There’s a thoughtful balance that must be achieved when a home needs to serve as a serene reprieve from the bustle of a busy career as well as a welcoming venue for family time and larger gatherings. That’s just the setting designer Jessica Fogel Scott set out to create for stylist Mariel Haenn and her family, a home where it’s “as easy to entertain as it is to unwind and relax,” the designer explains. “Our goal was to design the space as open, tranquil and earthy as possible.”
Fogel Scott notes the design evolved from a beautiful black olive tree, and that the subtle palette employed for furniture and finishes was selected to enhance the antique vessels and plants that were brought in to complete the home. “We were drawn to it looking done but undone,” the designer shares. “Like a plant with a funny shape and a daybed made of reclaimed walnut.” And the plan was for that lived-in feeling to emanate inside and out, “so when the doors and windows are open, everything flows.”
Fogel Scott worked with Stephen Block and Jana Feifer of Inner Gardens to “layer the space with funky pots and interesting plants to achieve a natural, wabi-sabi aesthetic,” she relates. The botanical specialists took into consideration Haenn’s busy professional life, her desire for a living environment instilled with a sense of Zen and the interior concept Fogel Scott had conceived when making selections for the home. “Our aim was to add architectural elements through unusual planters and plants, while fostering beauty and energy within the space,” Feifer notes. “The architectural elements served as a north star on the project.” The emphasis on plant life lends a vibrance to the home and is significant in shaping the overall environment, a specialty for Inner Gardens, where plants and their vessels are considered the jewelry that are the finishing touches on a home. “Plants play a crucial role in transforming a house into a home,” Block states. “They have the remarkable ability to fill expansive areas with a life-affirming presence, contributing to the character of the space.”
The lush abundance of the plant-rich interiors connects gracefully to equally abundant and livable exterior spaces, creating an indoor/outdoor living experience that suits Mariel Haenn and her family perfectly – an elegant mix of casual sophistication and enduring style.
While the interior’s neutral palette lends itself to the restful and welcoming environment the homeowner desired, the home is notably alive with interest. “Nothing is too precious,” Fogel Scott (pictured above left) explains, noting they set out to create “a bit of funk factor” through a mix of new pieces and antiques. “The woods are aged and distressed. The sconces are patinaed. The plants are housed in a variety of vessels, new and old. There’s harmony in the palette, but it’s very refined in its simplicity.”
Photography by Michael Clifford.
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