By 
There comes a time in every homeowner's life when you're forced to grow up. Post-college, it's all about swapping that Twin XL bed for a quality (and larger!) mattress, and trading the hand-me-down futon for a real sofa.
But at some point after your twenties, you'll need to graduate from the starter furniture and start investing in design. Often, the trigger is a milestone moment like buying a house or starting a family. This was just the case for New York-based designer Tharon Anderson, who was tasked with creating an elegant apartment for a young couple and their growing family.
Read on to see how she crafted a space that's kid-friendly, fresh, and totally grown up.
"We had the sofa custom made, making it 9 feet long to emphasize the length of the room. The loveseat is also custom made and upholstered in a very sophisticated tweed. I used a Samuel & Sons tape trim and tight back to bring a bit of elegance and formality to the space."
PRO TIP: Anderson encourages clients to invest in upholstery. Chairs and sofas get used day in and day out, so if the style and construction is good, they'll last for years. Plus, an extra-long sofa offers ample space for the entire family.
"Since the family is young, we chose a super durable wool-polyester broadloom rug with a small-scale pattern that would hold up against lots of use and also help disguise any spills.
We covered the sofa in heavy-use upholstery: a sage colored Larsen fabric that mimics textured velvet but is in fact made with polyester and viscose. It has a 100K double rub rating (normally reserved for hotel upholstery!), so we knew it could hold up to lots of wear and tear."
PRO TIP: Anderson used a sofa with modern, sophisticated lines to make it look luxurious, despite it being upholstered in a heavy duty, commercial-grade fabric.
"The sofa pillows are [covered in] Katie Leede's 'Thebes' fabric. It has such a painterly, whimsical feel that I loved for the family, and the tassel trim makes it fun. I upholstered the x-benches with a jaguar print to add a little snazzy factor."
PRO TIP: Anderson uses pattern in small, strategic doses to pack a punch. The sheepskin rug adds another layer of texture to the room, while providing a fun surface for the kids and a clever way to hide the inevitable spill.
"We didn't want to cover up the big, bright window, so we chose Home Couture's 'Gypsy Dance' fabric and turned it upside down to [create an] active bottom edge."
PRO TIP: Thoughtful details don't only tie the entire look of the room together, they work to conceal more utilitarian features like the duette shade hiding behind the window fabric and the unsightly radiator concealed inside the built-in below.
"We used brass accents throughout — on the lamps and sconces, the nail heads on the chair, and the gold coffee table — to create a sense of cohesiveness. The abstract painting by Eliza Geddess also ties the color scheme together and adds an organic element to the design."
PRO TIP: The scalloped-edge on the coffee table prevents small toys from falling all over the floor!
