01 Overview, before

01 Overview, before

A long, narrow space on the end of the house, the entertainment room in this client's Princeton home has generous proportions with angled ceilings and soaring heights. But the white sheetrock walls did nothing for the ambiance.

 

02 Overview, after

02 Overview, after

Here the room has been transformed from an unfinished space into a richly adorned early 20th century-style "Speakeasy." MINGARI Studios' painted everything — from the walls, trim, doors, ceiling and even the ceiling fans — right down to the heating vents and outlet/switch covers.

 

03 Ceiling

03 Ceiling

The angled ceilings glow with trompe l'oeil ornamental sheet-metal designs on a background of "Charred Platinum" metallic paint. The entire ceiling is framed by faux painted "mahogany beams."

 

04 Ceiling, detail

04 Ceiling, detail

Located above a rich dark chocolate-brown Palladian window, this medallion is the first grand impression for visitors entering the room.

 

05 Chimney, before

05 Chimney, before

This "before" photo focuses on the vertical monolith which contains the chimney for the fireplace in the adjoining family room (at right). Its dominating presence really called for something special....

 

06 Chimney, after

06 Chimney, after

A monolithic architectural design challenge has been transformed into an alluring and dimensional art-deco wonder. The Taittinger Champagne icon's 10-foot-tall figure dominates the bar, while her sophisticated grace sets the mood.

 

07 Taittinger woman, detail

07 Taittinger woman, detail

Now there's a tall drink of water if I ever saw one!

 

08 Coupling

08 Coupling

Joining the party is this lovely couple, engrossed in flirtatious smalltalk: "Here's lookin' at you kid!"  Oh, and that alcove? It's not really real, just a trompe l'oeil illusion on a flat wall.

 

09 Overview, before

09 Overview, before

This before photo speaks for itself. The upper left area is where a landmark bridge will soon soar, and the lower right is where a pair of ballroom dancers will be immortalized. The next photo shows the dramatic difference.

 

10 Overview, after

10 Overview, after

And what stylish Speakeasy would be complete without throwing in a nice view of the Brooklyn Bridge??? Only the best for my clients! This design was also chosen as a way of giving the perception of width to the narrow dimensions of the room. I'd say it works quite dramatically!

 

11 Brooklyn Bridge, detail

11 Brooklyn Bridge, detail

The Brooklyn Bridge mural, up-close and personal.

 

12 The Dancers

12 The Dancers

Okay, I'll say it again, that's just a "flat" wall!  No, there is no niche or alcove here, just a clever perspective in paint.  And Dave and Dot Fitzgibbons have danced all the way to this client's Princeton barroom from the Kenwood Country Club on New Year's Eve, circa 1940 — now that's what I call marathon ballroom dancing!  Originally captured in a vintage William-Morris Agency 8"x10" promotional photo, the subjects of this trompe l'oeil mural graciously signed it as a souvenir to the club, adding "Thanks for the swell eats."

 

÷ Speakeasy archive ÷