Gracious new dormers and a slate roof imbue the house with the Country French style that Steve loves. “My design is all about the architecture,” she says. “I simplified the whole-house palette to make it more architectural.” A big skirted table is Kasler’s trick to bring pretty fabric into a room that has French doors and no draperies. To complement the size of the room, the designer scaled up furnishings as she catered to comfort. “I wanted the casual elegance appropriate for a city house,” she says. “It’s loungy and comfortable, a great room to hang out in.” The primarily new pieces mingle with Steve’s antiques, all dark-stained wood furniture that grounds rooms without defining them. “We wanted a foundation of traditional, but lighter and younger, not overdecorated,” Kasler says. “The goal was a beautiful home for a young family: chic-looking but easy to live in,” Kasler says. In this hangout spot, a TV hides in the antique armoire, and a traditional chandelier contrasts with contemporary art by Heidi Berrin Shonkoff. Above the mantel of the living room fireplace, the branch motif of a convex mirror by Paul Ferrante nods to views of nature just outside. A stained-wood Regency table, its curves echoed by svelte armless chairs, puts classicism at the center of the formal dining space. Walls in Farrow & Ball “Blue Gray” mesh with silk taffeta draperies in Schumacher fabric. A mix of styles on cabinet fronts dials up the interest. Activity in the airy, casual space revolves around a center island with comfortable bar stool seating. Calacatta marble tops counters in the U-shape work zone and also serves as a luxe backsplash. Classic cabinetry pairs with rustic beams and hammered-metal pendants by Edgar-Reeves. Steve agrees. “It’s so fun. We love to hang out there and watch college football in the fall or just be around the pool. The light and view are wonderful.” Pecky cypress, seen on beams in the kitchen, is used here in a coffered ceiling treatment. A wall of glass bifold doors makes it easy to blend indoors and out. Steve concurs. “We love it,” he says. “It’s more than a beautiful house. It’s something incredibly special created just for us.” Youthful patterns, colors, and attitude put some pop in this cozy sitting area.
