AN ECLECTIC NEW JERSEY GEM

A well worn Dutch farmhouse gets a modern makeover

You drive along a suburban street in Essex County, NJ, in a neighborhood filled with contemporary homes. Turning onto a long driveway, you are suddenly transported back 400 years. Standing before you, on several acres of property, is what looks like an original Dutch Colonialstyle home, with gambrel roof, sash windows, double chimneys, wood framing and stone exterior. Step inside, and you’re wowed by the interior. You notice the Dutch Colonial influence in the polished wood floors, simple color palette and exposed beams, but then marvel at the totally modern vibe and contemporary decor, made even more stunning by the bright natural light and lofty ceilings.

Dutch Colonial Meets Modern

The home’s new owners got a diamond in the rough when they purchased the residence in 2018. Although the house had plenty of rustic charm, its ceilings were low and it lacked natural light.

Constructed just four years earlier by Pennsylvanian artisans trained in traditional millwork, it had an electrical system that was outdated and a design that was straight out of another era.

The couple hired Karen Wolf, the creative principal of K+Co Living (formerly KBW Interiors), with whom they had worked before. Self-described as a firm where “laid-back luxe” is a lifestyle, and where materials mix, layers live and color pops, the full-service interior design company is known throughout the East Coast for its versality and stellar designs, which include farmhouse, boho, coastal, transi - tional and modern. “Our goal was to transform a dark and antiquated Dutch farmhouse into a light-filled, unconventional but approachable home for our clients’ growing and extended family,” Karen explains. “The clients wanted to keep the authentic Dutch exterior, but had us create a 21st-century interior that reflected their personal style.”

The owners’ eclectic art collection is on full display in the dining room.

How did K+Co accomplish this mission? “The interior was chock full of levity, color, a mixture of different materials and patterns, and eclectic art,” Karen responds. “Our goal was to weave their bold point of view into a consistent design throughout the house, while keeping things balanced and staying faithful to the farmhouse’s rustic bones.”

Scope of Project

With three floors, six bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a nanny suite in the basement, and more than 5,000 square feet of space, this remodel was indeed a very large project. Setting a goal of totally modernizing the home, and then enlisting the help of an architect, the designers planned to open up the front foyer by making the ceilings higher, gutting and reconfiguring the kitchen area to create a flow into the den, adding millwork to the dining-room ceiling and transoms in the great room, and widening the downstairs hallway.

K+Co designed the interior in keeping with traditional Dutch Colonial elements, but with a modern twist. “It was up to our design team to decide which original elements to retain,” Karen says. “Of course, we kept the large, wide-plank floors—although we re-stained them to a more rustic brown—the wood doors, living room millwork, fireplace and double-hung windows.” The design scheme included enhancing the ceiling beams in the great room, adding beams in the mudroom and kitchen, and sourcing fire-clay red brick for the mudroom. The team painted the millwork white, added sliding barn doors, and installed shiplap with perfect nickel gap spacing on the kitchen ceiling.

But K+Co does not take complete credit for all the fabulous features of the house. The original windows that line the kitchen and living room were left intact. “When you walk in the front door,” Karen points out, “you can see straight through to the living room and its wall of expansive windows. That marvelous architectural detail was already there, so we didn’t touch it.”

Interior Design Details

“Once we laid the foundation for a modern farmhouse,” Karen continues, “we turned to creating a personal and cool vibe. The owners’ design style was ‘maximalist.’ They hired me to maintain a sense of balance, so I refer to the overall design as ‘refined maximalism.’ We wanted to make it suitable for everyday use, but timeless and fresh at the same time. The design wasn’t oversaturated with so much color and pattern as to be overwhelming, but there was enough of what the clients wanted to make them feel fulfilled.” In other words, the design paid homage to the clients’ “wild” side, but balanced it out in an elegant and timeless way, making it suitable as a family home for a couple with three young children.

The foyer makes a dramatic statement. Black, white, gold and brown abound in striking contrasts, echoed by the ceiling, shelving, walls and art of the nearby living and dining rooms. The space features high ceilings, polished wood floors and white wainscoting, and its ever-changing display of orchids and other flowers adds a pop of color. But then the adjacent great room, the anchor for all the adjoining spaces, beckons. Its stunning fireplace, flanks of windows and soaring height take one’s breath away. Evocative original artwork catches the eye, while bold pops of navy and fuchsia are softened by tones of yellow and cream.

In the living room— defined by “refined maximalism”—more is more. Its bold display of pattern is offset by accessorizing the shelves with neutral tones. But in the dining room, the ceiling millwork is painted black, toning down the bold statement made by the living room.

Soft pinks and gray tones prevail in the master bedroom. More of the owners’ striking artwork is displayed on the wall.

The kitchen features a large island that is stained in an oilbased black finish and finished with extra-wide Xs on each end. The high-maintenance Calacatta marble backsplash is one of several risks the owners took to achieve the dramatic ambience they sought. The matte black hood with brass strappings was customized to complement the room’s bright metal finishes, while the opaque milk glass in the cabinetry is a daring alternative to regular glass.

Adjacent to the kitchen is a sitting area featuring two slouchy, mid-century leather chairs strategically placed in front of a custom steel fireplace. Off the kitchen are a TV den, back hallway, mudroom, bathroom, kitchen eating area and butler’s bar, all designed with both high style and functionality in mind. Karen personally curated the home’s intriguing and eclectic artwork. It includes everything from well-known contemporary masters to a quirky piece by a street artist.

The interior designer reveals one of the secrets behind the project’s success. “Whenever I start working with clients,” she says, “I ask them to elect a ‘design leader,’ so that our team has one point of contact. In this case, it turned out to be the husband. While he was focused on the impact of the design, his wife was concerned with function and practicality, layered with a feeling of softness. Together, they were the perfect complement to our design team.”

A Joyful Project

“It was a very joyful project to work on,” Karen concludes. “We used color intensely, thoughtfully weaving it throughout the home in small doses. We tried to take the palette through just enough to connect the spaces.” In the end, the owners got exactly what they were looking for: a modern “old” farmhouse in a secluded setting, comfort and functionality, a masterfully toned-down maximalist look, and a house that is truly home to a growing family.

Resource:

Interior Design: K+Co Living

Karen Wolf

38 Chatham Road

Short Hills, NJ 07078

973.220.2171 kandcoliving.com