Twenty-four years after their first project together, designer Stan Adamik designs a new home for his client in Fox Chapel.

Modern Art and Elegant Design in a Fox Chapel Residence

“He certainly understands what it takes to do a project like this,” says Weisshouse Senior Interior Designer Stan Adamik about his repeat client, an anesthesiologist. “And he knows good design, but needs help putting it together.”

Balanced, warm, and gentle

The light-filled living area sets the tone with balanced proportions, warm hues, and a gentle masculine energy. A deep sofa is faced with a pair of vintage De Sede leather armchairs that Adamik found in mint condition at High Point. “I immediately envisioned them in his living room—the scale and unique tailoring of the chairs were precisely what the room needed. However, when Mike first saw them, he wasn’t quite as smitten as I was.” But once the chairs were placed in the room, Mike sat down, and it was love at first sit. (His dogs, Millie and Chica, had no doubts—and each has claimed one as their own.) A pair of oak stools upholstered in white bouclé, a vintage chrome and glass table, and a tall white light fixture from Moooi complete the look. Sconces from Flos wash the cathedral ceiling, bouncing light back into the room.

Further on, the den employs deep red walls to introduce a dramatic, more cocoon-like layer, complementing the rich brown velvet sofa and vintage console. (It’s accessible directly from the living room, making the spaces feel both part of and separate from one another. “I’m all about making each room feel different.”)

Kitchen perfection

The original kitchen was less than optimal, according to all accounts, but it has been transformed into an efficient and visually striking space in black, white, and wood. Colorful area rugs add softness and texture, while Flos and Moooi fixtures bring in drama. “Poliform kitchens are thoughtfully designed in Italy with attention to detail. It’s a nice balance between aesthetics and functionality, with durable materials.” The homeowner aspires to entertain more and is excited to jump in and use it.

“Throughout the home, modern art pieces bring in saturated tones, setting the mood and infusing the space with vibrant energy.” Notable works include a large-scale Abstract Expressionist piece in the primary bedroom, and a Frank Stella in the entryway. The latter works with a geometric rug to contrast with the asymmetrical, organic wood console.

Patterns, textures, and perfect scale

In the primary bedroom, a vintage area rug helps break up the large space and make it feel more intimate. In the primary bath, wood-look porcelain shower tiles and the mosaic lava stone floor bring organic texture. The large scale of the tiles and frameless shower help make the small space look larger than it is, while the concrete sink adds understated industrial glamour.

The home’s palette was designed to create a calm foundation, paired with color and texture drawn from both natural materials and graphic art pieces. High-contrast combinations bring energy to the kitchen and entryway, while a harmonious feeling permeates spaces like the living room. Adamik, of course, has his favorites, such how the sculptural grey B&B Italia dining chairs stand out against the clean lines of the elm table and cabinets in the kitchen, and the warm neutral scheme that flows seamlessly into the living room, where accents of copper, rust, and brown provide a contrast to the white walls and light French oak floors. For Millie and Chica, however, it’s all about the chairs.

Story by Stephen Treffinger
Photography by Erin Kelly

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