Suzanne McGrath - Good Bones, Great Pieces

To Kaye, mother, grandmother, and proud homekeeper, who taught us that its
okay to move things around in life as long as the core pieces are meaningful and
bring you happiness.

There were many people who helped us write this book. Our deepest thanks to: L UCAS A LLEN , for capturing our concept with so much thoughtfulness and precision; A LICE T AIT , illustrator extraordinaire, for being such an integral part of the creative process; A NDREA B ARVZI , our agent at ICM, for believing in our idea and fighting for us from day one; D ERVLA K ELLY , our editor at Abrams, for giving us the incredible opportunity; N ATASHA L OUISE K ING for her unquestionable eyeeven from long distance; A MY S LY for her ability to lay out the pages so artfully; J ODY K IVORT for his humor and calm under fire; M EREDITH G ERMAN and R OSS W ENDELL for sharing their adorable apartment with us; J ANICE and M ARSHALL K NOPF for the opportunity to design in their exceptional spaces; D IANA H EALD for turning over her first apartment to us; D R . S TEPHEN and K RISTEN F EALY for inviting us to photograph their beloved apartment just days before moving out; M ICHAEL and L ISA H UGHES for letting us in and answering all of our questions about their amazing Chinese antiquities; E VE K RYZANOWSKI for her pivotal introductions and ingenuity; K EVIN S HARKEY for his readiness to lend a hand; H ELOISE G OODMAN for skillfully recommending Lucas; our friends at ABC Carpet & Home, A LIZA O LIN and J ESSICA C ATALANO , for their willingness to work with us and for their enthusiasm for the project; S HEILA C UTNER for providing a wise second opinion on everything; J ODI K AHN for her friendship and expertise; M OLLY P ETERS for her spirited support; P AUL L UTHRINGER for his media know-how; K ATHARINA P LATH for her boundless enthusiasm; Z AN G OODMAN for her sharp eye and inspired creative direction; B RADLEY H UGHES for his exceptional advice; J ULIANA R IBEIRO for being a sounding board and a great friend; L OTTE M EISTER for her accessorizing adroitness; M ADELINE C OLL for her skillful assistance; M ARTHA S TEWART for her inspiration and friendship; and A MY A STLEY for her mentorship and kindness.

To the designers who contributed their knowledge and expertise: R OBERT C OUTURIER for his genius and generosity; M ILES R EDD for demonstrating how to be fearless with color; L IEN L UU for her effortless melding of unexpected objects; B ARRIE B ENSON for her ease in creating an updated take on Dorothy Draper; and G ARROW K EDIGIAN for his intelligence, elegance, and candor.

To the members of our immediate family: M ATT M C G RATH for traveling with us to Brimfield, Massachusetts, to capture the joy we take in finding great pieces; P ATRICK R EILLY for being our in-house editor and head of the tea-and-tech department; and J ACK R EILLY for supplying endless affection to his mom and big sister throughout.

I had once again brought my daughter to a job site. I was in my thirties, newly single, standing in the parlor of a brownstone in Brooklyn Heights. I had my own business as an interior designer, and my client needed a decision. I was trying to choose which of three variations of a yellow paint would work. Square samples were painted on the wall and labeled one, two, and three. I hesitated. And then, from behind me, a tiny voice announced with confidence, Number two. Its the palest and shines like the sun. From that day on, I knew that Lauren and I would collaborate and that she would be the one choosing the paint colors.

I went to college in Maine, and down the road was an old factory that had been turned into an antiques warehouse. My mom came to visit me more than any of my classmates parents did. Why? Because Maine has great antiquing. We walked each aisle of that warehouse, sifting through decades of collectibles. There were the kitschy red lobster-claw salt and pepper shakers she bought me after my first breakup, the painting of sheep she gave me when I suffered from a bout of insomnia, and the woven blanket she found that my friends and I picnicked on all senior year out on the quad. From my childhood home to my dorm room to my first apartment, these pieces gave me comfort and reflected our combined sense of style. My friends couldnt figure out how my mom did it. But they all wanted her to show them how.

ith all the changing, moving, and reinventing going on these days, its never been more important to make a home and to choose the right furniture pieces for it that can stay with you through it all. Were talking about indispensable pieces that you love today and youll still love fifteen years from now. Making a home truly is a lifelong pursuit.

The question of what furniture to buy and where it should go in the home is something everyone struggles with. The obvious pieces, like the bed, the kitchen table, and the sofa are easy enough. But what about the pieces that give your home personality and flair, and, once you find them, where do they fit in best?

Thats where we come in. In a world where there is a dizzying array of choices, weve narrowed it all down to seven essential pieces that are so timeless, chic, and flexible that youll always find a place (or two or three or four!) for them. Our goal is to help you create rooms that always look fresh and inspired by using an inventory of key pieces that have the ability to move from room to room and home to home.

We arent the first to think the whole process is overwhelming. In her highly amusing 1939 book, Decorating Is Fun!gotta love that titleDorothy Draper quotes Mrs. Theodore Roosevelt, Jr.: Every woman in her secret heart believes herself to be a potential interior decorator, but usually when she gets started, she loses her nerve. She becomes confused by the great variety of material that confronts her when she shops. She loses confidence, becomes timid, and falls back on the drab and mediocre because she is afraid of doing wrong.