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North Jersey Homes - July 18, 2009
Floor-length, lined draperies by JK Interiors can be drawn across these south facing French doors to keep sunlight from overheating the room and fading the furnishings.
PHOTO BY SETH LITROFF
 In this southwest-facing den, which gets strong afternoon light, designer Jeffrey Kracht created shades in upholstery fabric with a blackout lining. They darken and cool the room without hiding the decorative window moldings of the 80-year-old home. PHOTO BY SETH LITROFF |
 Because the blackout shade on this living room window still let some light in around the edges, designer Jeffrey Kracht added a lined swag treatment to cover those areas. PHOTO BY SETH LITROFF |
ENERGY SMART DRESSINGS - by Eileen Watkins
Interior designer Jeffrey Kracht, of the Clifton firm JK Interiors, likes Duette and other "cellular" shades to protect against heat and sun.
"If you really want to block everything, you can use an outside mount that covers the window molding," he explained, "but some people don't want that, because they have decorative moldings."
In that case, he suggests a decorative window treatment that can block light around the window frame while leaving some molding visible.
For a customer's den that faces south and west, he created Roman shades with a blackout lining. "With an inside mount, just a little light comes through and it doesn't hide the molding," Kracht said.
He also receives more requests from energy-conscious clients for lined draperies that can be drawn completely across the windows. In some cases, he has even added interlining for extra insulation.
"During the '90s, most customers wanted sheers with panels at the sides, but people today are more conscious of air conditioning and heating costs," Kracht said. "If you're already doing a decorative drapery, it may be worth it to spend a little more and get something you can completely close."
Ask The Designers
Q: We are renovating a large kitchen /breakfast room area. Although I'm leaning towards a wood floor, I'd really like
something a little more interesting in such a big space.
A: One option would be to install a plain wood floor, and then, prior to
treating it with polyurethane, faux paint a border and/or decorative inlays. I
also like mixing wood and slate, particularly in a kitchen with stainless steel
appliances. The slate pulls off the stainless, while the wood adds warmth.
Q: In our new town house, the living room and den are really one large space.
How do I define them as separate areas, but make them look like they belong
together?
A: Use the same color scheme throughout but with deeper tones and more casual
fabrics, such as chenille, leather, and mohair in the den. In the living room,
use dressier fabrics, such as silks and velvets. If both areas have windows,
consider wood blinds or shutters with a top treatment for the den; a longer,
more dramatic treatment, such as sheers, side panels, and a valance, for the
living room. Area rugs will also divide the space. If Orientals are your style,
perhaps a wool one in the den, a silk and wool combo in the living room or
broadloom area rugs with custom borders, flip-flopping the colors in the two
spaces.
HomeScape - May 2, 2004
The focus is on 19th century American antiques -
many of them family heirlooms - in the living room, above, designed by Jeffrey Kracht. Among them are a mahogany bookcase, a maple drop-leaf desk, and a walnut
side table. Kracht used a French turn-of-the-century gilt screen as a divider
between the sitting area and bookcase and desk.
Image copyright Jeffrey Kracht.
Jeffrey Kracht
placed a 19th century American walnut settee at the foot of the bed in the
guestroom, above. Its new upholstery matches the bed's headboard and
bedding.
Image copyright Jeffrey Kracht.
MARRIAGE OF TRUE FINDS - by Robin Amster
For Jeffrey Kracht of JK Interiors, LLC in Clifton, "scale, color, and proportion" are the elements that will determine whether an antique fits in or doesn't. "You wouldn't want to place an eight-foot-high hutch next to a small piece, for instance," says Kracht. "These factors are more important in terms of how pieces blend than thinking, 'Oh, this piece is from 1780, so I need something of the same style and era.'"
Function, too, can be a factor, he adds. "What will the antique do for you? Is it just a beautiful piece, or does it have to perform a function as well?" he asks. "Antiques made to be something at the time they were created can often be put to to a different use now. You can take an old desk, for example, and use it as a console table behind a sofa, or use the cubbies of an old apothecary cabinet for holding keys, photos or other items. You have to be careful, though. It's one thing to adapt something, but another to try and take a petite little table and make it function as a cocktail table."
Issues involving both function and style come into play when contemplating decorating an entire room in antiques from the same period, Kracht notes. "I'm not sure that would work with today's lifestyles because these antiques are from a different age; they're not designed for our needs," he says. "And in terms of style, you don't want to walk into a room and feel like you're walking into the Metropolitan Museum of Art."
"History and permanence" are key to the lure of antiques, especially in newer construction, agrees Kracht. "It's wonderful just to know that certain things have lasted more than 100 years, versus, say, a computer you buy today that's obsolete within a year or two. There's a quality, craftsmanship, and attention to detail with antiques that's very difficult to find today," he says.
Antiques passed on to family members add yet another
dimension for their emotional value and for the link they provide with one's
past, says Kracht. "But even antiques you've acquired on your own are special as
something you can hand down through your own family."
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