Houzz Tour: Color and Pattern at Play
Bold paint choices and patterned wallpaper and draperies bring an eclectic midcentury mix to a Colonial-style house
Before Photo
The Living Room After
The walls: Contrasting blue trim and white walls. “We haven’t painted a wall in years, because of our deep love of wallpaper,” says designer Jessica Geller, who worked with designer Virginia Toledo on this makeover. “But we loved something about the simplicity of this room and the beautiful crown molding and window casings, so we decided to play with those elements instead of the walls. It was also a great budget-saver, allowing us to spend elsewhere.”
The fireplace: A sleek, solid smoked-walnut wood surround frames the existing brick.
The furnishings: Muted blues, grays, purples and browns keep the visual focus on the darker trim. Toledo and Geller custom-designed the trio of hexagonal tables.
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Van Cortland Blue (trim) and White Chocolate (walls); blue rug: Necker Island in Denim, Kaleen; sofa: Drake in Stout Diablo Breeze, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; armchair: Swoop 1211-01SW, Lee Industries, in Flannery 04 fabric by Fabricut; wood side table: Lagoon lamp table, Lexington
The walls: Contrasting blue trim and white walls. “We haven’t painted a wall in years, because of our deep love of wallpaper,” says designer Jessica Geller, who worked with designer Virginia Toledo on this makeover. “But we loved something about the simplicity of this room and the beautiful crown molding and window casings, so we decided to play with those elements instead of the walls. It was also a great budget-saver, allowing us to spend elsewhere.”
The fireplace: A sleek, solid smoked-walnut wood surround frames the existing brick.
The furnishings: Muted blues, grays, purples and browns keep the visual focus on the darker trim. Toledo and Geller custom-designed the trio of hexagonal tables.
Paint by Benjamin Moore: Van Cortland Blue (trim) and White Chocolate (walls); blue rug: Necker Island in Denim, Kaleen; sofa: Drake in Stout Diablo Breeze, Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; armchair: Swoop 1211-01SW, Lee Industries, in Flannery 04 fabric by Fabricut; wood side table: Lagoon lamp table, Lexington
Window treatments: Drapery in a modern ikat-chevron pattern ties in an understated lavender hue. “The wife loves purple, so we introduced small touches throughout in a way that’s not overwhelming,” Geller says.
Drapery fabric: Nojo Lavender, Fabricut; area rug: Neela Violet, Feizy; sofa: Billie in Heathered Tweed Charcoal, West Elm; side chairs: 1593-01, Lee Industries, in F0648 Duck Egg fabric and Gelato 03 piping by Clarke & Clarke; floor lamp: Theo Grey, Crate & Barrel
Drapery fabric: Nojo Lavender, Fabricut; area rug: Neela Violet, Feizy; sofa: Billie in Heathered Tweed Charcoal, West Elm; side chairs: 1593-01, Lee Industries, in F0648 Duck Egg fabric and Gelato 03 piping by Clarke & Clarke; floor lamp: Theo Grey, Crate & Barrel
Before Photo
The Foyer Before
The problems: The sculptural staircase handrail had previously been painted black and didn’t pair well with the warm caramel stain on the wood flooring.
The problems: The sculptural staircase handrail had previously been painted black and didn’t pair well with the warm caramel stain on the wood flooring.
The Foyer After
The floor: The honey-toned hardwood flooring was refinished in a darker stain — a custom blend of Minwax Country White and Ebony stains — but “not so dark that you see every dust bunny,” Toledo says. Now the black newel post and railing feel more at home.
The walls: Gray trim paint. White-and-gray trellis wallpaper.
Trim paint: Nimbus, Benjamin Moore; wallpaper: Bonaire in charcoal and white, Thibaut; floor refinishing: Cronin Hardwood Floors
The floor: The honey-toned hardwood flooring was refinished in a darker stain — a custom blend of Minwax Country White and Ebony stains — but “not so dark that you see every dust bunny,” Toledo says. Now the black newel post and railing feel more at home.
The walls: Gray trim paint. White-and-gray trellis wallpaper.
Trim paint: Nimbus, Benjamin Moore; wallpaper: Bonaire in charcoal and white, Thibaut; floor refinishing: Cronin Hardwood Floors
The furnishings: A blue herringbone-patterned carpet runner and cotton striped area rug provide texture. A sleek modern-style bench, mirror and shoe storage table complete the welcoming entrance.
The powder room: A dynamic abstract gold wallpaper and gray-and-white marble chevron mosaic floor create a bright beacon.
Stair runner: Distinguished in Americana color, Masland; powder room wallpaper: Ovington, In Full Flower color, Schumacher; bench: Damon, DwellStudio; mirror: Kaden, Mr. Brown London; artwork on landing: Zoe Bios Creative
The powder room: A dynamic abstract gold wallpaper and gray-and-white marble chevron mosaic floor create a bright beacon.
Stair runner: Distinguished in Americana color, Masland; powder room wallpaper: Ovington, In Full Flower color, Schumacher; bench: Damon, DwellStudio; mirror: Kaden, Mr. Brown London; artwork on landing: Zoe Bios Creative
Before Photo
The Dining Room Before
The problems: The dining room, off the foyer, was set up as a formal dining space, but because the clients tend to entertain casually, usually involving families with young children, they didn’t envision regularly using it so formally.
The problems: The dining room, off the foyer, was set up as a formal dining space, but because the clients tend to entertain casually, usually involving families with young children, they didn’t envision regularly using it so formally.
The Dining Room After
The furnishings: Geller and Toledo custom-designed built-in banquette seating along the the side wall and combined it with a vintage Saarinen Tulip table and chairs inherited from the mother of one of the homeowners.
The patterns: The same ikat used on the living room drapery repeats here, and is paired with a leafy wallpaper pattern for extra energy.
Wallpaper: Komodo Leaves in black and flax, Thibaut; lamps: Amelia, Arteriors; wood chair: Molded Plywood, Rove Concepts
The furnishings: Geller and Toledo custom-designed built-in banquette seating along the the side wall and combined it with a vintage Saarinen Tulip table and chairs inherited from the mother of one of the homeowners.
The patterns: The same ikat used on the living room drapery repeats here, and is paired with a leafy wallpaper pattern for extra energy.
Wallpaper: Komodo Leaves in black and flax, Thibaut; lamps: Amelia, Arteriors; wood chair: Molded Plywood, Rove Concepts
The rug: The designers anchored the elongated seating space with a woven broadloom carpet, which they had made into an area rug, leaving a border space around the perimeter. Geller says it’s one of their favorite design tricks. “Having a rug custom-sized to the size we needed it to be would be pricey, so we chose an indoor-outdoor broadloom for wearability — after all, two kids and a dog eat here. It beats the price of a custom rug by a long shot.”
The lighting: Toledo and Geller swapped the French Provincial-style chandelier for a modern space-age-style fixture that’s more in line with the midcentury modern style.
Chandelier: white Bilbao — gold leaf, Solaria Lighting; carpet: Ginger Island in silver, Couristan; trim paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
The lighting: Toledo and Geller swapped the French Provincial-style chandelier for a modern space-age-style fixture that’s more in line with the midcentury modern style.
Chandelier: white Bilbao — gold leaf, Solaria Lighting; carpet: Ginger Island in silver, Couristan; trim paint: Chantilly Lace, Benjamin Moore
The buffet: This piece was inherited from one of the homeowners’ grandmothers. It was energized with new paint (Benjamin Moore’s Van Courtland Blue) and green glass knobs from Anthropologie.
Before Photo
The Kitchen Before
The problems: The original kitchen was in great shape, but the rustic backsplash was overpowering, and the warm finishes fought with the cooler palette in the rest of the home.
The problems: The original kitchen was in great shape, but the rustic backsplash was overpowering, and the warm finishes fought with the cooler palette in the rest of the home.
The Kitchen After
The backsplash: Fish-scale-patterned handmade tile in a glossy gray glaze looks modern paired with new crisp white countertops. Beautiful undulations in the handmade tile add subtle texture when viewed from the side.
The cabinets: The original cabinets were repainted — the base cabinets in Trout Gray and the uppers in Chalk White, both by Benjamin Moore.
Backsplash: Moroccan fish scales in London Fog, Mercury Mosaics; countertops: Silestone in Bianco River, installed by Deco Tile & Marble Corp.
The backsplash: Fish-scale-patterned handmade tile in a glossy gray glaze looks modern paired with new crisp white countertops. Beautiful undulations in the handmade tile add subtle texture when viewed from the side.
The cabinets: The original cabinets were repainted — the base cabinets in Trout Gray and the uppers in Chalk White, both by Benjamin Moore.
Backsplash: Moroccan fish scales in London Fog, Mercury Mosaics; countertops: Silestone in Bianco River, installed by Deco Tile & Marble Corp.
Before Photo
The Master Bedroom Before
The problems: The master bedroom had off-white walls and a pale-blue feature wall behind the bed. (The bed is from the home staging effort.) Two wall sconces hung awkwardly too far away from the bed to be useful. One even prevented a closet door from swinging all the way open.
The problems: The master bedroom had off-white walls and a pale-blue feature wall behind the bed. (The bed is from the home staging effort.) Two wall sconces hung awkwardly too far away from the bed to be useful. One even prevented a closet door from swinging all the way open.
The Master Bedroom After
The lighting: New double wall sconces add much-needed light to the bed area.
The patterns: Small-scale trellis wallpaper contrasts the dramatic, large-scale ikat fabric on the headboard and mixture of geometric patterns on the pillows and bench. “This room probably more than any of the others embodies the eclecticism of our clients’ style while still remaining polished and grown-up,” Toledo says.
Wallpaper: Troy in beige, Thibaut; headboard: Ally in Kaley Aqua, Ballard Designs; tiger pillow: HomeGoods; bench: Nala in Belize Apricot, Ballard Designs
The lighting: New double wall sconces add much-needed light to the bed area.
The patterns: Small-scale trellis wallpaper contrasts the dramatic, large-scale ikat fabric on the headboard and mixture of geometric patterns on the pillows and bench. “This room probably more than any of the others embodies the eclecticism of our clients’ style while still remaining polished and grown-up,” Toledo says.
Wallpaper: Troy in beige, Thibaut; headboard: Ally in Kaley Aqua, Ballard Designs; tiger pillow: HomeGoods; bench: Nala in Belize Apricot, Ballard Designs
The Kids’ Rooms
The color palette: The daughter’s bedroom features a vibrant floral wallpaper in pinks, peaches, browns and grays with a simple metal-framed twin bed. Touches of mint on the dresser and sconce above provide dashes of fresh color. “It’s not your stereotypical little girl’s palette, but it is still super sweet, which matches this little girl’s personality,” Geller says.
Wallpaper: Wildflower in Sundae color, Aimee Wilder; dresser: Larkin, Land of Nod; sconce: Triple Seven Home
The color palette: The daughter’s bedroom features a vibrant floral wallpaper in pinks, peaches, browns and grays with a simple metal-framed twin bed. Touches of mint on the dresser and sconce above provide dashes of fresh color. “It’s not your stereotypical little girl’s palette, but it is still super sweet, which matches this little girl’s personality,” Geller says.
Wallpaper: Wildflower in Sundae color, Aimee Wilder; dresser: Larkin, Land of Nod; sconce: Triple Seven Home
The son’s bedroom now has a fun retro flavor. “We wanted to move away from the expected little-boy color palette, and while the colors are not matchy-matchy, they are all in the same tonal value, which is what makes this color scheme work,” Toledo says. The designers integrated his Lego creations, toys and art into the scheme; their being on the walls also helps with storage.
Wallpaper: Retrogeo in gray and yellow, Tempaper; rug: Aldo in Mandarin, Crate & Barrel; accent chair: Sepli in Curry, Urbia
Wallpaper: Retrogeo in gray and yellow, Tempaper; rug: Aldo in Mandarin, Crate & Barrel; accent chair: Sepli in Curry, Urbia
The Layout
The first-floor layout, seen here, shows the kitchen at the top right, the dining room below it, the foyer to the left and the living room farther to the left.
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The first-floor layout, seen here, shows the kitchen at the top right, the dining room below it, the foyer to the left and the living room farther to the left.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple — she works in education; he works in digital technology — with their 5-year-old son, 2-year-old daughter and dog
Location: Glen Ridge, New Jersey
Size: 2,985 square feet (277.3 square meters); six bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Year built: 1935
Designers: Jessica Geller and Virginia Toledo of Toledo Geller
The Living Room Before
The problems: This center-hall Colonial-style home, seen here before the current homeowners bought it, was professionally staged when it was put up for sale. So while the furniture shown here didn’t belong to them, the neutral paint also didn’t jibe with their more urban bohemian-style leanings.
Here, the homeowners felt the cumbersome cornices deterred from the beautiful curved molding, and that the fireplace mantel awkwardly encroached on the window spaces.