One of my favorite projects I’ve been working on is a beautiful home that Simon sold to the sweetest family. And then, only a month or so after they moved in, there were torrential rains that moved in and completely flooded most of the house and subsequently ruining all their stuff.

So I was brought in to help out as they rebuilt from all that mess. And if there was ever a client I completely meshed with aesthetically, it was this one. I knew from the first mention of Caitlin Wilson rugs that we were going to be a good fit.

But maybe my most favorite thing to do is transform weird little nooks into something more functional and beautiful. Case in point was the breakfast nook area in between the kitchen and the mudroom. The table they had was far too small, and they needed something that would maximize the amount of people they could seat while also allowing for optimal traffic flow through to the mud room.  It easily could have been a spot that was overlooked or ignored.

They had an existing round table, and the wallpaper that the previous homeowner had installed was lovely (a pale aqua grasscloth, along with the brass sconces).  Luckily my client also has an extensive collection of fab art, so there was a lot to play with.

THE PLAN

Since she already had the white Riviera chairs from Serena & Lily, it seemed like the right idea to keep them. But her existing round tulip table was too small. I did a floorplan that showed a longer banquette to fill up the wall space AND provide maximum seating. And then we commissioned a custom oval dining table from Dunes & Duchess sized to fit and still allow for traffic flow.

The banquette needed to compliment the texture of the Serena & Lily chairs, and so we went with a Perennials fabric that’s made for indoor/outdoor use. It’s totally durable and will be able to put up with dogs, kids, etc.

THE REVEAL

I love love LOVE how this whole little vignette turned out and the view from the living room through the kitchen to the focal point of the artwork on the wall above the banquette is absolute perfection.

The table is my most favorite thing ever. I wish I could convey the texture of the limed oak top – it’s satiny and delicious. And it really is the perfect size. The base is lacquered and they offer a ton of gorgeous colors to choose from.

Artwork is by Gina Julian, who is an absolute delight.

Pillows were custom made — loving the whole Tilton Fenwick collection for Duralee. I’ve linked to a few different options via Etsy below.

More to come as we reveal room by room on this project!

GET THE LOOK