Neutral tones and plush textures outfit new family room retreat
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In a room full of windows, the Maplewood family wanted a place to relax with quiet, neutral colors that would not compete with spring and summer views out to a backyard full of lush greenery and vivid blooms.
For most of the 16 years they have lived in the 3,200-square-foot house, the sunroom was a toy-filled play area for their now 13-year-old daughter.
"Now that the daughter is older, they wanted to use the space in a different way," said Millburn interior designer Julie Liepold. "They needed a desk for homework and a space where the family could watch TV or entertain."
The makeover
There were some challenges for Liepold in renovating and changing the function of this room. It had a popcorn-textured ceiling, and on the one wall without windows, ductwork for central air conditioning was partially enclosed in a custom-built cabinet, but it remained an exposed eyesore. The cooling system had been retrofitted into the 1928 manor-style home by previous owners.
"It did not reflect the original style of the house," Liepold said. The couple, Steve and Christine, liked the grid pattern created by the windows and the original paneling. "Everything else in the space was gutted. The ceiling was ripped out, and we came up with a new electrical plan," Liepold said. "The only things that remained were the windows and the floor and the wood paneling," she said. "We tried to get closer to what would have been original to the space when the house was built."
She needed to fully conceal the ductwork so cooled air would still be able to circulate and enter the room. Her solution was a floor-to-ceiling cabinet with a front of metal library grilles. "It has very fine openings so visually you can't see through it, but it still allows air to circulate," Liepold said. On the other side of the wall, the style of the cabinet is used for similar cabinetry around a built-in desk and homework area for the couple's daughter.
Liepold brought in a commercial application in a panel of magnetic wallpaper typically used for offices. "When you look at it, it looks like fabric, but it works like any other magnetic surface," she said. The daughter uses it to hang her papers near her desk with pretty glass magnets, Liepold said.
The room's furnishings and accessories are decidedly linear, echoing the paneling and the row of seven windows. "The intent was to carry that grid across the whole space," she said. Cushions on the Kravet sofa have bands to follow the grid, she said. "We wanted it to be very balanced; the husband is an engineer, and he appreciates symmetry."
The more rounded motif of a quatrefoil pattern also is prominent in the room, and adds some variation. It reminded the couple of a garden trellis and was a subtle way to bring into the room the feel of the garden outside.
The room's monochromatic scheme also creates an illusion of spaciousness. The window shades were selected to manage light, and in a color that closely matches that used for the walls. "Rather than three window walls, it looks like walls all throughout," Liepold said of the effect when the shades are drawn.
For a busy, hard-working family, she wanted a retreat area outfitted in shades of brown and gray with white. Textural variations make the room more interesting and enjoyable. "We went with a higher pile than I normally would for the carpet because they wanted to have a cozy, comfortable feel underfoot," she said.
Each family member uses the room differently." The husband has a chair placed for a view of nearby South Mountain reservation, the wife likes the sofa where she can enjoy a book, and the daughter uses her desk area and a game table when friends visit. The room also has a bar area for when the couple entertain.
With the sunroom update, the family has more space to use and enjoy in their 5-bedroom, 3-1/2-bathroom home, Liepold said. "They wanted it to be a functional space, but they wanted it to be elegant at the same time."
Who did the work
Cabinetry and interior design by Liepold Design Group; demolition and construction by Andrew Laplante of Speed Square Home Repair; custom cabinetry built by Adriano Moreira
How long it took
May to December 2013
How much it cost
About $40,000
Where they splurged
The custom cabinetry and built-in desk
Where they saved
On the decorative items, some from Brimfield Antiques Show
What they like most
The built-in cabinets with library grilles
What they would have done differently
"Nothing. We love it!"
Kimberly L. Jackson may be reached at kim_jackson@starledger.com