Captivating Content
Writer Marirose Krall | Photographer Mary Pat Collins | Designer Sarah Wilson | Location Sicklerville, NJIn Sicklerville, an influencer’s redesigned home provides a beautiful setting for her work
“Glam farmhouse” — that’s the aesthetic Natasha Greene was looking for in the Camden County home she shares with her husband, Nathaniel Greene, and their toddler son. That seems fitting for the digital creator whose accounts — @asiliglamcooks, @asiliglamhome and @asiliglam — bring lifestyle inspiration to hundreds of thousands of followers.
“I was looking for a modern, clean and elevated aesthetic for my home,” Greene says. “It was built in the early 2000s, so we were working with very traditional Colonial aesthetics to begin with. We wanted to keep the integrity of the home while updating it with a more elegant and modern look,” Greene says.
Designer Sarah Wilson, of Woodbridge, Virginia-based Chansaerae Designs, interpreted that look to suit her clients’ lifestyle. “I decided to go light and bright, with a lot of soft blues,” she says. “It’s a comfortable vibe. The Greenes have a young child, and they have a lot of family and friends coming in and out. I wanted to make it comfortable for them — elegant yet comfortable.”
The elegance is evident in the kitchen which, for Greene, is one of the most important rooms in the house. As a culinary content creator, she sought a stylish kitchen that could serve as a backdrop for cooking demonstrations. “I work from my kitchen daily. It serves as my content studio to create new recipes,” she says. Wilson understood that a noteworthy kitchen was essential to her client’s work. “Natasha makes most of her videos in the kitchen. She was looking for something memorable.” To that end, Wilson incorporated white quartz countertops with black striations that make an unforgettable statement against the dark cabinets. The waterfall-style counter on the island ups the dramatic impact. “The kitchen is visible from the family room,” Wilson notes. “This was a great moment to include something gorgeous.”
Also gorgeous is the open shelving; its light wood finish brings the rustic touch that Greene was after, but it also represents a practical use of space. “Prior to the renovation, there were a lot of recessed cabinets that weren’t adding additional storage. I thought these shelves would be good areas to display accessories and bring a little bit of the farmhouse style the homeowner wanted into the space.”
The adjacent breakfast room leans more fully into the rustic vibe, with a wood table and simple black slat-black chairs. There is a hint of glamour, though, in the furnishings. “The table legs have a little gold cap on the bottom,” the designer notes. A brass light fixture repeats the metallic tone.
The dining room has its own luxe aesthetic thanks to millwork-clad wall designed by Wilson and installed by Nathaniel Greene. The millwork brings depth and texture to the space, but it’s not the only distinctive element in the room. “To take the glam to another level, we put wallpaper on the ceiling,” Wilson explains. And it’s not just any wallpaper; this wall covering is infused with crystals. “When the lights are on and the crystals are sparkling, it’s really a very special moment,” Wilson says.
The powder room received special treatment as well. “It’s a small space — just 5 feet by 4 feet,” the designer notes. “No one expects much from powder rooms, but I think they offer an opportunity to make a jewel box of a room.” Wilson created a gem of a space with bold black-and-white graphic wallpaper and accessorized with brass accents in the light fixture, mirror, faucet and towel ring. “I love wallpaper,” the designer says. “I always try to convince people to use it if it’s something they wouldn’t have considered.”
While expanding her clients’ decorative horizons, Wilson also ensures that the spaces she designs work for their particular aesthetic preferences. “I want each space to be unique and reflect the person who’s in the home. I want the person to wake up every morning and say, ‘this place is amazing and I’m happy I live here.’ Seeing the end product brings me such joy, and I know it brings my clients more joy because they actually live there. That’s the goal at the end of the day.”