Good Vibrations
Here’s a recipe for a beautiful interior: Combine a family new to Pittsburgh with a solid-as-a-rock foursquare house in an urban neighborhood, and blend liberally with the measured exuberance of interior designer Alisha Gwen. The results are family-friendly, great for entertaining, and fresh as a spring day.
The owners didn’t bring a lot of furniture with them, so Gwen started with a fresh slate. “My main objective was to maximize each space’s functionality for this busy family while still making sure the spaces were both welcoming to guests and comfortable for everyday life,” she recalls. Dark woodwork and drab colors were the first thing to go, brightened up mostly with a coat of white paint and a few amazing wallpapers.
The heart of the house beats in three interconnected rooms: kitchen, butler’s pantry, and dining room. “This family is full of personality and energy,” Gwen says with a smile, explaining the happy vibe she created for them. “The colors of the dining room were an extension of the light blue kitchen. I wanted to introduce another color in the dining room, but still have the spaces flow together harmoniously. After we discovered the dining room drapery fabric, we knew that color would be green. For the butler’s pantry between the kitchen and dining room we wanted an unexpected pop of color between the two spaces.”
“Because we had a whole house to furnish, completely gutting the kitchen was not in our budget,” Gwen explains. “We updated the space with a fresh color on the existing cabinets, a bold tile floor, new fixtures, and appliances. I like to call this a good, old-fashioned ‘kitchen facelift’.”
The homeowners are part of Pittsburgh’s sports community, and the revised kitchen is frequently the scene of some fairly intense party-prep for donor events, team get-togethers, and recruiting receptions. Gwen made sure all of that could unfold comfortably in the house with furnishings that are comfortable for all shapes and sizes, and fabrics and finishes that survive the inevitable spills from food and drinks.
It was perhaps inevitable that the family’s hospitable nature and Gwen’s welcoming design instilled in us a bit of party spirit. Our photo shoot became an indulgent sharing of desserts, and the logic of Gwen’s choices became even clearer. The layered patterns and the sequence of happy colors seemed to encourage us to enjoy ourselves. And we did.
Story by Keith Recker // Photography by Dave Bryce // Interior design by Alicia Gwen Interior Design // Styling by Alisha Gwen and Keith Recker
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