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New Condo With Cozy Collected Style
Designers help downsizing clients feel at home with a thoughtfully layered scheme
When this globe-trotting couple decided to downsize and settle into retirement, they bought a condo in the walkable village of Bronxville, New York. Their unit, a new build, was slated to be more contemporary than they preferred. So they hired designers Lina Galvao and Erin Coren of Curated Nest to tailor it to their preferences and lifestyle while it was under construction.
“They wanted their new home to be functional, to feel cozy, and one mandate they gave us was ‘not too fussy,’” Galvao says. The designers captured the couple’s British-leaning style with collected, global patterns, a mix of old and new, and eye-catching lighting.
“They wanted their new home to be functional, to feel cozy, and one mandate they gave us was ‘not too fussy,’” Galvao says. The designers captured the couple’s British-leaning style with collected, global patterns, a mix of old and new, and eye-catching lighting.
The homeowners thought the developer’s plans for the unit lacked character. Galvao and Coren joined the project during framing, giving them time — albeit at a very fast pace — to tweak the floor plan and add architectural details, including wainscoting, trim, built-ins and arched openings.
They reconfigured the entry layout to include the dedicated tea nook. “We wanted to give them a moment to pause as they entered their home,” Galvao says. “She also loves to maintain the ritual of afternoon teatime. One of our design directives was to create a special spot for her to enjoy her tea.”
To create it, the designers reupholstered one of the homeowners’ comfortable chairs and added a petite table for her teacup. A graceful arched opening frames the nook and creates a cozy feel, while a playful light fixture hints at what’s to come. “These clients were not afraid to get adventurous with the light fixtures,” Galvao says.
They reconfigured the entry layout to include the dedicated tea nook. “We wanted to give them a moment to pause as they entered their home,” Galvao says. “She also loves to maintain the ritual of afternoon teatime. One of our design directives was to create a special spot for her to enjoy her tea.”
To create it, the designers reupholstered one of the homeowners’ comfortable chairs and added a petite table for her teacup. A graceful arched opening frames the nook and creates a cozy feel, while a playful light fixture hints at what’s to come. “These clients were not afraid to get adventurous with the light fixtures,” Galvao says.
In the living room and throughout the condo, the design scheme balances traditional lines and modern pieces, blending old and new. Most of the couple’s furniture felt dated or out of scale for their new home, so most pieces are new. Vintage finds, including a pair of campaign chests, add patina and a sense of history.
“With this kind of British look that mixes styles, it’s very important to have depth through lots of layers,” Galvao says. “There needed to be interesting things to look at everywhere.” These layers include rugs, patterned pillows and upholstery, and details like tape trim on the drapes.
The designers used Houzz Pro software for sourcing products, tracking purchase orders and invoicing their clients.
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“With this kind of British look that mixes styles, it’s very important to have depth through lots of layers,” Galvao says. “There needed to be interesting things to look at everywhere.” These layers include rugs, patterned pillows and upholstery, and details like tape trim on the drapes.
The designers used Houzz Pro software for sourcing products, tracking purchase orders and invoicing their clients.
Find a general contractor on Houzz
The living room is part of an open plan with the dining area and kitchen, and with the double pocket doors open, it extends to the TV den. The furniture is arranged to fit the room’s large scale while maintaining clear pathways. For example, an opening between the coffee table and ottomans provides a direct line from the entry to the TV den.
The designers replaced an awkwardly placed closet in the original floor plan with symmetrical built-ins for the homeowners’ books and collected objects, and they sourced antique hardware for the pocket doors. Details like small brass sconces on the built-ins and burnished brass grilles in the lower cabinets add depth and layering.
The designers replaced an awkwardly placed closet in the original floor plan with symmetrical built-ins for the homeowners’ books and collected objects, and they sourced antique hardware for the pocket doors. Details like small brass sconces on the built-ins and burnished brass grilles in the lower cabinets add depth and layering.
They added another layer of depth by painting the window muntins black. Rough linen drapes with dark patterned tape trim hang from dark rods that echo the muntins, creating contrast against the light-colored walls.
A vintage-style rug, sculptural light fixture and large china cabinet anchor the dining area. “We felt there needed to be a big brass moment in the dining space,” Galvao says. “This light brings something shiny, metallic and warm to the area.”
The cabinet provides storage for the homeowners’ many tea sets. “Because there was not a lot of architectural character, we wanted something big for this dining room wall,” the designer says. “The cabinet also brought in a different texture and a different color.”
The cabinet provides storage for the homeowners’ many tea sets. “Because there was not a lot of architectural character, we wanted something big for this dining room wall,” the designer says. “The cabinet also brought in a different texture and a different color.”
The couple had a few directives for the dining space: They like to make dinner an occasion, even for two; they eat outdoors in the summer (there’s a balcony just outside the doors on the left); and they entertain often.
“This table is very cool,” Galvao says. “It opens like a flower from the center to form a larger circle. A circular shape was the best fit for the dining area. We made sure it was easy to expand before we purchased it.”
“This table is very cool,” Galvao says. “It opens like a flower from the center to form a larger circle. A circular shape was the best fit for the dining area. We made sure it was easy to expand before we purchased it.”
Although the plumbing and gas lines were fixed, the designers were able to refine the original kitchen design, which had cabinets everywhere. “They felt very heavy and too utilitarian,” Galvao says. On the window wall, they swapped upper cabinets for open display shelves to keep the space light and airy.
“The wife comes from a long line of intense Italian cooks. She explained that making her tomato sauce is an all-day process where she takes over the entire kitchen,” Galvao says. Accordingly, the designers reconfigured the plans to make room for a butler’s pantry with counter space for small appliances and extra prep.
“The wife comes from a long line of intense Italian cooks. She explained that making her tomato sauce is an all-day process where she takes over the entire kitchen,” Galvao says. Accordingly, the designers reconfigured the plans to make room for a butler’s pantry with counter space for small appliances and extra prep.
The homeowners aren’t big TV watchers, though the husband enjoys catching a soccer match. They wanted just one TV, in a space that could be closed off, making the condo’s bonus room an ideal TV den.
The den was a natural spot for a wine bar, given the homeowners’ love of wine. The designers mirrored the arched motif they used in the tea nook and provided ample storage for special bottles.
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The den was a natural spot for a wine bar, given the homeowners’ love of wine. The designers mirrored the arched motif they used in the tea nook and provided ample storage for special bottles.
New to home remodeling? Learn the basics
Comfortable seating was another priority for the TV den. A cushy sectional and upholstered ottoman create an inviting spot for long soccer matches.
The bubble-like globes in the chandelier are visible from the living room when the pocket doors are open, so the design is centered on them.
The bubble-like globes in the chandelier are visible from the living room when the pocket doors are open, so the design is centered on them.
Because they spend little time awake in the bedroom, the homeowners prioritized architectural features in the other spaces. As an alternative, the designers suggested a marbleized wallcovering with a pearlescent finish for the headboard wall. “This is the kind of pattern you find inside old books,” Galvao says. “Because they love their books so much, it was a great choice for them.”
The couple brought this vintage Oriental rug from their former home. It adds rich pattern and warmth to the bedroom floor.
The wool drapes add another layer to the room. “When you close drapes, there is so much fabric showing and you want it to look pretty,” Galvao says. “Adding a detail like a patterned tape trim finishes it off and adds depth.”
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The wool drapes add another layer to the room. “When you close drapes, there is so much fabric showing and you want it to look pretty,” Galvao says. “Adding a detail like a patterned tape trim finishes it off and adds depth.”
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A Moroccan-star-inspired pattern introduces an old-world touch to the calm, light bathroom. “This is encaustic cement tile, which will patina and show imperfections over time. That’s the goal,” Galvao says. That patina adds contrast to the clean-lined and polished elements in the space.
A large shower stall sits to the left of the vanity, while the door on the right opens to a toilet room. The wood vanity brings in natural texture and floats above the floor, providing a continuous view of the tile beneath it.
A large shower stall sits to the left of the vanity, while the door on the right opens to a toilet room. The wood vanity brings in natural texture and floats above the floor, providing a continuous view of the tile beneath it.
The homeowners never use a bathtub, and there’s one in the second full bathroom, so the designers removed it from the original plan. This made room for a bench under the window and a large linen closet on the right, offering storage space for linens and medicine cabinet overflow.
Changes to the condo’s original plan, along with architectural enhancements and carefully curated layers of soft finishes, make the space feel like home. “It was truly a joy to work with them and help them make this their forever home,” Galvao says.
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Changes to the condo’s original plan, along with architectural enhancements and carefully curated layers of soft finishes, make the space feel like home. “It was truly a joy to work with them and help them make this their forever home,” Galvao says.
More on Houzz
See more home tours
Browse millions of photos for ideas
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House at a Glance
Who lives here: A retired couple
Location: Bronxville, New York
Size: 2,500 square feet (232 square meters); two bedrooms, 2½ bathrooms
Designer: Curated Nest
Contractor: DTF Rosemount
The homeowners were happy with the condo’s open floor plan after having lived with smaller, more compartmentalized rooms in their previous Tudor-style home.
Galvao and Coren identified the couple’s style by visiting their house during a thorough design phase. This included sharing inspiration images, discussing their vision, understanding how they live and reviewing their art collection.
“They have the kind of art collection where they had picked up pieces on their travels and every piece had a story behind it,” Galvao says. “We were able to discern a lot about their style from their art collection.”
The well-traveled couple spend extended periods abroad for the husband’s job. He’s English and their time living in England gave the wife, a jazz composer with an Italian background, a deep appreciation for afternoon tea. The entry, seen here from the living room, includes a tea nook, coat closet and powder room.
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