Unconventional Colonial

When Jessica and her husband moved from Hoboken to a 1920s center hall colonial in Essex Fells, NJ, they envisioned a comfortable, highly livable home where family and friends could truly relax - shoes off, no formality required.
With three young children and a full, joyful household, the goal was never perfection. Instead, the focus was on creating a layered family home that felt welcoming, personal, and ready for real life.

Repurposed rooms, reinvented family heirlooms and a riot of color and pattern equal an unfussy environment that embraces the craziness of life with three young children.

Perfectly Imperfect. There is nothing serious about this family’s second home, which pairs many elements from their former Hoboken residence with sentimental pieces collected from her parents and grandparents.

Hand painted wood planks draw attention to the vaulted ceiling in the toned-down living room, with its white sectional and kid-proof coffee table. Crisp stripes deck the walls of the traditional dining-room-turned-party-room, where family “dance parties” took place before it was furnished. The dining room, located in what was the formal living room, has been fitted out for everyday use with a sofa for lounging and an original Karl Springer table big enough for games and puzzles. The fun continues upstairs, where the unconventional mix of textures and prints includes faux leopard, bold chintz and splatter-painted walls in one daughter’s bedroom.