There Are Four Cozy Window Nooks In the Family Room of This New York Farmhouse
“You have to leave some space for the angels,” says New York designer Robin Henry about decorating the new two-story addition to a circa-1910 farmhouse in Westchester County, New York, for a family of five. “You have to trust the process. You start down a path, and then things just magically show up that bring it all together.”
To help spark such inspired moments, Henry had only to look to the clients’ extensive collections: “They owned tons of antiques and heirlooms that they wanted me to incorporate,” she says, pointing to an enviable assortment of rugs and wood furniture. But with so many traditional pieces, how could she keep the rooms from looking trapped in time? “Enliven them with color and depth,” says the designer, who relied on gutsy paints and bold printed fabrics throughout.
One catch: The layout of the main floor, an enfilade in which each room opens onto the next, meant Henry had to be particularly sensitive to how the palette played out. A custom-mixed yellow lacquer “with a lot of depth to it” was chosen for the entryway, as it’s sandwiched between a landscape mural in the dining room and the white-walled family room. “You have to dial it up and down, keeping some rooms quieter, to make the whole thing interesting,” she explains.
And speaking of space for the angels, Henry also made sure that, amid so many treasured pieces, the junior family members (ages nine, seven, and three) felt at home too. After all, the addition’s largest room—equipped with no fewer than four window seats, one specifically for arts and crafts—was created primarily for their use. A performance finish protects the upholstery, and the children’s artwork is proudly displayed alongside their parents’ collection. Even the enfilade has its place in daily play: “The kids are constantly running up and down, up and down, all day!”
Media Room
Designer Robin Henry worked with artist Chuck Hettinger on the faux moiré painted walls in this Westchester County, NY, farmhouse. “It creates a depth you can’t get with wallpaper,” she says.
Sofa: Luther Quintana in Holland & Sherry fabric with pillows by Lisa Fine Textiles (left) and Rifat Özbek (right). Coffee table: custom, New Old World Woodcraft. Side table and lamp: RT Facts.
Arts-and-Crafts Nook
To protect the fabrics, Henry had them dipped in a performance finish.
Window treatments and upholstery: custom, Stitch NYC in Grona Faglar by Josef Frank with Samuel & Sons pom-pom trim (shade), Inka by Malabar by Hines (bench), Double Dotty in Cherry and Baltic by Peter Fasano (square pillows), and Step Stripe by Bennison (bolsters). Chairs: Serena & Lily. Paint: Clunch by Farrow & Ball.
Family Room
Pom-pom trim by Samuel & Sons ups the fun factor on pillows and window treatments.
Sofa: custom, in Clay McLaurin Shibori Studio fabric. Pillows: in Grona Faglar by Josef Frank from Svenskt Tenn with pom-pom fringe Dolce in Candy Apple from Samuel & Sons (on sofa), and La Sirenuse (on chairs). Chairs: vintage, Antique and Artisan Center, in Barnett in Grass Schumacher fabric with Samuel & Sons trim. Coffee table: custom, Garza Marfa. Sideboard: antique Chinese, the Antique & Design Center at High Point Market. Table lamps: Richard Taylor Designs, with shades from the Midnight Sun in Step Stripe Bennison fabric. Floor lamp: Circa Lighting, with shades from the Midnight Sun. Art: Lucio Pozzi, Fairfield Antique & Design Center. Pendant: Circa Lighting, with Creel and Gow finial.
Dining Room
The Gracie Studio scenic mural (which features the owner’s husband and kids!) creates a showstopping “destination” at the end of the long hallway. Furniture, chandelier, and rug: clients’ own. Chairs: client's own, in leather from Ashbury Hides.
En Suite Bathroom
“Quiet moments help balance color and pattern,” says Henry.
Wallpaper: “Lyford Trellis” from China Seas through Quadrille. Pendant: late 1940’s Swedish glass pendant, Carlos de la Puente Antiques. Bathtub: Waterworks. Side table: Peridot Antiques. Rug: Vintage Persian Rugs. Paint: Baby's Breath (walls) and White (trim and ceiling), Benjamin Moore. Tub: Waterworks. Stool: antique Chinese, from Brimfield Antiques Fair.
Entry
A glossy coat of goldenrod yellow—custom mixed at InColour in New York—brightens up the entryway, where natural light is limited. Henry lined the vintage Japanese brass temple lantern in orange silk for an extra hit of color.
Furniture and rug: clients’ own.
Main Bedroom
A brightly patterned Le Manach fabric, Tamerlane, from Pierre Frey on windows and shades offsets the dark rug. Trim: Cardinal Red French Grosgrain, Samuel & Sons. Headboard: custom, Charles H. Beckley, Inc., in Pierre Frey linen. Bedding: Clay McLaurin Studio (pink throw), RH (sheets), Brahms Mount (blue blanket). Nightstands: Chelsea Textiles. Table lamps: Bunny Williams Home, with custom shades by Shades from the Midnight Sun. Sconces: Circa Lighting. Sofa: custom, Luther Quintana, in Lisa Fine Textiles Rajkot fabric with brush fringe “Printemps” in Cherry by Samuel & Sons. Coffee table: The Lacquer Company, through KRB NYC.
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