In a perfect world, every house project might start with a clean slate and unlimited funds. But then again, sometimes working around sentimental pieces and within the constraints of a budget can lead to a creative end result. For this suburban Atlanta home, interior designers Joann Kandrac and Kelly Kole of Kandrac-Kole combined old and new to create a comfortable yet stylish family home.
“We were able to reuse about 40 percent of the client’s furnishings from their family and living rooms,” says Kandrac. “The homeowners were well-traveled and had several pieces of artwork and accessories we could incorporate.”
BEFORE: The living room before became a catch-all for mismatched furniture and toys.
AFTER: “When built-ins are painted all over, they look more like a piece of furniture than a builder add-on,” says designer Kelly Kole. The new color palette included bright colors in pillows and rugs, a lighter ottoman and framed coral artwork.
A tripod-shaped floor lamp adds an informal touch to the room and can be easily moved. The multi-patterned rug by Creative Touch allows for a variety of accent colors. “Whenever there are young children in the house, we like to add a bit of color and whimsy with a rug like this,” adds Kole.
A bright bouquet of flowers plays on the vibrant color palette in the newly re-imagined space.
This project was for a busy family of five with a large dog, so all of the textiles had to be durable yet comfortable, adds Kole. Another goal was to improve the flow of the room. “When we arrived at the house, each room was somewhat out of balance, so adding additional chairs, small tables and bookcases/consoles that were more in scale with the large walls helped to bring symmetry to each room,” she says.
For the family room, the designers began by painting the built-ins from top to bottom, choosing a rich gray to allow accessories to pop. They used an existing sectional the homeowners had recently purchased, but livened up the dark furnishings with colorful pillows, art and a rug.
BEFORE: A builder-grade light fixture doesn’t contribute much to the dining room décor before.
AFTER: A large-scale industrial light fixture better fits the casual-chic look of the dining room now. Kandrac & Kole collected oars from sources such as etsy and Pottery Barn to create a focal point for a wall.
“They wanted us to creatively portray their love of travel somehow in the dining room,” says Kandrac. “We had an artist create three panels of reclaimed wood on a long wall to display latitude and longitude of many of the places they’ve visited.”
Take a closer look at this truly original accent in the dining room.
Since the homeowners are from Boston, Kole & Kandrac wanted to incorporate a bit of a New England vibe in the dining room. They slipcovered existing chairs in a crisp linen stripe, then added an assortment of oars as wall art for a nautical reference. As a clever nod to the family’s travels, the designers commissioned custom artwork that showcases the longitude and latitude lines of memorable places they’ve traveled.
A sitting room (otherwise known as the formal living room many of us have but don’t know what to do with, jokes Kole) now serves as a grown-up place to have cocktails. The designers maximized seating with two comfy wing chairs. Pillows and a rug in blue and white tie in with the New England vibe and keep the room from being too formal, while better lighting also turns it into a good area for reading.
BEFORE: The family room in this East Cobb house before seemed too furniture-heavy and all one color.
AFTER: New wall paint, two tall wing-back chairs and a smart-looking blue rug tie the elements of the room together in the living room now. The designers corralled lots of accessories in the glass-front cabinet, creating a neater look.
Neutral-colored seating can get a welcome boost of color and pattern with easy-to-change-out throws.
After the transformation? The whole family—including their 70-pound dog—have three like-new places to enjoy family and friend time … with more space to walk and happier colors.
Special thanks to Emily Followill for the terrific AFTER shots.
