The boyishly handsome 6’4” tall Grant Gibson sits in front of series of architectural prints in his apartment. Grant took the illustrations from a book and then placed them in $20. matching frames. The apartment is full of his great buys mixed in with rarefied antiques. Together, it makes for a beautiful and very sophisticated living space.
This week Mr. Grant K. Gibson, interior designer and blogger from San Francisco, sits down at The Skirted Roundtable for a chat. We were thrilled to get the chance to interview the young, charming, and uber-talented Gibson, who is currently riding a tidal wave of popularity that most of us can only dream about. The New York Times recently did a large spread on Grant and his wonderful apartment and from that article, as you might imagine, even greater success has followed. The Times article highlights Grant’s sophisticated rental – pointing out all the thrifty measures he took to turn his place into something out of the pages of a magazine. The story of his apartment begins with a space full of potential but in need of quite a bit of updating. Grant bartered several months of free rent in exchange for sweat equity and it all paid off - the apartment is a stunner. Grant started with a fresh coat of white paint on everything but his bedroom, while his doors all got a coat of glossy black paint. He refinished his “pencil” colored hardwood floors himself, staining them a dark walnut. He retiled his bathroom with the help of his aunt. A built in banquette turned a bay window into the focal point of the dining room. After the shell was ready, Grant installed his unique collection of antiques, art work, and accessories. Did he please his most difficult client – himself? Most assuredly!
The living room in Grant’s apartment is filled with the accessories, books, and prints that he likes to collect. On the sofa, the pillows are made of a Fortuny fabric that he found on 1st Dibs.
An earlier photograph of his bookshelves in the living room. Later Gibson added mirrors to the back of the shelves to expand the room. The hanging lights are fabulous! I love the frameless, oval portrait – am I the only who sees a resemblance?
A close up of a vignette with one of his beautiful secretaries.
The bay window in the living room: a skirted table with Greek key trim sits next to an antique Swedish Gustavian chair.
BEFORE: Right after Grant moved into his new apartment, this photograph was taken, showing the exact same view as above. You can see the “pencil” colored hardwoods before Grant refinished them a dark walnut. The walls were painted red in this room and non descript shades covered the windows. On the outside he calmly smiles, inside his mind is probably racing with all the possibilities he envisions for his new space.
The Dining Room with its banquette focal point.
The dining room is my personal favorite room in the apartment. In the large bay window, Grant built in the cabinets which double as seating for dinner parties. His dining room table? The famous burlap skirted table from Ballard Designs! Underneath, his dog crate is stowed here. The blinds were another smart buy – from Target. The sconces are from Europe, made out of antique door knockers! Along the left wall, in front of pocket doors that are permanently shut – Gibson placed another skirted table – a rectangular one – that he uses for a buffet and TV stand. I love this space – it’s so chic, so sophisticated – yet it is totally welcoming and warm.
A scene from a recent party: here, you can see the skirted console set up as a bar. The TV has been removed for the evening.
From a recent House Beautiful article: Grant’s skirted console with the TV on it – the black flatscreen disappears against the black pocket doors. You can barely even tell the TV is there. What a great idea! This technique could be adapted by using a black screen placed behind a flatscreen TV.
A close up of his gorgeous Biedermeier secretary in the dining room. A formal oil portrait rests above it. By adding one or two pieces of antique furniture into each of his rooms, Grant adds an air of sophisticated luxe and richness to his space. The importance of antiques in a room can’t be stressed enough, and Grant certainly makes the case for them.
The Blue Bedroom.
Grant’s bedroom, painted a deep blue, continues the sophisticated look. The bed was a lucky find, Pottery Barn Teens used to sell this iron canopy for $500, but no longer. Grant customized the bed by adding the luxurious mohair covered headboard. More prints hang on the walls, along with a convex mirror. Paint color: Farrow and Ball’s Drawing Room Blue.
A close up of the window treatments in the bedroom. The curtains are a linen, but Grant splurged on an expensive Greek Key trim.
A glimpse of the outside of Grant’s apartment. Guess which one is his!!!!! Of course the brown tortoise shell shades give it away. The building is in the Presidio Heights neighborhood of San Francisco. For now, Grant is happy with his rental and has no plans to move. But, he says “When I do find the right place to buy, I'll want to do all of the same things that I did here.” Thank goodness, because this place is perfection. And like they say – you don’t mess with perfection!!!
To listen to Grant’s interview on The Skirted Roundtable – go HERE. For more views of Grant’s work – visit his web site HERE. And finally, a huge thank you to Grant for letting us keep him up late Monday night! You’re the best!!!
Note: A little Cote de Texas business: First and Second place winners will be announced in the French Basketeer Rolling Cart giveaway as soon as possible. The response was overwhelming! I only wish I had 1,000 to pass out to all of you. Thank you so much for all your support , loyalty and friendship.
