DESIGN by ANNA KROESSER AND AMELIA STRAT, KROESSER + STRAT DESIGN
PHOTOGRAPHY by REGAN WOOD
TEXT by NAYDA RONDON
The story’s ending was predictable enough. When a long-standing client asked Anna Kroesser and Amelia Strat, co-founders/lead designers of New York City-based Kroesser + Strat Design, to revamp an outdated guest cottage on the grounds of his circa1960s colonial in Mendham, the designers were all in. And the customer pretty much knew he’d be satisfied.
He had been the designers’ first client when they started their company in 2012. They’d worked with him on a project at the firm where both designers worked before launching their own. When they left, he’d reached out with a commission on a bathroom reno for his pied-à-terre on the Upper East Side. Since then they’ve done numerous projects for him. By the time he tapped them for this cottage redo, from spring 2021 to spring 2022, success was a confident expectation on all sides. But some surprising touches would be applied in giving the cottage its new life.
“Any time we have the opportunity to work with him, we know it’s going to be amazing,” Kroesser says. “He literally says, ‘Here are the keys, have fun!’ Creatively, it’s the most fun we get to have. His style has evolved over the years as much as ours and, in many ways, his projects have shown our growth as designers and as a firm.”
Strat is just as enthusiastic. “He likes to entertain and have room for everyone,” she says of this client. “The main house has only a couple of guest bedrooms, so overflow visitors stay at the cottage.” She adds that the 3,000-square-foot, one-floor cottage, built in 1966, has two bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and a basement, which the designers converted from a storage area to a multipurpose “hang space.”
The guesthouse was serviceable, just in need of a refresh more in step with the main house, which had been fully renovated in 2015–16 to reflect a contemporary style. While minimally involved with the structural renovations, Kroesser and Strat had done design work—incorporating novel and contemporary elements in predominantly neutral tones—that was pivotal in creating the home’s modern spirit. Now their aim for the guesthouse redesign was to combine the primary residence’s fresh flair with the cottage’s character and charm.
“We wanted to blend the beauty of the cottage’s original details—big beams salvaged from the local train station that had been demolished decades ago, wide plank floors and wood-paneled walls—and mix those with furniture, lighting pieces and art more aligned with our client’s aesthetic,” Strat explains. “We love a good design juxtaposition. The bones of the home are very cottagecore, but we wanted to bring in modern elements to offset the rustic touches.”
The designers set about creating spaces that would be restful, yet playful; charming, yet modern; refined, yet rustic. Existing wood floors in many of the rooms were sanded and restained to lustrous new life; the den’s existing brick fireplace and wood on ceiling beams and fireplace mantel were left intact in all of their perfectly imperfect authenticity. In the living room, the fireplace’s slate hearth resides alongside contemporary artwork and fun custom pieces such as the Lucite coffee table.
The den proved the trickiest to tackle. “The room isn’t very big, and you also had the stair and kitchen openings,” says Kroesser. “Figuring out a great layout took a little time, but ultimately came down to sourcing pieces that weren’t oversized but still felt comfortable.”
Choosing to embrace the room’s naturally moodier vibe, the designers painted the paneled walls and staircase in Benjamin Moore Knoxville Gray and anchored the room with a deep-green/gray velvet Ligne Roset Togo sectional. “We went all in on the low ceilings, exposed beams and bold paint,” says Strat. “Sometimes you just have to lean into it. Especially here, dark and cozy really paid off.”
In another nod to the home’s quirks, the designers kept the original pass-through to the kitchen, a holdover from when the den served as a dining room. They layered in warmth with a sweater-like bespoke rug from Fayette Studio, a Clic mohair blanket and a vintage vase, while playful touches like Caia Leifsdotter’s psychedelic wall mirror brought whimsy to the mix. Atop the sculptural Hommés Studio travertine stone coffee table, a Jonathan Adler tic-tac-toe set invites guests to enjoy some friendly competition.
Although equally inviting, the living room—in Benjamin Moore Cloud Cover—projects a lighter feel. The Property Furniture sofa is clad in a Rogers & Goffigon tweed-like fabric in a neutral base with confetti-like flecks of purple, pink and orange. The crème Gubi Pacha armchair with a brown accent pillow complements while the Clic throw picks up the purple in the sofa. Custom drapes in Rogers & Goffigon fabric help dress the room in elegance; two Brody poufs from Kathy Kuo Home inject a funky element. As in other rooms, the art here—Josefin Tolstoy’s piece by the fireplace, Theo Pinto’s work above the sofa—helps set an eclectic aesthetic. Another standout: the pink-tinted coffee table by Ian Alistair Cochran. “It’s our favorite piece in the home,” Kroesser says. “It was kind of wild for the space but this client loves to take risks, especially with unique pieces. He saw it and loved it!”
The enclosed back patio offers three-season living spaces: Off the den, the dining room serves as a casually elegant spot to gather for great food and camaraderie around the David Sutherland teak dining table with a Carrara marble top. Off the living room, a lounge section lets guests chill in handcrafted Dedon chairs. And just beyond, the outside patio near the pool sports a luxe outdoor sectional and coffee table from David Sutherland and stylish Manutti chairs.
“The cottage setting is bucolic and lovely,” says Strat. “In spring and summer it comes to life, and in fall and winter the surrounding property feels cozy and quiet. We think our design choices transform the interior in perfect harmony with the changing seasons.”