Written by Marisa Sandora
Design by Diane Durocher
Photography by Peter Rymwid
When a Bergen County family with four teenagers decided to build their dream home, they immediately hired an interior designer—before construction even began.
Enter Ramsey-based Diane Durocher, who developed the layouts plus the lighting and furniture plans; she also designed the architectural details, including builtins and coffered ceilings. Her overall task: giving the homeowners a “new but traditional” look befitting their 10,000-square-foot, shingle-style home.
But perhaps her biggest challenge was sticking to a consistent color palette throughout the entire house—the family wanted a neutral shade in the gray family—but still offer interest and depth. To the rescue: plenty of texture.
“Whether it’s trim on a window treatment, a painted striae finish on the walls or a French-pattern limestone in the entry foyer, it’s nice to be able to mix it up just a bit with some texture,” Durocher says.
The kitchen, designed by Wykoff-based Peter Salerno, is perfect for large family get-togethers, with two islands, two sinks, two dishwashers, warming drawers, a rotisserie and a built-in chopping block.
“The family loves to cook, and the kitchen has every bell and whistle,” says Durocher. “The La Cornue stove is the focal point. It features a custom hood fabricated from reclaimed tin ceiling tiles.” The same tiles are used on inset panels on the side-by-side refrigerator and freezer, adding even more interest and texture.
An adjacent great room features gray chenille sofas that contrast nicely with white walls. A contemporary wool and silk rug unifies the seating area, which is focused on the built-ins that house the television, fireplace and cabinetry. Additional seating for the large family was created with comfortable chairs and ottomans. Durocher added a nickel-finished chandelier to draw the eye upward.
“It’s nice to have focal points that aren’t architectural details,” she says. The project, which also included the talents of architect Bob Zampolin and builder George Kevo, took four years to complete.
“It was a long process but a great process because we learn how our clients live and what their expectations were for their home—and it was a privilege to assist them with that,” says Durocher. “Our job is to ensure that our clients are going to be thrilled at the end of the process, and I think they were very much so.”