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BEEK

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STOR

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CITY

COUNTRY

FARM

FOREST

HOME

HERITAGE

FOOD

DECOR

OPPOSITES ATTRACT WHETHER WE’RE TALKING ABOUT PEOPLE OR “PERFECT” LIVING SPACES

People come into relationships with all sorts of emotional baggage, and they come with plenty of bags, boxes, box trucks, and storage units full of physical stuff, too. But these things don’t have to weigh you down. With a little ingenuity, a thoughtful eye, some teamwork, and sometimes a little elbow grease, you can make a home together with all the things that you both treasure. Whether you are sharing a space with a best friend or a romantic partner, the space should (and easily can) reflect the tastes of everyone calling it home.

When we met in 1999, we could not have been more different. Josh had been living a double life in New York City for several years: junior advertising executive by day and nightlife impresario by night (in other words, a drag queen named “Aquadisiac”). Brent was a fresh-to-the-city young doctor from the South still wearing the Bible belt cinched tightly around his waist.

What they say is true: You can’t help with whom you fall in love, and opposites really do attract. We dated for two years before moving in together into a small studio apartment in the city’s West Village.

PHOTOGRAPHED BY SARAH PEZDEK SMITH

PHOTOGRAPHED BY DANIEL PUISSANT

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BEEKMAN 1802

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In 2008, we lost our jobs amidst the Great Recession, and we moved to a 200-year-old farm in upstate New York. As we crossed the threshold for the first time, we looked at what greeted us not as a large, empty space but as a well for inspiration. Taking a little bit of this and a little bit of that, a little from our past lives in the city, and some new rural finds, the house became our home.

That experience, those rooms, and the surrounding 60 acres has come to define the design philosophy at Beekman 1802: the attraction of opposites.

Very few of us will ever have the luxury of having a complete house makeover. We don’t move into an empty space and start completely new. We live in blended environments that evolve over time. We inherit, salvage, and purchase items as life rolls on. Things come and go.

But just because you make do with what you have, doesn’t mean that you can’t create something extraordinary.

Beekman 1802 Style: The Attraction of Opposites (Rodale) is available September 2015.

HUNGRY FOR MORE? TABLE is hosting a book-signing

with the Boys this fall! Stay tuned to tablemagazine.com

for details.

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Excerpts from the new book! Left: Old Meets New

This Page, clockwise from top: High Meets Low, Inside Meets Out, Black Meets White, East Meets West.

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LOCAL

ODD COUPLES

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PITTSBURGH DESIGNERS TAKE A STAB AT CONTRASTING PAIRINGS

TRADITIONAL MEETS MODERN"Traditional and antique rugs bring rich texture and history to rooms, adding timeless style that can fit into any décor. We love them paired with a modern sofa in a color that plays off the rugs palette." — Stacy Weiss Sofa: B&B Italia, price upon request. Rug: 9’ x 12’, $6,480. Weisshouse, Weisshouse.com.

FORM MEETS FUNCTION"Your living space should be as unique as you are." — Ann DavisFloor Lamp: Jonathan Adler, "Harlequin" price upon request. Table Lamp: Jonathan Adler, "St. Germain," price upon request. Typhoon Lighting, typhoonlighting.com.

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CONCEPTUAL MEETS CONCRETE"An original work of art, in an abstract style, juxtaposes the order in a traditional chandelier." — Theresa BayerChandelier: Alexandra Chandelier by E. F. Chapman for Visual Comfort & Co., $3,500. Painting: Carol Hu original, price upon request. Schafer Interiors, schaferinteriors.com.

INSIDE MEETS OUT“Pair an indoor table with outdoor chairs. Enjoy a beachy summer look all year by pairing comfortable beach chairs with your traditional table.” — Jennifer StockdaleTable: INGATORP extendable table, white, $329. Chair: APPLARO reclining chair, white $65/ea. HALLO cushion sold separately, $25. IKEA, Ikea.com.

OLD MEETS NEW“Whether you’ve inherited grandma’s antique chest of drawers or you stumbled onto a great buffet at a flea market, mixing old (or old looking) pieces with modern accents, like a gilded lamp with a square shade and a square mirror, will make those old pieces look right at home in the 21st century. “ — Mini IrwinMirror: Modern History, 40” x 40”, $1,526. Lamp: Currey & Co., Clemente, $555. Chest: Modern History, Danish Commode, $2,322. The Antiquarian Shop, antiquarianshop.com.