As designers, there are certain spaces we find ourselves dreaming about long before the opportunity ever comes along. Maybe it’s a historic home with original millwork waiting to be restored. It could be a kitchen where the architecture can take center stage. Maybe a room that gives us the freedom to be a little more daring.
Every project brings its own challenges and possibilities. There are always those spaces that make us think, I would love to design this someday.
Here are a few of those dream spaces we’d love to bring to life.
A Historic Townhouse
There’s something irresistible about a historic townhouse. The architecture gives you a story before you’ve even selected a single piece of furniture.
We’d love the opportunity to work with original details like intricate moldings, carved fireplaces and beautiful staircases. The kind of imperfections that can’t be recreated. We’d want to make them feel relevant to the way a family lives today.
We imagine pairing traditional architectural details with furnishings that feel a little more unexpected. An antique chest alongside a contemporary sofa, modern lighting against ornate millwork, or a richly patterned textile that brings a room to life. The contrast is what makes it interesting.
The finished home would feel layered and collected, with a sense that every piece has a reason for being there. Most importantly, it wouldn’t feel like a historic home trying to recreate its past. It would feel like a home with a history that is continuing to evolve.
A Library With a Fireplace
There’s a certain romance to a room designed simply for staying awhile.
Our dream library would be warm, intimate, and filled with character. Floor-to-ceiling bookshelves, a substantial fireplace, comfortable seating, a beautiful reading lamp, and—of course—a library ladder. It’s the kind of room where the architecture and furnishings work together to create a feeling rather than simply fill a function.
We’d lean into deeper tones and tactile materials here: rich wood, worn leather, linen, wool, and perhaps a patterned wallpaper tucked behind the shelves. The lighting would be just as important, with a combination of sconces, table lamps, and the glow of the fireplace creating a softer atmosphere in the evening.
But what we love most about a library is that it doesn’t need to be perfectly styled. Books can be stacked, a chair can look well-loved, and a collection of objects can grow over time. It’s a room that naturally lends itself to a more collected approach—and one that only becomes more beautiful with age.
A European-Inspired Primary Suite
For our European-inspired primary suite, we’re imagining something quietly luxurious. Not overly formal or perfectly polished, but the kind of room that feels as though it has been thoughtfully assembled over many years.
We’d start with the architecture: plaster walls, beautiful molding, perhaps exposed beams or an old stone fireplace. From there, we’d layer in natural linen bedding, an upholstered bed, antique or vintage-inspired furnishings, and aged finishes that bring a sense of depth to the room.
The palette would be soft and restrained, allowing texture and material to do much of the work. A weathered wood nightstand, a beautiful old mirror, a linen curtain moving with the breeze—small details that make the room feel relaxed rather than overly designed.
Most of all, we’d want it to feel personal. A favorite piece collected while traveling, artwork that has meaning, books on the bedside table, and furnishings that become more beautiful with use. The result would be a retreat that feels timeless without feeling stuck in a particular era.
