From Classic to Contemporary

Book excerpt: Interior design firm Cullman & Kravis infuses traditional interiors with a modern perspective, embracing historicism and referencing a wide range of cultures and contemporary design motifs. In From Classic to Contemporary: Decorating with Cullman & Kravis, Ellie Cullman and Tracey Pruzan explore the lessons from modernism that add a new and welcome dynamism to the firm’s most recent projects, both traditional and modern. “We believe in the alchemy of old and new,” observes Ellie Cullman, founder and principal of Cullman & Kravis. “We approach every project with the rigor of a jigsaw puzzle, but with the desire to create a magnificent tapestry.” Cullman and Pruzan share how the venerable interior design firm applies principles of modernism to add a new and welcome tension to their more classical work, while in their more modern schemes, the classic principles of design guide their process. The fourteen distinct projects in this book are collaborations between Ellie Cullman and her partners Lee Cavanaugh, Sarah Ramsey, Claire Ratliff, and Alyssa Urban. Running the gamut from modest revisions to ground-up construction and complete renovations, these interiors include a sumptuous New York City duplex that is a clever mix of traditional furnishings and an impressive contemporary art collection; a glass-clad modern Miami villa with vivid colors and bold prints; an oceanfront Palm Beach house with museum-quality art and antiques; an historic Westchester estate once owned by Brooke Astor; and Ellie Cullman’s own home, whose “refresh” illustrates how to renew, modernize, and reinvigorate any project.