With just a few strategic updates, interior designer Allison Elebash made her clients’ home look like a whole new house—without the pain of actually moving.
A Refreshing Upgrade: It’s astonishing what a new rug, a touch of woodwork, and a lick of paint can do to a room. The living room of this I’On home was given new life by designer Allison Elebash, who reworked the built-in bookshelves to be more decorative, added bright, colorful furniture—including two Lee Industries sofas upholstered in a bright blue mohair and a pair of white leather swivel chairs, ordered through GDC Home—and tied it all together with a large “Antelope” Stark area rug. Her touches of magic extended throughout the rest of the home with a cosmetic makeover of the main living spaces.
Outdoor Living: Part of the renovation focused on making use of underused spaces, and the 12-foot-deep porch off the main living room and kitchen area was a prime target. Elebash added outdoor furniture, including this Kingsley Bate dining table, and created the feel of a continuous space between the two rooms by integrating the color palette with green, blues, and whites.
Open Up: In the kitchen, they removed built-in cabinets above the countertops and relocated them to a little-used mudroom off the kitchen, turning it in to a butler’s pantry to wrangle small appliances. New honed marble countertops, Hickory Furniture bar stools upholstered in Brunschwig & Fils “La Panthere” velvet, and a striking chandelier from Lyndon Leigh spruce up the well-loved room.
Upon Reflection: For the dining room, a few key changes—new slipcovered hostess chairs from GDC Home, a less busy chandelier from Made Goods, and swapping the painting for a mirror—brightened up this dark room. Elebash kept the faux velvet-covered walls, offsetting them with plenty of white fabric and accent pieces.
Lounge Around: The designer moved the television from above the bedroom dresser into the new sitting area (left), replacing it with a Palecek “Antigua” beaded mirror. A Lee Industries love seat in chenille fabric atop a custom wool rug provides the perfect spot for the couple to enjoy their morning coffee
Organized Oasis: This small side room, designed by Inspired Closets, once functioned as a studio but had become a storage closet. “It was fun to take those spaces that had become a place to put junk and rethink them, creating a whole second closet for her,” says Elebash. Adding shelves and a built-in desk from Crate & Barrel turned this under-used space into a favorite spot for the homeowner. “I use it as my home office, too,” she says. “It really is a luxury
Stay Awhile: In the guest room, Elebash swapped beiges and browns for pinks and creams to create a welcoming suite for guests. Textured touches—the Phillip Jeffries grasscloth wall covering, the Palecek “Monroe” wood-beaded chandelier, and the Serena & Lily “Harbour Cane” headboard—make the room feel fresh and organic with a splash of femininity.
A textured gold wallpaper from Romo in the nearby powder room adds pizazz, with its metallic tones picked up in the “Venini” gold sconce from Circa Lighting, the faucet, and the custom white linen sink skirt with a Samuel & Sons trim.
One couple decided to start fresh almost two decades after moving in, adding bright and colorful furnishings
