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Livingetc
Livingetc
Karine Monié

This Moody New Jersey Brownstone's Color Palette Was Inspired by a Photograph of a Storm

A dark gray monochromatic living room .

After living in a one-bedroom apartment in the quaint city of Hoboken, New Jersey — situated on the Hudson River across from New York City — for several years, Maggie and Ryan were on the hunt for a place with more space to grow their family. They had considered moving to the suburbs but were never really convinced. "We liked having a place to escape the tall buildings of the city, but not so far out that our commute was consuming," says Maggie. "We would often walk down the side streets in Hoboken remarking on the beautiful brownstones. One day during lockdown, we passed a fully renovated home for sale. Out of curiosity, we looked it up and although it was out of our price range, we couldn’t believe how much lower prices were than pre-pandemic days."

Inspired by this to start looking for houses, when they spotted this property. Not so much a modern home ready to move into, but they knew it was a great opportunity despite its bad shape, so took their chance. "We wanted to invest in finishes that would accentuate the unique character of a brownstone, such as beautiful moldings and interesting finishes, while making the home function – with plenty of storage, for example," remembers Maggie.

"The living room had to be calming and cool, which you immediately feel when you enter this room." (Image credit: Tim Lenz. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos. Design: Crystal Sinclair )
(Image credit: Tim Lenz. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos. Design: Crystal Sinclair )

Transforming the couple’s vision into reality proved to be more challenging than expected, as things didn’t pan out with the first team they started working with. "Maggie and Ryan didn’t like the direction the aesthetic was going, so [they] contacted us to reshape the vision," says Crystal Sinclair, at the helm of Crystal Sinclair Designs, who worked with contractors Ridge Restoration on the revamp.

The concept for Crystal’s design was thanks to some inspiration images the couple shared with her. One of them was a photograph of a city storm which ultimately inspired the color palette. "It was a challenge to stay within the 'storm' palette while making each room its own different hue," says Crystal. But the finished result speaks of her success in wielding monochromatic color schemes when decorating these spaces.

"We wanted this room to be the ray of sunlight. We opted for a soft blush pink for the walls, ceiling and millwork, and to pair with it we opted for warm red accents in the banquette, chairs, and marble top dining table." (Image credit: Tim Lenz. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos. Design: Crystal Sinclair )
"We wanted to create a warm, golden vibe. We sourced until we found the perfect Calacatta Viola marble which is used for the countertops, splashback and shelves, while the brass sink really sings." (Image credit: Tim Lenz. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos. Design: Crystal Sinclair )

From this inspiration, the raised ground floor dining room with its pink color palette and the gold kitchen was imagined as being ‘under the clouds’; on the first floor, the lilac bedroom, black ensuite bathroom and gray guest room evoke the feeling of being amid the storm; while the top floor represents being above the clouds with its aqua and golden nurseries.

Running through the house, the all-black staircase idea and landings symbolize rain, while a small white entry vestibule represents light. Finally, the teal basement evokes the nearby river.

"I had this idea of a white marble mosaic floor and ran with it. The brass accents really contrast nicely here." (Image credit: Tim Lenz. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos. Design: Crystal Sinclair )
"The entry sets the tone for the home. It’s moody and dark – a great contrast to the dining room which is to the right of the entrance." (Image credit: Tim Lenz. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos. Design: Crystal Sinclair )

"I wanted the home to be like a livable art installation," says Crystal. "The idea was to create something moody, sexy and dramatic, yet also inviting and cozy." To achieve this vibe, a lot of contrasts and textures were introduced by intertwining new, modern pieces with the original architectural elements. "We added detailed or intricate crown moulding and medallions — really setting the stage," says Crystal. "Metallic pops then help break up the monotone spaces while adding a nice zing."

"I always feel like a powder bathroom should be dramatic. It’s a small space that you can have fun with. The floor is a marble slab which matches the channeled form floating sink." (Image credit: Tim Lenz. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos. Design: Crystal Sinclair )
"It is dark and inviting. The plush rug really begs you to take off your shoes and the large concave mirror brightens the room – just enough – adding that sharp contrast." (Image credit: Tim Lenz. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos. Design: Crystal Sinclair )
"I knew immediately that this space should be black. We had the large partition added between the bedroom and bathroom to allow natural light into the space, which allowed us to use such a strong, dark color. The sink console and its surround take center stage — it’s so sexy and dramatic." (Image credit: Tim Lenz. Styling: Mariana Marcki-Matos. Design: Crystal Sinclair )

Distinctive shapes were also used to help keep the house cohesive. "For example, in the living room the sofa ties well with the ceiling light," says Crystal. "While the round convex polished chrome sconces offset the coffee table and accent chair."

This circular motif adds a sense of continuity throughout the rooms, although Crystal has cleverly introduced some boxy squares in the form of the entry chandelier, living room coffee table, canopy bed in the primary bedroom and angular mantel in the guest room, to add contrast and balance. The result is a boldly eye-catching home that really is like no other.

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