Attractive, Concealing Bookcase
The living room’s predominantly neutral color scheme is injected with splashes of bold color such as the citron side chair and the orange grasscloth wall covering inside the media bookcase. Metal accents with a modern edge include the minimalist curtain rods, stainless-steel coffee table base, and the aluminum ceiling-fan blades. To disguise the room’s wall-mount mini-split HVAC unit, sliding screen doors—metal mesh inside a wood frame—were made for the top shelf of the media bookcase.
Built-in: Entertainment center; BOJ Construction
Paint: Gray Marble; Olympic
Wallcovering: Shang extra-fine in apricot by Thibaut; Decorators Best
Furnishings and accessories: Harvey pillow by Surya, Levici floor lamp and Malawi tray by Uttermost, Crosshatch vase by Howard Elliot, Walston table lamp by Pacific Lighting, Milo sofa and chair, and Charlotte tufted slipper chair by Belham Living, Hesperos coffee table by Uttermost, Tasha Scandinavian pouf by Jaipur Rugs, multi-colored pillows by Loloi, Nevelson hexagonal end table by Magnussen, JAX5030 area rug by Surya; all from Hayneedle.com
HVAC: Mitsubishi indoor wall-mount mini-split unit; Mitsubishi Electric
Fan: H-series ceiling fan in aluminum by Haiku
Window treatments: Drapes and Roman shades in Beadworks/Tangerine, Smith & Noble
Useful Storage in the Study
How to get maximum function from compact rooms? Build in storage and furniture pieces to save floor space. The first-floor study provides a home office/homework area integrated into bookcases and cabinets. A fabric-covered corkboard serves as a nailhead-framed accent piece amid the vibrantly painted cabinetry.
Pro Tip: Carol J.W. Kurth, architect and interior designer, recommends designing built-ins that rise to meet the crown molding, “which makes them look more integrated with the room. Moldings do not have to match exactly, but they need to be cohesive in style.”
Pro Tip: To give stock cabinetry a custom look, Brooklyn contractor Al Della Fera of Della Fera Construction suggests a simple upgrade: “The cabinets’ frame-and-panel doors are straight off the rack,” he says, but adding a ¼-inch quarter-round maple bead inside the panel joints is “a simple detail that gives the cabinets a custom look.”
Built-ins: Desk, shelving units and window seat; BOJ Construction. Fabric-covered bulletin-board with nailhead border, Chris Upholstery
Paint: Jamaican Dream, Olympic
Chairs: Carter mid-century dining chairs by Belham Living, Hayneedle.com
Mudroom Equipped for Maximum Storage
The mudroom’s built-in cubbies, bench, and wall of hooks keep shoes, hats, and coats in order, just inside the back door. The bench doubles as a place to put footwear on and take it off, and also a spot to stow things in baskets underneath. Farmhouse-style elements include the painted horizontal-plank wall and the red oak floors; the vivid yellow-green hue on the cubbies conveys a modern note.
When designing a built-in bench like this one, This Old House Magazine recommends specific dimensions for comfort and function: build the bench seat 18 to 24 inches deep and 18 to 20 inches high so adults can sit comfortably while putting on or removing footwear. For maximum durability, run paneling or a bench back up to the level of the hooks or shelves—usually about 5 to 5½ feet off the floor—to protect the drywall from flying book bags and gear.
Built-in: Cubbies; BOJ Construction. Bench cushion in Rafiki/Graphite; Smith & Noble. Upholstery; Chris Upholstery
Paint: Parachute; Olympic
Accessories: Koziol Pinball wall clock; Wayfair. LED galvanized metal monogram letter; Pier 1 Imports. Boot tray filled with river rocks; The Home Depot
Upstairs Hallway Read Nook
Teal grasscloth walls, patterned linens, and a ceiling recess covered with a watery-blue wallpaper give the upstairs hall’s daybed area plenty of punch. The alcove does double duty as a guest bunk and reading nook
Window treatments and bedding: Roman shade in Newport Stripe/Spa, and daybed cover and bolsters in Avalon/Teal; Smith & Noble. Upholstery by Chris Upholstery
Wall coverings: Walls in sisal Asian Essence by Winfield Thybony and ceiling in Pattern W3357-316 by Kravet; Decorators Best
Pillows: Knit pillows by Loloi and Bluebird pillow by Pillow Perfect, Hayneedle.com
Laundry Room Ready for Work
The compact laundry room is super-functional thanks to built-ins surrounding the washer and dryer, and another wall of cabinets with a countertop for folding clothes on the opposite side of the room. Located on the second floor, the room is convenient to all bedrooms; sliding barn doors make it simple to close the room off from view.
Built-ins: BOJ Construction
Sliding double barn doors: Redi-Prime Shaker-style 8782; Simpson Door Company
Paint: Gray Flannel; Olympic
Lighting: Schoolhouse ceiling fixture; Barn Light Electric Co.
Window treatments: Wendy Bellissimo woven shade in Sutra/Blended; Smith & Noble
Tidy Closet in the Girls’ Bedroom
The pink color scheme of the girls’ bedroom even carries into the closet, with pink storage bins tucked in and around the built-in closet shelving system. The simple recessed-panel door style is consistent throughout the house.
Door: Redi-Prime Door, Shaker Style 8782; Simpson Door Company
Closet organization: Classic Line in white by California Closets, Staci Foley, Design Consultant; 774-270-1115
Garage Wall Storage System
Smart use of a garage’s wall surfaces is a great way to keep tools and assorted gear organized and in plain view—and still be able to park the car without maneuvering around obstacles. Here, metal-coated PVC wall panels are securely fastened to stud-mounted metal strips; various hooks make it easy to hang wire baskets, shelves, and bins to stow all the gear. Rolling canvas bins provide a convenient way to transport toys or tools to wherever they are needed.
Pro Tip: The single most-important clutter-busting tip from This Old House Magazine: keep items off the floor whenever possible. You’ll free up much more room for your car and avoid sloppy, impossible-to-sort-through piles. If you purchase ready-made shelving units or cabinets, make sure they’re raised on legs so you can clean the floor beneath them easily.
Pro Tip: When planning what goes on those wall hooks and shelves, designer Amy Leonard, interviewed in This Old House Magazine, warns against going too deep: “The problem with deep shelves is that they attract two layers of stuff, so you can’t readily get access to what you need when you need it.”
Storage System: InstallStrip and wall panel system in Graphite Steel with baskets, hooks, bins, and shelves, StoreWALL
Accessories: Mobile canvas floor bins, Anthropologie
