It all began with a phone call. They were empty nesters who had downsized from a “stucco castle” in Kennett Square to this sweet historic townhouse in West Chester and needed help maximizing the small space.
The first thing that I noticed when I stepped over the threshold was the charming woodwork and arched doorway with a winding staircase.
The second thing was the overwhelming collection of memorabilia and pillows. In the course of this initial visit, I learned that she was not afraid of pattern and blush was her favorite color. She confided that after several bouts with cancer, her priority was having comfortable seating that was not too deep or low. Her eyes lit up when she showed me her vintage Barbie and retro SMEG appliances. I was smitten with inspiration.
They were ready to start fresh. We agreed that the style should be consistent with the classic character of the home, yet have a bit of whimsy. It was a tall order to enable the main room to check all of the boxes to serve as a welcoming entry that offered storage for shoes, gloves and scarves, as well as doggy gear, a generous family gathering area, a library and reading nook- and don’t forget a spot for their dog, Bonnie to keep watch. Everything could go except the green console table that offered a perfect division between the entry area and the rest of the space.
When I met with the couple for the design presentation a couple weeks later, I reviewed our mission: “to provide comfortable seating and create order amongst an assemblage of memories in a limited space”. This William Morris quote underscored the point.
This fantasy garden rug suited her artistic temperament and offered the perfect foundation for the design scheme.
Since seating was a priority, we reviewed the requirements before making selections.
All of these choices fit the functional requirements and suited the classic style of the home.
Then comes the fun stuff- choosing the custom fabrics for the body and pillows and wood finishes. I recommended performance fabrics for the sofas to accommodate their busy lifestyle. Since they had never purchased seating they hadn’t sat on in a showroom, they expressed some hesitation. I took time to explain all of the different factors that I take into account when I choose options for them. This includes seat dimensions consistent with their stature, cushions type that offers support with a cushy “sit” and non down fill due to her down allergy. This photo from installation day says it all! They were like Goldilocks going from chair to chair with a satisfied smile on their faces.
Then there were “the embellishments” that reflects their fun loving personality as a couple. Her favorite design element is the ottoman with channeled faux bunny fur.
She also loved the bold boho baskets to store shoes in the entry. Their dog, Bonnie got a custom upholstered storage bench and fun steps to hop up.
Their lighting choices offer the perfect combination of style and visual to enliven the room.
I created this story board to enable them to visualize the complete design.
Once everything arrived , I asked them to go out for the day so that I could get everything “just so”.
And then came “the Big Reveal”
Their review says it all!
And that’s not all- when they saw how open and airy the space looked, they asked me to add another side table, lamp , accent chair, lumbar pillow and funky tray (the piece de resistance!)
If you wish you could have this much fun designing your home, I’m only a phone call away!
Contact me to schedule your personal Dream Room session
