Recently married with their first child, one high-flying couple decided it was time to move to Tenafly, a charming, suburban enclave in Bergen County NJ known for its tree-lined streets and stellar schools. Joan Enger of J. Patryce Design had worked on the interiors of their first home, so they naturally turned to her to infuse the new build with some much-needed character and warmth.
‘The home was constructed by a spec developer,’ Joan explains. ‘When it came on the market during Covid, our clients fell in love with it and the neighbourhood. They reached out to us shortly after their offer was accepted to help them make it feel like home.’
‘The wife is a Senior VP and head creative at the National Basketball Association,’ Joan adds. ‘The husband is a partner at a small graphic design agency. They have a five-year-old son and consider their home their sanctuary when they are not travelling, which they love to do when they can find the time away from their busy schedules.’
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The house had a great layout, lovely oak flooring and wonderful light and ceiling heights, ‘however, some of the original selections lacked the warm, organic touches we are known for,’ Joan recalls.
Her mission was to make it feel lived in and cosier – a significant task given its grandeur – and take it far away from a ‘McMansion’. ‘The goal was liveable, classic, warm, family friendly yet sophisticated. This was our second time working together so the trust was already established.’
She began by reviewing the floor and lighting plans, as well as the architectural details, reworking the scale and materials for the living room mantlepiece (originally much larger and shinier) and updating the millwork (formerly light grey) with richer Farrow & Ball tones and new hardware.
They updated the lighting fixtures throughout and designed custom millwork for the living room walls, kitchen, entry, and upstairs den. The entry niche was originally mirrored and felt a bit glam and dated. Joan’s team swapped the mirror for wood panelling and a built-in limestone and oak console. It’s now an intimate moment in the grand entry.
The palette was carefully thought through, as Joan didn’t want all-white spec house walls, nor huge dark rooms. She turned to richer, warmer tones, balancing deeper hues with clean light neutrals. The living room’s custom bookcases were painted a bold teal, an interesting contrast against the warm millwork.
In the den, Joan designed wall millwork to be various heights around the room wall and extend into the triangular window niche. She coated it in a dark green to contrast with the white walls. It grounds the space and makes it feel more cosy, while simultaneously calling attention to the architectural details.
For the furnishings, Joan sourced a mix of vintage and custom pieces with a few revivals from the original project. Her favourite space is the upstairs playroom/den. ‘It was a blank slate,’ she says, ‘but from the start, we zeroed in on the roof lines and natural light. The clients allowed us to take risks with pattern and colour and we adore the way this room came together.’
The owners are thrilled with their new-but-not home, which Joan modestly puts down to them: ‘They had vision, great taste, trusted us, were super fair with budget expectations and gave us the time we needed.’ jpatrycedesign.com
