Designer Adds Double-Duty Function to a Renovated Double Parlor
The front of this New York living area is ideal for entertaining, and the back for reading by a fire
Amirian kept the furniture neutral and the walls uncluttered to help draw the eye up to the beautiful coffered ceiling. The walls are covered in Benjamin Moore’s Van Courtland Blue. “They used to live in San Francisco, so I wanted to add some West Coast aesthetic to this home,” Amirian says. “The wall color is inspired by the Pacific Ocean and all the natural wood tones throughout the home add a coastal vibe.”
As for the style of the furniture and accent pieces, Amirian says she had the homeowners create an ideabook on Houzz of interior photos they liked. “It’s a great way to start out the design process,” she says. “Even if they don’t know why they like certain spaces, when you put all the photos together I can see similarities and begin to decipher their style.”
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As for the style of the furniture and accent pieces, Amirian says she had the homeowners create an ideabook on Houzz of interior photos they liked. “It’s a great way to start out the design process,” she says. “Even if they don’t know why they like certain spaces, when you put all the photos together I can see similarities and begin to decipher their style.”
Find an interior designer on Houzz
Since the homeowners often host gatherings of family and friends, the front parlor includes ample seating. A large sectional is covered in a cotton blend performance fabric that’s easy to clean, which is ideal for a household with two kids and a dog. A pair of wood side chairs with leather-strap seats and a trio of rattan poufs add to the options.
The coffee table of unfinished wood and wrought iron is a piece previously bought by the homeowners. “I always want to look at the pieces my clients already own before I start designing a space; they often own some hidden gems,” Amirian says. “When I saw this coffee table, I knew I had to use it in the front parlor.”
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The coffee table of unfinished wood and wrought iron is a piece previously bought by the homeowners. “I always want to look at the pieces my clients already own before I start designing a space; they often own some hidden gems,” Amirian says. “When I saw this coffee table, I knew I had to use it in the front parlor.”
Find unfinished wood coffee tables on Houzz
Amirian covered the window seat cushion in a blue-and-white fabric featuring a windowpane pattern. The blue-and white-striped wool rug in the back parlor was selected as a complement to it. “The two rooms were designed to speak to each other,” the designer says. “They’re almost mirror opposites. The walls are blue and the trim is white in the front parlor and the walls are white and the trim is blue in the back.”
Before: The back parlor previously featured cream-colored walls and an original brick fireplace and built-ins that were painted white.
After: All the trim and the fireplace in the back parlor are now covered in Benjamin Moore’s high-gloss Philipsburg Blue — a slightly darker shade than the blue in the front parlor.
Four soft leather swivel chairs surround a round ottoman covered in crushed velvet. “The chairs look like they are covered in slipcovers, which helps to soften their look,” Amirian says. “They add this great combination of sophistication and casual charm to the space.”
Shop for round upholstered ottomans
Four soft leather swivel chairs surround a round ottoman covered in crushed velvet. “The chairs look like they are covered in slipcovers, which helps to soften their look,” Amirian says. “They add this great combination of sophistication and casual charm to the space.”
Shop for round upholstered ottomans
A place to house the family’s large collection of books was the top request for the back parlor. “This is a family of readers; having their books easily accessible was very important to them,” Amirian says.
Because the room is somewhat narrow, the designer decided against covering the walls with traditional bookshelves, in which the books would be stored with their spines facing out. Instead, she designed custom shelves that wrap around the entire room. The shelves are 5 inches deep and include a 2-inch lip at the front, allowing books to be displayed with their covers facing out. “The shelves take up a lot less room and the books facing out give a sort of wallpaper effect in the room,” Amirian says.
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Shop for living room products
Because the room is somewhat narrow, the designer decided against covering the walls with traditional bookshelves, in which the books would be stored with their spines facing out. Instead, she designed custom shelves that wrap around the entire room. The shelves are 5 inches deep and include a 2-inch lip at the front, allowing books to be displayed with their covers facing out. “The shelves take up a lot less room and the books facing out give a sort of wallpaper effect in the room,” Amirian says.
More on Houzz
These Rooms Put the Allure of Books Front and Center
Photo Flip: 85 Window Seats for Whiling Away the Day
Shop for living room products
Double Parlor at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple with two children and a dog
Location: Westchester County, New York
Size: 646 square feet (60 square meters)
Designer: Alexandra Amirian of M&P Design Group
The homeowners fell in love with this early-20th-century house in Westchester County, New York, because of its well-preserved details, especially those in the double parlor, such as the coffered ceiling and window seat in the front parlor and the original brick fireplace and built-ins in the back. When designer Alexandra Amirian was tasked with updating the double parlor, she suggested a fresh, contemporary look that wouldn’t detract from the architectural details the homeowners adore.
Though the house is more than 100 years old, it had been lovingly preserved over the years, so all it needed was some new furnishings, fresh paint and refinishing of the original wood floors. “We had the high-gloss stain stripped in favor of a more contemporary satin finish,” Amirian says.