Design Crush: Olasky & Sinsteden

There is nothing more exciting than finding new-to-me designers and falling madly in love with their portfolio of work… And that is exactly what happened when I discovered Olasky & Sinsteden, created by Catherine Olasky and Maximilian Sinsteden.  The globe-trotting duo take an old-school, detail-oriented approach to design that absolutely speaks to my heart, and their background includes training and experience amongst the who’s who of the design world. Catherine spent five years working for Bunny Williams before moving to London to work for Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler, while Max began working for David Easton at age 15 before spending three years at Charlotte Moss. The current partnership was formed in 2009 when the two re-connected in London where Max was completing an installation at the Victoria and Albert Museum.

Today I am thrilled to welcome Catherine and Max, who have most graciously provided the captions to my favorite portfolio images below…. Photography by Read McKendree.

A corner of their 2016 Kips Bay Showhouse room featuring a custom chair in a Claremont woven silk/cotton fabric. The cushion on the chair has applique and embroidery by a favorite source, Penn & Fletcher; the design is an abstracted enlarged version of a leaf in the chintz fabric seen elsewhere in the room. A painting by Robert Kelly hangs above a vintage standing lamp from David Duncan Antiques with a custom shade by Blanche Field. The curtains were an adaptation of a design by John Fowler with custom banner weight bullion fringe applied to the leading edge of the valences.

Flanking an 18th century chinoiserie commode from Florence, borrowed from the renowned antiques dealer Helen ​Fioratti​, are a pair of custom designed four poster beds made by J. Quintana Upholstery. The beds are covered in a Fermoie fabric in a custom color and dressed with custom embroidered linens by Nancy Stanley Waud Fine Linens. The pair of wall sculptures are by the artist Derrick Velasquez and are made up of strips of marine vinyl layered over wooden blocks. A Christopher Spitzmiller lamp with a custom Blanche Field shade sits in front of a mirror from Lee Callichio.

Image via KDHamptons.

The corner of a paneled library in a clients house on Guernsey. The walls are entirely faux painted to look like knotty pine. A George IV convex mirror purchased at auction hangs over the mantel. Rose Cumming’s classic print ‘Genges’ in linen on the sofa is complimented by Claremont’s ‘Semi-Montrichard’ on the cushion and a modeled leather from Holland & Sherry on the oak chair. The Robert Kime standing lamp has a Japanese paper shade.

Besselink & Jones sconces surround the painted paneled room. A Patterson Flynn & Martin carpet is fitted wall-to-wall. Soane’s ‘Quiver Klismos’ chair in black calfskin sits at the desk. The pair of red tortoiseshell obelisks are from Sybil Colefax & John Fowler.

A guest bedroom with a “prince” sized bed–halfway between a twin and a full–has walls upholstered in Bennison’s ‘Sarassa’ with bed hangings printed to match in their pattern ‘Petite Fleurs.’ A pair of ebonized bedside tables from Sibyl Colefax & John Fowler lend a place for lamps and a water carafe. The sheets were designed with and made by Nancy Stanley Waud Fine Linens.

Custom bauble trim in grey and white with a glass bead has a red thread running through it to echo the walling and curtain fabric from Bennison.