Inside a Vibrant Tudor-Style Home

Designer Carey Karlan chose a grasscloth wallcovering from Ronald Redding and a carpet from Ruggles Workroom to add subtle texture to the den; the artwork is from Fletcher Wakefield. A Century sofa and a pair of Baker chairs anchor the space.

A custom table from Old Biscayne Designs greets guests in the foyer; the stair runner is from Stark.

A game table from Bernhardt, surrounded by Jonathan Adler chairs, ensures hours of friendly competition.

The powder room’s statement-making anteroom features a mural from The Mural Source and a bench from Baker upholstered in a Designers Guild fabric.

The dining room table and chairs are from the owners’ previous residence. For an updated look, Karlan had the chairs recovered in a lavender Scalamandré upholstery with a Christopher Hyland fabric on the backs. The artwork is from Fletcher Wakefield.

Striking Panda marble countertops lend interest to the white kitchen, along with a hood and range from BlueStar; Stamford-based kitchen design firm Deane collaborated on both the kitchen and the butler’s pantry.

In one area of the kitchen, chairs from CB2 surround an RH table; the mural is from The Mural Source.

Black lacquer cabinetry, gold mesh panels, and green tile from Artistic Tile combine to create a dramatic look in the butler’s pantry.

The husband’s study, which is painted in high-gloss shades of Benjamin Moore Symphony Blue and Baked Clay, contains a custom rug from JD Staron, a desk from the owners’ collection, and a lamp from Fletcher Wakefield.

Most of the primary bedroom’s furnishings are from the clients’ previous residence.

Window treatments fabricated from Kravet fabric with Colefax and Fowler trim add a romantic touch to the pale pink bedroom; a swing by Four Oak Bed Swings was installed in the sitting area.

The wife’s bath features wall and floor tiles from Fordham Marble; the light fixture is from Horchow.

Transformation of a Greenwich Home

Having worked with this client before, designer Carey Karlan knew she was in for a fun ride.

“Carey just gets me, and I was confident she would understand my vision for this property,” says the owner of this Tudor-style Greenwich residence. “I loathe Northeast winters, so I wanted to influence the overall mood by incorporating color. The goal was for the house to feel cheerful and bright without being too loud.”

The entire 15,000-square-foot, eight-bedroom home saw quite a dramatic transformation, and the kitchen is no exception.

“I originally wanted a British racing-green kitchen, but the space doesn’t get much natural light,” explains the client. “We went with white cabinetry instead, but incorporated glamorous elements like marble with intense veining, floral-shaped lighting, gold accents, and a scenic mural that brings the outside in.”

The client did, however, get to satisfy her desire for a dark, dramatic space when it came to the pantry. “It’s a small area with no windows, so we went all out to make it as moody and interesting as possible. There are black lacquer cabinets, green tiles, and gold mesh panels. It has the vibe of a sophisticated Manhattan bar.”

Bold Colors and Unexpected Palettes

As one works their way through the residence, each room delivers its own set of surprises and unexpected palettes, from saturated hues like peacock blue, turquoise, purple, and orange to softer shades of pale pink and lavender. Two areas that offer a brief reprieve from the drama are the foyer and the den, where black, white, and cream prevail.

“These spaces provide a pause in the action,” explains Karlan, who filled the house with a mix of custom and contemporary furnishings in durable, dog-friendly fabrics along with some of the couple’s existing pieces. “The home was built in 2001 to resemble a classic English manor, but we didn’t want to fill it with antiques and make it feel too serious,” says the designer.

In fact, allowing the homeowners’ personalities and passions to come through in the design was a driving force behind this collaboration. Two of the most beloved rooms are the husband’s study and the primary bedroom’s sitting area. The study—with its deep blue walls and trim and a burnt orange ceiling—is inspired by a Victorian residence the client saw in England and filled with antique books on Indian history.

“My husband and I both grew up in India, so it’s a space that touches on our heritage as well as our travels,” explains the client.

The sitting room off the pale pink primary is a much more romantic space, brimming with birds, butterflies, and even a floral swing facing a set of French doors and the balcony beyond.

“The swing reminds me of my grandfathers, who both kept swings inside their houses in India,” recalls the client. “I would read and nap there when it was too hot outside. It brings back wonderful memories. It was important to me that we create something that’s not only beautiful, but meaningful to us.”

Project Team
Interior design: Last Detail Interior Design