guest cottage
bedroom | bath | hall
polly denham, glenda moralee
Polly Denham Interiors, By Design Interiors
Upstairs, designers Polly Denham, who resides in Stamford, and Glenda Moralee, of New Canaan, knew the master quarters would accommodate a range of guests—from VIPs to friends and family—so the space had to have broad appeal and “couldn’t date itself in a couple years,” says Denham.
Since it was nearly a blank slate—save for a queen bed, two end tables and a lone mattress within the alcove—they easily developed a plan. “We aimed for hotel-suite sophistication,” says Moralee. A sofa and coffee table form a place to chat, while the alcove’s arched window perfectly frames a desirable workspace. “And because the room has masses of natural light, rich brown looks so beautiful and elegant on the walls,” adds Denham. To unify the cottage’s second level (stairway included) the designers painted the entire floor a soft, creamy beige.
In the smaller bedroom, walls are the same color as the floor, and inspired, almost trompe l’oeil painted headboards above each bed beget an upholstered-fabric look that’s even more convincing with the plush, oversized bolsters.
In the bathroom, the designers replaced bronze-tone fittings with shiny chrome, kept the existing (and charming) clawfoot bathtub, replaced the toilet and sink, and added supplementary lighting via a double-arm fixture.