Now that you've celebrated the bold and beautiful kitchen with us, we are continuing our M&M Project reveal with the fabulous great room! By blending modernized elements with traditional architecture we implemented a showstopping result sure to turn some heads. Read on to learn how we continued using bold selections to compliment both the kitchen and existing architecture.
What was once a flat room with a lot of potential is now a showstopping beauty that allows all of its features to shine. With a two story ceiling and a flood of natural light, immediately we knew we needed to enhance what was already here. The previous wall color and fireplace surround fell really flat and neither enhanced the bones of the existing architecture. This home leans more classic traditional showcasing heavy molding and casings, large columns, and large exterior windows throughout. This wife loves bold modernized design; therefore, we had to find a happy balance between the two.
To enhance the abundance of natural light we lightened the wood floors to mimic white oak and painted all of the main areas different shades of white. The great room walls were painted SW Alabaster and the ceiling BM Simply White. Because of house position we had to select 4 different shades of white for the first floor. The wood floors expand throughout the first floor; therefore, we went with a clear natural stain to ensure consistency within each room.
The only client request was to keep the existing built-ins and the treasured framed Paris map from a previous trip. With the foyer columns and built-in details we knew we needed to integrate more lines throughout this space. To accentuate the two story ceiling, we added beautiful cedar beams and board & batten from corner to corner. The subtle lines within the board & batten compliment the lines throughout the foyer, and the warmth in the beams paired with the dramatic chandelier draw the eyes upward.
Difficult to see in the photo, but the built-ins include the same details as the foyer columns. We wanted to continue these lines across the room, but the square footage didn't allow for floor to ceiling millwork; it would've been too heavy. Instead, we chose to integrate modern lines on the custom mantle surround to pull the lines across the room.
We kept the existing firebox and enhanced it with a more dramatic finish. We designed an enlarged mantle surround paired with the beautiful green Bedrosian Cloe tile. The bold color installed in a classic brick lay pattern makes a statement without competing with the existing architecture. This was the perfect location to have fun with a little color. The new height and width of the fireplace provides much needed visual weight on this wall. The vertical mirrors give us a glimpse of the goodness taking place just above.
Because this isn't a forever home for these clients implementing modernized selections within the furniture and styling provide a healthy balance. These pieces speak to the wife's preferred style and they can take them with them when they sell this home. This allows for fun unexpected moments sparking curiosity to keep the eye moving.
Finishes & Styling: Tyler Interiors | Furniture: Jacy Painter Kelly Interiors | Photography: Laura Sumrak