Reveal: #ProjectCitySlickers Living Spaces

We are very excited to reveal the main living spaces in our City Slickers project!

Our clients are a young family -- they added a baby while we were working on the home! -- who decided to leave New York City a bit earlier than they planned during the Covid-19 pandemic. They purchased a beautiful, traditional white Colonial home in New Jersey, and wanted to give it a fresh, NYC-spin while maintaining the traditional East Coast style. The scope of our work was purely decorative -- the house has beautiful, traditional bones that we left intact, and it was done largely remote, utilizing our new online platforms and software like the Client Portal.

We wanted the entry hall to feel sophisticated while honoring the architecture of the home. All of the walls and millwork are a crisp white, and we highlighted the sweeping curved staircase by adding a new runner from Stark. It has the bonus effect of being safer for the family's two young children than bare wood stairs. In contrast to the traditional architecture, we added a cool modern console from Noir and a leather pouf from Made Goods.

The dining room is just off the entry, and we covered the walls in a grasscloth to add some subtle texture. The draperies and even the sideboard have a tone-on-tone quality, so the wow factor really comes from the stunning green Kelly Wearstler fabric that we chose for the dining chairs.

The custom artwork by Stacy Lack Fine Art references the fabulous green and adds a sophisticated note. We chose brass lighting and hardware throughout the home, which warms up the largely cool palette of blues, rich greens, and lavender.

The home had a formal living room (complete with beaded curtains!), but it felt too stuffy for our young clients, so we converted it into an upscale NYC-style cocktail lounge. The linen Phillip Jefferies wallcovering feels almost atmospheric, and the brass-and-glass scones keep a note of formality. To add contrast, we chose barrel chairs covered in bouclé fabric from Gwyneth Paltrow's collaboration with CB2.

The cocktail seating arrangement is perfect for winding down at the end of the night or entertaining an intimate group. Since it is adjacent to the family room, we included a bar cabinet that can be safely tucked away.

The study turned out to be my favorite room in the house! The "partners desk" from Restoration Hardware allows the couple to work from home, as is so often necessary theses days, but still be close the kids and family. To contrast with the traditional desk, we added a graphic carpet from Stark and lots of warm textiles. The woven chairs from Palecek add texture (and are super-durable) and the very cool light from Visual Comfort brings little modern glamour to the room.

This family room is the heart of the home. It needed to feel sophisticated and entertaining-worthy, while still being a calm retreat for the family. Overall, the space feels tidy, but to keep it from being too buttoned up, I add an overscale ceramic lamp and commissioned two mirrors to sit slightly below the bottom of the console tables from Mr Brown. I like to bend decorating rules on occasion to keep things interesting -- the hint of imperfection invites relaxation.

The two sofas and navy leather ottoman are family-friendly additions by Wesley Hall, and we chose dark draperies to add a bit of drama to the white walls and millwork.

We'll be back to reveal the charming bedroom spaces in this lovely home in the coming weeks. In the meantime, if you like what you see and would like to work together, please fill out our inquiry form and a member of our team will be in touch.

All photos by Raquel Langworthy

Floral arrangements by Piece & Pollen