Home & Design

Rustica metal doors create a sense of separation between the new office/lounge and the home's entry.

Before the space was unused and functioned primarily as a drop zone for the family's belongings.

Built-ins, drenched in Benjamin Moore’s Dark Olive, give the space purpose.

INTERIOR DESIGN: Before & After

Black Salt Home Design transforms a cluttered Kensington sitting room into a multifunctional powerhouse
“The clients wanted an office that could easily transform into a fun, loungey space at night.”
Anabel Hering

THEN
NOW

A formal, open-plan sitting room on the front of the house served no purpose for a busy family who seldom set foot in it. The owners requested a space that could function as a home office, lounge and media room.Enclosing the space with steel-framed glass-paneled doors from Rustica creates a sense of separation from the entry, so the clients can work or watch TV while still feeling connected to the rest of the house.

By painting the wainscot and walls a dark color and leaving the trim and ceiling white, the room appeared choppy and cut-off.Drenching the walls and ceiling in Benjamin Moore’s Dark Olive lends the space continuity, making it feel simultaneously larger and cozy. Bringing in bouclé chairs and natural finishes, such as petrified wood, keeps the vibe soft and organic.

The space lacked storage solutions so the existing furniture became a drop zone for the family’s belongings the moment they came in the front door.Built-ins by Alvarado Custom Carpentry along the back wall give the room purpose and function; a desk and cabinets hide files and home office supplies, while a mini-bar and media center let the space do double-duty as a lounge.

Interior Design: Anabel Hering, Black Salt Home Design, Kensington, Maryland. Contractor: Alvarado Custom Carpentry, Manassas, Virginia. Styling: Kristen Alcorta.

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HOME&DESIGN, published bi-monthly by Homestyles Media Inc., is the premier magazine of architecture and fine interiors for the Washington, DC, Maryland and Virginia region.

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