indoors
deco
Sue Schwarzgruber fell in love
with the natural light in this
cute 1920s cottage, which she
shares with her husband, John
Rogers, and their children, Kelly
and Elizabeth. But the awkward
L-shape living area had her
stumped. “I
just couldn’t wrap
my head around how to make
this a cohesive room,” she says.
Designer Jeannie Fraise served
up six smart solutions.
1. call it curtains
Stationary curtain panels subtly
define the enclosed porch as a
reading nook. “It literally
transformed the space,” Sue says.
2 . U n ite C olors
A bright palette of raspberry red
and pear green links the separate
seating areas and gives the
family’s traditional furnishings a
fresh, modern twist. Larger
pieces, such as the sofa, coffee
table, and rug, are pale neutrals
to balance the bolder hues.
3. layer on pattern
When it comes to the number of
fabrics in a room—or on an
upholstered chair, for that
matter—the more the merrier,
Fraise thinks. Her advice: Stick
with unfussy prints that feature
one color on a white or ivory
background and “leave some
big solid places”—'the sofa or
neutral woven blinds—for the
eye to rest.
