Thursday, February 03, 2011

One Fresh Nest: Amanda Moore's Abode

One Fresh Nest is a feature that we have on the site where we highlight a home that is beautiful and inspiring.



Today's One Fresh Nest is Amanda Moore's home.  She is a single mother, freelance writer and has designed dozens of nurseries for celebrities and private clients since 2006 through her former Manhattan nursery design consultancy first:place and her new design service
Baby Green based in Long Beach, NY.

You can also follow her on her blog here where you'll find endless inspiration.



What is your favorite room in the your home & why?
Each room is special to me for a different reason.  This was the result of the minimalist design approach I took: I only put furniture and art in each space that was necessary and that I truly loved, resulting in a little cluster of seven equally beloved spaces.  Yes, even the bathroom. But if I had to pick one room, I would select what we simply call the "front room."  I believe it was originally designed to be a screened-in porch when these kit homes were only intended for summer use, so it has windows on three out of four walls, and is always washed in daylight.  I had never used the color green in my home before, but I find that it connects me to nature every time I step through my front door.  The photographs of virgin rain forests on the crisp white walls help support this connection, as do the trio of little ceramic birds on the wall above the bookshelf. The reclaimed wood table/bench in front of the love seat is made from timber pulled out of a downtown Manhattan demolition, connecting me to the decade and a half in which I called the city my home. The avocado green rug bears my favorite symbol: the Buddhist Infinity Knot. We're a 'shoes off' household, so the storage bench was a necessity for corralling flip flops and sneakers. There is nothing fragile or breakable in this room, so this is the space where my son can stage light saber challenges, practice his karate and kick around a soccer ball.





When you were designing your home, where did you get your inspiration from?

I think I had been designing my 'beach house' in the back of my mind for years, even when still living in the city. So when the time came to move to Long Beach, the vision was already alive.  I ultimately drew inspiration from the beach and dunes down the block, any tropical beachfront cabana I've ever been lucky enough to stay in, the beautiful collections at Calypso Home and Donna Karan's Eastern Long Island home that had me breathless the first time I saw it in print.



What is your favorite piece in this room and why?
My favorite thing in my whole house is the pair of sun prints hanging over my bed.  For the first year I lived here, the only decorative piece in my bedroom was the ladder.  Then my son and I made the sun prints one late Summer afternoon and I knew they were what my walls had been waiting for (the black and white photo is an even more recent addition). I've learned that sometimes it's best to live with emptiness and the perfect thing will eventually make its way to you. The memory of making these prints with him and the vibrant cobalt blue make me smile every time I look at them.





Share your favorite DIY project in your home.  Tell us a little bit about it.

Actually, it would probably be the sun prints over my bed. But my second favorite DIY effort is in the bathroom. I wrapped the cheap plastic towel bar rod with natural twine (which is a surprisingly long undertaking!) for a peaceful, nautical vibe and to ensure that I didn't have to look at the dingy plastic.

Thanks Amanda for sharing your beautiful home.  Consider it Fresh Nest approved!

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