What was a dated Victorian in Larchmont is now a sophisticated, modern, and family-friendly home, thanks to designer Tina Ramchandani of Tina Ramchandani Creative.
Designed for a young family with two children and a golden retriever, the goal was to create a home with a black-and-white color palette and minimal, clean lines throughout. “Aesthetics were a priority, as they really wanted a neutral, clean, minimal home,” says Ramchandani. “We wanted to create a home kids could utilize without the entire home looking or feeling like a playroom.”
Some of Ramchandani’s favorite parts of the design include the lighting throughout, the vintage piece from England used to replace the living room’s fireplace surround, the art, and the updates made to the kitchen. “The art really brings the home to life, [and] we made key changes to the kitchen which completely changed the feel of the space and the adjacent spaces.”
But like with any remodel, there were challenges. Designed during the pandemic, there were several delays: the dining room table took six months to arrive; things had to be sent back; and the family was in contract on both this home and their previous home at the same time, so timing was of the essence.
Family Room and Kitchen
The family room, which is just off the kitchen, is where the family does most of their lounging. “We wanted a sofa that consistently looks put together, not one that had to be fluffed after each sitting,” says Ramchandani. The designer opted for a wool carpet that shapes around the fireplace. They used the client’s existing A-frame chairs and added a bench with storage for additional seating and a large photograph with bright colors brings the room to life.
Small changes made a big difference in the kitchen, which was given a mini-facelift. The top of the island was changed to brighten up the home, while new light fixtures were added as well as hardware throughout.
“Aesthetics were a priority, as they really wanted a neutral, clean, minimal home.”
—Tina Ramchandani
Living Room
More sophisticated than the family room, the family did not want a TV here. Instead, they chose an interactive piece of art — the colors of the piece on the fireplace change as you move throughout the room. “This is meant to be a room for entertaining, so we played with the use of space with chairs of different scale, tables of different scale, and placed the piano strategically,” says Ramchandani. “The oversized light adds a grand feel to the room even though it’s light and modern.” The fireplace surround was replaced to give this space a different feel from the family room.
Dining Room
Right off the kitchen, the dining room is the main eating area for the family aside from the kitchen counter. “We wanted a practical space,” says Ramchandani. “We added interest through the puzzle-shaped light fixture [and] shaped art.” Dora Somosi’s Cloud can be seen from the kitchen, dining room, and when entering from the living room.
Primary Bedroom
According to the designer, this room had the biggest transformation. “The space was awkwardly designed with windows on all walls, all of which do not match in size or shape,” Ramchandani says. “Because we wanted to create a sanctuary, we opted to dress all the walls with blackout curtains, which helped hide the awkwardness and started us off with a somewhat symmetrical backdrop.”
They went with a tonal look choosing shades of blue in the rug, bed, and art. “The goal was complete serenity,” she says.
The Team
Designer: Tina Ramchandani, Tina Ramchandani Creative
General Contractor: Rocco Umbrio, Landmark Design
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