1998

HOUSE OF DESIGN - Writer's Retreat

In a departure from his well known signature look, John Cole has designed the "Writer's Retreat" using black lacquered furniture, Chinese support tables and bold, dramatic striping.

"It would have been easy to take this beautiful, almost fanciful space with its abundant original plasterwork and really dress it up", said the designer, "but I wanted to take this room in a different direction."

John Cole
John Cole Interior Design
Los Angeles, California

The designer used his favorite writing table with black leather top and (faux) ivory in-lay together with a zebra print upholstered desk chair.

A very different stripe softly covering the walls is mimicked again in the woven window shades which show up boldly on the sofa and club chair.

The stripe upon stripe motif is counter-balanced by the designer in his luxurious choice of silk draperies, extraordinary antique engravings, modern art work, custom marble finish on the mantle piece, crackle finish on the moldings, natural sisal flooring and rich chenille on the chaise lounge. The perfect place to overcome writer's block.

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• Select a room from the 1998 Showcase House
  • Villa history
  • List of rooms
  • Entry - Music and Art Salon
  • Boy's Bedroom
  • The Powder Room
  • Writer's Retreat
  • The Solarium
  • Kitchen & Butler's Pantry
  • The Children's Bath
  • North Loggia
  • The Nursery
  • Ristorante Palladio, Taverna Bellini