Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Color Makes This House a Home
Bold yellows, deep blues and yummy pinks infuse this family’s house with life
The vibrantly colored accessories used throughout this Minnesota house make it easy to overlook the fact that it’s actually mostly white. “The whole family was willing and ready for us to add a lot of color to their home,” interior designer Rebecca Toleno Van’t Hull says. Everyone was on board with embracing all shades of pink, so the designer repeated that color throughout the house, paired with shades of blue. “It is playful, preppy and fresh!” Van’t Hull says.
The hub of the house is this family room, which is open to the entry, staircase and kitchen. Van’t Hull anchored the space with an overdyed Turkish rug in a patchwork of deep indigo blue. Pops of pinks enliven the mostly navy and white color scheme, while metallic finishes bring in warm glints.
Two nooks on either side of the fireplace provide cozy reading spots with great lighting, comfy pillows and plenty of shelves for books.
In addition to the white paint and rugs, Van’t Hull used color and finishes to create cohesion and flow throughout the home. “Each room was bright and fresh, with classic fittings and materials, and each has an unexpected punch of color introduced with furnishings, rugs, artwork and accessories,” she says. Floral, gingham and striped prints lend freshened-up, preppy style.
In the kitchen, where the pink accents continue, the light fixtures make a big impact. “We encourage our clients to be playful and big and bold when choosing lighting. It’s like jewelry for a home, and it’s not so permanent,” Van’t Hull says. “It’s not difficult to replace and it’s a good way to bring in personality.”
“The family wanted an easy, everyday eating area where they would gather together,” Van’t Hull says. “This bay and dining bench were already in the plans when we were hired — we just loved it up a bit.” With its homey farm table, custom banquette cushion and pillows and dazzling beaded chandelier, it’s easy to see why this spot is a family favorite.
The vent hood was inspired by one that design firm principal Martha O’Hara has in her own home. “People love the utilitarian look of the metal straps,” Van’t Hull says. “We’re also noticing a real uptrend in people embracing brushed brass and other warm gold finishes.”
Just off the kitchen is this office, which Van’t Hull dubs “Home Central.” A sweet blue and white wallpaper, washed indigo velvet chair and large capiz shell chandelier make the tight space a pleasant place to spend time, even when paying bills.
On the upstairs landing a chest of drawers provides extra storage.
Artwork (here and throughout the house): Douglas Flanders & Associates
Artwork (here and throughout the house): Douglas Flanders & Associates
“The couple loved the punches of color we used downstairs and wanted to continue them rather than going more soft and restful in their master bedroom,” Van’t Hull says. She brought the color in via the rug and pillows. A substantial tufted headboard and large chandelier stand up to the scale of the vaulted ceiling.
The master bathroom was already completed. “I just brought in the fluff,” the designer says. This included the overdyed indigo runner, the painting and the Albini stool.
The soft pink walls in one of the daughter’s bedrooms are the only departure from Chantilly Lace. Van’t Hull also added the custom window seat bench and pillows and the bedding. She chose furnishings that would grow up with the girl. “If she decides one day she doesn’t want pink, it will be easy to repaint and replace a few pillows,” Van’t Hull says. The custom window treatments are a simple white linen that will go with whatever wall color the daughter opts for when she gets older.
Wall color: Pink Bliss 2093-70, Benjamin Moore
Builder: John Kraemer & Sons
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Wall color: Pink Bliss 2093-70, Benjamin Moore
Builder: John Kraemer & Sons
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: A couple and their two young daughters
Location: Edina, Minnesota
Size: 4,800 square feet (446 square meters); five bedrooms, five bathrooms
Designer: Rebecca Toleno Van’t Hull of Martha O’Hara Interiors
The bright color palette starts at the entry with the rug and console table. Van’t Hull found a variety of these overdyed antique Turkish rugs in a rainbow of bold hues and used them in many of the rooms, giving the house a cohesive look. Also helping with the flow is the same white paint (Benjamin Moore’s Chantilly Lace) on the walls, millwork and ceilings. “By using the same white paint everywhere, it allowed us to enlist pops of any color under the sun,” Van’t Hull says.
All overdyed Turkish rugs in the home: Fay + Belle