The 2016 CTC&G IDA Winners: Interior Design

Calla McNamara was faced with the somewhat daunting task of stitching together the remnants of a 19-century Colonial with a contemporary renovation and addition. By the time she arrived on the scene, Able Construction had already carefully relocated the structure to the back of the property and added two wings to accommodate a new kitchen and family room. “In order to maintain the home’s charm, the original beams and fireplaces were kept, but other than that everything was taken down to the studs,” she says about the spec project.

Additional Resources:
Architecture, Cugno Architecture. Construction, Able Construction Inc.. Chairs, area rug, stools and dining room table, RH. Pendant lights, Rejuvenation. Sconces and chandelier, Circa Lighting.

Starting in the existing living and dining rooms, McNamara introduced wall paneling more in keeping with the formal nature of the rooms. Next, in the new family room, a fireplace fashioned from local stone meant to harken back to another time and the refined ceiling beams, a 21st-century interpretation of the reclaimed variety seen elsewhere, establish continuity.

In the kitchen, the face frame cabinetry has an antique look, while the custom metal stove hood, which runs the length of the room, is an unexpected surprise. “Because the ceiling is lower, there are no upper cabinets, so the stove hood dresses things up and serves as a centerpiece,” she says.

Claiming her biggest challenge was creating a sense of flow and making sure the spaces had adequate light, McNamara used light paint colors to achieve both. Soft grays dominate with a slightly darker, moodier tone in the dining room. “The original beams, neutral colors and transitional details help create a seamless flow between old and new,” she says.

Carey Karlan prides herself on designing spaces that reflect the personalities of the inhabitants. “So when my clients said they wanted something casual, rugged and overscaled, they meant it, and I responded,” says Karlan, who imbued the traditional Fairfield County home for a family of five with a decidedly un-Connecticut look. “They love Colorado and the West, and they wanted a more handcrafted feel.”

Additional Resources:
Builder, Warrington Homes, LLC. Sofa, swivel chairs, ottomans and sofa pillows, Lee Industries, through Wakefield Design Center. Coffee table, Woodland Furniture, through Wakefield Design Center. Area rug, Concepts Carpet, through Ruggles Workroom. Lamps and end tables, Wakefield Design Center. Throw blanket, The Linen Shop. Window treatments, Romo, through Wakefield Design Center. Chairs, Vanguard Furniture, through Wakefield Design Center. Table, Woodland Furniture, through Wakefield Design Center. Chandelier, Matt Downer Designs. Area rug, J.D. Staron. Wallcovering (walls and ceilings), Phillip Jeffries, through Wakefield Design Center. Chairs and console, Bernhardt, through Wakefield Design Center. Mirror, Made Goods, through Wakefield Design Center. Side table and lamp, Wakefield Design Center.

After tricking out the entry with a console table supported by faux animal horns and a stenciled cowhide rug guaranteed to dispel any notion of New England (“There are no Chippendale mirrors here,” she says), Karlan outfitted the dining room with a decidedly masculine hand. The heavy muscular dining table set on a custom Moroccan rug plays out against a backdrop of striped wall coverings trimmed with studs and a covering on the ceiling laced with specks of mica. Meanwhile, the black walnut mobile-style chandelier suspended from a hand-forged iron hook plays to the artisan theme.

According to Karlan, the color scheme divides into two camps. “They like blue, so I added cream to the mix in the living and dining rooms,” says the designer, pointing to the neutral dining room chairs topped with a strip of blue leather and the two-toned stripes on the luscious mohair living room rug. “The darker grays in the family room respond to the colors in the stone fireplace, and I added pops of orange to keep things lively.”

“It’s all about the curves,” says Michelle Morgan Harrison regarding the home she helped design for a young Fairfield County family. “From the foyer to the kitchen, there are layers of arches that called for a sense of softness in the overall design.” According to Harrison, the genesis of the theme began with the geometry of the window transoms, which echoes in everything from the sensuous shape of the dining room chairs to the spiraling three-story staircase. About the latter, she says, “The striped banding of the carpet runner hugs the curves to create a dramatic yet subtle design that, thanks to Stair Master, is also kid proof.”

Additional Resources:
Architecture, Jones Byrne Margeotes Partners. Area rugs, J.D. Staron. Chandelier, Dennis & Leen, through Holly Hunt. Table, mirror and chests, Century Furniture. Wallcovering, Surfaces by David Bonk, through Pollack. Dining chairs, Lillian August, through Hickory White. Chair fabric, Kravet. Credenza, benches and coffee table, Chaddock Home. Mirror and sofas, Hickory Chair. Paint, Benjamin Moore. Window treatments, Holly Hunt. Chandelier, lamps and sconces, Visual Comfort. Sofa fabric, Cowtan & Tout. Throw pillows (printed fabric), Schumacher. Throw pillows (metallic), Romo.

Complementing the swoops and swirls is a delicate palette dominated by layers of greige that responds to the homeowner’s desire for elegance and sophistication tempered by hushed tones. “To that we added a mix of metals—gold and silver—and introduced artwork and accessories for pops of color,” Harrison explains.

Throughout the house, child-friendly fabrics like the Endurance velvet on the family room sofa prevail. But there’s a slight shift in the living room, where the lavender gray mohair benches, champagne gray sofa and silk drapes signal it as a place where the adults might come to play. About the end result, Harrison says, “It’s a fresh and elegant house where all members of the family can feel at home.”