Color Brings a Family-Friendly Show House to Life
Pittsburgh interior designer Alisha Gwen allowed her spirited character to glow in this series house in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania. Her mission was to highlight key characteristics of their home whilst opening prospective buyers’ minds into the use of colour. She stands with her belief that colour is for everyone; people just have to get the right colour for them.
Her love of vibrant, splashy hues and new combinations of cloth, furniture and fashions cover homage to The Greenbrier Resort in West Virginia, designed by icon Dorothy Draper. This interpretation of neobaroque style isn’t for the faint at heart but is reserved for and valued by those who come alive at the sight of colour.
alisha gwen interior design, llc
Among the home’s most memorable spaces is the fantastic area, decked out in a flirty palette of salmon pink and apple green. The eclectic furniture ranges from showroom pieces to classic market finds.
“I prefer mixing the old with the new to make spaces which are both contemporary and classic,” Gwen says. “I often attempt to incorporate both high-end and cost-effective furnishings to attain a balance between comfort, function, affordability and style.”
But for the couch, each piece of furniture received custom upholstery. The artwork was a DIY job Gwen created using paintable wallpaper and blank canvases.
Alisha gwen interior design
Gwen’s furniture strategy offers a beneficial lesson or 2. For starters, she picked accent seats with a lower back to keep out of obstructing the view of this room’s focal point. She saved the higher-back chairs to the side of this space. The opposing couch perfectly balances the scale of these oversize seats.
alisha gwen interior design, llc
Alisha gwen interior design
The kitchen was with no doubt constructed for merrymaking. Dual islands offer an inviting gathering place, whether for a few dinner guests along with a crowded house for the holiday season.
With the islands providing the majority of storage that is needed, Gwen took good advantage of the chance to utilize shelving. Subway tiles offer a clean and classic backdrop for a showcase of dishware, glasses and other objects of interest.
Alisha gwen interior design
In the adjacent sunroom, a vaulted ceiling and plenty of windows make the impression of an outdoor dining experience. Sunny yellow paint is the quintessential solution for ushering sunshine into the kitchen on a cloudy day.
Sprightly drapery panels soften the hard lines of their windows.
Alisha gwen interior design
When designing a space for a client with small kids, Gwen recommends creating a playroom in lieu of a study. This one is one of the bedrooms, so parents can keep an eye on kids instead of segregating them in the basement.
The walls are scribbleworthy, due to chalkboard paint. The lime-green ceiling and Bubble Chair knockoff include whimsy into the kid-friendly environment.
Alisha gwen interior design
This master bedroom is the textbook definition of Gwen’s signature style. Playful and complex, it unites colour, clean lines, large-scale patterns and classic furniture styles.
The bold Thibaut wallpaper distinguishes the home and catapults it into show house status. “I picked the newspaper to surprise audiences and encourage them to take risks,” Gwen says. “Really, I selected bathroom tile and as fate would have it that the blues paired perfectly. Many who are uncomfortable with this kind of a bodacious wallpaper print hot to the thought when they view both spaces as a suite.”
alisha gwen interior design, llc
Green is a common thread throughout the house and makes a refreshing appearance in the master bedroom in the form of matching nightstands.
alisha gwen interior design, llc
The oversize 15-foot bathtub is the focal point within this master bathroom and boasts an intricate layout of tiles in a mix of colors and sizes. The pattern imitates a stripe motif traditionally found in wallpaper or paint treatments.
alisha gwen interior design, llc
At the exact same bathroom, homeowners can produce their own spa experience within this contemporary freestanding bathtub. “The first floor plan called for a bathtub built on a deck. Current trends are leaning more towards this freestanding alternative,” Gwen says.