living room, den remodel inspiration, tips

Redesigning a room to reflect someone’s personal style involves more than just new furniture, a fresh coat of paint, or additional artwork. Kristen Pawlak, owner and interior designer at KP Designs/Decorating Den Interiors, knows exactly what goes into revamping a space. After all, she has helped design countless homes in and around Louisville.

Here, she shares three living spaces with distinctly different looks, along with tips that other homeowners can incorporate into their own abodes.

Gentlemen’s Den

Formerly dark and dated, this room in a two-story Hurstbourne home was something of a leftover space that lacked attention for quite some time. But once the homeowner decided to make use of the seemingly forgotten room, Pawlak came in to make the space brighter and more functional.

“It’s the room the homeowner spends the most time in, and he also likes to entertain,” she explained, adding that she did a full-scale makeover in the new den.

Wallpaper and old wainscoting were removed, and carpeting was replaced with new hardwood flooring. Pawlak also lightened everything, including the walls, ceiling, and exposed wood beams.

“Then we just went in with nice neutral grays and a soft blue palette,” she said.

This included painting the built-ins a light hue and adding a textured blue wallpaper to the back.

“When you have built-ins, you should style them in a big way,” Pawlak added. “We do have some photos and sentimental things there, but we also put sizeable accents and accessories in them — and that’s really what looks best. People sometimes go a little too small with tiny pictures and knick knacks, and that doesn’t do justice to a built-in.”

The wallpaper in the built-ins is used again at the bar, which is set near a table with bench seating.

“That table is one of our favorites,” Pawlak exclaimed, adding that it offers an extra space for working, serving, or seating. Plus, the little cubbies at one end of the furniture piece are perfect for storing magazines or other materials, including bottles of wine. “It’s just a great, multifunctional table.”

Old world update

Pawlak gave this Owl Creek family room an old-world European look with rustic touches, ceramic pieces, and gondola art.

“The homeowners are big travelers,” she explained, “so in addition to styling the built-ins with large accents and accessories, they’ve incorporated things from their travels.”

She adds that everything in this vaulted space boasts classic patterns. The two sofas — made with performance fabrics — sit upon a wool, Greek key patterned rug. Additional seating is provided by two wood-frame chairs featuring a Suzani print, and the refaced fireplace boasts stack stone as well as a textured wallcovering. Pawlak also incorporated massive drapery treatments on either side of the extra large window.

“One of my little pet peeves is that Louisville has a lot of these big, two-story windows in family rooms,” she added, “and if you have a window treatment like that, you really have to go with large, two-story treatments. People tend to cut them off under the arch, but it looks far more professional, designed, and attractive to do two-story treatments.”

Craftsman customization

The inspiration for the living room of this Highlands home began with a velvet green sofa.

“That’s really where we started,” Pawlak said, “and I honored the architecture of the home while keeping it modern enough to look updated and chic.”

She explains that the homeowner loves to entertain, so she set two chairs across the sofa for extra seating. In the center, a set of three small tables provide easily movable surfaces to hold drinks and snacks.

“The chairs have little peek-a-boo cutouts and nice, soft lines,” Pawlak added. “It’s very feminine, as is the sofa, with touches of gold.”

An accent table with a star-shaped top also boasts a dash of gold, as do several of the art pieces, which were painted by the homeowner. Other colors were pulled from the artwork and used in additional places within the room as well, such as on accents in the built-ins and on the leaf-patterned drapes.

Pawlak incorporated the same shades of green in the powder room wallpaper, which is visible from the living room.

“There are always certain pieces or a color palette that can honor the architecture of a home without being too period-specific,” she said, adding that the button tufting of the sofa offers vintage vibes while the single cushion of its bench seating gives it an updated look. “It feels like a modern home that you can live in.”

Know a house that would make a great Home of the Week? Email writer Lennie Omalza at aloha@lennieomalza.com or Lifestyle Editor Kathryn Gregory at kgregory@gannett.com.

nuts & bolts: Gentlemen’s Den

Home: This is a four-bed, three-bath, 3,075-square-foot, traditional two-story home in Hurstbourne. It was built in 1974.

Distinctive elements: Hardwood flooring; granite countertops; fireplace; custom interior design.

Applause! Applause! KP Designs/Decorating Den Interiors; Jarboe Brothers Construction; Perez Painting.

nuts & bolts: Old world update

Home: This is a three-bed, three-bath, 2,700-square foot, two-story traditional home in Owl Creek. It was built in 1988.

Distinctive elements: Hardwood flooring; two-story window; built-ins; custom interior design.

Applause! Applause! KP Designs/Decorating Den Interiors; Perez Painting.

nuts & bolts: Craftsman customization

Home: This is a two-bed, two-bath, 1,900-square-foot, craftsman home in the Highlands. It was built in 1900.

Distinctive elements: Original hardwood flooring, built-ins, and moldings; professional interior design.

Applause! Applause! KP Designs/Decorating Den Interiors.