New Project Reveal: A Dreamy Back Bay Bachelorette Pad

I am SO excited to show you guys this project that has been complete for a little while. It was slated to be published and then all hell broke loose and instead of waiting even longer for another publication to decide- I made the call to go right to you through the blog. :)  This client was a DREAM to work with. She bought this one bedroom condo in Boston’s gorgeous Back Bay with incredible soaring ceilings, giant windows and lots of potential.  The whole building had been renovated by a builder- so the kitchen and baths were redone before we came into play, but luckily they did a good job on the finishes. We wanted to take it further and replace some of the items they chose (namely all the lighting!), and because this is a one bedroom, we needed to get creative in ways to maximize storage. Let’s start the tour!

Here is the whole living area- open, bright and THOSE CEILINGS!  We needed to create three zones here- kitchen, dining and living.  The walls are Benjamin Moore Chantilly Lace Matte and the trim is Chantilly Lace Satin finish.  We wanted to keep this room bright and clean and let the furniture and art be the star.  The floor to ceiling drapes make this room. They emphasize the height of the space and also add some desperately needed softness to it as well.

The client loves blue and so we convinced her to do a bright blue sofa in an awesome indoor/outdoor velvet.  I was OBSESSED with this huge Kristin Blakeney piece from the moment I saw it and felt it was the most perfect piece for this project.  It took a little convincing, but she went for it and it’s absolutely perfect. A soft, super durable rug grounds everything and the large glass coffee table keep the space feeling open but offers up lots of surface area for entertaining. We added two ottomans for pull-up extra seating along with a pair of comfy club chairs.

The most impactful thing we did in this space was the built in. We designed it to be a storage powerhouse using the vertical space we had an abundance of.  I was SO excited to incorporate a library ladder too, let’s be honest.  We wallpapered the back in a gorgeous woven grasscloth in pale blue to add a hint of color and texture.  The pair of chairs we have in the bow front window area are done in an indoor outdoor woven to prevent fading from all the sun coming through those huge windows.  Those little plaid pillows kill me too- made from an insanely luxurious alpaca fabric.

Looking from the living room you can see back towards the entry and bedroom and the awesome little dining area we created.  The space is narrow so we thought a banquette and oval table would allow for the most pass through space between the counter stools and the seating and yet offer up enough space to host up to six.

I have been in love with these Peter Dunham chairs FOR AGES. And I finally got to use them! :) The channel tufted banquette was made for us by Bjork Studio and came out perfect.

The art was commissioned by us from Erin Clark. I adore the graphic nature of these and how the tones play off the Blakeney painting in the same open space.

As I mentioned, the kitchen was already done, but we replaced the  lights they had with these amazing Urban Electric pendants- there is no other statement lighting in those whole room, so I wanted these to be a showstopper! The stools are actually Restoration Hardware, but we had them reupholstered in the same pale blue faux leather as the seat of the banquette to keep things uniform (and also SO easy to clean). The pinboard we had made to coordinate with the finishes.

The elevator opens up right into this space and we wanted to create a “moment” here, even though it’s a small entry. We also needed some more storage (always, right?) A statement mirror covers the electrical panel (sneaky!).

The powder room was renovated, but we wanted to make it WOW, so we did this Cole & Sons wallpaper in here to really make a statement in this small, windowless room.

A new mirror and lighting capped off the mini-makeover.

There is a long narrow hallway between the entry and the bedroom and given that the ceilings are SO high, I thought it was a space calling for fun lighting. We replaced the can lights with these star pendants and they make the journey from the living area to the bedroom so much more special. We also hung gallery walls on each side of the hall with the client’s personal photos and special memorabilia, keeping it more private but organized and visually quite stunning.

Looking into the bedroom. Literally feels like a breath of fresh air.

I am SO glad our client let us use grasscloth all over this room, including the soffits (it helps conceal them, I think).  It warms up this room SO much. And that chandelier? I literally leapt for joy when it went in. :)  The roman shades are motorized (think Cameron Diaz’s bedroom in The Holiday) and the bed was done in the prettiest shade of pale pink.

A gorgeous detail shot.

Again, this room is narrow, so wall sconces were a must in order to free up nightstand surface space. As you can see, there is lots of storage space with the upper and lower closets here. And I so love that bench we did in a nubby boucle.

Of course, yet again, we needed more efficient storage that used up the ample vertical space- so we designed on another built in that houses the TV, more “stuff”(including her printer) and acts as a desk too!  We lined the backs of this one in a small scale pink wallpaper to balance the pink of the bed on this side of the room.

The master bathroom had such nice finishes, but we did replace the sconces and add a vinyl patterned wallpaper to make it more interested and warm in here.

I’m proud of this space, mostly because our client tells me all the time how much she loves it and how happy it makes her. That is why we do this after all, right??

While I’m not sharing specific sources (we have to maintain the value of our services) here is a “get the look” roundup of items that can help you get a space like this!

Photography by Michael J. Lee