Fresh Start

A first meal in a first home is a thrill, especially if you relax into it with healthy takeout from Mediterra Café.

Lauren Piasecki knows her way around a renovation. Founder of Black Cherry Design, she moves efficiently from a murky “before” to magnificent “after.” This project on Sewickley’s Frederick Avenue was a tip-to-tail renovation that brought a much-lived-in, turn-of-the-last- century house into the 21st century with new systems, new finishes, and a simplified, open passage of light and air between the rooms. In partnership with realtor and contractor Jake Harrick, the project was done in record time.

“I walked into this house not a year ago,” Lauren recalls, “It was covered in carpet, decades-old wall coverings, and layers and layers of yellowed paint. The tight rooms just didn’t have the flow I knew this home needed. I immediately saw all the potential it had and imagined how a family would use it, furnish it, and live inside of its lovely tall windows. The space-planning stage involved removing walls, adding a closet and powder room to the first floor, and flipping the kitchen and dining room to create spaces that felt modern. I selected finishes and colors that were light and bright, while also textural enough to add dimension that could be built upon by the future owners.”

Add two recently married lovebirds, a beautiful baby, a dog, and wonderful scaled-down furniture from nearby Antiquarian Shop … and you have a perfect setting for a young family’s life.

We sat down with this new family for a first lunch in the house. Like good guests, we brought something. In fact, we brought everything. Chef Aniceto Sousa of Mediterra Café took care of the cooking, with a rejuvenating kale and sliced beet salad, roasted Brussels sprouts resting in a delicious, spicy gremolata sauce, and roasted carrots served over savory chickpeas.

From sit-down to cleanup, harmony prevailed and the shape of the house’s new life began to appear, with new memories and new conversations setting the tone for the ones to follow.

Roasted Beets Salad with Whipped Goat Cheese, Kale & Pistachio Salsa Verde

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Romesco Sauce & Aged Feta

Roasted Carrots with Crispy Chickpeas & Marinated Labneh

RECIPES BY ANICETO SOUSA/PHOTOGRAPHY BY LAURA PETRILLA/ STYLING BY LAUREN PIASECKI