Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

According to San Francisco interior designer Benjamin Dhong (www.benjamindhong.com), a...

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

With subtle color harmonies, sculptural furniture, worldly art collections — and a dash of wit and free spirit — Ben Dhong offers new and lively ways of thinking about design and décor. Look for subtle tonalities, inspiration, and ideas in every room. I recently sat down for a chat with Benjamin Dhong about a new residence he recently completed in Woodside, the leafy and ultra-private Silicon Valley town just south of San Francisco. His client is the CEO of a global Fortune 100 company. The Japanese family has two children. The shingled house was built in the 1930s, a golden age of domestic residences in America. It is surrounded by gardens with white roses and hydrangea. “The family wanted a house that both reflected them but also was suitable for important business gatherings,” said Ben, who started his design company ten years ago, after working closely with Martha Angus. “I knew I wanted natural materials, and a sense that everything hadn't been a purchased on the same day. I thought of bringing in the garden tonalities inside the house. Especially, I wanted to look as if it had come together over decades, with a mixture of high-low, or as Andrée Putman used to say, a combination of “rich” and ‘humble”. Interior Designer Benjamin Dhong Living room: The goal in the living room was to create a calm, cloudlike feeling using textures and light to set the mood. Natural materials like grasscloth, jute, are juxtaposed with the dazzle of gold. Hints of brass add low-key 'gilding'. "To make large rooms feel more cozy I believe that all the corners of a room should be designed for use,” said Dhong. “This makes a more welcoming space. I created five zones (main fireplace seating, game table, corner banquette, writing desk, reading area). “Designing in neutrals requires layers of texture so we applied grasscloth to the walls, added seagrass to the floors, and kept all the upholstered fabrics to a linen palate,” said Dhong. A large Saarinen table anchors the bay window. It’s a clean-lined juxtaposition to the French tub chairs and the temple spire. He designed airy linen sheers bound with earthy jute Greek key to filter the light. “I like mixing periods as long as they all balance,” said Dhong. In the living room he brought in Gustavian, French, Swedish Deco, mid-century, John Dickinson, Asian fragments, Italian sculpture, modern art. “We commissioned a pair of hand-carved wooden tree of life consoles from Myra Hoefer Design, Healdsburg, and had them gilded,” he said. Simple metal mirrors from Restoration Hardware keeps the look restrained. The daybed is by Carl Malmsten, Sweden’s twentieth-century answer to Ruhlmann. He placed a daybed in order to keep the room more open. Ben Dhong told me, “I love creating cozy corners. In the corner banquette area we crowned it with a cloud painting commissioned from Healdsburg artists Wade Hoefer. We asked Wade to paint a round canvas to give it a porthole feeling. The cloud painting balances the cloud altar fragment above the desk.” An 18th-Century Swedish desk is paired with a vintage wiggle chair. Its curves mimic the cloud altar fragment. “I'm especially pleased with how the Frank Gehry ‘wiggle’ chair dialogs with the Gustavian secretaire and the Italian cloud fragment. It’s a playful dance,” said Dhong. Dining Room: The glories of green are a favorite of Dhong’s, especially unexpected green tones. The house sits in almost an acre of old oaks, maples, cedar trees and a cloud of roses, hostas and hydrangeas. “I wanted the dining room to be totally romantic,” said Dhong. “I found this mossy green toile that had pastoral scenes of frolicking nobles and peasants. I balanced the traditional toile with bold strokes — an overscaled mirror, a modern Italian chandelier, a strong sculptural dining table.” Dhong designed the table with Candace Barnes Antiques in San Francisco. The modern light pendant is an unexpected combination with the toile. It's Italian from the 1950's. Each suspended lens captures the light and at night the fixture is ablaze with a fiery glow. The chairs are 18th-century from Lyon, France. “The chairs are fabulously crusty with pale green and parcel gilding, and perfect for adding faded glory,” said Dhong. He upholstered the seat in faded green leather for durability but topped it with green velvet. The curtain rod is a gilded faux bamboo with an overscaled key finial, a nod to the family’s background. “We decided to make both the dining room and library green to tie them together,” said Dhong. He backed the silk curtain with burlap to give it more body and to show a contrast rough texture, and an example of rich-poor design. Library: “Libraries are like powder room,” said Ben. “You can let yourself go and go a little crazy.” This library originally was a plain white box with an old green wooden mantel. “I wanted an exotic green velvet jewel box with gold as the accent color,” said Dhong. “Now it is slightly exotic with some decadent flourishes.” He designed the green ottoman bench with Moorish arches. It's very architectural and stands out like an elegant temple. “So that the family can watch television, I designed a trumeau-style mirror above the mantel,” said Dhong. “The biggest mistake people make with mirrors that ‘conceal’ a set is making them the same shape as the television. You're not fooling anyone.” The room does not get a lot of light so he added more mirrors flanking the fireplace. Dhong upholstered the frames in green velvet to make them quieter and to recede into the architecture. A green ikat fabric on the ram’s head chairs gives a fresh update to a classic chair. A primitive-style side tables from Bliss keeps the room from being too precious. A 1970s desk was repainted a soft green and is a chic base for the Giacometti-style lamp from Sirmos. Master Bedroom: This room ‘before’ was one of the least welcoming rooms in the house — cold, cavernous, quirky window placement, with an odd niche that made no sense. “We took all of those elements and created an aerie or treehouse — but an elegant and romantic one,” said Dhong. Layers of neutrals in varying textures give a sense of serenity and luxe to the room. "I knew that we needed a canopy bed to create a little nest,” he said. “We were fortunate with the locations of the rafters. They fit exactly over our bed — allowing us to raise the height of the canopy several feet.” He covered all the walls and sloped ceiling with a nubby silk wallpaper. That gorgeous tall gold mirror is from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. “I wanted a modern fabric for the canopy and found this cut velvet from Classic Cloth," said Dhong. “It’s almost Japanese. It’s modern without losing any sense of luxury. My favorite corner has the faux-rock console. It represents everything I love…. plaster, raw silk, shell, classical engravings, nature, with a flash of gold.” Kitchen: Painted wicker chairs from Janus et Cie provide a sculptural playfulness with the table and soften the edges. “I have a weakness for drama, of the good kind, of course,” said Dhong. The shades of bone backed with antiqued brass provide a rich finish that warms up the room. I also like a little eccentricity in a room. This faux-bois side chair from Myra Hoefer Design is certainly witty.” Son’s Bedroom: This room by Dhong is a modern ode to a classic boy’s room — with stripes and nautical themes. The wallcovering is cashmere from Rose Tarlow. He took blue and white mattress ticking, paper-backed it, and covered the ceiling with it. A pair of Chesterfield headboards takes on a more gentlemanly feel with grey velvet. A white lacquer West Elm desk provides a dash of white against all the grey/blue textures. “I added a pair of distressed blue mirrors from Wisteria and now you're aboard Captain Nemo's Nautilus,” said Dhong. “The lamp is the son's favorite piece in the room, with it's stainless steel shade. It's the ‘sports car’ he's always wanted. The phrenology head is my nod to John Dickinson.” Daughter’s Bedroom: “I call this "spending summer at Grandma's house,” said Dhong. “There's something very cozy, nestlike, and summer-by-the-lake about its design.” He cloaked the walls in a mohair-like wallpaper from Rose Tarlow. “Everyone forgets the ceiling when selecting wallpaper,” noted Dhong. He chose a hand-blocked green striped linen from Carolina Irving to give the room a trip back into the past with it's almost ticking pattern. The hand blocking gives it an imperfect waviness. “This room was challenging for bed placements, so I selected a pair of headboards with exaggerated wings — the effect is to give each person their own little private compartment,” said Dhong. Guest Bedroom: The bedroom is surrounded on three sides by the garden. For the designer, it was a challenge as the only place to put the bed was adjacent to the bay window. “I designed a sleigh bed to make it feel more like a cozy nest,” said Dhong. He made a wallcovering from a fabric embroidered with branches. The room is a golden glow. The guest bedroom room is an essay in layering textures to make things interesting and cozy. Fabric walls, linens, whitewashed wood, antique brass, white plaster, velvets, natural wovens, flash of gold offer contrast and harmony. “I'm a fan of all things Giacometti,” said Dhong. “His zig-zag lamp is a special favorite. I added a custom velvet shade. I like the combination of plastery white with a sumptuous velvet.” Poolhouse: Today the pool house looks as if it has great bones, but it was actually sad and forlorn. “When we found it with its plain white walls. It needed texture and character,” said Dhong. He covered the walls with his favorite faux-bois wallpaper from Nobilis. It gives instant character. “We added drama with this enormously tall wooden cabinet,” said Dhong. “Guests walk in and gasp. We added over scaled ginger jars to gild the lily and to anchor the dining area. I love the metal edge detail on the table.” “The rafters of the room remind me of the barrel-vaulted ceiling of my favorite church in Venice, the sixteenth-century Chiesa Santa Maria dei Miracoli,” said Dhong. “It resembles a boat. Now, the room feels like a chapel so we anchored the far end of the room with a dreamy painting by Wade Hoefer. We ganged six inexpensive floor mirrors to create a wall of mirror that reflects the pool. The metal frames add an industrial element to the room.” CREDITS AND CONTACTS: All interiors designed and styled by Benjamin Dhong, San Francisco: www.benjamindhong.com Photography: Lisa Romerein Santa Monica, CA www.lisaromerein.com Photo shoot produced by Doretta Sperduto, Interiors Editor, House Beautiful. This photography first appeared in House Beautiful.

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

There is such a thing as over decorating. It looks something like the type of thing you see in a model unit for a spec house. They call it staging for a reason, it is all pretend and not livable. I…

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

He knows that eclectic taste is risky, but offers balance in each room.

Cerulean Blue is the Color of the Month (November 2014) according to VKV Visuals

With subtle color harmonies, sculptural furniture, worldly art collections — and a dash of wit and free spirit — Ben Dhong offers new and lively ways of thinking about design and décor. Look for subtle tonalities, inspiration, and ideas in every room. I recently sat down for a chat with Benjamin Dhong about a new residence he recently completed in Woodside, the leafy and ultra-private Silicon Valley town just south of San Francisco. His client is the CEO of a global Fortune 100 company. The Japanese family has two children. The shingled house was built in the 1930s, a golden age of domestic residences in America. It is surrounded by gardens with white roses and hydrangea. “The family wanted a house that both reflected them but also was suitable for important business gatherings,” said Ben, who started his design company ten years ago, after working closely with Martha Angus. “I knew I wanted natural materials, and a sense that everything hadn't been a purchased on the same day. I thought of bringing in the garden tonalities inside the house. Especially, I wanted to look as if it had come together over decades, with a mixture of high-low, or as Andrée Putman used to say, a combination of “rich” and ‘humble”. Interior Designer Benjamin Dhong Living room: The goal in the living room was to create a calm, cloudlike feeling using textures and light to set the mood. Natural materials like grasscloth, jute, are juxtaposed with the dazzle of gold. Hints of brass add low-key 'gilding'. "To make large rooms feel more cozy I believe that all the corners of a room should be designed for use,” said Dhong. “This makes a more welcoming space. I created five zones (main fireplace seating, game table, corner banquette, writing desk, reading area). “Designing in neutrals requires layers of texture so we applied grasscloth to the walls, added seagrass to the floors, and kept all the upholstered fabrics to a linen palate,” said Dhong. A large Saarinen table anchors the bay window. It’s a clean-lined juxtaposition to the French tub chairs and the temple spire. He designed airy linen sheers bound with earthy jute Greek key to filter the light. “I like mixing periods as long as they all balance,” said Dhong. In the living room he brought in Gustavian, French, Swedish Deco, mid-century, John Dickinson, Asian fragments, Italian sculpture, modern art. “We commissioned a pair of hand-carved wooden tree of life consoles from Myra Hoefer Design, Healdsburg, and had them gilded,” he said. Simple metal mirrors from Restoration Hardware keeps the look restrained. The daybed is by Carl Malmsten, Sweden’s twentieth-century answer to Ruhlmann. He placed a daybed in order to keep the room more open. Ben Dhong told me, “I love creating cozy corners. In the corner banquette area we crowned it with a cloud painting commissioned from Healdsburg artists Wade Hoefer. We asked Wade to paint a round canvas to give it a porthole feeling. The cloud painting balances the cloud altar fragment above the desk.” An 18th-Century Swedish desk is paired with a vintage wiggle chair. Its curves mimic the cloud altar fragment. “I'm especially pleased with how the Frank Gehry ‘wiggle’ chair dialogs with the Gustavian secretaire and the Italian cloud fragment. It’s a playful dance,” said Dhong. Dining Room: The glories of green are a favorite of Dhong’s, especially unexpected green tones. The house sits in almost an acre of old oaks, maples, cedar trees and a cloud of roses, hostas and hydrangeas. “I wanted the dining room to be totally romantic,” said Dhong. “I found this mossy green toile that had pastoral scenes of frolicking nobles and peasants. I balanced the traditional toile with bold strokes — an overscaled mirror, a modern Italian chandelier, a strong sculptural dining table.” Dhong designed the table with Candace Barnes Antiques in San Francisco. The modern light pendant is an unexpected combination with the toile. It's Italian from the 1950's. Each suspended lens captures the light and at night the fixture is ablaze with a fiery glow. The chairs are 18th-century from Lyon, France. “The chairs are fabulously crusty with pale green and parcel gilding, and perfect for adding faded glory,” said Dhong. He upholstered the seat in faded green leather for durability but topped it with green velvet. The curtain rod is a gilded faux bamboo with an overscaled key finial, a nod to the family’s background. “We decided to make both the dining room and library green to tie them together,” said Dhong. He backed the silk curtain with burlap to give it more body and to show a contrast rough texture, and an example of rich-poor design. Library: “Libraries are like powder room,” said Ben. “You can let yourself go and go a little crazy.” This library originally was a plain white box with an old green wooden mantel. “I wanted an exotic green velvet jewel box with gold as the accent color,” said Dhong. “Now it is slightly exotic with some decadent flourishes.” He designed the green ottoman bench with Moorish arches. It's very architectural and stands out like an elegant temple. “So that the family can watch television, I designed a trumeau-style mirror above the mantel,” said Dhong. “The biggest mistake people make with mirrors that ‘conceal’ a set is making them the same shape as the television. You're not fooling anyone.” The room does not get a lot of light so he added more mirrors flanking the fireplace. Dhong upholstered the frames in green velvet to make them quieter and to recede into the architecture. A green ikat fabric on the ram’s head chairs gives a fresh update to a classic chair. A primitive-style side tables from Bliss keeps the room from being too precious. A 1970s desk was repainted a soft green and is a chic base for the Giacometti-style lamp from Sirmos. Master Bedroom: This room ‘before’ was one of the least welcoming rooms in the house — cold, cavernous, quirky window placement, with an odd niche that made no sense. “We took all of those elements and created an aerie or treehouse — but an elegant and romantic one,” said Dhong. Layers of neutrals in varying textures give a sense of serenity and luxe to the room. "I knew that we needed a canopy bed to create a little nest,” he said. “We were fortunate with the locations of the rafters. They fit exactly over our bed — allowing us to raise the height of the canopy several feet.” He covered all the walls and sloped ceiling with a nubby silk wallpaper. That gorgeous tall gold mirror is from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. “I wanted a modern fabric for the canopy and found this cut velvet from Classic Cloth," said Dhong. “It’s almost Japanese. It’s modern without losing any sense of luxury. My favorite corner has the faux-rock console. It represents everything I love…. plaster, raw silk, shell, classical engravings, nature, with a flash of gold.” Kitchen: Painted wicker chairs from Janus et Cie provide a sculptural playfulness with the table and soften the edges. “I have a weakness for drama, of the good kind, of course,” said Dhong. The shades of bone backed with antiqued brass provide a rich finish that warms up the room. I also like a little eccentricity in a room. This faux-bois side chair from Myra Hoefer Design is certainly witty.” Son’s Bedroom: This room by Dhong is a modern ode to a classic boy’s room — with stripes and nautical themes. The wallcovering is cashmere from Rose Tarlow. He took blue and white mattress ticking, paper-backed it, and covered the ceiling with it. A pair of Chesterfield headboards takes on a more gentlemanly feel with grey velvet. A white lacquer West Elm desk provides a dash of white against all the grey/blue textures. “I added a pair of distressed blue mirrors from Wisteria and now you're aboard Captain Nemo's Nautilus,” said Dhong. “The lamp is the son's favorite piece in the room, with it's stainless steel shade. It's the ‘sports car’ he's always wanted. The phrenology head is my nod to John Dickinson.” Daughter’s Bedroom: “I call this "spending summer at Grandma's house,” said Dhong. “There's something very cozy, nestlike, and summer-by-the-lake about its design.” He cloaked the walls in a mohair-like wallpaper from Rose Tarlow. “Everyone forgets the ceiling when selecting wallpaper,” noted Dhong. He chose a hand-blocked green striped linen from Carolina Irving to give the room a trip back into the past with it's almost ticking pattern. The hand blocking gives it an imperfect waviness. “This room was challenging for bed placements, so I selected a pair of headboards with exaggerated wings — the effect is to give each person their own little private compartment,” said Dhong. Guest Bedroom: The bedroom is surrounded on three sides by the garden. For the designer, it was a challenge as the only place to put the bed was adjacent to the bay window. “I designed a sleigh bed to make it feel more like a cozy nest,” said Dhong. He made a wallcovering from a fabric embroidered with branches. The room is a golden glow. The guest bedroom room is an essay in layering textures to make things interesting and cozy. Fabric walls, linens, whitewashed wood, antique brass, white plaster, velvets, natural wovens, flash of gold offer contrast and harmony. “I'm a fan of all things Giacometti,” said Dhong. “His zig-zag lamp is a special favorite. I added a custom velvet shade. I like the combination of plastery white with a sumptuous velvet.” Poolhouse: Today the pool house looks as if it has great bones, but it was actually sad and forlorn. “When we found it with its plain white walls. It needed texture and character,” said Dhong. He covered the walls with his favorite faux-bois wallpaper from Nobilis. It gives instant character. “We added drama with this enormously tall wooden cabinet,” said Dhong. “Guests walk in and gasp. We added over scaled ginger jars to gild the lily and to anchor the dining area. I love the metal edge detail on the table.” “The rafters of the room remind me of the barrel-vaulted ceiling of my favorite church in Venice, the sixteenth-century Chiesa Santa Maria dei Miracoli,” said Dhong. “It resembles a boat. Now, the room feels like a chapel so we anchored the far end of the room with a dreamy painting by Wade Hoefer. We ganged six inexpensive floor mirrors to create a wall of mirror that reflects the pool. The metal frames add an industrial element to the room.” CREDITS AND CONTACTS: All interiors designed and styled by Benjamin Dhong, San Francisco: www.benjamindhong.com Photography: Lisa Romerein Santa Monica, CA www.lisaromerein.com Photo shoot produced by Doretta Sperduto, Interiors Editor, House Beautiful. This photography first appeared in House Beautiful.

With subtle color harmonies, sculptural furniture, worldly art collections — and a dash of wit and free spirit — Ben Dhong offers new and lively ways of thinking about design and décor. Look for subtle tonalities, inspiration, and ideas in every room. I recently sat down for a chat with Benjamin Dhong about a new residence he recently completed in Woodside, the leafy and ultra-private Silicon Valley town just south of San Francisco. His client is the CEO of a global Fortune 100 company. The Japanese family has two children. The shingled house was built in the 1930s, a golden age of domestic residences in America. It is surrounded by gardens with white roses and hydrangea. “The family wanted a house that both reflected them but also was suitable for important business gatherings,” said Ben, who started his design company ten years ago, after working closely with Martha Angus. “I knew I wanted natural materials, and a sense that everything hadn't been a purchased on the same day. I thought of bringing in the garden tonalities inside the house. Especially, I wanted to look as if it had come together over decades, with a mixture of high-low, or as Andrée Putman used to say, a combination of “rich” and ‘humble”. Interior Designer Benjamin Dhong Living room: The goal in the living room was to create a calm, cloudlike feeling using textures and light to set the mood. Natural materials like grasscloth, jute, are juxtaposed with the dazzle of gold. Hints of brass add low-key 'gilding'. "To make large rooms feel more cozy I believe that all the corners of a room should be designed for use,” said Dhong. “This makes a more welcoming space. I created five zones (main fireplace seating, game table, corner banquette, writing desk, reading area). “Designing in neutrals requires layers of texture so we applied grasscloth to the walls, added seagrass to the floors, and kept all the upholstered fabrics to a linen palate,” said Dhong. A large Saarinen table anchors the bay window. It’s a clean-lined juxtaposition to the French tub chairs and the temple spire. He designed airy linen sheers bound with earthy jute Greek key to filter the light. “I like mixing periods as long as they all balance,” said Dhong. In the living room he brought in Gustavian, French, Swedish Deco, mid-century, John Dickinson, Asian fragments, Italian sculpture, modern art. “We commissioned a pair of hand-carved wooden tree of life consoles from Myra Hoefer Design, Healdsburg, and had them gilded,” he said. Simple metal mirrors from Restoration Hardware keeps the look restrained. The daybed is by Carl Malmsten, Sweden’s twentieth-century answer to Ruhlmann. He placed a daybed in order to keep the room more open. Ben Dhong told me, “I love creating cozy corners. In the corner banquette area we crowned it with a cloud painting commissioned from Healdsburg artists Wade Hoefer. We asked Wade to paint a round canvas to give it a porthole feeling. The cloud painting balances the cloud altar fragment above the desk.” An 18th-Century Swedish desk is paired with a vintage wiggle chair. Its curves mimic the cloud altar fragment. “I'm especially pleased with how the Frank Gehry ‘wiggle’ chair dialogs with the Gustavian secretaire and the Italian cloud fragment. It’s a playful dance,” said Dhong. Dining Room: The glories of green are a favorite of Dhong’s, especially unexpected green tones. The house sits in almost an acre of old oaks, maples, cedar trees and a cloud of roses, hostas and hydrangeas. “I wanted the dining room to be totally romantic,” said Dhong. “I found this mossy green toile that had pastoral scenes of frolicking nobles and peasants. I balanced the traditional toile with bold strokes — an overscaled mirror, a modern Italian chandelier, a strong sculptural dining table.” Dhong designed the table with Candace Barnes Antiques in San Francisco. The modern light pendant is an unexpected combination with the toile. It's Italian from the 1950's. Each suspended lens captures the light and at night the fixture is ablaze with a fiery glow. The chairs are 18th-century from Lyon, France. “The chairs are fabulously crusty with pale green and parcel gilding, and perfect for adding faded glory,” said Dhong. He upholstered the seat in faded green leather for durability but topped it with green velvet. The curtain rod is a gilded faux bamboo with an overscaled key finial, a nod to the family’s background. “We decided to make both the dining room and library green to tie them together,” said Dhong. He backed the silk curtain with burlap to give it more body and to show a contrast rough texture, and an example of rich-poor design. Library: “Libraries are like powder room,” said Ben. “You can let yourself go and go a little crazy.” This library originally was a plain white box with an old green wooden mantel. “I wanted an exotic green velvet jewel box with gold as the accent color,” said Dhong. “Now it is slightly exotic with some decadent flourishes.” He designed the green ottoman bench with Moorish arches. It's very architectural and stands out like an elegant temple. “So that the family can watch television, I designed a trumeau-style mirror above the mantel,” said Dhong. “The biggest mistake people make with mirrors that ‘conceal’ a set is making them the same shape as the television. You're not fooling anyone.” The room does not get a lot of light so he added more mirrors flanking the fireplace. Dhong upholstered the frames in green velvet to make them quieter and to recede into the architecture. A green ikat fabric on the ram’s head chairs gives a fresh update to a classic chair. A primitive-style side tables from Bliss keeps the room from being too precious. A 1970s desk was repainted a soft green and is a chic base for the Giacometti-style lamp from Sirmos. Master Bedroom: This room ‘before’ was one of the least welcoming rooms in the house — cold, cavernous, quirky window placement, with an odd niche that made no sense. “We took all of those elements and created an aerie or treehouse — but an elegant and romantic one,” said Dhong. Layers of neutrals in varying textures give a sense of serenity and luxe to the room. "I knew that we needed a canopy bed to create a little nest,” he said. “We were fortunate with the locations of the rafters. They fit exactly over our bed — allowing us to raise the height of the canopy several feet.” He covered all the walls and sloped ceiling with a nubby silk wallpaper. That gorgeous tall gold mirror is from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. “I wanted a modern fabric for the canopy and found this cut velvet from Classic Cloth," said Dhong. “It’s almost Japanese. It’s modern without losing any sense of luxury. My favorite corner has the faux-rock console. It represents everything I love…. plaster, raw silk, shell, classical engravings, nature, with a flash of gold.” Kitchen: Painted wicker chairs from Janus et Cie provide a sculptural playfulness with the table and soften the edges. “I have a weakness for drama, of the good kind, of course,” said Dhong. The shades of bone backed with antiqued brass provide a rich finish that warms up the room. I also like a little eccentricity in a room. This faux-bois side chair from Myra Hoefer Design is certainly witty.” Son’s Bedroom: This room by Dhong is a modern ode to a classic boy’s room — with stripes and nautical themes. The wallcovering is cashmere from Rose Tarlow. He took blue and white mattress ticking, paper-backed it, and covered the ceiling with it. A pair of Chesterfield headboards takes on a more gentlemanly feel with grey velvet. A white lacquer West Elm desk provides a dash of white against all the grey/blue textures. “I added a pair of distressed blue mirrors from Wisteria and now you're aboard Captain Nemo's Nautilus,” said Dhong. “The lamp is the son's favorite piece in the room, with it's stainless steel shade. It's the ‘sports car’ he's always wanted. The phrenology head is my nod to John Dickinson.” Daughter’s Bedroom: “I call this "spending summer at Grandma's house,” said Dhong. “There's something very cozy, nestlike, and summer-by-the-lake about its design.” He cloaked the walls in a mohair-like wallpaper from Rose Tarlow. “Everyone forgets the ceiling when selecting wallpaper,” noted Dhong. He chose a hand-blocked green striped linen from Carolina Irving to give the room a trip back into the past with it's almost ticking pattern. The hand blocking gives it an imperfect waviness. “This room was challenging for bed placements, so I selected a pair of headboards with exaggerated wings — the effect is to give each person their own little private compartment,” said Dhong. Guest Bedroom: The bedroom is surrounded on three sides by the garden. For the designer, it was a challenge as the only place to put the bed was adjacent to the bay window. “I designed a sleigh bed to make it feel more like a cozy nest,” said Dhong. He made a wallcovering from a fabric embroidered with branches. The room is a golden glow. The guest bedroom room is an essay in layering textures to make things interesting and cozy. Fabric walls, linens, whitewashed wood, antique brass, white plaster, velvets, natural wovens, flash of gold offer contrast and harmony. “I'm a fan of all things Giacometti,” said Dhong. “His zig-zag lamp is a special favorite. I added a custom velvet shade. I like the combination of plastery white with a sumptuous velvet.” Poolhouse: Today the pool house looks as if it has great bones, but it was actually sad and forlorn. “When we found it with its plain white walls. It needed texture and character,” said Dhong. He covered the walls with his favorite faux-bois wallpaper from Nobilis. It gives instant character. “We added drama with this enormously tall wooden cabinet,” said Dhong. “Guests walk in and gasp. We added over scaled ginger jars to gild the lily and to anchor the dining area. I love the metal edge detail on the table.” “The rafters of the room remind me of the barrel-vaulted ceiling of my favorite church in Venice, the sixteenth-century Chiesa Santa Maria dei Miracoli,” said Dhong. “It resembles a boat. Now, the room feels like a chapel so we anchored the far end of the room with a dreamy painting by Wade Hoefer. We ganged six inexpensive floor mirrors to create a wall of mirror that reflects the pool. The metal frames add an industrial element to the room.” CREDITS AND CONTACTS: All interiors designed and styled by Benjamin Dhong, San Francisco: www.benjamindhong.com Photography: Lisa Romerein Santa Monica, CA www.lisaromerein.com Photo shoot produced by Doretta Sperduto, Interiors Editor, House Beautiful. This photography first appeared in House Beautiful.

The fresh and witty interiors of my great friend Ben Dhong reflect the best of today’s design. Airy, unpretentious, welcoming and chic, his...

The fresh and witty interiors of my great friend Ben Dhong reflect the best of today’s design. Airy, unpretentious, welcoming and chic, his work has a light touch that’s very modern and classical. Come with me this week to visit Ben’s newest work—and see highlights and favorites and his ‘greatest hits’. To love: Ben’s highly refined color sense, his passion for glossy white, his warm and sensual textures, and his marked enthusiasm for variations on a theme. Bravo, Ben. “There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I like my rooms to have good art and a bit of intellectual heft. Antiques and paintings give a sense of history and erudition but are never pompous.”—Benjamin Dhong House Beautiful editors Sophie Donelson and Loretta Sperduto loved Ben’s dining room at his Healdsburg country house that they featured it on a recent cover. The combination of chairs, painted white, and Wade Hoefer’s airborne painting, is mesmerizing and inspiring. San Francisco interior designer Benjamin Dhong wields color judiciously. Clients love the tranquility and harmony of his décor. And some clients want high wattage, urging the designer to use color boldly and dramatically. With a portfolio of clients from San Francisco to Woodside and Los Angeles, and further afield to Sonoma County and Manhattan, the versatile designer creates fine-tuned décor that is custom, functional and immensely pleasing to the eye. Just don’t limit his imagination. His clients, who range from Silicon Valley tech families to worldly bachelors and cosmopolitan Realtors and artists and city philanthropists, all like working with him so much they acquire country retreats or city apartments and new houses so that they will continue their happy collaboration with the designer. Dhong founded his firm, Benjamin Dhong Interiors, eleven years ago. For a young Pacific Heights family, Dhong recently completed light-hearted décor with carefully calibrated neutral tones and just enough color punch of pale blues and greens to keep it fresh and modern. “I love to start with interesting neutrals and will always use them. However a dash of color is as important to increase the level of emotion and energy. But sometimes just a jolt of color will do,” said the designer. “I never want to see what I call ‘color whiplash’ when an over-enthusiastic designer has painted every room a different color,” said Dhong. And lavish use of a favorite color like shocking pink or intense marine blue for the walls of a child’s room may be too intense over time. He proposes instead a dash of pink on a floral slipcover for a headboard (easily changed) or blue and white ticking striped curtains or pillows. Dhong is especially adept at mixing textures of antique fabrics, custom-crafted carpets, and tactile materials like oxidized bronze or statuary marble. In an urban setting, for a study and bedroom, he orchestrated a moody mix of textures, including printed linen pillows on natural canvas upholstery, Egyptian cotton sheets, a zinc table, silk pillows, and Donald Kaufman wall paint, all in soft neutral tones. “I love the contrast of the linearity of the Agnes Martin prints with the Gothic spire, and then the sleek and spiky modern Tizio lamp,” he said. The zinc side table and bed frame were from Crate & Barrel. The versatile white desk and the curtains were from RH. Black and white photographs of architecture were by Christopher Flach Photography. In a city apartment living room décor he included an antique silk taupe-toned Oushak carpet, smooth mohair upholstery, crisp linen pillows, and a cashmere herringbone throw, in subtle shades of beige, ivory and creams The contrasting glimmer of gold picture frames, mercury glass vases, and a polished silver tray add sparkle but Dhong kept the effect quite restrained. Custom sofas and upholstered chairs add volume to the mix, and an antique ottoman, found on eBay, was reupholstered in zebra print linen. The starburst mirror from designer Candace Barnes added brilliance to the setting. The handsome and atmospheric custom designed Indo-Chinese mural is by de Gournay, who are about to open a glamorous new studio/showroom/garden in San Francisco. “I design ethereal and serene spaces but I introduced something unexpected, perhaps an eccentric ottoman, or a scenic antique wallpaper” said Dhong. “The tension of rough linen pillows and a rich velvet chair, or a distressed wood sculpture adjacent to a hand-hammered silver bowl is exhilarating.” The artist in Dhong sees furniture as sculpture. “The distinct dialog created between antique and modern can be exquisite. The modern pieces bring a new angle on an antique, and a vintage object can bring gravitas and soul into a sleek room. It’s a great marriage,” he said. Dhong highlights the need for balance in design. “I like a certain harmony and nothing that’s shouting, “look at me”,” said the interior designer “And, not everything is expensive or rare. I like pairing the precious with the humble.” Dhong’s approach—his clients applaud—is that not every item in a room has to be virtuoso. Some pieces—a coffee table from RH, or a console from West Elm, perhaps a plain jute carpet, a bleached wood console table, a flea market treasure, a handcrafted basket, an ivory cashmere throw—can be quite understated. Simple pieces are functional and leave the glory to antiques, eccentric sculptures, or antique textiles. “In particular, design should be true to the people who will live there. When designing homes, authenticity and soul are never far from my thoughts.” “I have a modern sensibility. I revel in the theatrical. For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist with a strong sense of history. Now I’m comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. It does not need a name.”—Benjamin Dhong CREDITS: All photography by Lisa Romerein, used with express permission. www.lisaromerein.com ACKNOWLEDGEMENT: Special thanks to House Beautiful Interiors Editor, Doretta Sperduto, a long-time friend and a superb stylist, the best. WHERE TO FIND BEN: www.benjamindhong.com

With subtle color harmonies, sculptural furniture, worldly art collections — and a dash of wit and free spirit — Ben Dhong offers new and lively ways of thinking about design and décor. Look for subtle tonalities, inspiration, and ideas in every room. I recently sat down for a chat with Benjamin Dhong about a new residence he recently completed in Woodside, the leafy and ultra-private Silicon Valley town just south of San Francisco. His client is the CEO of a global Fortune 100 company. The Japanese family has two children. The shingled house was built in the 1930s, a golden age of domestic residences in America. It is surrounded by gardens with white roses and hydrangea. “The family wanted a house that both reflected them but also was suitable for important business gatherings,” said Ben, who started his design company ten years ago, after working closely with Martha Angus. “I knew I wanted natural materials, and a sense that everything hadn't been a purchased on the same day. I thought of bringing in the garden tonalities inside the house. Especially, I wanted to look as if it had come together over decades, with a mixture of high-low, or as Andrée Putman used to say, a combination of “rich” and ‘humble”. Interior Designer Benjamin Dhong Living room: The goal in the living room was to create a calm, cloudlike feeling using textures and light to set the mood. Natural materials like grasscloth, jute, are juxtaposed with the dazzle of gold. Hints of brass add low-key 'gilding'. "To make large rooms feel more cozy I believe that all the corners of a room should be designed for use,” said Dhong. “This makes a more welcoming space. I created five zones (main fireplace seating, game table, corner banquette, writing desk, reading area). “Designing in neutrals requires layers of texture so we applied grasscloth to the walls, added seagrass to the floors, and kept all the upholstered fabrics to a linen palate,” said Dhong. A large Saarinen table anchors the bay window. It’s a clean-lined juxtaposition to the French tub chairs and the temple spire. He designed airy linen sheers bound with earthy jute Greek key to filter the light. “I like mixing periods as long as they all balance,” said Dhong. In the living room he brought in Gustavian, French, Swedish Deco, mid-century, John Dickinson, Asian fragments, Italian sculpture, modern art. “We commissioned a pair of hand-carved wooden tree of life consoles from Myra Hoefer Design, Healdsburg, and had them gilded,” he said. Simple metal mirrors from Restoration Hardware keeps the look restrained. The daybed is by Carl Malmsten, Sweden’s twentieth-century answer to Ruhlmann. He placed a daybed in order to keep the room more open. Ben Dhong told me, “I love creating cozy corners. In the corner banquette area we crowned it with a cloud painting commissioned from Healdsburg artists Wade Hoefer. We asked Wade to paint a round canvas to give it a porthole feeling. The cloud painting balances the cloud altar fragment above the desk.” An 18th-Century Swedish desk is paired with a vintage wiggle chair. Its curves mimic the cloud altar fragment. “I'm especially pleased with how the Frank Gehry ‘wiggle’ chair dialogs with the Gustavian secretaire and the Italian cloud fragment. It’s a playful dance,” said Dhong. Dining Room: The glories of green are a favorite of Dhong’s, especially unexpected green tones. The house sits in almost an acre of old oaks, maples, cedar trees and a cloud of roses, hostas and hydrangeas. “I wanted the dining room to be totally romantic,” said Dhong. “I found this mossy green toile that had pastoral scenes of frolicking nobles and peasants. I balanced the traditional toile with bold strokes — an overscaled mirror, a modern Italian chandelier, a strong sculptural dining table.” Dhong designed the table with Candace Barnes Antiques in San Francisco. The modern light pendant is an unexpected combination with the toile. It's Italian from the 1950's. Each suspended lens captures the light and at night the fixture is ablaze with a fiery glow. The chairs are 18th-century from Lyon, France. “The chairs are fabulously crusty with pale green and parcel gilding, and perfect for adding faded glory,” said Dhong. He upholstered the seat in faded green leather for durability but topped it with green velvet. The curtain rod is a gilded faux bamboo with an overscaled key finial, a nod to the family’s background. “We decided to make both the dining room and library green to tie them together,” said Dhong. He backed the silk curtain with burlap to give it more body and to show a contrast rough texture, and an example of rich-poor design. Library: “Libraries are like powder room,” said Ben. “You can let yourself go and go a little crazy.” This library originally was a plain white box with an old green wooden mantel. “I wanted an exotic green velvet jewel box with gold as the accent color,” said Dhong. “Now it is slightly exotic with some decadent flourishes.” He designed the green ottoman bench with Moorish arches. It's very architectural and stands out like an elegant temple. “So that the family can watch television, I designed a trumeau-style mirror above the mantel,” said Dhong. “The biggest mistake people make with mirrors that ‘conceal’ a set is making them the same shape as the television. You're not fooling anyone.” The room does not get a lot of light so he added more mirrors flanking the fireplace. Dhong upholstered the frames in green velvet to make them quieter and to recede into the architecture. A green ikat fabric on the ram’s head chairs gives a fresh update to a classic chair. A primitive-style side tables from Bliss keeps the room from being too precious. A 1970s desk was repainted a soft green and is a chic base for the Giacometti-style lamp from Sirmos. Master Bedroom: This room ‘before’ was one of the least welcoming rooms in the house — cold, cavernous, quirky window placement, with an odd niche that made no sense. “We took all of those elements and created an aerie or treehouse — but an elegant and romantic one,” said Dhong. Layers of neutrals in varying textures give a sense of serenity and luxe to the room. "I knew that we needed a canopy bed to create a little nest,” he said. “We were fortunate with the locations of the rafters. They fit exactly over our bed — allowing us to raise the height of the canopy several feet.” He covered all the walls and sloped ceiling with a nubby silk wallpaper. That gorgeous tall gold mirror is from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. “I wanted a modern fabric for the canopy and found this cut velvet from Classic Cloth," said Dhong. “It’s almost Japanese. It’s modern without losing any sense of luxury. My favorite corner has the faux-rock console. It represents everything I love…. plaster, raw silk, shell, classical engravings, nature, with a flash of gold.” Kitchen: Painted wicker chairs from Janus et Cie provide a sculptural playfulness with the table and soften the edges. “I have a weakness for drama, of the good kind, of course,” said Dhong. The shades of bone backed with antiqued brass provide a rich finish that warms up the room. I also like a little eccentricity in a room. This faux-bois side chair from Myra Hoefer Design is certainly witty.” Son’s Bedroom: This room by Dhong is a modern ode to a classic boy’s room — with stripes and nautical themes. The wallcovering is cashmere from Rose Tarlow. He took blue and white mattress ticking, paper-backed it, and covered the ceiling with it. A pair of Chesterfield headboards takes on a more gentlemanly feel with grey velvet. A white lacquer West Elm desk provides a dash of white against all the grey/blue textures. “I added a pair of distressed blue mirrors from Wisteria and now you're aboard Captain Nemo's Nautilus,” said Dhong. “The lamp is the son's favorite piece in the room, with it's stainless steel shade. It's the ‘sports car’ he's always wanted. The phrenology head is my nod to John Dickinson.” Daughter’s Bedroom: “I call this "spending summer at Grandma's house,” said Dhong. “There's something very cozy, nestlike, and summer-by-the-lake about its design.” He cloaked the walls in a mohair-like wallpaper from Rose Tarlow. “Everyone forgets the ceiling when selecting wallpaper,” noted Dhong. He chose a hand-blocked green striped linen from Carolina Irving to give the room a trip back into the past with it's almost ticking pattern. The hand blocking gives it an imperfect waviness. “This room was challenging for bed placements, so I selected a pair of headboards with exaggerated wings — the effect is to give each person their own little private compartment,” said Dhong. Guest Bedroom: The bedroom is surrounded on three sides by the garden. For the designer, it was a challenge as the only place to put the bed was adjacent to the bay window. “I designed a sleigh bed to make it feel more like a cozy nest,” said Dhong. He made a wallcovering from a fabric embroidered with branches. The room is a golden glow. The guest bedroom room is an essay in layering textures to make things interesting and cozy. Fabric walls, linens, whitewashed wood, antique brass, white plaster, velvets, natural wovens, flash of gold offer contrast and harmony. “I'm a fan of all things Giacometti,” said Dhong. “His zig-zag lamp is a special favorite. I added a custom velvet shade. I like the combination of plastery white with a sumptuous velvet.” Poolhouse: Today the pool house looks as if it has great bones, but it was actually sad and forlorn. “When we found it with its plain white walls. It needed texture and character,” said Dhong. He covered the walls with his favorite faux-bois wallpaper from Nobilis. It gives instant character. “We added drama with this enormously tall wooden cabinet,” said Dhong. “Guests walk in and gasp. We added over scaled ginger jars to gild the lily and to anchor the dining area. I love the metal edge detail on the table.” “The rafters of the room remind me of the barrel-vaulted ceiling of my favorite church in Venice, the sixteenth-century Chiesa Santa Maria dei Miracoli,” said Dhong. “It resembles a boat. Now, the room feels like a chapel so we anchored the far end of the room with a dreamy painting by Wade Hoefer. We ganged six inexpensive floor mirrors to create a wall of mirror that reflects the pool. The metal frames add an industrial element to the room.” CREDITS AND CONTACTS: All interiors designed and styled by Benjamin Dhong, San Francisco: www.benjamindhong.com Photography: Lisa Romerein Santa Monica, CA www.lisaromerein.com Photo shoot produced by Doretta Sperduto, Interiors Editor, House Beautiful. This photography first appeared in House Beautiful.

With subtle color harmonies, sculptural furniture, worldly art collections — and a dash of wit and free spirit — Ben Dhong offers new and lively ways of thinking about design and décor. Look for subtle tonalities, inspiration, and ideas in every room. I recently sat down for a chat with Benjamin Dhong about a new residence he recently completed in Woodside, the leafy and ultra-private Silicon Valley town just south of San Francisco. His client is the CEO of a global Fortune 100 company. The Japanese family has two children. The shingled house was built in the 1930s, a golden age of domestic residences in America. It is surrounded by gardens with white roses and hydrangea. “The family wanted a house that both reflected them but also was suitable for important business gatherings,” said Ben, who started his design company ten years ago, after working closely with Martha Angus. “I knew I wanted natural materials, and a sense that everything hadn't been a purchased on the same day. I thought of bringing in the garden tonalities inside the house. Especially, I wanted to look as if it had come together over decades, with a mixture of high-low, or as Andrée Putman used to say, a combination of “rich” and ‘humble”. Interior Designer Benjamin Dhong Living room: The goal in the living room was to create a calm, cloudlike feeling using textures and light to set the mood. Natural materials like grasscloth, jute, are juxtaposed with the dazzle of gold. Hints of brass add low-key 'gilding'. "To make large rooms feel more cozy I believe that all the corners of a room should be designed for use,” said Dhong. “This makes a more welcoming space. I created five zones (main fireplace seating, game table, corner banquette, writing desk, reading area). “Designing in neutrals requires layers of texture so we applied grasscloth to the walls, added seagrass to the floors, and kept all the upholstered fabrics to a linen palate,” said Dhong. A large Saarinen table anchors the bay window. It’s a clean-lined juxtaposition to the French tub chairs and the temple spire. He designed airy linen sheers bound with earthy jute Greek key to filter the light. “I like mixing periods as long as they all balance,” said Dhong. In the living room he brought in Gustavian, French, Swedish Deco, mid-century, John Dickinson, Asian fragments, Italian sculpture, modern art. “We commissioned a pair of hand-carved wooden tree of life consoles from Myra Hoefer Design, Healdsburg, and had them gilded,” he said. Simple metal mirrors from Restoration Hardware keeps the look restrained. The daybed is by Carl Malmsten, Sweden’s twentieth-century answer to Ruhlmann. He placed a daybed in order to keep the room more open. Ben Dhong told me, “I love creating cozy corners. In the corner banquette area we crowned it with a cloud painting commissioned from Healdsburg artists Wade Hoefer. We asked Wade to paint a round canvas to give it a porthole feeling. The cloud painting balances the cloud altar fragment above the desk.” An 18th-Century Swedish desk is paired with a vintage wiggle chair. Its curves mimic the cloud altar fragment. “I'm especially pleased with how the Frank Gehry ‘wiggle’ chair dialogs with the Gustavian secretaire and the Italian cloud fragment. It’s a playful dance,” said Dhong. Dining Room: The glories of green are a favorite of Dhong’s, especially unexpected green tones. The house sits in almost an acre of old oaks, maples, cedar trees and a cloud of roses, hostas and hydrangeas. “I wanted the dining room to be totally romantic,” said Dhong. “I found this mossy green toile that had pastoral scenes of frolicking nobles and peasants. I balanced the traditional toile with bold strokes — an overscaled mirror, a modern Italian chandelier, a strong sculptural dining table.” Dhong designed the table with Candace Barnes Antiques in San Francisco. The modern light pendant is an unexpected combination with the toile. It's Italian from the 1950's. Each suspended lens captures the light and at night the fixture is ablaze with a fiery glow. The chairs are 18th-century from Lyon, France. “The chairs are fabulously crusty with pale green and parcel gilding, and perfect for adding faded glory,” said Dhong. He upholstered the seat in faded green leather for durability but topped it with green velvet. The curtain rod is a gilded faux bamboo with an overscaled key finial, a nod to the family’s background. “We decided to make both the dining room and library green to tie them together,” said Dhong. He backed the silk curtain with burlap to give it more body and to show a contrast rough texture, and an example of rich-poor design. Library: “Libraries are like powder room,” said Ben. “You can let yourself go and go a little crazy.” This library originally was a plain white box with an old green wooden mantel. “I wanted an exotic green velvet jewel box with gold as the accent color,” said Dhong. “Now it is slightly exotic with some decadent flourishes.” He designed the green ottoman bench with Moorish arches. It's very architectural and stands out like an elegant temple. “So that the family can watch television, I designed a trumeau-style mirror above the mantel,” said Dhong. “The biggest mistake people make with mirrors that ‘conceal’ a set is making them the same shape as the television. You're not fooling anyone.” The room does not get a lot of light so he added more mirrors flanking the fireplace. Dhong upholstered the frames in green velvet to make them quieter and to recede into the architecture. A green ikat fabric on the ram’s head chairs gives a fresh update to a classic chair. A primitive-style side tables from Bliss keeps the room from being too precious. A 1970s desk was repainted a soft green and is a chic base for the Giacometti-style lamp from Sirmos. Master Bedroom: This room ‘before’ was one of the least welcoming rooms in the house — cold, cavernous, quirky window placement, with an odd niche that made no sense. “We took all of those elements and created an aerie or treehouse — but an elegant and romantic one,” said Dhong. Layers of neutrals in varying textures give a sense of serenity and luxe to the room. "I knew that we needed a canopy bed to create a little nest,” he said. “We were fortunate with the locations of the rafters. They fit exactly over our bed — allowing us to raise the height of the canopy several feet.” He covered all the walls and sloped ceiling with a nubby silk wallpaper. That gorgeous tall gold mirror is from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. “I wanted a modern fabric for the canopy and found this cut velvet from Classic Cloth," said Dhong. “It’s almost Japanese. It’s modern without losing any sense of luxury. My favorite corner has the faux-rock console. It represents everything I love…. plaster, raw silk, shell, classical engravings, nature, with a flash of gold.” Kitchen: Painted wicker chairs from Janus et Cie provide a sculptural playfulness with the table and soften the edges. “I have a weakness for drama, of the good kind, of course,” said Dhong. The shades of bone backed with antiqued brass provide a rich finish that warms up the room. I also like a little eccentricity in a room. This faux-bois side chair from Myra Hoefer Design is certainly witty.” Son’s Bedroom: This room by Dhong is a modern ode to a classic boy’s room — with stripes and nautical themes. The wallcovering is cashmere from Rose Tarlow. He took blue and white mattress ticking, paper-backed it, and covered the ceiling with it. A pair of Chesterfield headboards takes on a more gentlemanly feel with grey velvet. A white lacquer West Elm desk provides a dash of white against all the grey/blue textures. “I added a pair of distressed blue mirrors from Wisteria and now you're aboard Captain Nemo's Nautilus,” said Dhong. “The lamp is the son's favorite piece in the room, with it's stainless steel shade. It's the ‘sports car’ he's always wanted. The phrenology head is my nod to John Dickinson.” Daughter’s Bedroom: “I call this "spending summer at Grandma's house,” said Dhong. “There's something very cozy, nestlike, and summer-by-the-lake about its design.” He cloaked the walls in a mohair-like wallpaper from Rose Tarlow. “Everyone forgets the ceiling when selecting wallpaper,” noted Dhong. He chose a hand-blocked green striped linen from Carolina Irving to give the room a trip back into the past with it's almost ticking pattern. The hand blocking gives it an imperfect waviness. “This room was challenging for bed placements, so I selected a pair of headboards with exaggerated wings — the effect is to give each person their own little private compartment,” said Dhong. Guest Bedroom: The bedroom is surrounded on three sides by the garden. For the designer, it was a challenge as the only place to put the bed was adjacent to the bay window. “I designed a sleigh bed to make it feel more like a cozy nest,” said Dhong. He made a wallcovering from a fabric embroidered with branches. The room is a golden glow. The guest bedroom room is an essay in layering textures to make things interesting and cozy. Fabric walls, linens, whitewashed wood, antique brass, white plaster, velvets, natural wovens, flash of gold offer contrast and harmony. “I'm a fan of all things Giacometti,” said Dhong. “His zig-zag lamp is a special favorite. I added a custom velvet shade. I like the combination of plastery white with a sumptuous velvet.” Poolhouse: Today the pool house looks as if it has great bones, but it was actually sad and forlorn. “When we found it with its plain white walls. It needed texture and character,” said Dhong. He covered the walls with his favorite faux-bois wallpaper from Nobilis. It gives instant character. “We added drama with this enormously tall wooden cabinet,” said Dhong. “Guests walk in and gasp. We added over scaled ginger jars to gild the lily and to anchor the dining area. I love the metal edge detail on the table.” “The rafters of the room remind me of the barrel-vaulted ceiling of my favorite church in Venice, the sixteenth-century Chiesa Santa Maria dei Miracoli,” said Dhong. “It resembles a boat. Now, the room feels like a chapel so we anchored the far end of the room with a dreamy painting by Wade Hoefer. We ganged six inexpensive floor mirrors to create a wall of mirror that reflects the pool. The metal frames add an industrial element to the room.” CREDITS AND CONTACTS: All interiors designed and styled by Benjamin Dhong, San Francisco: www.benjamindhong.com Photography: Lisa Romerein Santa Monica, CA www.lisaromerein.com Photo shoot produced by Doretta Sperduto, Interiors Editor, House Beautiful. This photography first appeared in House Beautiful.

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

With subtle color harmonies, sculptural furniture, worldly art collections — and a dash of wit and free spirit — Ben Dhong offers new and lively ways of thinking about design and décor. Look for subtle tonalities, inspiration, and ideas in every room. I recently sat down for a chat with Benjamin Dhong about a new residence he recently completed in Woodside, the leafy and ultra-private Silicon Valley town just south of San Francisco. His client is the CEO of a global Fortune 100 company. The Japanese family has two children. The shingled house was built in the 1930s, a golden age of domestic residences in America. It is surrounded by gardens with white roses and hydrangea. “The family wanted a house that both reflected them but also was suitable for important business gatherings,” said Ben, who started his design company ten years ago, after working closely with Martha Angus. “I knew I wanted natural materials, and a sense that everything hadn't been a purchased on the same day. I thought of bringing in the garden tonalities inside the house. Especially, I wanted to look as if it had come together over decades, with a mixture of high-low, or as Andrée Putman used to say, a combination of “rich” and ‘humble”. Interior Designer Benjamin Dhong Living room: The goal in the living room was to create a calm, cloudlike feeling using textures and light to set the mood. Natural materials like grasscloth, jute, are juxtaposed with the dazzle of gold. Hints of brass add low-key 'gilding'. "To make large rooms feel more cozy I believe that all the corners of a room should be designed for use,” said Dhong. “This makes a more welcoming space. I created five zones (main fireplace seating, game table, corner banquette, writing desk, reading area). “Designing in neutrals requires layers of texture so we applied grasscloth to the walls, added seagrass to the floors, and kept all the upholstered fabrics to a linen palate,” said Dhong. A large Saarinen table anchors the bay window. It’s a clean-lined juxtaposition to the French tub chairs and the temple spire. He designed airy linen sheers bound with earthy jute Greek key to filter the light. “I like mixing periods as long as they all balance,” said Dhong. In the living room he brought in Gustavian, French, Swedish Deco, mid-century, John Dickinson, Asian fragments, Italian sculpture, modern art. “We commissioned a pair of hand-carved wooden tree of life consoles from Myra Hoefer Design, Healdsburg, and had them gilded,” he said. Simple metal mirrors from Restoration Hardware keeps the look restrained. The daybed is by Carl Malmsten, Sweden’s twentieth-century answer to Ruhlmann. He placed a daybed in order to keep the room more open. Ben Dhong told me, “I love creating cozy corners. In the corner banquette area we crowned it with a cloud painting commissioned from Healdsburg artists Wade Hoefer. We asked Wade to paint a round canvas to give it a porthole feeling. The cloud painting balances the cloud altar fragment above the desk.” An 18th-Century Swedish desk is paired with a vintage wiggle chair. Its curves mimic the cloud altar fragment. “I'm especially pleased with how the Frank Gehry ‘wiggle’ chair dialogs with the Gustavian secretaire and the Italian cloud fragment. It’s a playful dance,” said Dhong. Dining Room: The glories of green are a favorite of Dhong’s, especially unexpected green tones. The house sits in almost an acre of old oaks, maples, cedar trees and a cloud of roses, hostas and hydrangeas. “I wanted the dining room to be totally romantic,” said Dhong. “I found this mossy green toile that had pastoral scenes of frolicking nobles and peasants. I balanced the traditional toile with bold strokes — an overscaled mirror, a modern Italian chandelier, a strong sculptural dining table.” Dhong designed the table with Candace Barnes Antiques in San Francisco. The modern light pendant is an unexpected combination with the toile. It's Italian from the 1950's. Each suspended lens captures the light and at night the fixture is ablaze with a fiery glow. The chairs are 18th-century from Lyon, France. “The chairs are fabulously crusty with pale green and parcel gilding, and perfect for adding faded glory,” said Dhong. He upholstered the seat in faded green leather for durability but topped it with green velvet. The curtain rod is a gilded faux bamboo with an overscaled key finial, a nod to the family’s background. “We decided to make both the dining room and library green to tie them together,” said Dhong. He backed the silk curtain with burlap to give it more body and to show a contrast rough texture, and an example of rich-poor design. Library: “Libraries are like powder room,” said Ben. “You can let yourself go and go a little crazy.” This library originally was a plain white box with an old green wooden mantel. “I wanted an exotic green velvet jewel box with gold as the accent color,” said Dhong. “Now it is slightly exotic with some decadent flourishes.” He designed the green ottoman bench with Moorish arches. It's very architectural and stands out like an elegant temple. “So that the family can watch television, I designed a trumeau-style mirror above the mantel,” said Dhong. “The biggest mistake people make with mirrors that ‘conceal’ a set is making them the same shape as the television. You're not fooling anyone.” The room does not get a lot of light so he added more mirrors flanking the fireplace. Dhong upholstered the frames in green velvet to make them quieter and to recede into the architecture. A green ikat fabric on the ram’s head chairs gives a fresh update to a classic chair. A primitive-style side tables from Bliss keeps the room from being too precious. A 1970s desk was repainted a soft green and is a chic base for the Giacometti-style lamp from Sirmos. Master Bedroom: This room ‘before’ was one of the least welcoming rooms in the house — cold, cavernous, quirky window placement, with an odd niche that made no sense. “We took all of those elements and created an aerie or treehouse — but an elegant and romantic one,” said Dhong. Layers of neutrals in varying textures give a sense of serenity and luxe to the room. "I knew that we needed a canopy bed to create a little nest,” he said. “We were fortunate with the locations of the rafters. They fit exactly over our bed — allowing us to raise the height of the canopy several feet.” He covered all the walls and sloped ceiling with a nubby silk wallpaper. That gorgeous tall gold mirror is from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. “I wanted a modern fabric for the canopy and found this cut velvet from Classic Cloth," said Dhong. “It’s almost Japanese. It’s modern without losing any sense of luxury. My favorite corner has the faux-rock console. It represents everything I love…. plaster, raw silk, shell, classical engravings, nature, with a flash of gold.” Kitchen: Painted wicker chairs from Janus et Cie provide a sculptural playfulness with the table and soften the edges. “I have a weakness for drama, of the good kind, of course,” said Dhong. The shades of bone backed with antiqued brass provide a rich finish that warms up the room. I also like a little eccentricity in a room. This faux-bois side chair from Myra Hoefer Design is certainly witty.” Son’s Bedroom: This room by Dhong is a modern ode to a classic boy’s room — with stripes and nautical themes. The wallcovering is cashmere from Rose Tarlow. He took blue and white mattress ticking, paper-backed it, and covered the ceiling with it. A pair of Chesterfield headboards takes on a more gentlemanly feel with grey velvet. A white lacquer West Elm desk provides a dash of white against all the grey/blue textures. “I added a pair of distressed blue mirrors from Wisteria and now you're aboard Captain Nemo's Nautilus,” said Dhong. “The lamp is the son's favorite piece in the room, with it's stainless steel shade. It's the ‘sports car’ he's always wanted. The phrenology head is my nod to John Dickinson.” Daughter’s Bedroom: “I call this "spending summer at Grandma's house,” said Dhong. “There's something very cozy, nestlike, and summer-by-the-lake about its design.” He cloaked the walls in a mohair-like wallpaper from Rose Tarlow. “Everyone forgets the ceiling when selecting wallpaper,” noted Dhong. He chose a hand-blocked green striped linen from Carolina Irving to give the room a trip back into the past with it's almost ticking pattern. The hand blocking gives it an imperfect waviness. “This room was challenging for bed placements, so I selected a pair of headboards with exaggerated wings — the effect is to give each person their own little private compartment,” said Dhong. Guest Bedroom: The bedroom is surrounded on three sides by the garden. For the designer, it was a challenge as the only place to put the bed was adjacent to the bay window. “I designed a sleigh bed to make it feel more like a cozy nest,” said Dhong. He made a wallcovering from a fabric embroidered with branches. The room is a golden glow. The guest bedroom room is an essay in layering textures to make things interesting and cozy. Fabric walls, linens, whitewashed wood, antique brass, white plaster, velvets, natural wovens, flash of gold offer contrast and harmony. “I'm a fan of all things Giacometti,” said Dhong. “His zig-zag lamp is a special favorite. I added a custom velvet shade. I like the combination of plastery white with a sumptuous velvet.” Poolhouse: Today the pool house looks as if it has great bones, but it was actually sad and forlorn. “When we found it with its plain white walls. It needed texture and character,” said Dhong. He covered the walls with his favorite faux-bois wallpaper from Nobilis. It gives instant character. “We added drama with this enormously tall wooden cabinet,” said Dhong. “Guests walk in and gasp. We added over scaled ginger jars to gild the lily and to anchor the dining area. I love the metal edge detail on the table.” “The rafters of the room remind me of the barrel-vaulted ceiling of my favorite church in Venice, the sixteenth-century Chiesa Santa Maria dei Miracoli,” said Dhong. “It resembles a boat. Now, the room feels like a chapel so we anchored the far end of the room with a dreamy painting by Wade Hoefer. We ganged six inexpensive floor mirrors to create a wall of mirror that reflects the pool. The metal frames add an industrial element to the room.” CREDITS AND CONTACTS: All interiors designed and styled by Benjamin Dhong, San Francisco: www.benjamindhong.com Photography: Lisa Romerein Santa Monica, CA www.lisaromerein.com Photo shoot produced by Doretta Sperduto, Interiors Editor, House Beautiful. This photography first appeared in House Beautiful.

An old warehouse is converted into a creative shared workspace studio with tons of natural light and character from the original 1940’s red brick building.

Interview with Benjamin Dhong a San Francisco Interior Designer

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

He knows that eclectic taste is risky, but offers balance in each room.

Interior designer Benjamin Dhong takes us through his Healdsburg home and reveals all the genius tricks and inexpensive hacks he used in the stunning space.

Heydt Designs, Sausalito, CA. Benjamin Dhong Interiors. J. Spix Fine Cabinets. Apperson Hoog & Associates. David Duncan Livingston photo.

I came across Benjamin Dhong from an amazing kitchen I found. At first I was trying to pin a few pictures then I realized there were just too many that I loved and in case he is new to you, I just HAD to share him with you!!! Which picture is your favorite? Neutral kitchen accented with yellow flowers and stools with match the yellow ikat print in the breakfast nook. Love these navy cabinets and the marble backsplash! I love the light wood, white washed walls, the gothic twig mirror greek key trim, not to mention the ever cute wooden table with fresh flowers and Diptyque candle. Great bathroom with sand colored linen walls and moravian star lighting Love the blue wash on the wood grain walls with contrasting blue ceiling Not everyone has glass showers, but Dhong makes this shower look great with the sunburst mirror and olive velvet stools and matching trim. Such a pinworthy little girls room with mixture of modern toile and zebra with antique beds and rocker. Love the two different "fun" fabrics on the side chairs.

Interior designer Benjamin Dhong takes us through his Healdsburg home and reveals all the genius tricks and inexpensive hacks he used in the stunning space.

With subtle color harmonies, sculptural furniture, worldly art collections — and a dash of wit and free spirit — Ben Dhong offers new and lively ways of thinking about design and décor. Look for subtle tonalities, inspiration, and ideas in every room. I recently sat down for a chat with Benjamin Dhong about a new residence he recently completed in Woodside, the leafy and ultra-private Silicon Valley town just south of San Francisco. His client is the CEO of a global Fortune 100 company. The Japanese family has two children. The shingled house was built in the 1930s, a golden age of domestic residences in America. It is surrounded by gardens with white roses and hydrangea. “The family wanted a house that both reflected them but also was suitable for important business gatherings,” said Ben, who started his design company ten years ago, after working closely with Martha Angus. “I knew I wanted natural materials, and a sense that everything hadn't been a purchased on the same day. I thought of bringing in the garden tonalities inside the house. Especially, I wanted to look as if it had come together over decades, with a mixture of high-low, or as Andrée Putman used to say, a combination of “rich” and ‘humble”. Interior Designer Benjamin Dhong Living room: The goal in the living room was to create a calm, cloudlike feeling using textures and light to set the mood. Natural materials like grasscloth, jute, are juxtaposed with the dazzle of gold. Hints of brass add low-key 'gilding'. "To make large rooms feel more cozy I believe that all the corners of a room should be designed for use,” said Dhong. “This makes a more welcoming space. I created five zones (main fireplace seating, game table, corner banquette, writing desk, reading area). “Designing in neutrals requires layers of texture so we applied grasscloth to the walls, added seagrass to the floors, and kept all the upholstered fabrics to a linen palate,” said Dhong. A large Saarinen table anchors the bay window. It’s a clean-lined juxtaposition to the French tub chairs and the temple spire. He designed airy linen sheers bound with earthy jute Greek key to filter the light. “I like mixing periods as long as they all balance,” said Dhong. In the living room he brought in Gustavian, French, Swedish Deco, mid-century, John Dickinson, Asian fragments, Italian sculpture, modern art. “We commissioned a pair of hand-carved wooden tree of life consoles from Myra Hoefer Design, Healdsburg, and had them gilded,” he said. Simple metal mirrors from Restoration Hardware keeps the look restrained. The daybed is by Carl Malmsten, Sweden’s twentieth-century answer to Ruhlmann. He placed a daybed in order to keep the room more open. Ben Dhong told me, “I love creating cozy corners. In the corner banquette area we crowned it with a cloud painting commissioned from Healdsburg artists Wade Hoefer. We asked Wade to paint a round canvas to give it a porthole feeling. The cloud painting balances the cloud altar fragment above the desk.” An 18th-Century Swedish desk is paired with a vintage wiggle chair. Its curves mimic the cloud altar fragment. “I'm especially pleased with how the Frank Gehry ‘wiggle’ chair dialogs with the Gustavian secretaire and the Italian cloud fragment. It’s a playful dance,” said Dhong. Dining Room: The glories of green are a favorite of Dhong’s, especially unexpected green tones. The house sits in almost an acre of old oaks, maples, cedar trees and a cloud of roses, hostas and hydrangeas. “I wanted the dining room to be totally romantic,” said Dhong. “I found this mossy green toile that had pastoral scenes of frolicking nobles and peasants. I balanced the traditional toile with bold strokes — an overscaled mirror, a modern Italian chandelier, a strong sculptural dining table.” Dhong designed the table with Candace Barnes Antiques in San Francisco. The modern light pendant is an unexpected combination with the toile. It's Italian from the 1950's. Each suspended lens captures the light and at night the fixture is ablaze with a fiery glow. The chairs are 18th-century from Lyon, France. “The chairs are fabulously crusty with pale green and parcel gilding, and perfect for adding faded glory,” said Dhong. He upholstered the seat in faded green leather for durability but topped it with green velvet. The curtain rod is a gilded faux bamboo with an overscaled key finial, a nod to the family’s background. “We decided to make both the dining room and library green to tie them together,” said Dhong. He backed the silk curtain with burlap to give it more body and to show a contrast rough texture, and an example of rich-poor design. Library: “Libraries are like powder room,” said Ben. “You can let yourself go and go a little crazy.” This library originally was a plain white box with an old green wooden mantel. “I wanted an exotic green velvet jewel box with gold as the accent color,” said Dhong. “Now it is slightly exotic with some decadent flourishes.” He designed the green ottoman bench with Moorish arches. It's very architectural and stands out like an elegant temple. “So that the family can watch television, I designed a trumeau-style mirror above the mantel,” said Dhong. “The biggest mistake people make with mirrors that ‘conceal’ a set is making them the same shape as the television. You're not fooling anyone.” The room does not get a lot of light so he added more mirrors flanking the fireplace. Dhong upholstered the frames in green velvet to make them quieter and to recede into the architecture. A green ikat fabric on the ram’s head chairs gives a fresh update to a classic chair. A primitive-style side tables from Bliss keeps the room from being too precious. A 1970s desk was repainted a soft green and is a chic base for the Giacometti-style lamp from Sirmos. Master Bedroom: This room ‘before’ was one of the least welcoming rooms in the house — cold, cavernous, quirky window placement, with an odd niche that made no sense. “We took all of those elements and created an aerie or treehouse — but an elegant and romantic one,” said Dhong. Layers of neutrals in varying textures give a sense of serenity and luxe to the room. "I knew that we needed a canopy bed to create a little nest,” he said. “We were fortunate with the locations of the rafters. They fit exactly over our bed — allowing us to raise the height of the canopy several feet.” He covered all the walls and sloped ceiling with a nubby silk wallpaper. That gorgeous tall gold mirror is from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. “I wanted a modern fabric for the canopy and found this cut velvet from Classic Cloth," said Dhong. “It’s almost Japanese. It’s modern without losing any sense of luxury. My favorite corner has the faux-rock console. It represents everything I love…. plaster, raw silk, shell, classical engravings, nature, with a flash of gold.” Kitchen: Painted wicker chairs from Janus et Cie provide a sculptural playfulness with the table and soften the edges. “I have a weakness for drama, of the good kind, of course,” said Dhong. The shades of bone backed with antiqued brass provide a rich finish that warms up the room. I also like a little eccentricity in a room. This faux-bois side chair from Myra Hoefer Design is certainly witty.” Son’s Bedroom: This room by Dhong is a modern ode to a classic boy’s room — with stripes and nautical themes. The wallcovering is cashmere from Rose Tarlow. He took blue and white mattress ticking, paper-backed it, and covered the ceiling with it. A pair of Chesterfield headboards takes on a more gentlemanly feel with grey velvet. A white lacquer West Elm desk provides a dash of white against all the grey/blue textures. “I added a pair of distressed blue mirrors from Wisteria and now you're aboard Captain Nemo's Nautilus,” said Dhong. “The lamp is the son's favorite piece in the room, with it's stainless steel shade. It's the ‘sports car’ he's always wanted. The phrenology head is my nod to John Dickinson.” Daughter’s Bedroom: “I call this "spending summer at Grandma's house,” said Dhong. “There's something very cozy, nestlike, and summer-by-the-lake about its design.” He cloaked the walls in a mohair-like wallpaper from Rose Tarlow. “Everyone forgets the ceiling when selecting wallpaper,” noted Dhong. He chose a hand-blocked green striped linen from Carolina Irving to give the room a trip back into the past with it's almost ticking pattern. The hand blocking gives it an imperfect waviness. “This room was challenging for bed placements, so I selected a pair of headboards with exaggerated wings — the effect is to give each person their own little private compartment,” said Dhong. Guest Bedroom: The bedroom is surrounded on three sides by the garden. For the designer, it was a challenge as the only place to put the bed was adjacent to the bay window. “I designed a sleigh bed to make it feel more like a cozy nest,” said Dhong. He made a wallcovering from a fabric embroidered with branches. The room is a golden glow. The guest bedroom room is an essay in layering textures to make things interesting and cozy. Fabric walls, linens, whitewashed wood, antique brass, white plaster, velvets, natural wovens, flash of gold offer contrast and harmony. “I'm a fan of all things Giacometti,” said Dhong. “His zig-zag lamp is a special favorite. I added a custom velvet shade. I like the combination of plastery white with a sumptuous velvet.” Poolhouse: Today the pool house looks as if it has great bones, but it was actually sad and forlorn. “When we found it with its plain white walls. It needed texture and character,” said Dhong. He covered the walls with his favorite faux-bois wallpaper from Nobilis. It gives instant character. “We added drama with this enormously tall wooden cabinet,” said Dhong. “Guests walk in and gasp. We added over scaled ginger jars to gild the lily and to anchor the dining area. I love the metal edge detail on the table.” “The rafters of the room remind me of the barrel-vaulted ceiling of my favorite church in Venice, the sixteenth-century Chiesa Santa Maria dei Miracoli,” said Dhong. “It resembles a boat. Now, the room feels like a chapel so we anchored the far end of the room with a dreamy painting by Wade Hoefer. We ganged six inexpensive floor mirrors to create a wall of mirror that reflects the pool. The metal frames add an industrial element to the room.” CREDITS AND CONTACTS: All interiors designed and styled by Benjamin Dhong, San Francisco: www.benjamindhong.com Photography: Lisa Romerein Santa Monica, CA www.lisaromerein.com Photo shoot produced by Doretta Sperduto, Interiors Editor, House Beautiful. This photography first appeared in House Beautiful.

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

With subtle color harmonies, sculptural furniture, worldly art collections — and a dash of wit and free spirit — Ben Dhong offers new and lively ways of thinking about design and décor. Look for subtle tonalities, inspiration, and ideas in every room. I recently sat down for a chat with Benjamin Dhong about a new residence he recently completed in Woodside, the leafy and ultra-private Silicon Valley town just south of San Francisco. His client is the CEO of a global Fortune 100 company. The Japanese family has two children. The shingled house was built in the 1930s, a golden age of domestic residences in America. It is surrounded by gardens with white roses and hydrangea. “The family wanted a house that both reflected them but also was suitable for important business gatherings,” said Ben, who started his design company ten years ago, after working closely with Martha Angus. “I knew I wanted natural materials, and a sense that everything hadn't been a purchased on the same day. I thought of bringing in the garden tonalities inside the house. Especially, I wanted to look as if it had come together over decades, with a mixture of high-low, or as Andrée Putman used to say, a combination of “rich” and ‘humble”. Interior Designer Benjamin Dhong Living room: The goal in the living room was to create a calm, cloudlike feeling using textures and light to set the mood. Natural materials like grasscloth, jute, are juxtaposed with the dazzle of gold. Hints of brass add low-key 'gilding'. "To make large rooms feel more cozy I believe that all the corners of a room should be designed for use,” said Dhong. “This makes a more welcoming space. I created five zones (main fireplace seating, game table, corner banquette, writing desk, reading area). “Designing in neutrals requires layers of texture so we applied grasscloth to the walls, added seagrass to the floors, and kept all the upholstered fabrics to a linen palate,” said Dhong. A large Saarinen table anchors the bay window. It’s a clean-lined juxtaposition to the French tub chairs and the temple spire. He designed airy linen sheers bound with earthy jute Greek key to filter the light. “I like mixing periods as long as they all balance,” said Dhong. In the living room he brought in Gustavian, French, Swedish Deco, mid-century, John Dickinson, Asian fragments, Italian sculpture, modern art. “We commissioned a pair of hand-carved wooden tree of life consoles from Myra Hoefer Design, Healdsburg, and had them gilded,” he said. Simple metal mirrors from Restoration Hardware keeps the look restrained. The daybed is by Carl Malmsten, Sweden’s twentieth-century answer to Ruhlmann. He placed a daybed in order to keep the room more open. Ben Dhong told me, “I love creating cozy corners. In the corner banquette area we crowned it with a cloud painting commissioned from Healdsburg artists Wade Hoefer. We asked Wade to paint a round canvas to give it a porthole feeling. The cloud painting balances the cloud altar fragment above the desk.” An 18th-Century Swedish desk is paired with a vintage wiggle chair. Its curves mimic the cloud altar fragment. “I'm especially pleased with how the Frank Gehry ‘wiggle’ chair dialogs with the Gustavian secretaire and the Italian cloud fragment. It’s a playful dance,” said Dhong. Dining Room: The glories of green are a favorite of Dhong’s, especially unexpected green tones. The house sits in almost an acre of old oaks, maples, cedar trees and a cloud of roses, hostas and hydrangeas. “I wanted the dining room to be totally romantic,” said Dhong. “I found this mossy green toile that had pastoral scenes of frolicking nobles and peasants. I balanced the traditional toile with bold strokes — an overscaled mirror, a modern Italian chandelier, a strong sculptural dining table.” Dhong designed the table with Candace Barnes Antiques in San Francisco. The modern light pendant is an unexpected combination with the toile. It's Italian from the 1950's. Each suspended lens captures the light and at night the fixture is ablaze with a fiery glow. The chairs are 18th-century from Lyon, France. “The chairs are fabulously crusty with pale green and parcel gilding, and perfect for adding faded glory,” said Dhong. He upholstered the seat in faded green leather for durability but topped it with green velvet. The curtain rod is a gilded faux bamboo with an overscaled key finial, a nod to the family’s background. “We decided to make both the dining room and library green to tie them together,” said Dhong. He backed the silk curtain with burlap to give it more body and to show a contrast rough texture, and an example of rich-poor design. Library: “Libraries are like powder room,” said Ben. “You can let yourself go and go a little crazy.” This library originally was a plain white box with an old green wooden mantel. “I wanted an exotic green velvet jewel box with gold as the accent color,” said Dhong. “Now it is slightly exotic with some decadent flourishes.” He designed the green ottoman bench with Moorish arches. It's very architectural and stands out like an elegant temple. “So that the family can watch television, I designed a trumeau-style mirror above the mantel,” said Dhong. “The biggest mistake people make with mirrors that ‘conceal’ a set is making them the same shape as the television. You're not fooling anyone.” The room does not get a lot of light so he added more mirrors flanking the fireplace. Dhong upholstered the frames in green velvet to make them quieter and to recede into the architecture. A green ikat fabric on the ram’s head chairs gives a fresh update to a classic chair. A primitive-style side tables from Bliss keeps the room from being too precious. A 1970s desk was repainted a soft green and is a chic base for the Giacometti-style lamp from Sirmos. Master Bedroom: This room ‘before’ was one of the least welcoming rooms in the house — cold, cavernous, quirky window placement, with an odd niche that made no sense. “We took all of those elements and created an aerie or treehouse — but an elegant and romantic one,” said Dhong. Layers of neutrals in varying textures give a sense of serenity and luxe to the room. "I knew that we needed a canopy bed to create a little nest,” he said. “We were fortunate with the locations of the rafters. They fit exactly over our bed — allowing us to raise the height of the canopy several feet.” He covered all the walls and sloped ceiling with a nubby silk wallpaper. That gorgeous tall gold mirror is from Restoration Hardware Baby & Child. “I wanted a modern fabric for the canopy and found this cut velvet from Classic Cloth," said Dhong. “It’s almost Japanese. It’s modern without losing any sense of luxury. My favorite corner has the faux-rock console. It represents everything I love…. plaster, raw silk, shell, classical engravings, nature, with a flash of gold.” Kitchen: Painted wicker chairs from Janus et Cie provide a sculptural playfulness with the table and soften the edges. “I have a weakness for drama, of the good kind, of course,” said Dhong. The shades of bone backed with antiqued brass provide a rich finish that warms up the room. I also like a little eccentricity in a room. This faux-bois side chair from Myra Hoefer Design is certainly witty.” Son’s Bedroom: This room by Dhong is a modern ode to a classic boy’s room — with stripes and nautical themes. The wallcovering is cashmere from Rose Tarlow. He took blue and white mattress ticking, paper-backed it, and covered the ceiling with it. A pair of Chesterfield headboards takes on a more gentlemanly feel with grey velvet. A white lacquer West Elm desk provides a dash of white against all the grey/blue textures. “I added a pair of distressed blue mirrors from Wisteria and now you're aboard Captain Nemo's Nautilus,” said Dhong. “The lamp is the son's favorite piece in the room, with it's stainless steel shade. It's the ‘sports car’ he's always wanted. The phrenology head is my nod to John Dickinson.” Daughter’s Bedroom: “I call this "spending summer at Grandma's house,” said Dhong. “There's something very cozy, nestlike, and summer-by-the-lake about its design.” He cloaked the walls in a mohair-like wallpaper from Rose Tarlow. “Everyone forgets the ceiling when selecting wallpaper,” noted Dhong. He chose a hand-blocked green striped linen from Carolina Irving to give the room a trip back into the past with it's almost ticking pattern. The hand blocking gives it an imperfect waviness. “This room was challenging for bed placements, so I selected a pair of headboards with exaggerated wings — the effect is to give each person their own little private compartment,” said Dhong. Guest Bedroom: The bedroom is surrounded on three sides by the garden. For the designer, it was a challenge as the only place to put the bed was adjacent to the bay window. “I designed a sleigh bed to make it feel more like a cozy nest,” said Dhong. He made a wallcovering from a fabric embroidered with branches. The room is a golden glow. The guest bedroom room is an essay in layering textures to make things interesting and cozy. Fabric walls, linens, whitewashed wood, antique brass, white plaster, velvets, natural wovens, flash of gold offer contrast and harmony. “I'm a fan of all things Giacometti,” said Dhong. “His zig-zag lamp is a special favorite. I added a custom velvet shade. I like the combination of plastery white with a sumptuous velvet.” Poolhouse: Today the pool house looks as if it has great bones, but it was actually sad and forlorn. “When we found it with its plain white walls. It needed texture and character,” said Dhong. He covered the walls with his favorite faux-bois wallpaper from Nobilis. It gives instant character. “We added drama with this enormously tall wooden cabinet,” said Dhong. “Guests walk in and gasp. We added over scaled ginger jars to gild the lily and to anchor the dining area. I love the metal edge detail on the table.” “The rafters of the room remind me of the barrel-vaulted ceiling of my favorite church in Venice, the sixteenth-century Chiesa Santa Maria dei Miracoli,” said Dhong. “It resembles a boat. Now, the room feels like a chapel so we anchored the far end of the room with a dreamy painting by Wade Hoefer. We ganged six inexpensive floor mirrors to create a wall of mirror that reflects the pool. The metal frames add an industrial element to the room.” CREDITS AND CONTACTS: All interiors designed and styled by Benjamin Dhong, San Francisco: www.benjamindhong.com Photography: Lisa Romerein Santa Monica, CA www.lisaromerein.com Photo shoot produced by Doretta Sperduto, Interiors Editor, House Beautiful. This photography first appeared in House Beautiful.

There is such a thing as over decorating. It looks something like the type of thing you see in a model unit for a spec house. They call it staging for a reason, it is all pretend and not livable. I…

Interior designer Benjamin Dhong takes us through his Healdsburg home and reveals all the genius tricks and inexpensive hacks he used in the stunning space.

There is such a thing as over decorating. It looks something like the type of thing you see in a model unit for a spec house. They call it staging for a reason, it is all pretend and not livable. I…

Ben recently completed superbly creative and elegant interiors for a modern San Francisco house. Come with me for a highly detailed insider visit to Ben Dhong’s newest design, a residence for a finance executive in San Francisco’s Marina. I’ve admired Ben since he dramatically changed courses seven years ago, leaving the world of finance to intern with designer Martha Angus. He launched his own design firm, Benjamin Dhong Interior Design five years ago. Today, Ben works for clients around the country, stars in showcase houses, and has his work published in House Beautiful. This week, we are taking a close look at Ben’s approach to design, his concepts, and his decorating tips. Scroll down, and you’ll find detailed credits—including where to buy the ‘super-bargain’ picks Ben covets. Think of this new post as a Benjamin Dhong Design Tutorial. Ben says: “I play a fun game with people and tell them that in this room is something from west elm, ikea, restoration hardware and marshalls and make them try to find it….it all proves that chic doesn’t have to be expensive. We slipcovered the banquette to keep it soft and chose white to make it disappear – plus it can be washed! We made the pillows large but few – in order to keep some order but at the same time make the space feel very laid-back.” DESIGN OBJECTIVES FOR THIS RESIDENCE: The owner, who is English, forty-one years old, told Ben at the start of the project that he wanted an uber-uber modern house. Ben always assesses clients to see who they are rather than merely depending on what they say. His client drives an Aston Martin, wears bespoke suits and has a devilishly charming English personality. Ben decided, his client is definitely not uber-modern. So he designed a house that reflected a cosmopolitan European feeling (collected) with strong doses of modern to make it feel fresh. Ben Dhong, photo by Moanalani Jeffrey. I’ve admired Benjamin Dhong’s design and aesthetic since he first made a name for himself as an assistant to the great San Francisco designer, Martha Angus. Ben brings a very fresh approach to classical design. I note his naturally optimistic nature, his gregarious approach to finding antiques and art and his love of design. His learning is voracious and open-minded—essential attributes for a designer working today. Ben Says: “Our inspiration was a chic London salon at nighttime. with a sexy Tom Ford vibe. Our inspirations were Karl Springer, Brancusi, Morocco. It’s all about sensuous textures here. Velvets, silk, parchment, mohair. Nothing too glitzy but the layering of textures gives it a very indulgent feel – but not over the top. We made lots of small seating areas to create cozy nooks to gather – game table, window seat – including tearing out a built in cabinet to create a Moroccan inspired nook.” photo by David Duncan Livingston Ben Says: “This room is all about my love of contrasts and how to highlight what you love about something by pairing it with something that brings out that essence. The plaster medallion of king gustav pops like a piece of modern sculpture. The wallpaper’s field of gold blocks creates a sumptuously modern backdrop. The polished silver Saarinen style base pops against the carpet, which seems to highlight anything that sits on it. The Louis XVI-style chairs bring a certain gravitas to the room.” Ben Says: “This is the top of the landing to the private areas…the master bedroom floor. Continuing the cloud theme from the entry I wanted something light, airy, with a bit of whimsy. I love the juxtaposition of the formality and richness of the commode (who doesn’t love gilded feet!) with the dreamy naïveté of an oar-less rowboat floating away in the clouds.” Ben Says: “The fireplace is flanked by two grisaille wallpaper screens from Tara Shaw. I love grisaille because it brings in so much texture and pattern without being too disruptive. The bed is unapologetically modern. Pure geometry. I like canopy beds because they create this room within a room. Very cozy for large spaces. “The Directoire-style bed gave the room a decidedly elegant personality against the more casual jute carpeting on the floor. I use this room to teach my clients about the benefits of keeping a room neutral until the end. The bedding and the throw are the only colored items. We could change the color accent tomorrow in a flash. The simple Parsons table from west elm is one of my mainstays. It’s so simple and works with any style. I like to tuck stools underneath to layer more texture and make it more like a functional hotel room.” Ben Says: “The client is English, so we wanted to do a few nods to Britannia. What could be more fabulous than an homage to the Raj, so we jokingly call it the “Opium Den”. The wallpaper is hand painted by de Gournay …aptly called “views of old India”. I’m mad about the sepia grey colors. It’s so romantic and transporting. The perfect backdrop for our “stage set”. The daybed is simply over the top by the ever talented Michelle Nussbaumer of Ceylon et Cie. We had it designed so it could also serve as extra sleeping. We didn’t want to make the room too thematic and predictable so we mixed in a few unexpected touches…modern leather sofa and back painted glass side tables, modern lamps.” photo by David Duncan Livingston This is a teeny sliver of a space. Perhaps no more than 40 inches wide. But we wanted a bit of drama but short of flamboyance I also wanted it to distill what we were doing throughout the house…a perfect balance of old & new, light & dark, precious & humble, expressive & restrained The French trumeau is 1810, Empire -- something grand yet still restrained. Ben Says: “We hit the jackpot when we located the nineteenth- century chair and desk clock. French Empire? Bronze swans and stars? Blackamoor desk clock? They’re so stylistically retrograde they’re futuristic! A Gothic architectural fragment in plaster brings in texture and history. “To create the perfect backdrop we covered the walls in a gorgeous jute linen. The rivets create the geometric backdrop and rhythm for the room while also lending an anachronistic element. Btw, Lining up all those rivets was no easy task. Phil Mcdonald our wallcovering guru was such a master that every last rivet is perfectly aligned.” The Wisdom of Ben: I like creating confident rooms in which everything is not shouting at you “look at me”. It’s a low-keyed confidence. The ability to pair the precious with the humble. One of my joys is to elevate the humble and treat the valuable as an everyday object For years I couldn’t figure out if I’m a traditionalist that likes modern things or a modernist that has a strong sense of history. I’m now comfortable with dropping the labels. Beautiful design is timeless. I’m very intuitive and I try to discern early on what client desires and how they wish to live. I always try to find the emotional quotient. They might not be expressing it verbally but there is always an emotional need that needs to be fulfilled. I try to meet that. I love creating ethereal and serene spaces. The balance the palette, materials, shapes etc. exude a serenity. Not to say that I don’t inject bold gestures, however they are always balanced I love layering textures in the same color tones. It brings a richness in a very understated way. I adore contrasts. There is a wonderful tension between the contrast of a rough linen with a rich velvet, or a distressed wood with a silver bowl. I find that tension exhilarating. Great thought goes into the combination of a room. Some pieces must speak, while others must be sotto voce. The addition of a new piece may very well require removing something to keep it balanced. “My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained,” noted Dhong. “I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors.” The artist in me sees furniture as sculpture. There’s an elegant dialog between furnishings that requires a deft hand. I’m very good at keeping rooms balanced. Sometimes going to the edge, but never crossing it. I like my rooms to have a bit of intellectual heft…A sense of history and erudition but never pompous. My color schemes tend to be muted and restrained. Beautiful shell tones allowing a few select pieces to punch. I get color whiplash going through houses where all the rooms are dramatically different colors. I especially enjoy when there is a collaborative client. Good design is a process and the give and take between good clients can produce a superior end result. When people say are you Traditional or Modern, I say "Why Yes I am!" Livable elegance is what everybody wants right now. Order, but not perfection. My clients say, ‘I want something modern in spirit but warm and rich.’ I think everyone now falls somewhere between modern and traditional. They’ve seen it all, everything, and they want it all – beauty and practicality, formal and relaxed, old and new, serene and stimulating. So instead of limiting ourselves, we strove to create a curated layered home that reflected his personality and lifestyle. I think that is today's Modern. photo by David Duncan Livingston ROOM CREDITS: GUEST BEDROOM, ‘OPIUM DEN’: Chinoiserie Day Bed: Inspired by a Chippendale design, manufactured by Ceylon et Cie Wallcovering: Views of Old India, panels hand-painted by de Gournay. Side Chair: Upholstered in Belgian Linen manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Verre eglomise mirror cocktail cubes by World’s Away. Pair of table lamps: gold disk table lamps by Robert Abbey Brass side table: Hans Barbell Table by Jonathan Adler. Rug: Jute Bali weave carpet manufactured by Merida Meridian Union Jack Flag: found at Vagabond Vintage. DINING ROOM: Dining chairs: Vintage Louis XVI Style chairs, Tara Shaw Antiques Wallcovering: turquoise and gold geometric metallic pattern, “Margot,” by Sandberg Dining table: hammered nickel table base by Julian Chichester and vintage Knoll top from Converso Chandelier: white plaster from Donzella Gallery. Statue: “Attitude” by Paul van Lith, Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Relief: Plaster Medallion of King Gustav from Real Gustavian. Carpet: custom turquoise and cream diagonal stripe wool carpet, designed by Benjamin Dhong. ENTRYWAY: Wallcovering: Fornasetti design by Cole & Son. Mirror: Entwined Dolphins Mirror, manufactured by Carvers Guild Table: faux bois demi-lune table, manufactured by Oly Studio. KITCHEN/FAMILY ROOM: Banquette: slipcovered in a relaxed linen, by Patricia Edwards. Pair of lounge chairs: slipcovered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware Dining table: custom top in cerused white oak designed by Benjamin Dhong, reproduction Saarinen style table base. Dining Chair: Vernon Panton chair, Lumens Light and Living Photograph: “Yew Bushes in Perspective at Sceaux,” by William Curtis Rolf. Cocktail table: Distressed Ionic Capital Coffee Table, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Pair of side tables: Asian style brass side tables by James Montt, purchased from Coup d’Etat Architectural remnant on wall: Wooden Urn Fragment from Tara Shaw Antiques. Jeff Koons piece: Blue Balloon Dog Plate by Jeff Koons through the Gagosian Gallery. GUEST BEDROOM: Wallcovering: Hempcloth wallpaper manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports. Bed: Directoire Bed Upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Linens: Two-toned border sheets by Williams-Sonoma Home Throw: yin yang blanket, Truly Swedish design. Side table: White Lacquer “Parsons Mini Desk” manufactured by West Elm Lamp: Antique brass and glass table lamp by Circa Lighting Wall Art: Wooden Sunburst piece from Wisteria. LIVING ROOM: Wallcovering: Fine Hempcloth in Lunar Gray, manufactured by Kneedler Fauchere Imports Sofa: Belgian slope arm sofa, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware with Lavender Dupioni Silk throw pillows in “ Orchid” by Pindler & Pindler. Pair of chairs: Swivel Egg Chairs upholstered in charcoal gray wool from Lexington Modern. Banquette: custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner, upholstered in platinum grey velvet. Side Chair: Swedish Bergere Chair by Tara Shaw Antiques, upholstered in a simple white duckcloth. Game table: Game Table attributed to Karl Springer, Larry Reilly Collection. Game table chairs: vintage parchment covered chairs by Grosfeld House through Sputnik Modern, upholstered in Goatskin. X-Bench: Toscane Nailhead bench, upholstered in Belgian linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Cocktail Table: Karl Springer Goat Skin table, John Salibello Antiques. Demi-lune console table: Vintage Patina Console Table, Z Gallerie. Chest: custom ebonized buffet w/solid bronze trim from Old Plank Road Rug: blue and grey plush carpet by Stark Carpet Pair of floor lamps: Polished Nickel from Robert Abbey Sculpture: White Plaster Sculpture, by Emily Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Painting over fireplace: Refraction (Grey), by Bernadette Jiyong Frank, from Dolby Chadwick Gallery. Photograph over sofa: “Staircase,” by William Curtis Rolf Pair of mirrors: convex “Laurel” mirrors from Downtown. Pair of Indian tables: Mother of pearl and wood Egyptian Moroccan side tables, E. Kenoz. Faux fur throw: plum fur “Zambia” Throw from Z Gallerie. Pair of garden stools: ceramic celestial cloud stools from Van Cleve Collection. Pair of brass seahorses: pair of antique brass Venetian Seahorses from Parc Monceau. MASTER BEDROOM: Wallpaper: silk wallcovering by Lori Weitzner Design Inc. Bed: white cerused oak frame, custom design by Benjamin Dhong and Matthew MacCaul Turner. Pair of stools: Toscane Nail head bench upholstered in Belgian Linen, manufactured by Restoration Hardware. Throw pillow on bed: Candace Barnes. Nightstands: vintage brass and marble side tables, from Fat Chance. Pair of lamps: Gold murano glass table lamps from William Switzer. Rug: silk and wool raised pattern carpet, The Rug Company. White chair: Eames La Chaise Lounge Chair by Vitra from New Hampshire Antique Co-op. Pair of commodes: custom white oak Rueil commodes with Lucite pulls manufactured by Jean de Merry. Wall panels: Pair of Italian grisaille panels from Tara Shaw Antiques. Pair of round wall mirrors: Pair of C. Jere antique brass mirrors from Polished Modern San Francisco. Three white covered jars: Vintage Ceramic Jars, Kenny Pacada. Statue (on mantle): plaster and concrete with a wood base, Flowering Nereid, by Paul van Lith from Erickson Fine Art Gallery. Bed linens: Vintage washed Belgian Linen Duvet Cover and pillow cases, Prairie Matelasse coverlet, made by Restoration Hardware. OFFICE: Desk Chair: French Empire style fauteuil from Daniel Stein Antiques. Desk: reclaimed aviator wing desk made by Restoration Hardware. Artwork: lunar photograph in a custom finish and frame manufactured by Pictopia. Table Lamp: Alabaster and Brass Table Lamp, Matt Murphy Studio. Clock: French Gold Dore Clock with Blackamoor Figure, Drum and Co. Wallcovering: Phillip Jeffries Inc. POWDER ROOM: Wallcovering: faux bois paper manufactured by Nobilis. Mirror: 18th Century Directoire trumeau mirror from Regalo Antiques. Base of sink: white plaster “Branche” console from Myra Hoefer Design. Pair of wall sconces: Thomas O’Brien for Circa Lighting. UPSTAIRS HALL: Chest of drawers: Bianca commode manufactured by Rose Tarlow. Painting: “Le bateau dans les nuages" by Quinn Scheibal, through Myra Hoefer Design. Accessories: conservatory model manufactured by Restoration Hardware, coral on gold painted base from Tritter Feefer. CREDITS: All photography is by Lisa Romerein. www.lisaromerein.com. Lisa Romerein

, based in Santa Monica, photographs for many publications including C magazine, House Beautiful and Santa Barbara magazine. 

She is the photographer for ANN GETTY INTERIOR STYLE, by Diane Dorrans Saeks

 (published in 2012 by Rizzoli International.) All photography used here with express permission of Lisa Romerein and House Beautiful magazine, where this story was first published. House Beautiful Decorating Director Doretta Sperduto directed this photo shoot. HOUSE BEAUTIFUL: www.housebeautiful.com BENJAMIN DHONG INTERIOR DESIGN: www.benjamindhong.com t: 415.595.2582 f: 415.449.3419 [email protected] ARCHITECT: Steven Rajninger owner of Locus AIA now a principal at Herman Coliver Locus architecture 415 495.1776 363 Clementina Street, San Francisco, CA www.hcarchitecture.com

Interior designer Benjamin Dhong had clear instructions from his client when it came to...

Interview with Benjamin Dhong a San Francisco Interior Designer

Each room has its own personal narrative.

Chinoiserie encorporates Chinese design in Western art, furniture and architecture. See how interior designers have used this classical style in decor.

Designer Benjamin Dhong