We asked several local interior designers to recall their most memorable makeover. Veteran Kansas City designer Becky Mosby of Seville Home shares a major hearth room refresh. This Cedar Creek project remains one her recent favorites:
“I love transforming dated rooms into gorgeous home sanctuaries, while maintaining that come-as-you-are, relaxed attitude.
This expansive home—owned by a local physician—is truly built for family first and illustrates the challenges of an often-too-busy lifestyle. The demands on my client’s time are enormous and there are not enough hours to focus on home refreshes. Fortunately, she put full faith in my ability to take her ideas and translate them into a low-clutter, contemporary retreat with just enough drama to make a statement but nothing overdone. She wanted the space to be ultimately livable.
The before—as I often find—was classic at one time and filled with heavy, dark, deep colors and finishes. It had its day, but that ship had sailed—and we all knew it. So, we moved thoughtfully to a wonderful selection of colors, fabrics and shapes that would complement the cozy 14-foot by 18-foot space and still welcome in the outside—a stunning forest-filled yard! And with a fairly open floor plan (like so many newer homes have), we needed to modernize adjacent spaces as well, including the kitchen, entry, connecting hallways, and eventually dining and upstairs landing.
The inspiration piece was the gorgeous rug, hand-crafted with a palette of subtle blues. Everything else came together from there—from the ground up. An ultra-soft sectional helped define the space, and an eclectic mix of pillows, tables, lamps, chairs, art and accessories brought it all together. (Plus, the less that ‘matches,’ the more interesting a room becomes.)
Layer upon layer, we built the room. Wall colors brightened. Soft and hard surfaces blended. Traditional and transitional lines and finishes transformed what was a worn-out space into a fabulous retreat that’s kid, pet, family, and guest friendly.
My advice to anyone wanting to create a fresh, dramatic difference is to start by decluttering. Get your space back to the basics. Think about the colors that both sooth and excite. Consider what’s around the space that also adds or distracts from the mood. In this hearth room, for example, the breathtaking view of a mini forest of backyard trees was prized. So, curating the furnishings to take advantage of that natural beauty become a priority.
Here’s the bottom line: Every room deserves a little drama that invites you in. In this home, the drama was badly dated before we took a bright, fresh approach. This project took my client out of her comfort zone and that’s exactly what the doctor ordered.”