Michael J. Lee

TRANSPLANTS FROM CALIFORNIA, the homeowners of this Weston Colonial — designed in the 1960s by lauded architect Royal Barry Wills — were attracted to its iconic New England appeal. To refresh the interiors, they called in Weston-based designer Katie Rosenfeld, who strove to create a look that was true to the home’s traditional style but also felt modern and imaginative. When it came to the front-entry hall, Rosenfeld “paired the expected with the unexpected.” She encouraged the homeowners to keep the original slate floor and then invigorated the space with bursts of red and a mix of patterns, antiques, and affordable contemporary items.

1 > SIX MORAVIAN STAR LIGHTS brighten up the hall, which tends to be dark because of the slate floors. “At night the stars are twinkly,” says Rosenfeld. “It’s a lovely visual.”

2 > A POTTERY BARN BENCH upholstered with red-and-white ticking stripes has a classic New England preppy look jazzed up with an assortment of patterned pillows.

3 > AN ANTIQUE CHIPPENDALE CHAIR with its ornate splat back came from a junk shop.

4 > AN OVERSIZE ZINC LANTERN looks like a salvaged piece but was actually purchased at Hudson in Boston. “I love the shape,” says Rosenfeld. “It has a great graphic quality and reminds me of a pagoda.”

5 > A FAUX ZEBRA-HIDE RUG adds a sense of fun, the designer says.

6 > THE LUXURIOUS RED-WOOL STAIR RUNNER reads as both modern and retro to Rosenfeld, who feels it gives the space “serious wow factor.”

7 > A CONTEMPORARY LAMP with a mirrored base contrasts nicely with the antique Chinese chest on which it rests.