quarter-sawn white oak floors glow with light from
the six windows in the kitchen’s new bay (facing page).
The island has counter seating on one half and storage
and a sink with a faucet operated by a foot pedal (right)
on the other. The enamel Aga stove, which vents through
the exposed flue pipe, is a design element in its own
right. At the main sink (above), Imperial Danby marble
counters are cut to drain into the sink; an under-counter
paper-towel niche rounds out the workstation.
I thought, ‘Who am I preserving this for?’”
says the homeowner. “We’re the ones living
in it!”
Creamy white paint turned the top-heavy trim into an airy frame for the living and dining rooms. In contrast, a dose
of high-gloss black punched up the hefty
newel posts and treads on the stairway in
the foyer.
With her canvas primed, Lane focused on bringing in subtle color, singular
artwork, and tactile fabrics. “Christine is a
genius with color,” says the homeowner,
noting that after years of working together,
Lane has grown hypersensitive to her taste.
The focused palette is restrained yet
striking, mixing tonal blues, yellows, and
oranges. In the living room, velvet cushions
in rich sapphire outfit an inglenook and a
raw yet refined linen-upholstered sofa picks
up on the wood tones of the antique chest
of drawers. The combination makes for an
elegant segue to the adjoining dining room,
where chairs upholstered with a star-burst
