Room tour: Warm tones and textures complete this keeping room
An archway leads from the kitchen of the 2021 Ivy House Designer Showhome into this color-rich keeping room, giving necessary separation while maintaining connectivity. “I wanted there to be a real coziness,” says Ivy Residential Concepts co-owner Jewel Centanni of the space. “I can just picture a family spending time together here.”
Antique pine beams, paneled walls painted in Farrow & Ball’s “Drop Cloth,” and a cast-stone fireplace keep with Jewel’s cozy vision. Décor by the Dixon Smith Interiors team continues that goal, with bold, warm colors that draw inspiration from the holiday season during which the showhome event took place. “We wanted to do a subtle homage to the colors of Christmas without being blatant,” designer Hilary Kennedy notes, referring to the season in which the showhome was open to the public. “The entire color scheme for the den was drawn from our drapery fabric, which has what we consider an updated Christmas colorscape, and the dark background made it moody.”
The inspiration colors make their biggest statement in a pair of custom paintings by Lynn Sanders. “She took our fabric selections and generated these gorgeous, large-scale pieces just for the showhouse,” Fazende says. “They are showstoppers.”
Other fabric selections throughout the room make just as much of an impact as the curtains, despite being more muted. A mixture of animal prints, velvets and more on the many seating options here make the space feel both elevated and comfortable. “Texture was also a huge element we considered for the den,” Coco explains. “We have leathered wing chairs, a mohair-like velvet on a sofa and a bouclé textile on the ottoman. Everywhere you look, you see a rich new texture.”
- The drapery fabric served as the main inspiration for the color scheme throughout the space. "The dark background made it moody, which we thought paired well with the den space," Kennedy notes.
- "The challenge we faced in the den was ensuring there was enough seating for a large family gathering without overcrowding the space," designer David Coco says. The result was an assortment of couches, chairs and ottomans all aimed at pairing comfort with sophistication.
- In a new build like the Ivy House Designer Showhome, the Dixon Smith team notes that it is paramount to bring in antiques in order to make the space feel authentic and warm. "We have both a gorgeous antique library table in the window and an antique chest by the fireplace," Kennedy says. "Not everything needs to be new to be fresh."
- "We went with more bold choices than the typical neutral sofa," says designer Joel Fazende. "Bursts of cinnamon, red, green and black are involved throughout the room without overwhelming it. We also loved the sofa frames we selected for the den. They are more transitional in stying." Photo by Sara Essex Bradley.
