Before and After: Tailored Meets Ease

Everyone loves a good before and after, and this one is fun because the transformation comes through decorating, no renovation required. I particularly like this before and after because this home, located near Lake of the Isles in Minneapolis, was professionally decorated previously (the before photos are real estate photography, which means the rooms are likely a bit stripped back from the fully styled version), so the design transformation is not your typical “bad” to “good,” but much more about how decorating reflects a homeowner’s tastes and goals.

This post is full of tips and tricks that may apply in your own home. Read on! And take a look at the rest of the project, here.

Entry

The previous homeowners were a professional couple; our clients are a busy blended family with three teenagers, so function was key! We added a console in this central artery for storage and a landing spot. The rug is great for sound absorption and to disguise dirt, and the mirror is perfect for a quick check when entering or leaving the home. One of our overall goals in this home was to subtly celebrate the architecture, and our creamy paint scheme throughout and wallpaper above the wainscoting in the dining room does just that.

Sun Room

This space, at the back of the house, was beautiful before, but we wanted it to be a destination in the house and a place for family gathering, so we made a big swing in mood. Drenching the walls in a bittersweet chocolate plays up the cozy proportions of the room and brings the eye out to the treed yard, while a custom u-shaped sectional maximizes seating for movie nights. We repurposed the tribal rug from our client’s former bedroom (see that project in Better Homes and Gardens, here!), went menswear on the textiles, and leaned in to the symmetry with a pair of bronze hand sconces. We also kept the cafe curtains—they were neutral and in good condition, so why not?—but we embellished them with beaded tassels. A great example of building on what’s already there, instead of starting over.

Living Room

Originally our clients thought they would simply replicate the layout, but a space planning exercise led us to a different plan. We still have three zones, and the middle one is still centered on the fireplace, but it leaves a more open passageway through the room. We defined two areas with rugs and used swivel chairs to allow separation and connection as needed.

Dining Room

This might be my favorite transformation in the house! When using wallpaper above an architectural wainscoting, it can be tempting to go with something geometric, but I love how this mural adds so much movement, and plays against the strictness of the paneling. The previous owners had some incredible modern lighting, but we knew we wanted to take it a little more traditional to speak to, rather than in tension with, the house.

Our overall design goal in this home was to infuse it with a sense of ease, and one way to do that is to introduce one-off pieces in off-kilter locations. I love the squiggle chair and the deco plantstand in here; they throw off the symmetry of the space.

Primary Bath

This space had not been touched by the previous design team and was ripe for a glow-up! It is a big room and the clients did not value a renovation as the function was meeting their needs. We added a ton of contrast with paint and imbued a sense of drama and romance with wallpaper and real furnishings. Don’t you just want to linger in that tub?

Primary Bedroom

The primary bedroom is situated in the attic space, full of sloped ceilings and dormers. This is another spot where we built on a solid foundation, adding shelves and a cushion to the window seat and painting it all in a dark color for contrast.

Powder Room

Here again we enhanced, rather than starting over! Paint, wallpaper, art, and a rug go a long way in shifting the personality in this space. We also swapped the mirror and lighting to be less bathroom and more room-room. (that’s a technical term, obviously.)