David Samikkannu and Michelle Doctor loved living in their cute Colonial-style home in Larchmont, New York, which was built in the early 1900s. However, they knew they needed to update their beloved home to meet the needs of their growing family, which included a young child and another one on the way. They got help from Lina Galvao and Erin Coren, who are the main designers at Curated Nest Interiors, to do this. During the renovations, the couple worked closely with the designers to make sure their ideas came to life. This made their house a place that could easily adapt to the changing needs of their family.

This complete renovation not only made their home more useful, but it also kept its lovely Colonial style. The renovation tried to make a nice mix of old-fashioned charm and modern life by adding modern conveniences and well-thought-out design elements. David and Michelle started a journey to change their home so it could grow with their family for years to come with the help of Curated Nest Interiors.

One of Curated Nest Interiors’ designers, Lina, talks about how the homeowners contacted them to start a project that included making changes to the house and designing the inside. After meeting the couple and their son, along with another baby on the way, there was a strong bond. As a couple who had just moved from New York City to Larchmont during the pandemic, they didn’t have a clear design concept but did know what they needed for functionality. In addition to being able to hold parties and let the kids play, they wanted their home to have a luxurious feel for their own long-term comfort. They are a “super cool” couple who have traveled a lot around the world and love making the most of their free time. With this information, Lina and her team started to build a space that would not only meet the family’s practical needs but also show off their sophisticated taste and daring spirit, giving them a place to make memories that would last for years to come.

Inspired Ideas for the Colonial Home Update

The home is in the beautiful historical suburb of Larchmont, New York, which had a big impact on the design team’s ideas for the project. Erin says that Larchmont is a cute neighborhood with lots of historic homes and paths that lead to bars and cafés in downtown, making it a great place for young families. Even though the homes are close to each other, they are all pretty big, which adds to the cozy and welcome feel of the neighborhood.

To show how lively the area is, the team chose fun artwork and updated some of the house’s older features, like the fireplace, to keep it modern while still honoring its surroundings.

The main goal was to bring the 100-year-old Colonial home up to date so that it could meet the needs of a busy family while still keeping its unique charm. Lina stresses the desire for a mix of modern and traditional architecture. The kitchen’s mix of traditional lights and a modern range hood is a great example of this. The focus was on improving layout, efficiency, and flow in this three-story home with three bedrooms and three-and-a-half bathrooms, as well as a large finished attic that was turned into an office and recreation room.

The designers fixed a number of problems, such as fixing the plan of the main bedroom so it works better, updating the bathroom, and turning an extra room that wasn’t being used into a suite with a home office that is used every day. The kitchen was also changed to make more storage and counter space available. It now has three big pantries to meet the needs of the parents who work full-time.

Overall, the project’s goal was to make the home’s historic features and current conveniences fit together perfectly. Through careful consideration of layout improvements and functional improvements, the design team was able to make a place that fits the homeowners’ needs while still preserving the historic Colonial architecture. The result is a nice mix of old and new, which will make the house a safe and comfortable place for the family for many years to come.

First Impressions

The designers say that Colonial architecture often makes it hard for the flow of interior areas, especially when there are stairs in the middle of the house. Erin says the house’s plan felt off because it had been remodeled before and is usually set up like a center-hall Colonial. The kitchen was dark, didn’t have enough counter room or storage, and wasn’t connected to the area where people eat. The living and eating rooms were large and had a lot of personality, but the main bedroom had the most serious problem. Even though it was big, the bathroom and closet were both small and poorly thought out.

Even with these problems, the planners saw what the house could become. A lot of rooms got natural light, which made them look better. However, the guests didn’t have much furniture because they had just moved from an apartment in New York City. This made it clear that the layout and usefulness of the current space needed to be improved to meet the needs of the family while preserving its historic charm.

The main goal was to fix the layout problems while keeping the house’s original style. The planners wanted to make the flow between rooms smooth, fix problems in the kitchen, and make the most of storage space all over the house. They also wanted to improve the main bedroom by changing the layout to make the most of the space and usefulness.

The designers wanted to make the house a comfortable and useful place for the growing family to live by using its historic beauty and lots of natural light. To do this, the buildings had to be carefully redesigned to get around the problems that Colonial architecture caused and find a balance between tradition and modern life.

In the end, the project’s goal was to give the house new life while still respecting its historic architecture. The designers tried to make a space that combines old-fashioned charm with modern convenience by fixing plan problems and improving important rooms like the kitchen and main bedroom.

Residents’ Requests for the Colonial Home Update

The designers had to think outside the box to meet the couple’s specific style needs. Lina says the husband liked leather, mid-century style, and bright colors. On the other hand, the wife liked modern designs with light, airy neutrals, copper, and rust tones. To find a balance between these tastes, they used manly elements like leather and earth tones in the design.

The task was to make these very different styles look good together. The designers made sure there were enough chairs in the dining and living areas to fit both small family gatherings and bigger groups of six adults and three children. They also put a lot of thought into hidden storage to keep the living room clean, which is important for a family with kids. In addition, they made a playroom just for the kids to meet their wants.

The designers made sure there was a useful home office room because the couple works from home. What this did was meet their need for a useful place to work from home. Finally, changes were made to the main room to make it more useful and luxurious. The main goals of the makeover were to make the bathroom more spacious and luxurious and to give enough storage space for clothes.

The designers were able to make a cohesive and useful living space by using parts of both styles and taking into account the family’s unique needs. Their method made sure that the house reflected each family member’s unique tastes while still having a nice overall look.

Room to Grow

The planners wanted to make sure that the house could grow with the family, combining comfort and usefulness with a warm and friendly space for having people over. As Lina says, “Our goal was to infuse the home with a cozy, elegant, and occasionally whimsical vibe.” They thought that these qualities fit the homeowners’ personalities, who wanted a luxury home that was also useful. For them, luxury meant having lots of storage space, plenty of sitting for guests, and high-end touches all over the house. They planned to have holiday meals and regular get-togethers with friends, which shows how important a formal dining area is. They also redesigned the living room so that it could be used as a flexible great room, with areas set aside for eating, movie nights, and relaxing by the fireplace. To meet the needs of the whole family, the planners also made a special area for the kids with lots of hidden storage. This way of doing things made sure that the house not only showed the homeowners’ tastes but also met their everyday needs.

Reimagined Room Designs

The colors used in each room were very important in how they looked. Erin says, “Considering the husband’s fondness for vibrant hues and the wife’s preference for neutrals, we opted for a predominantly light and airy aesthetic, punctuated by pops of bold color.” To liven up the soothing color scheme, blues, rust tones, and bright artwork were carefully added. Even though the walls are neutral, each room has warm textures and interesting designs. Each room is decorated with interesting things, like wallpaper and rugs that catch the eye and tilework that is very complicated. For example, a beautiful watercolor mural made on grass cloth adds a soft, dreamy touch to the dining room. The sofa fabric, jute rug, and white-brick fireplace all have natural textures that stand out in the living room and playground.

Along with color, choosing the right lighting fixtures was a key part of making the room plans look better. Lina says, “We combined mid-century style lights with textural lighting to harmonize the homeowners’ preferences.” For example, the eat-in kitchen has a light bulb with cocoa beads that gives off a soft, girly vibe. In comparison, the dining room has lighting fixtures that are angular and sculpture-like, which gives it a more masculine look. This deliberate mix of styles keeps the room visually interesting and balanced. In a creative twist, the designers chose a custom pendant light fixture over standard vanity sconces for the main bathroom. This gave the room an airy feel and an unexpected touch.

FAQS

Why should I consider updating my Colonial home for modern family life?

You can make your Colonial home better fit the needs of your modern family by updating its plan and features. You can use it to make rooms that are good for family activities, having friends over, and fitting modern lifestyles.

What are some common challenges faced when updating a Colonial home?

Some of the most common problems that need to be solved are outdated plans, making the most of storage space, adding modern features without ruining the historic charm of the home, and making sure that the design meets everyone’s wants and needs.

How can I blend modern elements with the traditional architecture of a Colonial home?

To combine modern and traditional Colonial architecture, you need to be very careful to choose features, finishes, and furniture that go with the historic style of the home. This could mean adding modern lights, appliances, and technology while keeping architectural details like woodwork, moldings, and trim.

What considerations should I keep in mind when updating a Colonial home for family life?

Some things to think about when designing a home are making living spaces that can be used for different activities, making sure that durability and functionality are the top priorities, making sure that there is plenty of storage to keep things from getting out of hand, making the most of natural light and air flow, and making sure that the design promotes comfort, safety, and ease of use for everyone in the family.