High-gloss black paint is a dramatic way to show off a room and spruces up even run-of-the-mill cabinets. Robin Standefer's shade of choice: Fine Paints of Europe in S9000-N
Where there is dark, let there also be light. For the residential project at 211 Elizabeth Street in New York, RW left the wood framing unpainted to create contrast with the cabinets and floor.
Because drawer and door pulls literally stick out, they're essentially jewelry for the room. Buy wisely. Berenson Applachia "Timeless Charm" pulls
As RW-designed restaurants prove, multiple light sources eliminate glare and harsh shadows. They make food and people look better. Kitchler pendant 2666
With a little wheat paste and amber shellac, RW turned old ephemera, from pages of books to player-piano scrolls, into focal pints, as seen in the lobby of New York's Ace Hotel.
When it comes to paint, it pays to be oil-rich
Not only does it wear better than latex, oil-based paint's color saturation is intense--like the glossy green RW chose for The Breslin in New York. Benjamin Moore paint in Tequila Lime
Buy the best you can afford: You'll use them every day, and good ones last forever, like RW's new line of faucets for waterworks. R.W. Atlas "Bridge" kitchen mixer
The couple's own dining room doesn't stick to one decade or designer. Pricey Ted Muehling candlesticks share lighting time with flea-market finds, and the walls are an artful jumble, with frames from frames.com.
Standefer loves many styles. "It just has to have personality!" Milo Baughman Recliner 74
RW had tiles for the floor of New York's Standard Grill embedded with shiny copper coins. You can buy the penny tiles premade. Modwalls Real Penny mosaic tile
(Credit: Michael Weinstein)
Roman and WIlliams brought old-world glamour and gloss to NYC hot spots like Top of the Standard and The Breslin. The designers at the helm, husband-and-wife team Stephen Alesch and Robin Standefer, masterfully mix textures, paints, and lighting. Here's how to take their ideas home. --Christine Muhlke