It Was Already Gorgeous… Then This Happened.

Home Design “Upgrade” Strategy (Layering + Softness)

• Built on an already gorgeous inherited house, then “dialed it up with more layers” in every room.
• Add art everywhere: once art is on the walls, spaces feel softer, more personal, and more complete.
• Window treatments matter: called out as important (even described as “horrible expensive things”), but essential.

Great Room / Living Room Changes (Layout + Comfort + European Feel)

Primary goal: when you enter the front door, avoid seeing the back of a sectional.

Key moves:

• Rework the furniture layout even if pieces are beautiful/new—find new homes for old furniture.
• Add color and depth to make it feel layered, softer, and cozier (pushing warmer tones even though the client loves white).
• Shift from overly contemporary/cold to a more European interior by:
  • Changing square arches to curved arches
  • Adding millwork and trim (described as transformative—“like mascara” for a space)
  • Incorporating antiques/older pieces to introduce “history” and relaxation
  • Choosing natural fibers/linens and styling that feels authentic (less “perfect”)

Kitchen Refresh (Softening + Texture)

Core guidance:

• “Gray is done”—rethink gray if it’s in your home.
• Refinish existing pendants to look like terracotta to soften the room.
• Update bar stools for texture and interest, with a key rule:
  • Pick interesting backs (that’s what reads visually).

Texture + styling:

• Add texture to counteract hard surfaces—use a woven rope element for warmth and softness.
• Style with:
  • Branches
  • Old cheese boards
  • Fresh flowers

“Lived-in” styling tip (from stylist/editor Benjamin Renéert):

• Avoid an overly “perfect picture” look.
• Use relatable, usable layers, such as:
  • Stacked plates with real items
  • Napkins that look relaxed
  • A few bowls of nuts
  • Random fruit
  • Visible “daily use” items (e.g., salt/pepper, olive oil)

Dining Room / Entry Wow-Factor (Darker + Venetian Plaster)

• Venetian plaster applied with a medium brown tone because the room gets limited natural light.
• Keep the European envelope by combining:
  • Venetian plaster
  • Inherited beams
  • Updated furniture, painted cabinets, art, and styling
• “Form follows function” is repeatedly used as a styling principle.

Bar and Shelf Styling

Guidance:

• “Get out the pretty alcohol,” but use interesting glassware.
• Prefer non-clear (or more characterful) glasses—even antiques—for better shelf storytelling.
• Mix antique art/accessories with new pieces.
• Add playful details tied to the clients (e.g., a Nantucket whale bottle opener).

Scale + Composition Tips (Entry Furniture + Proportions)

• Furniture scale is critical: if it isn’t big enough, it won’t look right.
• Use the golden mean to estimate proportion—aim to fill about 2/3 to 3/4 of a space (not wall-to-wall).
• Negative space matters too (compared to the “important inch” idea from Michelangelo’s artwork).

Primary Suite Formula (Serenity + Texture + Layering)

• Client directive: cream-on-cream layering (cream/ivory/beige/white tones) for calm.
• Add Venetian plaster for warmth and texture, especially when color is minimal.

Lighting + mood:

• Featured an elegant Visual Comfort chandelier, described as droplike over the bed.

Bed styling rules:

• Max decorative pillows: 3 (author prefers 1, but allows up to 3).
• Maintain sleeping comfort using:
  • 4 sleeping pillows hidden under larger shams (Dutch/Alaskan euros)
  • 1 longer lumbar for proportion
• At night, remove decorative layers—only 3 things remain (a husband-friendly setup).

Powder Room Upgrade (Dramatic Color + “European” Light)

• Painted walls Black Fox by Sherwin-Williams.
• Updated lighting with pleated shades for a softer, more European/old-world feel.

Flex Space / “Learn by Living” Concept

When building and you have an unknown flex space:

• Install electricity and plumbing “just in case.”
• Move in and live first—your life reveals what you need.

Example outcome:

• Clients expected a playroom, but it became more of a men’s hangout/game/movie vibe based on how the family used the space.

Design guidance for men’s spaces:

• Avoid a sectional; use chairs or smaller seating so people can sit side-by-side.
• Add a memorabilia wall (records, cigars, golf, travel souvenirs/matchbooks) to tell the homeowner’s story.

Gallery Wall + TV-as-Art

Gallery wall tip:

• Include collected items that represent the client, not only photos/paintings.
• Break up “square” shapes using items like:
  • A mirror
  • Golf clubs
  • Curated tiny mementos (matchbooks, luggage tags, tournament items)

Frame TV trick:

• Frame the TV like art.
• Use dark art in the frame because light art makes the TV read as purple/light through the frame.

Third-Floor Landing Turned Into Study + Flex Bedrooms

The open area was divided into:

• Two small bedrooms
• A new bathroom
• A homework/art station

Homework station details:

• Gabled ceiling
• Drawers for craft supplies
• Counter space for kids to spread out
• European-inspired finishes and cabinetry

Bathroom Additions (Materials + Design Story)

Stone choices for a more European feel:

• Calacata viola marble
• Also Rosa Levanto marble and narrow marina marble

Cabinet/hardware storytelling:

• Antique-style callback with bell pulls (hardware inspired by Paris flea market finds)

Shower concept:

• Planned true divided light brass shower enclosure (grid look).
• Noted humorously there’s “no glass,” but the enclosure is described as a feature to be completed.

Sink-under-window concern:

• They worried they couldn’t do it, but the design uses window light for the best makeup lighting (mirror + window light).

---

Notable Locations, Products, and People (As Mentioned)

Speakers / People

• Jamie Rose
• Benjamin Renéert (El Decor editor)
• Designers/craftsmen referenced as Two Hawks
• Celo Furniture
• Visual Comfort (chandelier mentioned)
• Jamie Rose Interiors (gallery wall style referenced)

Brands / Companies / Products

• Sherwin-Williams (“Black Fox”)
• Visual Comfort (lighting/chandelier)
• CFC furniture (mirror mentioned)

Notable Places (Vibe/Story)

• Porto/Portortoello Road, Notting Hill, London (used as a European comparison)
• Vatican (marble authenticity reference)
• Paris (Ritz stay referenced; antique sourcing tied to Europe)
• Nantucket (whale bottle opener)
• Masters Golf Tournament (matchbook mentioned)
• Belgium (carving described as “like we dragged it home from Belgium”)