Style in Sync

Three revamped rooms — each with its own aesthetic — work well together

Megan Pisano’s clients purchased their new Summit, New Jersey, home when they were living in California. So Pisano, of Chatham, New Jersey-based Megan Pisano Design, worked with her clients remotely — and across four time zones — for several months until they moved to New Jersey. The soon-to-be East Coasters wanted a redesign of their new family, living and dining rooms — and they had a specific vision for each.

“The goal for the family room was to be kid-friendly, relaxing and calm with a coastal vibe,” says Pisano, who grounded the serene aesthetic with light gray walls and carpeting. A large, plump sofa in a slightly darker gray softly contrasts with the walls and offers a soft, cozy spot for relaxation. “This is where the family spends most of their time,” the designer says.

To infuse the space with a bit of coastal ambience, Pisano supplemented the seating with armchairs in classic blues. “We wanted a little bit of texture and color. We found the most perfect set of chairs with spool detailing, upholstered in blue-and-white striped fabric. To complement these, we added a single armchair with baby blue fabric.”

The living room redesign required a bit of minor construction. Pisano explains, “We added French doors leading to the adjoining office [which was originally open to the living room] for privacy.” The doors can be closed to muffle sound from the rest of the house while allowing light into the space. Pisano describes her aesthetic brief for the room. “The client wanted a dark, moody, lounge area to have a cocktail with friends. We started working together at the beginning of Covid, so she wanted this to serve as an in-home retreat since you couldn’t really go to restaurants or bars at the time.”

To that end, Pisano coated the walls in a medium gray paint. She furnished the space with sofas in a rich green velvet that reinforces the subtle green undertones in the paint, as well as the greenery in the artwork between the windows — a painting of lilacs that once belonged to the client’s grandmother. Green chevron window treatments put the finishing touch on the space. “The living room truly made me think outside the box,” the designer says. “It is one of my favorite design projects. The client sent me inspiration photos, and I took her vision and ran with it. We came up with this beauty of a room!”

The walls go a step darker in the dining room, where deep blue paint pops against the newly installed white wainscoting. “The objective for the dining room was that it would feel like an upscale version of the living room — formal, elegant and coastal with some color.” The light wood dining table and neutral rug and chairs play off the saturated color on the walls. The window treatments add a hint of pattern. “The drapery plays a huge part in this room, allowing the space to feel more elevated.”

Having deftly met the challenges of long-distance designing, Pisano then approached the pervasive supply-chain issues with patience and practicality. “Unfortunately, it’s out of our control. But once the piece arrives, it’s such a joyous feeling!”

Clearly, Pisano enjoyed the process in spite of the logistical hurdles. “This was such a fun project to work on. The three rooms each had specific design visions that I worked to execute, while ensuring they lived well together as you travel from one room to another. All three rooms reflect a sense of calmness and serenity. More specifically, the designs are visually woven together with gold metallic accents in the dining room and living room and neutral textiles across the dining room and family room. The clients were fantastic. They had a vision and I brought that vision to life. They trusted my process and my design aesthetic. It was a lot of fun!”