Erin Coren and her family live in a type of house that often gets a bad rap, even though it is among the most coveted of all styles. Hers is the kind of residence that gets people to stop curbside and look in wonder. But after Coren’s redesign of its many rooms, done in concert with her design partner, Lina Galvao, of their firm, Curated Nest, Coren’s home in Rye Brook now counters all of the negative associations with that style.
“We live in what’s called a ‘Storybook Tudor’,” says Coren, “and homes like ours are often thought to be too dark, too compartmentalized.” With its turreted tower and fairy tale–like roof lines and adornments, her house beckons on the leafy street, as do others from the era, mostly 1920s and ’30s. Indeed, like true Tudor castles, such residences can be dark inside, their ceilings crossed with heavy beams, the windows deeply recessed, rooms strictly demarcated by four walls.
As a result of Coren’s and Galvao’s teamwork, though, the rooms are now bright with natural light, defined by cheerful f loral wallpapers, gleaming wooden floors that reflect sunlight, and exuberant contemporary lighting fixtures (“Every one of them on a dimmer, which is a must,” Coren emphasizes.). Many of the oversized iron windows, notably those in the kitchen, are left curtain-less, French doors lead to outdoor living areas, and public rooms flow into one another. “This house goes against all the norms of the style,” Coren emphasizes.
Soon after Coren and her husband purchased the five-bedroom home in 2017, she and Galvao worked to open up the flow of rooms, as well as add on a mudroom/laundry area whose ceiling wears a dynamic bird and floral wallpaper that beckons like a starry night sky. “Mudrooms get beaten up, so I didn’t want to paper the walls,” says Coren. “It’s very safe to put wallpaper on the ceiling and it emphasizes the room’s height.”
In the living room, ottomans from Ballard Designs surround a cocktail table from Four Hands.
The armchairs are from Four Hands, and the floor lamp is from Crate & Barrel.
The backsplash is a calacatta herringbone tile from Direct Stone Source, and the cabinetry is by CliqStudios.
Chairs from Blue Ocean Traders surround a table from Universal Furniture. The ceiling fixture is from Hudson Valley Lighting Group.
In the primary bedroom, a ceiling fixture from Visual Comfort hangs above the bed. The duvet is from Frette.
A chaise from Four Hands is surrounded by a wall covering by Rebel Walls.
Of the two-stage design process, Galvao recalls, “The first part, years ago, was about layout and function, and we made significant changes, but we never put on our finishing touches. The second part, which is recent, was about the pretty things, the fun things. Erin and I love lighting, hardware, paint colors and it was so much fun helping design for someone I know so well.”
One of the chief directives Coren gave herself was to make the house a place filled with many “experiences,” meaning that every room would have a special purpose and unique details. “This was a truly bespoke design for someone who’s my design partner and friend,” says Galvao. “We put in little touches, details so specific to her.” Galvao cites, for instance, a shearling chaise lounge in the living room, positioned by the fireplace, where Coren can read (one of her passions). “Erin wanted a lamp above the chaise, a side table, a candle nearby, a candle snuffer, coasters—these are hardly ground-breaking items, but they are things that make for experience,” says Galvao.
Coren chose a dusky rose-hued chinoiserie wallpaper for the dining room, and a big-scaled pattern of sepia-toned trees in the master bedroom, “a motif that bridges the gap between feminine and masculine,” she stresses. A corner seating area provides yet another experience. “I didn’t want a spot which would wind up filling with tossed clothes, but one where I could read and where my children could come in the evening and read with me.”
Coren admits that “the most difficult job for a designer is designing your own house. As a designer, you’re aware of all the options out there, but you have to force yourself to make a decision and stick with it. It can be daunting.” Galvao concurs by adding, “The reason it’s so hard for us to design our own homes is that because we appreciate so many styles it can lead to ‘analysis paralysis.’ But I was a sounding board for Erin during the process.”
Among the most satisfying results of the collaboration, though, says Galvao, “was hearing Erin come into the office some days and announce to the staff, ‘My house is just great now. I love everything.’ That’s ‘proof of concept’ and it’s nice to know that we can have that same impact with our clients.”