Francesco's Room
Private Client New York, NY
RESIDENTIAL
"Now I lay me down to sleep… I pray the Lord my soul to keep, Guide me through the starry night, And wake me with the morning’s light. Imagine reading this to your child as you tuck them into bed each night. It bestows a sense of peace and protection that every mother wants for their child as they sleep."
s a mother and interior designer, I want to provide a foundation for the child’s life and instill virtues at an early age with the help of interior design. By being submersed with stories and virtues at birth, I believe this child’s life will be deeply enriched in his family’s traditions and values. The mother of Francesco, Maria, shares my same vision.
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like to get a sense of who my client is... and what they want for their child because the room is ultimately meant to inspire the client and their family. When hearing Maria’s beautiful story of conception and listening to the dreams that she has for Francesco, I was inspired to help her achieve her utmost dream for Francesco’s room.Taking inspiration from Francesco’s name, I saw many virtues in St. Francis of Assisi that I wanted to incorporate in this space. His gentle nature and love for animals and the environment are very beautiful characteristics of St. Francis. By surrounding baby Francesco with animals living in unity and giving him furniture that is eco-friendly, I want to introduce Francesco to the virtue of St. Francis in hopes that he will want to embody the same integrity, as he grows older.
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fter all, having a baby is a joyful celebration... For this client, she felt that she was being given a very special gift from God. Drawing inspiration from the Nativity, I wanted Francesco’s crib to be a place of gathering to rejoice for this baby’s birth. With the Star of Bethlehem overhead and angels and animals gathering all around, this baby naturally feels cherished and adored. Just below the Star of Bethlehem here, there are two precious angels. These two angels represent the archangels Gabriel and Raphael. They are holding up the banner with the sweet nighttime prayer that the mother can read to her child every night. In the other corner of the room, just above the door, flies the archangel, St Michael. He is there to protect baby Francesco from any evil in the outside world. Along with the angels and animals protecting Francesco, there is no better protector than a mother to her child. On the nursery glider, I needlepointed a pillow with the image of Mary holding her baby Jesus. I wanted this to symbolically represent Maria holding her baby Francesco. It serves as a connection for the client to a celestial world of peace and harmony.
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nd the lion shall lie down with the lamb... Many of us may have heard this phrase before, but may have not known the meaning behind it. This phrase came about through a collection of scripture passages. It refers to a time of peace, where what is thought to be a ferocious beast could live in peace with a gentle animal. For Francesco’s Nursery, peace is the ultimate goal. This room was designed to be a safe and peaceful environment for the baby to grow and learn. I always strive to create spaces for children that have deep meaning. The prayer below interpreted Maria’s vision for her son, Francesco.