A neglected Federal-style schoolhouse in the Catskills was transformed into a glamorous and chic home.


Funky Kitchen

In a house without a dining room, the kitchen does double duty. To distinguish the room, homeowner John Loecke chose bold black cabinetry and white marble counters. In lieu of upper cabinets, he created an arrangement of vintage state plates set against a white wall. A circular window was added, which replicates one on the front of the house.



Built-In Drawers

Built-in drawers and storage cubbies compensate for no closets.



A Chinese-Inspired Railing

This railing was inspired by a Chinese garden bridge.



Modern English Country Living Room

The overall design was meant to hearken to the classic interiors found in the English country house of a century ago­-rooms filled with antiques, sculptural furniture pieces, and botanical patterns and prints on the walls. John and Jason Oliver Nixon (decorator)



Green Bathroom

Faux bathroom panelling was crafted of 4x4's.



Flea Market Equestrian Print's

Flea-market equestrian prints pop against a chocolate-brown wall.



Colourful Tableware

"By putting a few pieces of large furniture in a small space, a room feels bigger," observes John. "It's a trick of the eye and a fact about decorating that surprises."



Vibrant Bedroom

"We're both crazy about colour," explains Jason. "It energizes and excites a space. In a small house such as ours, colour works to expand the horizons of what might otherwise be seen as just a really tight space." The use of graphic prints and lively colours throughout keeps the focus away from the actual small-scale dimensions of the cottage. In the master bedroom, sunny-yellow paint and an exuberant green-and-white print enlivens the small space. The low-pitched roof created a seemingly unusable three-foot-high gap on each side of the room. A carpenter was contracted to fill one side with bookshelves, and the other with cabinets and storage drawers.



Tropical Chandelier

This tropical-inspired chandelier is accented with patterned lampshades.



Using Patterns

"The trick to combining many patterns in a room is to choose a common colour scheme," says John. "A variety of bold patterns won't clash when linked by a limited palette." To avoid overwhelming the space, John advises using no more than two large-scale prints and keeping other patterns geometric.



Patterned Pillows

Throughout the house, John used ribbons to embellish curtains, lampshades, and pillows. "Decorating with ribbons is inexpensive, easy, and the colour and pattern possibilities are endless," says John. In his book John Loecke's Grosgrain Style (Potter Craft), John shares his clever how-to projects, one of which is this layered ribbon square that can be applied with a hot-glue gun and completed in five minutes. The lime-green ribbon echoes the piping, while the white stitching bordering the brown ribbon fosters a modern look. The lattice print fabric of the pillow in the background inspired John to transform pillows with ribbon.



Eclectic Living Room

To keep a room visually exciting, John recommends combining furniture of various sizes and heights so the eye is drawn to different points.



Glassware Display

John groups his flea market finds according to colour, type, and theme and displays them on walls or open shelving.



Seahorse Sculpture

As an avid collector of ribbon, antique garden statuary, and 1950s glassware, John uses this home as the ultimate venue for displaying the treasures he picks up at flea markets around the world.




photo credit: Jamie Hill