Dynamic and Daring, Local Architects and Interior Designers Reveal Their Secrets to Success

There is no more tangible expression of your personality and lifestyle than your surroundings. Get to know six diverse and exceptional local design experts as they share their philosophies, design fantasies and tips to help you bring out your true colors. 

Jayne Rosen

J R Design Coordinates
6414 Meetinghouse Road
New Hope, PA  18938
 215-862-5876
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For Jayne Rosen, the definition of design can be summed up in one word: diversity. “The excitement of design is the possibility of re-inventing yourself with every single project so that you can do something wonderful for each individual client,” enthuses the owner of JR Design Coordinates in New Hope. “It’s that challenge that really inspires me. In 20 years of design, I’ve never used the same fabric or furniture twice.”

It was two decades ago, as a fashion editor for Town and Country Magazine, that Rosen had a career altering epiphany. Smitten with a shoot location — an over-the-top NYC apartment — she realized where her heart, and career, really belonged. “I looked around at the 18-foot ceilings and the cantilevered staircase and was so taken by the beauty and elegance. I just knew I wanted to be creating environments that elicit the emotion I was feeling.” Working as an editor by day, Rosen pursued her new passion at night, studying at the New York School of Interior Design. The love affair is ongoing.     “The pure joy that I feel when a room or an entire home is completed and the client is absolutely head over heels with it is the greatest reward that you can possibly have,” says Rose, whose clients often throw parties to celebrate their new digs. “Seeing guests enjoying themselves in these spaces, knowing that they are functional as well as beautiful, gives me a great deal of pleasure.”

A Fantasy of Fabrics

Rosen’s perfect project would be less about any particular design style than about luxurious fabrics and artistic color schemes. “I love mixing textures and color,” she says. “Combining the right fabrics in the right way, you can create a total look that is colorful but soft and gentle and wonderful to live in.”

Rosen is very careful to select fabrics that are compatible with clients’ lifestyles and financial considerations. But if we’re talking fantasy? “Sumptuous fabrics and fabulous furniture — minus any budgetary constraints would be my fantasy,” she sighs.

Trick of the Trade

Plan. Plan. Plan. Do not do anything until you have a complete plan, emphasizes Rosen. “A lot of people design haphazardly. They see a piece they like and they buy it. They see a fabric they like and they make a drapery out of it. That is a recipe for disaster.” Any good designer starts with a furniture plan, says Rosen, who usually gives her clients several options to choose from. Each rendition takes advantage of the room in the best way possible and gives a sense of the necessary size and scale of furniture. “Then you start researching the color scheme, the furniture style and put the whole package together,” she explains. “You don’t do anything until you know your plan is complete and that it is going to work.” Which leads Rosen to her recipe for success: Be patient and whatever you do, don’t lose your sense of humor.

Jon Wagner Architect llc., AIA

2103 Sansom Street
Suite 2-S
Philadelphia, PA 19103
t 215.523.9433 f 215.523.9398
www.jw-arch.com
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Though separated by geography — and a few thousand years — Jon Wagner and Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut share a love for design that is powerful in its simplicity; grand but devoid of superfluous ornamentation. It was the study of the female pharaoh’s temple, “Splendour of Splendours,” and other ancient Egyptian architecture that inspired the history student to turn his enthusiasm into a profession. “I had a great history professor at the University of Washington in Seattle who illustrated his lectures with slides of buildings relevant to the periods we were studying,” he recalls. “The more we focused on ancient Egypt, the more I developed an affinity for the clean lines, open spaces and classic elegance of the structures, especially Hatshepsut’s temple.”

The impact was lasting, profoundly influencing the architect’s core philosophy: Architecture does not have to be overstated and overdone to be timeless and classic.

“My basic approach is clean and modern, with whatever quirks or details best reflect the personalities of my clients,” explains Wagner who often is called upon to either enhance or reinterpret an existing context. “A big part of the game is reworking an older structure into a newer sensibility that more accurately represents the people who live there today. We’re creating a three dimensional expression of their particular lifestyle and how they wish to be perceived.” There is no stylebook, says Wagner who strives for an updated version of whatever original genre he’s faced with. “You respect and preserve the elements that the client loves about that particular style and instill features that make it relevant and more functional to this age.”

Beach Dreams

If Wagner has his way, you will find him gazing out at the surf from his courtyard or rooftop terrace. Any beach house worth its saltwater, lends itself to indoor/outdoor living. The design would be material driven — steel, stone, glass and wood — with a strong connection to those elements.

“There would be an awareness of being surrounded by natural materials, feeling a stone floor beneath your feet, standing next to a concrete wall,” muses Wagner. “Textures and surfaces would be natural and elegant and facilitate the play of light through the spaces.”

While Wagner would love to be living the beach dream, his professional goals involve more urban grit than sand. “On a daily basis I aspire to civic minded projects that support urban rehab. Being part of the ongoing conversation that determines the face of the city is really exciting and rewarding.”

Trick of the Trade

Decide on a budget and stick to it, says Wagner. “Even before nailing down style, be realistic about calculating your financial commitment,” he advises. “The creative process is so much fun and when the juices start flowing, it’s easy to let someone talk you into more, more, more. In the end, your bill may take the enjoyment out of the project.”     The right architect will consider your pocketbook and your dreams with equal skill, emphasizes Wagner. "Clients often become afflicted with ‘budget amnesia.' It’s our job to stay focused and keep everybody on the same page.” To that end, start the process with conversation, lots of it. The more talking and listening occurs early on, the more successful this partnership will be.

Fury Design

Eric Rymshaw and Jim Fulton
908 B North 3rd Street
Phil PA 19123
215 627 7680
www.furydesigninc.com

You never get a second chance to make a first impression. For Eric Rymshaw and Jim Fulton, co-owners of Fury Design Inc., these are words to design by. “Design is like theater. The drama should begin the instant you walk in the door,” says Rymshaw, an architect by degree. “As you enter, look left and you might find an amazing armoire on a sleek black floor. Look right and immediately you’re facing a huge abstract painting, next to a Barcelona chair. You’re intrigued and want to explore further.”

Fury’s brand of warm modernism is defined by an exciting mix of eclectic furnishings that seamlessly merges aesthetics with function. “The look is clean and uncluttered, yet rich in texture and comfort, incorporating materials that are real, not synthetic,” notes Rymshaw. Design concepts reflect a stylish balance of yin and yang — not unlike this dynamic design duo, long-term partners in both life and business. “I am the voice of practicality,” says Fulton. “I always evaluate design elements from both the visual and utilitarian perspective. Eric is all about the drama. We argue. Clients benefit,” he jokes.

For both, the die was cast early. While Fulton spent his childhood rearranging his parent’s furniture to facilitate better flow, Rymshaw was busy drafting Frank Lloyd Wright inspired buildings. “Even though we lived in an old house in an older neighborhood, I was fascinated with Wright and modernism.  I drew my own version of split levels, ranches, and strange houses with atriums and courts,” recalls Rymshaw. “I was astounded to find recently that my mom had saved all of my old books. Amazing to look back and see the roots.”

Functional Fantasy

Though flexible and multi-disciplined when it comes to bringing client’s fantasies to fruition, if he had his druthers, Rymshaw would be living in the countryside, pondering the landscape from inside Philip Johnson’s famous “Glass House,” the completely open 56 foot by 32 foot glass and steel framed rectangle inspired by Mies van der Rohe. Equally as enticing: the opportunity to put his own stamp on a home designed by a legend.

“I would love to reinterpret the interior of a famous home by Frank Lloyd Wright, Louis Kahn or Robert Venturi,” he muses adding that his dream projects are not limited to suburbia. “I enjoy working in an urban environment and would welcome a large renovation on a city street.” Conversely, Fulton’s design dreams are not bound by any particular geography. “My fantasy project has plenty of space for storage,” says Fulton. “I’m talking about very organized closets, lots of drawers and room for everything to have its place.” Yes, opposites do indeed attract.

Trick of the Trade

Think of your house as a cohesive whole. “A home should not look like a different designer worked in every room,” emphasizes Rymshaw. “Then you have a theme park. Decide on a basic look and make subtle variations to details and colors to keep things interesting as you move through the house.”

Fulton is a fan of moveable art, urging clients to buy wonderful things for their walls and be bold about moving them around. “You would be amazed how incredibly fresh they look when you change their location.”

And last but not least, in one of those rare moments of complete agreement, both pros remind us that a home is not designed to be a magazine layout. This is the place in which you want be able to relax and enjoy.

Paul Macht, AIA

Paul Macht Architects
1231 School Lane
Rydal, PA 19046
215 572 7511
www.machtarchitects.com

Even as he sat on the floor expressing his earliest architectural visions, Paul Macht was probably wondering whether or not his LEGO set was biodegradable. The environmentally sensitive architect has carved out a niche in a genre he calls “natural modernism.”

Think visually stunning meets ecologically correct. “Our area of emphasis attracts ‘green’ clients who tend to desire a strong connection to the landscape. They are interested, for example, in houses that feature lots of glass, as well as passive solar energy panels, which can provide passive solar heat gain.” Though the look may be simple and clean, the mechanics are anything but. “We’re talking about state-of-the-art technology to maintain maximal indoor air quality as well as the perfect balance of heat exchange between the interior and exterior,” explains Macht, who is part architect, part physicist. “To become a better designer, it’s important to really understand how it all works.”

It is a science that is constantly evolving, says Macht, who is excited about a new eco-innovation that keeps heat — and money — from going down the drain. “The newest little gimmicky thing is reclaiming heat from hot water that goes down the shower drain,” he explains. “It’s easy and inexpensive to include in new construction and not impossible to add later.” 

Not new, but still sexy to green designers: a roof that is basically landscaped like your lawn. “Sod roofs provide added insulation and also help curb flooding problems,” says Macht. “Additionally there is the benefit of photosynthesis which contributes to carbon neutrality.” Simply put, for those of us who are not physicists, this means we walk softly and keep our footprint on the eco-scape to a minimum.

Sustainable Fantasy

Look for Macht’s dream house in the city or the country…not in between. All glass, with a southern exposure and view of a fabulous garden, this modern masterpiece will approach zero energy, which means input and output will be perfectly balanced. Macht would have a walk-out deck off the master bedroom, a shower with no door, ventilation that would facilitate maximum fresh air and heat exchange, and just one other detail: total control over both the design and building process.

“Ideally we would be involved from start to finish to insure a result that is truly green and sustainable,” sighs the wishful Macht. “Every decision has energy and global warming implications. It’s not just about the energy the house actually uses; it’s also about the energy used to make the house. The health of the occupants as well as the planet has to do with every aspect of the building process.”

Trick of the Trade

Keep an open mind, urges Macht. If both client and architect bring a strong agenda to the table, creativity can be stifled. “Go with the flow and be open to learn as you go through the process,” he advises. “Try not to cling to ideas that are without depth. Instead constantly reevaluate what is important. Think about how you want it to feel as opposed to how you want it to look.” Often the right path is very different from the original vision, says Macht, who encourages clients to pay more attention to specific function rather than size. “With construction costs rising as we speak, less can be more,” he notes. Instead of cheapening a larger space, he says, it may be wiser to sacrifice square footage and build a house that includes all the bells and whistles relevant to your specific lifestyle.

Brooke Drinkwater, AIA

728 Monument Road   
Malvern, PA  19355
(610) 296-9394      
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www.BrookeDrinkwater.com

Forget Barbie dolls. As a young girl, Brooke Drinkwater’s life revolved around her mechanical pencil.

“I used to run home to do my math homework and draw,” laughs the architect, whose designs strike a delicate balance between geometry and art, skillfully merging those two lifelong pursuits. “You can’t have a building that is working wonderfully but looks terrible,” she explains. “Conversely, you can’t have a building that looks fabulous but doesn’t work.” Visually exciting and functional to a fault, Drinkwater’s unique historic interpretations creatively serve both masters. “I like to incorporate an eclectic blend of various historic details, making sure everything works together but is also very fresh,” she says. “I’m not hung up on being a purist. I like to provide an authentic flavor of history, but adapt it to a contemporary lifestyle. That means breaking the mold a little bit.” 

Breaking the mold: A familiar motto for Drinkwater, whose grandmother founded the female branch of the United States Marine Corps during WWII. Small wonder the architectural student — one of very few women at the time— caught the eye of famous Philadelphia architect Louis Kahn while she was still in college and began her career under his wing. “He was a wonderful teacher who created a true environment of camaraderie and exploration,” she recalls fondly.

Though Drinkwater jokes that her work is “gender neutral,” she does bring a unique perspective to the table. “As a woman, I have an awareness of what families want in terms of details that facilitate household efficiency,” she notes adding that when space allows, she will include features like mudrooms, larger laundry rooms, pantries, areas specifically for kids and storage — plenty of storage — especially in the kitchen. “Those refrigerator and dish drawers are fabulous,” she beams.

Assymetrical Fantasy

Whether shingle style, like her own home, with a rambling silhouette and lots of porches, or a Mediterranean design featuring warm colored stucco, arches, terra cotta roofs and balconies, Drinkwater is intrigued by the randomly shaped exteriors of asymmetric genres. Their common theme — and one of Drinkwater’s major ideal home criteria: what you see at first glance is not what you ultimately get. “I don’t like homes that are stretched out like a tube of toothpaste and reveal all at once,” says Drinkwater who strives for designs that stimulate curiosity. “The idea is to feel a sense of discovery around every corner. Your eye is constantly engaged,” she says. Even more inspiring than any particular style: a client who is enthusiastic and on board for a great design adventure from the start to the finishing details. “We establish a path and then they fasten their seatbelts and away we go,” she smiles.

Trick of the Trade

Really take stock of your own dreams, says Drinkwater. This is not about impressing the neighbors. “A custom design is about understanding yourself and deciding how you really want to live,” she emphasizes, adding that when you make your wish list, decide what you want and don’t try to figure out how it will be accomplished. “That’s why you hire a pro,” she reminds. For example, your architect may opt to redefine the existing space, a strategy that may work—for both house and pocketbook. “A client may think they want to add a family room when in fact they may achieve the same goal by reconfiguring their living spaces and maybe just adding a back door or mudroom wing,” she explains “The idea is to make your budget work for you in the best possible way.”

Susan Pevaroff-Berschler lives in Bryn Mawr.