Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Bold Colors and Art Energize a New Family Home
A designer found on Houzz curates a Washington, D.C., home for a fun-loving young family
While their new house in Washington, D.C., offered a great neighborhood and plenty of room for this married couple and their three young kids, it didn’t offer the color, energy and sense of whimsy that matched their personalities. After searching multiple profiles on Houzz, the homeowners landed on designer Stephanie Bradshaw’s page and knew they had found their match.
“Most of my projects include lots of art, color and pattern, and this is exactly what they wanted,” Bradshaw says. “Their house offered a blank canvas, and it was my job to help them fill it with the things they love.”
“Most of my projects include lots of art, color and pattern, and this is exactly what they wanted,” Bradshaw says. “Their house offered a blank canvas, and it was my job to help them fill it with the things they love.”
The great room includes a living area and a dining space. Bradshaw wanted the two areas to feel connected but still have their own distinct personalities. “We used similar colors to connect the spaces and different textures, patterns and materials to let them stand on their own,” she says.
The blue velvet sofa and a pair of swivel chairs in lavender chenille connect to the colors of the abstract painting in the entry. The angular wood coffee table is a new piece with midcentury-inspired lines.
Shop for a sofa on Houzz
The blue velvet sofa and a pair of swivel chairs in lavender chenille connect to the colors of the abstract painting in the entry. The angular wood coffee table is a new piece with midcentury-inspired lines.
Shop for a sofa on Houzz
Bradshaw went with swivel chairs because they allow the user to face guests on the sofa or to turn and watch the TV mounted above the gas fireplace. The fireplace surround is covered in concrete tiles.
The existing built-in bookshelves flanking the fireplace have a new coat of deep blue paint (Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball). New brass cabinet pulls add some shine, and the back of the bookcases are lined in blue grasscloth for texture.
The existing built-in bookshelves flanking the fireplace have a new coat of deep blue paint (Hague Blue by Farrow & Ball). New brass cabinet pulls add some shine, and the back of the bookcases are lined in blue grasscloth for texture.
Need a pro for your home remodeling project?
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
Let Houzz find the best pros for you
The dining area is relatively small, so Bradshaw sourced a round metal table to make the best use of the space. Six ivory leather dining chairs surround the table. The back wall of the dining area includes another gas fireplace with a piece of reclaimed wood above it that serves as a mantel and a ledge for accessories.
The highlight of the room is the teal-and-white patterned wallpaper that adds interest and movement to the space. “The wallpaper draws the eye into the room and gives it energy and texture,” Bradshaw says.
Wallpaper: Kelly Wearstler by Kravet
The highlight of the room is the teal-and-white patterned wallpaper that adds interest and movement to the space. “The wallpaper draws the eye into the room and gives it energy and texture,” Bradshaw says.
Wallpaper: Kelly Wearstler by Kravet
The existing kitchen includes off-white cabinets, marble-look quartz countertops and a trio of brass light fixtures above the island. Bradshaw added four black leather counter stools for contrast. She also covered the windows with custom white Roman shades featuring a subtle black print.
Bradshaw designed a built-in bench below the window in the breakfast area. The bench cushion is covered in a purple indoor-outdoor fabric that’s ideal for a family with three young kids. A trio of black wishbone-style dining chairs bought on Houzz, a wood dining table with a brass base and a blue-and-white patterned area rug complete the look.
“It’s an area of the house that the family now uses all the time,” Bradshaw says. “The kids can do their homework there and play games while their parents are busy in the kitchen.”
“It’s an area of the house that the family now uses all the time,” Bradshaw says. “The kids can do their homework there and play games while their parents are busy in the kitchen.”
“Both of the homeowners occasionally work from home, so it was important to have a nice, comfortable space for them to work from that offers some privacy,” Bradshaw says.
The home office includes an existing built-in bookcase painted a deep shade of blue (Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore). Bradshaw added an area rug in a complementary shade.
The home office includes an existing built-in bookcase painted a deep shade of blue (Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore). Bradshaw added an area rug in a complementary shade.
The homeowners have a growing collection of wine, so they turned one area of the house into a tasting room. The walls and the ceiling are painted a bold yet inviting shade of purple (Pelt by Farrow & Ball). A trio of wood wine racks (each holding up to 24 bottles) hangs on the wall.
Metal table: Four Hands
Metal table: Four Hands
The primary suite is a cozy space where the homeowners can unwind after a busy day. “They wanted their bedroom to feel like a hotel suite that they could retreat to each night,” Bradshaw says.
The custom blue velvet bed fits neatly along the bed wall, tucked between windows that overlook the wooded backyard. A teal animal print bench is at the foot of it. And a pair of armchairs in lavender boucle provide an ideal spot for reading.
Wall color: Edgecomb Gray, Benjamin Moore; bed fabric: custom blue velvet, Schumacher; bench fabric: Gazelle Peacock, Thibaut
The custom blue velvet bed fits neatly along the bed wall, tucked between windows that overlook the wooded backyard. A teal animal print bench is at the foot of it. And a pair of armchairs in lavender boucle provide an ideal spot for reading.
Wall color: Edgecomb Gray, Benjamin Moore; bed fabric: custom blue velvet, Schumacher; bench fabric: Gazelle Peacock, Thibaut
The homeowners didn’t want to head all the way to the kitchen for a refreshing drink in the middle of the night, so Bradshaw added a beverage refrigerator set between new built-in cabinets. She lined the alcove wall in a purple grasscloth and added a pair of floating wood shelves to store coffee mugs and other items.
Wallpaper: Onna in purple, Schumacher
Wallpaper: Onna in purple, Schumacher
The couple’s twin daughters share a bedroom that features a bunk bed with an attached slide. “The daughters told us that they wanted a bedroom with rainbows and unicorns and that’s exactly what we gave them,” Bradshaw says.
The designer selected the paint colors for the rainbow and then had Artstar Custom Paintworks come in to paint it. The custom unicorn-inspired artwork above the bunk beds includes the names of the girls.
The designer selected the paint colors for the rainbow and then had Artstar Custom Paintworks come in to paint it. The custom unicorn-inspired artwork above the bunk beds includes the names of the girls.
The family’s young son still sleeps in a crib (not pictured), but the rest of his bedroom is ready to go for when he advances to his “big boy” bed. The room has lots of blues and grays, including the dark blue upholstered bed, charcoal gray Roman shades and a graphic area rug featuring a fun pattern in royal blue and teal.
Since the boy has a fondness for dinosaurs, the room includes a framed brontosaurus and a stuffed tyrannosaurus.
Bed, table and chairs: Crate & Barrel; bench: Article
Since the boy has a fondness for dinosaurs, the room includes a framed brontosaurus and a stuffed tyrannosaurus.
Bed, table and chairs: Crate & Barrel; bench: Article
An existing built-in in the mudroom provides plenty of storage for shoes, coats and other winter gear.
Bradshaw added a blue-and-white leaf-patterned wallpaper to bring some movement to the space. A round white mirror lets family members check their appearance before heading out the door.
Wallpaper: Abstract Leaf, Schumacher; artwork: Bunny series, Hunt Slonem
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Hire a local design pro
Shop for your home
Bradshaw added a blue-and-white leaf-patterned wallpaper to bring some movement to the space. A round white mirror lets family members check their appearance before heading out the door.
Wallpaper: Abstract Leaf, Schumacher; artwork: Bunny series, Hunt Slonem
More on Houzz
Tour more homes
Hire a local design pro
Shop for your home
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A young family of five
Location: Washington, D.C.
Size: Five bedrooms, five bathrooms
Designer: Stephanie Bradshaw
The entryway with its double-height ceiling and glass-and-steel stair railing is an open and airy space that features two pieces of commissioned art.
“With its white walls and high ceiling, the entry has the feeling of a gallery space,” Bradshaw says. “It’s a great area to showcase art and set the stage for the rest of the house.”
Artist Madeleine Walton of Purely Porcelain created a custom “knot wall” out of 25 handmade black porcelain pieces laid in a grid pattern above the console table.
The colorful abstract painting near the staircase is by Emma Childs. The blue, pink and purple hues in the piece are used throughout the rest of the interiors.
Wall color: Swiss Coffee, Benjamin Moore
Find an interior designer near you