Using a plant in design—or at least a reasonable facsimile—can be a great way to bring a sense of life and texture to a room. "I personally don't have a green thumb," admits designer Rachel Kapner. So she finds herself often turning to faux or preserved flowers when attempting to make a room bloom. But depending
What do you need to know about beautiful lighting? In her years as a designer, Rachel Kapner has seen light make and break spaces. She's experienced rooms dim as dungeons and bright enough to be seen from space. And she's even seen bulb choices so wrong they changed the paint. So with her experience in mind,
Are there wallcovering words you need to know? If you want to be able to talk to designers like a pro, there certainly are. In her career as a designer and wallcovering expert, Rachel Kapner has heard enough industry jargon to last a lifetime. "I guess to me, they're everyday words, right?" she says with a
"A brand is the set of expectations, memories, stories, and relationships that, taken together, account for a consumer's decision to choose one product or service over another," explains Seth Godin, marketing expert and best-selling author of The Practice. Godin goes to the heart of why brands matter. Not only are we attracted to brands—particularly design brands—
Photo by Amy Shamblen Exploring extraordinary travel destinations can be a tremendous source of inspiration. There's no experience quite like walking down a new street in a foreign city. Suddenly, a beautiful piece of architecture appears, and you feel a jolt of connection to its beauty and our shared human history. In recent years,
Wondering what secrets you need when using color in design? Many aspects of decor can affect the way you feel in a space. But color can also be key to whether a room calms you down or fires you up. In fact, Rachel Kapner, senior designer and principal at CWI, notes that when a client asks
Mansion in May celebrates its 20th anniversary of showcasing amazing design in 2023. The show house is the signature fundraiser for the Women's Association for Morristown Medical Center. The event has generated over $12 million since its inception in 1974. The 2023 edition took place at Three Fields—a 9,000-square-foot French manor style home in Mendham, NJ—one
