Houzz Tour: Rich Hues and Industrial Style Transform a Plain Home
A designer layers a modern townhouse with vintage elements, a variety of patinas and plenty of space to store books
These homeowners, based in Washington, DC, in the US, are intrepid property and design adventurers. “They love to switch it up every few years,” their interior designer, Kirsten Kaplan, says. First they lived in the city, then they moved to a single-family home in a car-centric suburb in Maryland. For their latest move, they decided to downsize to a townhouse in a walkable Washington suburb that was planned using new urbanism principles.
“My clients always have something new they want to try,” Kirsten says. “They like industrial style, but this time around they wanted some Parisian flair. The wife was also interested in exploring a lot of saturated colour, particularly in shades of purple and yellow.” The final result is a home that looks as if layers have been added over time, mixing antiques, old-world style, Parisian flair and industrial elements.
“My clients always have something new they want to try,” Kirsten says. “They like industrial style, but this time around they wanted some Parisian flair. The wife was also interested in exploring a lot of saturated colour, particularly in shades of purple and yellow.” The final result is a home that looks as if layers have been added over time, mixing antiques, old-world style, Parisian flair and industrial elements.
To add texture and a vintage industrial touch, Kirsten had the ceiling covered in a very thin real wood veneer. “We knew we wanted to work with the existing sprinkler system when adding to the ceiling and this worked beautifully.”
Also adding texture are metal grilles within the cabinetry. “These lightened up the cabinet and added a little bit of industrial texture,” Kirsten says. She also notes that her client keeps the office looking this neat all the time. “[The owner] wanted it to provide a nice view from the entry, so we created storage where she could keep everything organised and put away,” she says.
The designer was also able to bring in her client’s desired colour palette of purples and yellows. The walls are a smoky lavender and the rug has citrine hues.
Walls painted in Frozen in Time, Benjamin Moore.
Also adding texture are metal grilles within the cabinetry. “These lightened up the cabinet and added a little bit of industrial texture,” Kirsten says. She also notes that her client keeps the office looking this neat all the time. “[The owner] wanted it to provide a nice view from the entry, so we created storage where she could keep everything organised and put away,” she says.
The designer was also able to bring in her client’s desired colour palette of purples and yellows. The walls are a smoky lavender and the rug has citrine hues.
Walls painted in Frozen in Time, Benjamin Moore.
This photo gives a sense of what a blank slate the home was when Kirsten’s clients bought it. This is the living room as seen from the edge of the kitchen and dining area.
The townhouse was under construction when the homeowners hired Kirsten. “They had to let the original builders finish the construction before they could close on the house,” she says. “My goal was to have all the detailed drawings and plans ready so the contractor could get started, the moment the closing was complete.”
The townhouse was under construction when the homeowners hired Kirsten. “They had to let the original builders finish the construction before they could close on the house,” she says. “My goal was to have all the detailed drawings and plans ready so the contractor could get started, the moment the closing was complete.”
None of the “after” photos quite line up with the “before” photo, but the staircase can help provide orientation – the living room is to the left.
Kirsten used the same paint here that she used in the hallway. A wood and metal console table sets the industrial tone. Kirsten had her clients’ prints hung above it, then she played off the artwork with the oversized wooden vase. Playing with scale was a motif she carried throughout the home.
Kirsten used the same paint here that she used in the hallway. A wood and metal console table sets the industrial tone. Kirsten had her clients’ prints hung above it, then she played off the artwork with the oversized wooden vase. Playing with scale was a motif she carried throughout the home.
Kirsten reused this large industrial bookshelf that came from her clients’ former home, but the metal and wood armchairs, mother-of-pearl and brass inlay table and petite reading lamps are new.
“I just love to play with scale,” Kirsten says. “These reading lamps are only [125cm] high and they’re just perfect for reading in these chairs.”
Walls painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball.
“I just love to play with scale,” Kirsten says. “These reading lamps are only [125cm] high and they’re just perfect for reading in these chairs.”
Walls painted in Hague Blue, Farrow & Ball.
Speaking of scale, the oversized mirror with antiqued glass was something Kirsten and the homeowners decided the room needed early on. It reflects light in the dark-walled space. The mirror is very heavy and Kirsten had it secured to the wall and the floor. “We hire professional art installers on every job we do for safety,” she says.
Another large-scale element is the light fixture, which is made of faux horn. “My client and I had found this years ago and she’d always wanted to use it,” Kirsten says. The townhouse provided the perfect spot for it.
The designer continued the use of metal, wood and concrete on the tables. “The coffee table is siblings with the main level’s console table,” she says of the concrete and metal piece. The side tables are wood pyramids with metal bases. They give a nod and a wink to IM Pei’s pyramid at the Louvre.
The homeowners wanted to bring the bespoke sofas Kirsten had designed for their last home to this one. “My clients wanted comfortable sofas that had tight backs for a more polished look,” she says. “We were pretty limited by the floor plan and this was the spot where they worked best.”
Another large-scale element is the light fixture, which is made of faux horn. “My client and I had found this years ago and she’d always wanted to use it,” Kirsten says. The townhouse provided the perfect spot for it.
The designer continued the use of metal, wood and concrete on the tables. “The coffee table is siblings with the main level’s console table,” she says of the concrete and metal piece. The side tables are wood pyramids with metal bases. They give a nod and a wink to IM Pei’s pyramid at the Louvre.
The homeowners wanted to bring the bespoke sofas Kirsten had designed for their last home to this one. “My clients wanted comfortable sofas that had tight backs for a more polished look,” she says. “We were pretty limited by the floor plan and this was the spot where they worked best.”
Kirsten continued the use of wood veneer on the ceiling and added beams throughout the main floor. She had to painstakingly plan where the beams would go before the renovation construction began. Not only did they need to work in an aesthetically pleasing way, they also needed to accommodate the chandelier and the existing sprinkler system.
The orientation of the beams and wood veneer changes over the kitchen and dining areas, which delineates the spaces from the living room. Kirsten also had a bespoke room divider made to separate the two. “I’d seen an iron and glass French room divider in a small hotel the last time I visited Paris, and my clients loved the idea,” she says.
The orientation of the beams and wood veneer changes over the kitchen and dining areas, which delineates the spaces from the living room. Kirsten also had a bespoke room divider made to separate the two. “I’d seen an iron and glass French room divider in a small hotel the last time I visited Paris, and my clients loved the idea,” she says.
A walnut and brass oval table and cobalt chairs add soft curves to the dining area. The chandelier is bespoke from Hubbardton Forge and has brass accents. Kirsten used brass throughout the house to create a cohesive vibe.
The sideboard has dark marble doors. “In a home with so many manufactured industrial materials, it was important to bring in some organic ones,” Kirsten says.
The sideboard has dark marble doors. “In a home with so many manufactured industrial materials, it was important to bring in some organic ones,” Kirsten says.
This photo was taken from the living room looking towards the dining area on the right and the kitchen at the back. The homeowners were able to choose the kitchen finishes with the builders of the townhouse. “It was one of those things where they could choose from selections the builders provided,” Kirsten says.
The dining area flows into the kitchen. This photo also provides a good look at the wood and beams on the ceiling.
Walls painted in Street Chic, Benjamin Moore.
Walls painted in Street Chic, Benjamin Moore.
The island has a quartz waterfall worktop. Kirsten helped with the wall colour, ceiling treatment, bar stools and pendant lights. The wall is painted the same smoky lavender used in the office.
Wall painted in Frozen in Time, Benjamin Moore.
More: How to Start a Kitchen Renovation
Wall painted in Frozen in Time, Benjamin Moore.
More: How to Start a Kitchen Renovation
The downstairs cloakroom was another blank slate. Replacing new items such as the toilet and basin wasn’t ideal, but the homeowners supported Kirsten’s idea of donating the removed items to Habitat for Humanity and Second Chance, so someone else could use them.
Kirsten suggested slate tile wainscoting and a black marble worktop with white veining. Both add strong contrast to the mustard yellow wallpaper her client wanted.
Again, she played with scale in here, using a large-scale wallpaper pattern in a tiny space. A round mirror with brass accents ties everything together.
Cow Parsley wallpaper, Cole & Son.
Again, she played with scale in here, using a large-scale wallpaper pattern in a tiny space. A round mirror with brass accents ties everything together.
Cow Parsley wallpaper, Cole & Son.
Kirsten carried the same wallpaper into the primary bedroom in a different colour. She used oversized reading pendants, but the clear glass keeps them from looking bulky. The large ceiling light has industrial rivet details.
Walls painted in Cement Gray, Benjamin Moore.
Walls painted in Cement Gray, Benjamin Moore.
The rustic wood bedside tables add a vintage industrial touch and patina to the room. And on the new upholstered bed, there’s a special touch. “We all love my clients’ colourful throw,” Kirsten says, “and I’ve worked it into every home they’ve had.”
Tell us…
Which elements of this home makeover do you love? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Tell us…
Which elements of this home makeover do you love? Share your thoughts in the Comments.
Who lives here? A couple
Location Washington, DC, area, USA
Property A new-build townhouse
Size Two bedrooms and three bathrooms; 1,984 sq ft (184 sq m)
Designers Kirsten Kaplan and Becky Wetzler of Haus Interior Design
Photos by Stacy Zarin Goldberg
“For inspiration, we drew on my clients’ love of Paris – the city’s romanticism and mix of architectural styles,” Kirsten says. To give it a look that mixed old-world finishes and industrial patinas, she included rustic wood, concrete and a range of metals.
The ground floor of the townhouse includes this hallway, an office and the garage. The concrete and metal console table adds an industrial vibe. The black-and-white photograph shows the view of Paris through the clockface in the Musée d’Orsay.
The clients wanted the office to feel like a calm and cosy library. Kirsten added lots of built-in bookshelves. Here they form a cased opening around the doorway to the room.
Hall wall painted in Street Chic, Benjamin Moore.
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