After 30 years of suburban living, these empty-nester homeowners were excited to take advantage of the city. They tasked Gabrielle Bove, founder of Opaline Interiors Studio, to zhush up their recently-acquired 1,199-square-foot condo in a Brookline brownstone. Bove wanted the living room, where the couple hang out and entertain friends before heading to dinner, to be a conversation starter. A grass-cloth mural printed with prairie flowers that begins where a brick wall ends did the trick. “I love the high contrast, which I played up with other design decisions,” she says. “It gives this eclectic space some edge.”
1 The Maiden Home green velvet chair injects a shot of color while the dotted hair-on-hide lounge chair adds pattern. Plus, its skinny black frame pops against the light walls and keeps that end of the room airy.
2 Bove purposefully implemented a high contrast palette — the window trim is dark green, and the walls a pale gray. “The stark difference bounces the eye around, making the room feel larger and brighter,” she says.
3 Relaxed Roman shades, made from mist-colored silk, are elevated but not stuffy and mimic the curve of the sofa.
4 The multi-globe design of the Visual Comfort & Co. chandelier does not duplicate the look of the floor lamp, nor does it compete with the mural. “It has an Art Deco feel that’s just distinct enough to be its own moment,” the designer says.
5 Bove chose the burnished brass floor lamp for its warm tone and solid shade. “The light shines up and down instead of diffusing outward, which creates a cocktail lounge-type mood,” she says.
6 “The fact that this is a brownstone with a brick wall informed the color of sofa and coffee table,” Bove says. The tight back, bench seat, and long pillows of the swooping, rust-colored velvet piece ensure it never looks sloppy, while the pitched back makes it comfortable.
Marni Elyse Katz is a contributing editor to the Globe Magazine. Follow her on Instagram @StyleCarrot. Send comments to magazine@globe.com.