The recamier had a wonderful story behind it. We scoured local antique shops and the Internet in search of the perfect couch to place here. Eventually we located an antique shop in Baltimore specializing in French antiques. It had just what we were looking for: a neo-classical piece that dated back to the late 19th century and had just arrived from Rome.

After the recamier arrived, WKD's Sally Wilson selected a beautiful silk velvet upholstery for the couch and worked with our antique upholsterer to rebuild the bench seat and cushion. We also had a matching pair of bolsters made.

The final product was a sofa/bench that beckoned you to come sit and soak in the stunning ocean view. The impact was enhanced by the full-length, silk-trimmed drapery with hand-stitched, custom smocking across the top.


One of our favorite touches was the bench we created to sit just inside the front door. We felt the room needed a place where you could drop your briefcase or shopping bags when arriving home. WKD's John Kelsey envisioned an antique distressed bench with a high back and ornamental detail. He designed the piece and then had it built by one of his custom millwork shops.

What made this bench stand out was the extraordinary attention to detail. The painting and gilding of the onlay required 12 different steps to achieve the effect we sought. In addition, we flew in a sumptuous Italian velvet fabric to be used on the seat. While the bench was striking, it was also functional; storage space was included below.