- Architecture
- Decoration
- Flooring
- Interior Design
- Kitchens & Bathrooms
- Lighting
- Outdoor Living
To paraphrase George Templeton Strong: “If one considers that each of them has witnessed...births and deaths and marriages and all the events of social life, pleasant meetings, nice visits, sorrowful partings, household troubles escaped or endured...” one’s home becomes the theatre of human emotion and the backdrop for the most important aspects of one’s life. How glorious it is to have a hand in this creation, what an adventure, and what a privilege.
Swain Street & Co. may differentiate itself from other interior design firms in that it specializes in interior architecture and custom cabinetry as well as the softer side of decorating. David Nastasi came to design by a circuitous route ultimately taking two master's degrees, one in Architecture and the other in Historic Preservation, from Columbia University. He spent the first years of his career in traditional residential architecture firms in Greenwich, CT and New York City. This background in architectural design and history colors his work at Swain Street & Co. as it did at Nastasi Vail Design where he was a founder and principal for 14 years.
"If we do our job correctly our projects reflect the taste of the client, while at the same time providing insight and guidance down avenues perhaps not previously explored. Rejecting words like “transitional” or “contemporary” the work at Swain Street & Co. tends toward a fresh take on traditional design. Our goal is to create an atmosphere that will evolve during the client’s time in the space. We encourage the use of materials and furnishings that grow old with grace, but, with a bit of tweaking, may remain timeless. Whimsy without faddishness and tradition without solemnity may be the motto by which we work."
"Coming from an architectural and historic preservation background many of the projects Swain Street takes on include renovations of old houses or flats whose character has been stripped away over the years. Currently, we are working on a townhouse that has been divided into two large apartments. Our portion of the house had been stripped of all its architectural elements, the overall effect was of a roadside hotel: clean, serviceable, and impersonal. Without being slavish to any particular date in history, we imagined and then created architectural details which appear to have accrued over time: cornices, baseboards, door surrounds, built-in bookcases, and cupboards. Rejecting the open floorplan we re-established a formal dining room, living room, and study, and created divisions between the spaces with cabinetry that was both functional and decorative and sometimes seemingly structural. The client is adventurous with colors and has a love of wallpaper so whimsy was encouraged. The resulting combination of imagined historical detailing coupled with bold colors and patterns, and new and antique furniture create an environment that suggests a refreshed existence in long-established surroundings."
