Blue Lacquer Walls Shine in This Chic Converted Attic
Bold colors, hidden storage and a wet bar are among the highlights of this stylish Chicago-area sitting room
Reese wrapped two formerly thin white ceiling beams in a walnut veneer to let them stand out better against the pitched white ceiling with existing skylight. The new chandelier is oil-rubbed bronze.
The half wall behind the mauve velvet sofa conceals the staircase that leads up from the second floor. The two windows with plaid curtains were added by the architect to bring more light into the space. “The design of the windows had to be approved by the historical society in order to fit with the exterior architecture,” Reese says.
Sofa: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; chandelier: Currey & Co.;
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The half wall behind the mauve velvet sofa conceals the staircase that leads up from the second floor. The two windows with plaid curtains were added by the architect to bring more light into the space. “The design of the windows had to be approved by the historical society in order to fit with the exterior architecture,” Reese says.
Sofa: Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams; chandelier: Currey & Co.;
Find violet velvet sofas
The walls are covered in Benjamin Moore’s Tropical Turquoise in a high-gloss lacquer finish. “It took two weeks to paint the walls — after every coat the walls had to be buffed in order to get the desired shine,” Reese says.
She says it “killed her a little bit on the inside” to add a TV to the walls, but it was a priority for the homeowners. To keep the look as streamlined as possible, all of the electronics and wires are hidden behind a custom panel beneath the TV. A hidden door to the left leads to a cedar-lined walk-in closet.
She says it “killed her a little bit on the inside” to add a TV to the walls, but it was a priority for the homeowners. To keep the look as streamlined as possible, all of the electronics and wires are hidden behind a custom panel beneath the TV. A hidden door to the left leads to a cedar-lined walk-in closet.
The built-in bookcase on the left is painted in the same electric blue. Four brass library sconces above it and the adjacent wet bar add light and warmth.
Reese found the antique chair at a local shop. Its arms have a gold-leafed swan detail. To complement the walls, Reese covered the chair’s back and seat in turquoise leather.
Sconces: Visual Comfort; rug: Organic Looms; ottomans: custom
Reese found the antique chair at a local shop. Its arms have a gold-leafed swan detail. To complement the walls, Reese covered the chair’s back and seat in turquoise leather.
Sconces: Visual Comfort; rug: Organic Looms; ottomans: custom
Reese used dark walnut for the cabinets in the wet bar. Two of the cabinet doors feature seeded glass and brass mesh fronts. The backsplash is an iridescent brown ceramic tile from Ann Sacks and the countertop is a taupe quartz. The lower cabinets conceal a mini fridge and a small dishwasher.
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Sitting Room at a Glance
Who lives here: A family with three young girls
Location: Evanston, Illinois
Size: About 200 square feet (19 square meters)
Architect: David Ogden, Raino Ogden Architects
Designer: Jasmin Reese Interiors
This energetic couple love bold colors and edgy design, but their 1892 Queen Anne house in the Chicago suburbs is a registered landmark that came with the requisite exterior restrictions. As a result, their fearless style had to be contained to the home’s interiors. Though when it comes to describing the sitting room in the third floor’s converted attic, contained is hardly the word that comes to mind.
Architect David Ogden transformed the attic into a master suite with a bedroom, bathroom, walk-in closet and sitting room. Interior designer Jasmin Reese was brought in to infuse it with color, a mix of contemporary and antique furniture and cleverly disguised storage. The result is a lively space with bold blue lacquer walls, a multicolored rug and a built-in wet bar.