Designers know they’re doing a good job when the clients ask them to do even more, especially mid-project. Keren and Thomas Richter’s initial role was to furnish the rooms on the first floor of this Irvington, New York, neo-Colonial, recently purchased by a couple with three small children who left Manhattan apartment life for a Westchester house.
“They loved how it was coming along so much,” says Keren, “that they asked us to do twice as much of the house—the whole upstairs and all the way up to the attic.” Keren, who with her partner in life and business, Thomas, owns White Arrow Design, recounts doing a classic “big reveal” for the clients when the first-floor rooms were done. But by the time the design duo began their work on the upstairs, the family was already living in the home and, so, the elements came together episodically.
Given the very name of the Richters’ firm, White Arrow, the scope of this project harkened to their logo that depicts a Greek myth–inspired hunter with a bow and arrow. “As designers,” Keren explains, “Thomas and I are always hunting for the right pieces, helping shepherd a project to the end. We always have a direction and goal in mind, and when these clients asked us to do their second floor, we had a new goal to realize.”
Upon first seeing the house that they were to help bring up to date for the family, Keren and Thomas were struck not only by its 1930s period aesthetic but also by its setting in the neighborhood. “Irvington is a super charming river town,” says Keren, “and this house, which retains much of its original millwork (such as a corner cupboard in the dining room, as well as its fireplaces), fits in perfectly.”
Artwork by Amanda Valdez hangs above a custom bench in the foyer.
In the living room, plush upholstery and pillows are covered in a mix of both solid and patterned textiles.
The powder room’s walls are covered in a Peter Fasano wallcovering.
Vintage Swedish pendants by Hans-Agne Jakobsson hang above a custom island in the kitchen; the bar stools are from Massproductions.
Chairs from Sumner Studio surround a 1960’s solid oak trestle table in the kitchen’s dining area; the roman shades are from Hartmann & Forbes.
A Sandberg floral wallpaper graces the dining room’s walls.
The staircase features a custom runner, and the brass and glass pendant is from the 1940s.
Farrow & Ball’s Sulking Room Pink on the walls complements a bed covering from Nickey Kehoe in the primary bedroom. The bed frame is from Lind + Almond, and the armchairs are from Skyline Furniture.
The homeowner/wife had a particular penchant for all things blue and botanical—directives to which the designers responded. While the house had been gutted prior to the Richters’ work, the client wanted to retain much of the residence’s feel, while also accommodating a modern family with active children. After the rebuilding of spaces and the adding on of a mudroom and new baths (though the house’s footprint remained the same), the client wanted, as Keren says, “cozy and durable. She loves saturated colors and blues and combining patterns and textures.”
The dining room best grants those wishes, with its exuberant Sandberg floral wallpaper, its scene offset and framed by a vibrant Benjamin Moore hue known as Water’s Edge. “When we were thinking up this room,” says Keren, “we were referencing mid-century Swedish designs, as well as Arts & Crafts British interiors. The result is a mix that feels contemporary and appropriate for ‘right now.’”
Given the abundant natural light that fills the living room, situated on the opposite side of the entry foyer from the dining room, that space was kept white and bright, but accented with English roll-arm sofas and armchairs that stand out. “We leaned into that idea to make the space different than the dining room,” explains Keren.
“Even though it receives so much light, the living room remains cozy, something accomplished notably with the upholstery. The fireplace, too, is a working one, and we painted the brick to give it a greater visual presence.”
Another room in which the designers “leaned” into the aesthetics and color schemes favored by the clients was in the primary bedroom. There, a sense of calm drama prevails with the use of Farrow & Ball’s evocative Sulking Room Pink paint. The color feels moody, almost like something you’d find in a boutique hotel. That play between quiet and dramatic is felt throughout the home.
“There are rooms that are deliberately calm, such as the breakfast room and an all-white kitchen, and others with a bit more surprise to them, such as the primary suite and the dining room,” says Keren. “I love the idea of having in a home some elements of surprise and the ability to ‘travel’ in a sense, and have new experiences even as you go from room to room. This dynamic makes a house feel even larger, while also still feeling cohesive.”