A thing of beauty is a joy forever — john Keats
This house was a lot of fun. We worked with this couple from the ground up. The challenge here was to work a lot of rooms into a small space and still make the house feel open, airy and light. The plan was to have four bedrooms, an office, living room, dining room and a good size kitchen.
The clients wanted a classic style with elements of modern, and a bit of "bling" for fun. The color palette for the first floor was reds, pinks and soft shade pastels. Contrasts of dark and light tones and textures were used throughout the house.
The sitting room has clean and simple lines, and in combination with these warm tones, creates a feeling of serenity.
We used textured papers to delineate spaces. Many times we papered a single wall continuing to create contrast with texture and tone. Red grasscloth was used on the entry wall and a taupe grasscloth was used on the staircase wall.
We found a great fossil stone with embedded shells, for the fireplace, that had all the right colors.
In the kitchen, we wanted to tie in the pink tones through copper metallic light fixtures and hardware, as well as a rose quartz counter top. For the island we chose a rich coffee brown for contrast. The space flows seamlessly and now has a much lighter feel.
Kitchen counter stones and fossil stone for fireplace surround tied in perfectly with the color scheme of the house.
We used lots of glass and mirror to create a feeling of space. The mirror-backed cabinets and extensive lighting create a feeling of openness and sparkle.
The challenge here was a compact space and the need for a lot of function. We used mirrors and different types of glass to create a lighter feel and the illusion of a larger space. The laundry chute in this powder room is a wonderful convenience.
We did the Master Bedroom in aqua tones to continue the light and airy feeling.
The girls' rooms were a lot of fun. The challenge was the size, so everything was built-in. Wall mounted light fixtures and clean lined bedding all helped to create an appearance of space.
Oversized hardware on the built-ins create a "bigger" feeling.
At the last minute we took advantage of the downstairs and added a home theater and gym, using all the colors in the palette for the house.
This was a fun project. It’s a 3 story condo that has compact space because of the vertical nature of the unit. This story is all about optimizing smaller spaces and integrating a color palette of blues and whites throughout the home.
The entrance draws you in with accents of blue on the walls and doors.
The living room is a striking contrast of blue and white. The symmetrical layout helps creates a feeling of balance and the blue wallpaper behind the TV softens its hard lines.
The shutters were painted blue to complement the striped drapery panels.
The textile panels were created by wrapping boards in an embroidered blue and white geometric fabric.
A large mirror was used in the dining area to reflect light from the adjacent patio.
The kitchen alcove overlooking the outside gardens create a bright spot for breakfast and small gatherings.
The kitchen cabinets complement the blue and white palette with a soft blue gray Farrow and Ball paint, “Borrowed Light”.
We selected a bronze finish for the cabinet hardware to create contrast on the blue/grey cabinetry. This helps to create a more casual feel in the kitchen.
Slabs of Carrara Marble were used for the backsplash, counters and island, creating a clean look without the distraction of the tile grid.
The quarter sawn oak island provides a soft contrast to the blue cabinets.
Custom built-ins were created to maximize all space, including a feeding station for the family pets.
The sisal carpet adds a casual look, with bronze stair rods tying in the kitchen hardware.
A simple valance with a strong graphic pattern turns this window seat into a beautiful focal point.
This 2nd floor living space is multi-purpose, with a small workspace for a desk (behind the sofa) and a comfortable media room for TV viewing.
The guest bedroom feels bright and airy with the clean white wall paint carried up though the ceiling.
This small space became the perfect nook for quiet reading and a bright spot for a vanity table.
This bathroom came to life when we repurposed an old bedroom chest as a vanity and added the rich gray and white graphic paper.
The master bedroom was designed to flow from the blue and white palette to softer tones of aquas and creams.
The custom built-in window seat is a great spot for reading.
The aqua grass cloth provides a soft contrast to the carerra marble.
With the 3rd floor stair landing we replaced the oak flooring with white marble to break up the oak and tie in the gray/blue palette of the marble.
The soft blue grasscloth framed by picture molding provides a striking backdrop for the three dimensional artwork.
The angled third floor roof lines make for a cozy office area.
Nothing like an attic space for a gym.
…and the eaves of this roof line become a great space for additional storage for all those extras that don’t seem to have a place.
In addressing the outside, the courtyard was designed as an extension of the inside where the blue and white palette continues. The patio is a compact gathering area, but with careful planning we were able to create a comfortable gathering space and dining area.
A gas fireplace serves as the focal point and the heat generated from this unit extends the use of the space through fall and early spring. This project was challenging, but with limited space, we were still able to get the function of a much larder home.
This project was a major renovation to an older New York apartment. The challenge was to get a fully functional home in a compact apartment space. The client wanted to create a clean contemporary look while maximizing every inch.
The island was designed to be multifunctional, a space for dining, entertaining, and cooking. Every inch was maximized to include additional storage and a wine refrigerator.
The clean looking kitchen is streamlined with simple white lacquered cabinets. The dining island was built in the same materials, which visually extends the kitchen prep area creating the look of a larger kitchen.
In the living space, finishes were chosen to feel comfortable. The contemporary style creates a light airy feeling, and a more open space.
The simple white swivel leather bar stools create a clean, uncluttered look
Every wall is an opportunity for storage. We even managed to squeeze in a stackable washer and dryer.
The bathrooms have a clean look — with simple tile and textured wallpaper that create subtle contrast.
The bedroom space is maximized to include a built in desk and bookcase around the heating and cooling system. Wall mounted sconces provide reading light, maximizing available space on the nightstand.
The leather textured headboard creates a feeling of height in a space that has lower ceilings.
The guest room has a complimentary color palette and a built in desk.
With thoughtful planning upfront, the results packed a lot of “punch” into a small space.
This house was a real challenge. You almost wouldn't recognize a resemblance to the original unless you had watched it being transformed. With many inconsistent renovations throughout the years, this home needed a major rework for today's lifestyle. The old house felt extremely dark and closed in with small chopped up spaces. The challenge in this renovation was to open it up to create casual, easy, weekend living for a young family.
To accomplish this, the architect opened up the whole house, designing an incredible three story staircase that became the focal point of the home. It's now filled with light and views between adjacent spaces. A window was put into the roof creating cascading light that penetrates through all three floors. We were brought in at a time when we could influence the interior detailing as it was being developed. With this teamwork, the house was completely transformed with light and airy open spaces. The open planning effectively counteracts the original low ceiling heights. Our challenge was to complete the effect by finding the right furnishings, to enhance the feeling of casualness that was a goal shared by all.
The entry is an introduction of everything that awaits. A bright red front door opens to bold strong color with a mix of wallpaper texture and paint. This is contrasted by an antique chair and a clean contemporary rug creating a light, casual feeling.
The living room was a lot of fun to figure out. It is the largest room in the house and the primary space for everyone to congregate. There are many functions that this room needs to serve, from TV watching, to quiet reading and playing board games. The ceilings are low so we used a low profile centerpiece that we worked on as if a stage-set. With strong horizontal lines, it's a distinctively architectural piece, designed to focus and complement the space around it. We used contrasting lines of vertical drapery panels to balance the room. At the same time we were able to create dedicated areas for all the activities that take place here.
The overall color scheme is based on strong primary colors against a neutral backdrop with a mix of old and new accessories. The furnishings were chosen to create a feeling of casualness, with easy low maintenance. The palette is a broad mix of textures with strong pops of color.
We used lots of wonderful fabrics, grasscloths and fun knobs for this project. Our project board tells the color story used throughout the house.
The oriental rug grounding the staircase creates a homey contrast to the more contemporary surrounding rugs.
This is the only "Dining" table and chairs in the house, so it was chosen based on its relaxed casual look, something that could be used everyday. The light fixture was chosen to compliment that feeling, with lots of glass, making it light and airy. Family heirlooms were showcased in lit cabinets and a contemporary geometric rug anchors the room.
The kitchen is spectacular in its simplicity and clean lines. It is open and airy and the furnishings reflect this. It speaks "seaside" in a strong yet subtle way.
The powder room wallpaper (detail shown at left) and paint tie into the nautical theme of the house, with an aged glass mirror designed to enhance the antiquity.
The children's den was a lot of fun. Though a small space, we were able to use strong primary colors to create a nautical theme and a feeling of "fun".
The staircase was the center of the house with wonderful architectural detail accented by a skylight at the top that shoots light throughout the house. The surrounding hallways are flanked with black and white family photos and beautiful beach scenes. The fixture is clean and simple so as not to distract from the detail of the stairs.
The children's bedrooms and guest room are all on the second floor with the third floor dedicated to the master suite. The children's bedrooms, though actually fairly small in size, continue with strong color and clean casual furnishings. The oversize headboard actually makes the room feel bigger.
The bathrooms are clean and simple. The white tile, simple marble vanities and accents of strong fabric and color make these rooms sing.
The guest bedroom is clean and crisp. The room has strong punches of red, captured in the large coral prints. A broad mix of texture including bamboo, mercury glass, burlap and grass shades were used to create interest. No wonder it has had 5000 Google Views!
The adjoining guest bathroom tied in the same color with a bold red print in the shade.
Coral shell shadow boxes and bright sea life watercolors convey the sea theme in this home. Playful divers adorn the dining room walls. Dining room chairs suggest bleached driftwood. Sea blue wall coverings enhance the entry space and set the tone.
The staircase can be seen on all three floors and ascends to the master bedroom suite.
The master bath has an understated elegance. Clean and sleek, it lets the crystal chandelier be the focal point of the room.
The master bedroom is one of my favorite spots in the house. Not overly large, it has a wonderful airiness and a beautiful view of Long Island Sound. This room speaks for itself and is an "easy" getaway for this young couple.
This was a fun job — a spacious Manhattan apartment. The inviting space with rich dark floors was designed to be timeless, comfortable, and still have a bit of “city glam.”
The “welcoming” foyer is striking with the dark brown grass cloth accent walls, creating a beautiful backdrop to showcase the artwork.
The dining room has a comfortable casualness. A striking chandelier was used as the focal point of the dining space that can be seen throughout their apartment.
The kitchen with its bright white cabinets, has a clean utilitarian look, with soft blue leather on the revolving metal stools. The color palette ties in to the adjoining living room.
The transition to the living room flows seamlessly with the two spaces balancing each other.
The main gathering space was designed to be inviting and practical. Brown, cream, and taupe fabrics were used to keep the room feeling light, but warm and soft. Pale blue accents were used on the pillows.
The pattern of this beautiful chevron fabric makes for a classic
timeless chair.
The den was designed as a multipurpose room providing a warm spot to read plus an extra sleeping area for guests.
The master bedroom was done in a pallet of soft aquas and silvers. The walnut bed anchored the room with a warm aqua wool carpet, creating a striking contrast to the dark floors.
The vanity nook was papered in an aqua grasscloth, creating a striking accent for this interesting space.
The vanity chair was done in soft aqua fabric to tie into the wallpaper and the other furnishings in the bedroom.
The powder room was covered in a metallic paper tying in the branch elements of the dining fixture.
This bedroom was designed for a young adult. The plan was to be consistent with a clean contemporary feel and add pops of fun color with purple.
The contrast of the dark and light walls creates interest and dimension between the two hallways. The rope climbers at the end of the 2nd hallway creates an interesting focal point that draws you in.
This home really came together and was great fun work on.
This is a beautiful custom home built and decorated in the 80’s. The young couple that bought it could see its potential and had a new updated vision for this home.
Their dream was to create a much more contemporary space using a black and white palette.
Inside we started by re-staining the red oak wood floors to a high gloss black. Next we painted the cherry woodwork with a high gloss black paint.
We painted all cabinets high gloss black to coordinate, with the adjoining office, reupholstered the theater seating in a metallic leather, and added contemporary lighting fixtures. We then changed the carpet to a soft gray wool.
The sunroom was truly transformed. It originally had a built in bar that we removed, creating a warm bright sun filled room with long white silk drapes.
This family living space was completely transformed. Anchored with soft gray carpet and long white silk drapes, the dramatic artwork ties it all together.
We turned the billiard room into a modern play room for the couple’s young daughter. We kept the core design elements, dark floors and white silk panels, to maintain the cohesive flow through the first floor. The bright colored toys contrasted by white walls create a “fun” space for playtime.
The dining room took on a dramatic makeover. We kept the gold ceiling framed with white trim. We chose an updated square glass table to compliment the shape of the room. The focal point is the 4 foot crystal chandelier.
The powder room needed a makeover. The metallic wallpaper and floating vanity give the space the “touch of glam” it needed.
We chose a glass vessel sink to create a light contemporary feel.
We then carried the black and white pallet to the outdoors tying it in with strong geometric patterned pillows.
The outdoor black and white rug anchors this large gathering space.
The outdoor and indoor spaces flow seamlessly from one room to another.
A contemporary pool cabana was added to provide additional pool storage and garage space.
The back of the house all came together… at night it looks like a beautiful resort.
And the front ties in with the newly replaced ebony garage doors. It always amazes me how much you can transform a home- A little imagination and a lot of paint can really change things.
This property had a unique set of challenges. The style for this condo was determined by its furniture. The furniture for this home was going to be reused from an existing home in Connecticut and transferred to Florida, which doesn't always translate. Fortunately the condo building itself was relatively formal, which worked well with what we had. So with that we recovered the furniture and repainted some pieces to fit more appropriately in a Florida environment. We created wall treatments and trim with great detail, to relate to the elegant furnishings, while the window treatments were kept very simple to offset the detail of the interior. This project was really about detail, whether it was an accessory, a fabric, Venetian plaster walls or crown molding. In the end it all came together: a fusion of North and South.
Elegant trim details are what sets this home apart, from the use of mirror and Venetian plaster to grasscloth and custom moldings.
The furniture was recovered in coral tones. New additons to the existing furniture were the iron coffee table and settee brought in to lighten things up. In the ceiling we applied antiqued mirror to reflect the water as you enter the condo.
Old teak columns from India flank the entrance to the master suite and provide a grand statement.
The bedroom was updated with clean transitional furniture, contrasted by the old world elegance of the crystal chandelier, plaster medallion, trim detail and stenciled wall treatment.
The office was designed to feel like a "mans' cave" but not too heavy. Faux finish was used, rather than wood, to create the warm earth tone. The room is all about combining textures such as the faux finish/grasscloth, woven blinds, velvet, Belgian cotton and cherry floors. The desk setup is with a caned chair with a burled wood desk and cow bone lamp.
The dining room furniture was a challenge. Being very traditional, the furniture was difficult to adapt to a "Floridian" environment, so, we put a "raphia" type fabric on the seats, fully upholstered the hostess chairs, and added a chandelier that brought in an "old world" Mediterranean look. Stone flooring, mirrored walls and the whimsy of the monkey prints liven up the room, counterbalancing the seriousness of the furniture.
The kitchen's palette is cherry, cream and metallic tones. The metallic tone was carried out in the appliances, the island with soap stone, the backsplash and ceiling. Cherry wood and limestone were used in combination on the kitchen floor. The counter tops and backsplash were done as slabs, in honed Crema Marfil marble.
The bathroom was actually done in reverse contrast: light cabinetry and floors with metallic bronze faux walls and ceiling. It served as a wonderful background for the crystal lamps, chandelier and mirrors, creating needed warmth in a very large space.
This bedroom was designed for a young girl. The floors are bamboo and the walls are a blush pink. We reused the chair, recovering it in a green and pink plaid.
This master closet is one of my favorites because everything is designed to be hidden behind frosted doors.
Here, a mirror was used to reflect the water views. Lots of detail in the lanai accessories tie into the more formal furnishings in the adjoining rooms.
This house was a challenge. It was a twenty year old house and, by Florida standards, was considered a teardown. Everything in it was pink. There was pink tile, pink & cream cabinets and rose flowered tiles in the pool. But the lines and layout of the home basically worked, so with a cosmetic face lift, including new trim, doors, cabinetry and flooring,
the house was transformed from an old tear down into a modern contemporary home. Utilizing great outdoor space, we created new living spaces with amenities such as a fireplace, TV, bar and outdoor cook area. We took advantage of every square inch of the property, remodeling inside first, and then making our way outdoors.
The front of the house, particularly the entrance, had great potential to look much better without great expense. By clipping back the left roof line, we were able to open up the view of the front, and by replacing the arched doors and adding the mahogany trim, we gave the entrance a "face lift". We added an arbor over the garage, breaking up some of the hard lines, and changed the landscaping to soften the strong facade.
Before the remodel, the house was one big open space that blended together and felt cold. In the renovation, we framed out the entry and lowered the ceiling in order to define the space. Now, when you walk in, the house has a real "sense of arrival". In the dining area, we added a suspended ceiling to break up the dated angled ceiling, creating a more intimate dining space.
The kitchen was done on a tight budget, so the location of all major appliances stayed the same. We added a "stepped" island where you could work, but hide the mess from view. The elevated bar height for seating allowed the homeowners to have an even better view of the water. The kitchen ceiling was so high, we actually lowered it, and then built a "pop down" ceiling over the island to define it, creating strong architectural lines and a cozier feeling to the space.
The transformed living space is airy and light, and provides lots of access to the outdoors.
The family room was designed around the television. We created an additional shorter wall to distinguish the TV from its surroundings. This made the space cozier, and broke up the flatness of the large wall with angled roof line. Gas lines were added so a fireplace can be added in the future.
This master bedroom is all about contrast in color and texture. We used dark wood blinds with an espresso color window sash for contrast. The door hardware is dark bronze on white doors with frosted glass to provide privacy but still allow the light to penetrate through.
The master bath was a challenge. We wanted to update the bathroom but keep costs down by not moving any of the plumbing lines. We took out the pink jacuzzi tub and replaced it with a large walk-in shower and replaced the angled pre-fab shower with a second vanity. It created a major "face lift".
This guest bedroom is actually very small, so a closet system was put in with a built-in dresser and TV. A large mirror on the wall was used to reflect the water view.
The powder room was updated with a knee wall to create privacy for the toilet. A lighthearted paper was used to give the space a contemporary feel.
The laundry room was another challenge. It was a very small space and we couldn't move the walls without major reconstruction, so we decided on a stackable washer/dryer. We squeezed in a sink, and removed the entry door to maximize all available space.
With sea themed wallpapers, ceramic pieces that suggest sea creatures, textured shower glass and a custom designed dock, we put a lot of attention into the detail in this project.
This is one of our favorite spots in this project. Prior to the renovation, this was all open lanai, but in the remodel we decided to create additional space that could be used for indoor or outdoor living.
We used lounge style seating and a "chat height" coffee table for drinking and relaxing. This 24" height is intended for casual, relaxed and informal eating, commonly seen in Europe.
Instead of adding an additional story to this one story house, we created more living space with the outdoors. We designed multi-level social areas, creating spaces for sitting quietly, socializing and a dining area.
This custom designed dock has an illuminated window which allows fish watching both night and day.
The outdoor family room is a great extension of the living space. It was important that the outdoor furniture be visually connected to the indoor furniture, since the two environments are so visually intertwined. The spaces needed to flow seamlessly from inside to outside.
This home was a typical center hall colonial. The client, a young family, wanted a home that better suited their lifestyle. They wanted a lighter, airy feeling, with contemporary elements and a casual elegance. We reorganized the flow of the space so that they would use all of the space rather than just a few rooms. We combined both existing and new furnishings to create an updated look.
Now the entry opens into an airy parlor. We used shades of grays and taupes throughout the first floor, with pops of bright color in the artwork.
The family room serves as a comfortable area to relax in. The gray and taupe color palette was chosen to work with the beautiful field stone fireplace. Washed woods, zinc top furniture and distressed leather echo the fireplace colors. Wispy sheer shades enhance the airy feeling.
The sunroom now has dual roles with the addition of the bar. We also added the bead board and a textured basket weave wallpaper to create a more casual look. The cow hide rug and the slipcovered sofa with the red ball pillow create a lighthearted feeling for the room.
We added a coffered ceiling to delineate the dining space, and columned walls to create a transition into the kitchen. With young boys in the house, we selected leather chairs and a rugged farm style table to make life easier on mom and dad. The pre-existing rug was worked in. Note the illuminated frosted glass door for the new pantry .
In the kitchen we reused the existing cherry cabinets and replaced the countertops and back splash with continuous slabs of Carrara marble. We redesigned the island making it just one level and repainted the cabinets underneath. It gave the kitchen a big facelift without redoing everything.
We found wonderful wrought iron glass lanterns to hang above the table and serve as the focal point in the room. Columns with partitioned walls were added to delineate the kitchen and dining spaces.
The powder room was a lot of fun. We were able to use an existing piece of furniture for the vanity. We added brass feet to get the right height, a quartz top, and a Carrara bowl. It is now a "one of a kind", and looks great in the space. We used the old kitchen light fixture and added bead board to the walls with a beautiful mirror and some glistening grasscloth. The room really pulled together.
This house was all about the style of the furnishings. We combined old & new, light & airy, casual & chic to create a unique environment.
This project was a major home re-model. This was a home that had been in the family for years, and it was carefully restored to retain the character of the past. At the same time, it needed to be updated with modern conveniences, to carry it into the future. Furnishings were to reflect that transition, a combination of old and new, complemented by a collection of art that expressed the owners' own journey through life. The color palette was to stay within the warm tones of greens, corals and yellows, while each piece of furniture needed to be comfortable. Nothing was to take away from the wonderful character of the house.
Warm coral tones with accents of green were used to tie the spaces together.
The living room was designed to be inviting, warm and cozy. We carried the coral color scheme into the sofa and drapes with soft warm patterns that express the "period" feel.
The grasscloth ceiling over the breakfast nook brought out warmth and interest. The banquette bench was added to provide unique character in the space.
Warm color and fabrics combine to create a comfortable living space. Refined simplicity mixed with beautiful antiques make this a timeless kitchen.
A relaxed reading spot epitomizes the casual, cozy feeling that was created in the house.
This was an interesting opportunity to work on both the inside and the outside of a house. When I first took on this project, the house was three years old and had a lot to offer, such as wonderful property and great bones, but the detail was lacking. The house had so much potential, but the challenge was to create character and bring out that full potential.
When you drive up this house now speaks "detail". Here we added the arbor over the garage to give the exterior more depth, coach lights to provide ambient lighting, and striped awnings to reflect the character of an older house.
When people ask me about how to create a great home or a beautiful room, my response is pretty simple: It's all in the details. Of course, the basics have to be right, but it is the details that sets a home apart — whether it be that perfect accent pillow or that "just right" piece of molding. It doesn't mean you need a lot, because a little can go a long way, but it is what sets apart the ordinary from the "WOW".
When you open the front door, the feeling of this home is felt right away through the style of the furnishings which are a combination of new and old. Color and texture provide simple backdrops. Lots of trim detail was added, including the paneling on the staircase.
The palette is soft tones so that the spectacular views are the feature.
The dining room is both elegant and casual with slipcovered hostess chairs and green shuttered windows.
The office is done in light tones and dark contrasts, with a vintage desk anchored by a textured sisal rug.
Bead board and lots of custom cabinetry create clean lines and an element of casualness in the breakfast/family room.
We designed a "secret door" in the family room that opens to the dining porch. When the door is closed it creates symmetrical cabinetry. Mahogany banding was used in the flooring to create detail and delineate the open spaces. Note the diamond motif in the flooring.
The kitchen cabinetry is mahogany and the back splash is bead board .
We designed numerous built-ins to hide appliances. In this space (on the left) we removed a closet in order to create an additional work area off the kitchen.
We hid the washer and dryer behind doors. We chose to make all cabinetry consistent in style to create a cleaner look.
The staircase is very open. The ceiling detail adds character without becoming too busy. We added additional sconces, cushioned window seats, and dark accent walls to create definition and highlight details.
Here in the master bedroom, we used many sources of light to illuminate the different areas in the room. We worked with contrasts: new & old and dark & light.
In the guest bedroom the soft moss green fabric on the headboard and bolster mixes with neutrals to create a warm and welcoming space. The striped fabric was brought in to provide some punch. Using this fabric on the window seat as well as for a pillow on the bed unifies the look.
We used simple window treatments to allow the view to be the focal point.
In this bedroom we chose a soft blue to capture the essence of the seaside. Off white was used in the bedding and window treatments to create a relaxed mood.
For this bedroom, we chose a paint color that is youthful, bright and happy, but still works with the palette in the rest of the home.
We also used bead board in the gym for consistent style and casualness.
In the theater, paint, lighting and a carpet change went a long way. Here we enhanced the experience by creating a "movie theater-like environment" with illuminated steps, border aisle carpet and "soft" sconces. Using "midnight blue" paint on the ceiling and walls dramatically changed the space.In the theater, paint, lighting and a carpet change went a long way. Here we enhanced the experience by creating a "theater-like environment" with illuminated steps, bordered aisle carpet and "soft" sconces. Using "midnight blue" paint on the ceiling and walls dramatically changed the space.
We added the front side entry to create another access point. To accentuate the beautiful diamond patterned windows, we used gold paint to bring out their detail. Lush plantings and window boxes were added to warm the entry.
For the entrance to the dining porch, we incorporated lattice and arched frames.
We added many outside spaces to take full advantage of the beautiful setting. This outdoor porch allows you to dine outside without concern for the elements, yet it is totally integrated into the rest of the house.
The old porch was extremely narrow. The new porch is expansive and takes advantage of the view. The changes are seamless, leaving no trace of where the old structure ended and the new porch began.
The outdoor environment was enlarged to include a small pool and cabana area. With the addition of four new decks and porches, the back of the house was totally transformed. This classic New England cedar shake now has both increased functionality and timeless character.
This is a wonderful property. It was a working farm in the 1800's, and the house retains much of the character of that period. It is now a weekend home and the family likes to bring friends here to kickback, relax and enjoy the charm of yesteryear and the beautiful surroundings.
For the entry we chose a textured wallpaper (shown at right) to resemble the character of the old door.
We did a major redesign in the kitchen. The last update had been done in the 70's. Our goal was to incorporate modern conveniences while retaining the character of this antique home.
We found stools and light fixtures that really worked with the farmhouse style.
We went to great lengths to make sure the cabinets had a true "aged looking finish" including the seed glass in the cabinet doors.
Chair cushion fabric, reminiscent of vintage needlepoint, creates an eclectic look.
The walls were covered in a grasscloth (shown at left) to create warmth and depth in the hallways and staircase. An antique sewing table was added as a hallway accent piece. Fabric to the right was used in the window treatment.
We recovered the existing furnishings with strong colors and "comfy" fabrics so that everyone could kick back and enjoy. The red tones tied in the color from the kitchen.
We added some additional vintage pieces and kept the floors simple with natural sisal rugs.
This home was really about using fabric and pattern to create comfort and coziness. We used strong historic colors reflecting the age of the house, and pattern of varying scale to make a relaxing weekend home for this family.
The bathroom needed a "large scale" lift. With so many white walls, we chose a big print, in colors used throughout the house, to create impact and warmth. A colonial blue was used for tub and trim to tie it all together.
We repurposed furniture from the sitting room and added warmth with plaid window treatments, a tapestry rug and a comfortable red ottoman.
