW7645 by Sherwin Williams, sherwin-williams.com

For More: leandrafremontsmith.com