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Topic E:
Greening Over the Library of the White House
Not only a green interior designer to the stars like Jessica Alba, Kari Whitman is also a rising star in her own right, with her own line of eco-friendly pet products and her own animal rescue organization. It was only natural for her to envision a new green Library for the Obamas with accommodation for the First Pup.
Current White House Library......
Elizabeth McMullen
Kari Whitman's White House Library green over......
Interior designer to the stars, Kari Whitman, knows a thing or two about designing for high-profile clients — she recently helped Jessica Alba make her home gorgeously green by using mostly pre-owned pieces, such as vintage chandeliers. When revamping a home's décor, her celebrity clients often want to incorporate existing family heirlooms and antiques into the mix, so she approached making over the White House Library with the same respect for the history of the room, working with the existing antiques, but also livening things up. "Antiques are inherently green, and the Library's regal furniture exemplifies the superior craftsmanship of older pieces to that of today's mass-produced ones. I'd like to recycle these historic pieces by giving them an eco-friendly update," Whitman says, noting, "I wanted the Library to be a comfortable place for the family to hang out, to sit by the fire and for the dog to chew on a bone. A place the girls could do their homework in, to read, relax and play games. Cozy and inviting, but still kind of funky." Here are the steps she'd take if she were to green over the White House Library.
The first thing Whitman noticed about the room was the stark, white walls: "They just felt cold." She suggested warming things up with her Wall Makeup kit, a nontoxic, zero-VOC paint mixing kit that's helps you find the exact color you want, eliminating wasted cans of paint you'll never use. The kit can be used for paint effects, too, like the simulated woodgrain on the walls and bookcases, and the dark grey of the paneling and crown moulding.
Slipcovering chairs and sewing new drapes are both transformative and budget-friendly, more of a concern for those whose houses aren't White. Whitman likes Daisy Janie's cotton-linen, retro-French Madame pattern for the library curtains and valance; and in the same tonal family, the mod Iris pattern to give the existing side chairs a bit of personality.
Reupholstering a piece not only preserves an investment piece, but is also an eco way to go. For the library, Whitman suggests replacing the older settee-type seating with a more modern, low couch, reupholstered in Cicada Studio's linen Icy Stripe.
Recover existing items like pillows and lampshades instead of tossing them out and get a new look while saving a bundle. Whitman would jazz up a stuffy lamp with Harmony Art's certified organic cotton Whispering Grass design, and use the matching solid Aqua for accent pillows. A hint of the Aqua would also be used on the backs of the chairs, to make them pop.
Because the upright chairs flanking the Library fireplace don't have a relaxing feel, Whitman would suggest replacing them with handsome vintage Deco-era leather club chairs, the kind you we could see the Obama girls sinking into. She'd also cover the body of these in faux crocodile "leather," but keep the seats and button tufting in the existing camel. Mixing old materials with new creates a one-of-a-kind look you won't get at the furniture store.
Whitman's biggest passion? Pooches. Her Ace of Hearts rescue organization has saved more than 2,000 dogs; to benefit this and other animal-friendly and eco-organizations, She designed a line of stylish, plushy dog beds, Greener Pup, and would love to see the First Pup laying a custom dog bed made with a Plyboo Durapalm base, a Harmony Art Aqua frame, and a soft center pillow covered in Cicada Studios' Pussy Willow pattern.
Kari loved the bold geometry of The Rug Company's vegetable-dyed Ushak Morocco rug, which works well with the library's new, warmer tonal family of blues, greys and browns. She suggests adding a tiny dot of aqua into the center flowers as well, to tie the room's other aqua accents together.
Brightening things up with a striking chandelier, like this Energy-Star rated stunner from Del Mar Designs, is always a good idea, especially in a space where reading is involved. Whitman likes this one in place of the decidedly stuffier, existing fixture, and lowered a bit to make the light in the room more inviting. She envisions the piece with more modern, square shades and stainless steel arms.
Adding greenery brings an organic, natural feeling to the Library. Plants also give off oxygen and, as Whitman notes, certain plants can actually help remove environmental toxins, like formaldehyde, benzene, and carbon monoxide. For the Library, she would make a square planter for an English Ivy topiary out of Plyboo Durapalm, a sturdy material made from coconut palms. Whitman would also replace the unfriendly white bust on the coffee table with a Peace Lily. Other suggested plants include bamboo palms and Chinese evergreens.
Final touches:
