The Right Stuff

By Lisa Arnett
Appears in the July 2026 issue.

Geneva-based designer Bobbi Aldefer loves to give an existing piece of furniture a fresh look just by topping it with some new accessories. “We try to create a vignette,” she says. “We knew we needed a mirror, and we wanted it to have some interest and follow the lines of the house—I guess you could say it has almost a chateau kind of feel.”

To add some height, she chose a tall vase to fill with faux blooms. “The alabaster bowl and beads, those can be traded out seasonally—you could replace the beads with Christmas ornaments,” she says. “We love to use things that can be repurposed, so for instance, if the client ever needed a serving piece that looked really cool on her buffet, she could grab this [bowl]. I love to do this in my own home, too. That platter that’s hanging on the wall, I could take it off and use it for Thanksgiving.”

Photo: Ryan Ocasio Photography