Something Old, Something New

Written by R.K. Evans

Updating the Pleasures of Home and Hearth with Brand New Favorites

The craftmanship and design ideas of Aly’s Interiors have proven that with subtle, elegant design changes you can completely revamp the energy, look and feel of your home.
Interior designer Kim Egelhoff of the Aly’s team has created winning designs for every available floor plan, and her work in this beautiful St. Charles County home leaves visitors in awe from top to bottom.
Your first step inside the foyer draws you into the open elegance of the soft, contemporary great room and the grand style of its wide arched windows and delicate custom window dressings. These sweeping window treatments draw the eye up, and invite visitors to sink into the homey comforts of the living room area. A magnificent mosaic wall hanging rests with royal authority atop the fireplace. The pleasant mix of family favorites and bold, modern pieces begins here and guides you gently through the entire home.  Attractive candlesticks wink with cleaver seduction across the expansive room at the family’s ebony baby grand piano.  Kim’s stylish use of fusion design is soft and blooms with delicious subtle beauty.
“I was a little bored with the traditional monochromatic look that I’d had for some time,” recalls the homeowner Sara.  “I wanted to redo our home design, but I wanted a look that could blend in well with my favorite family pieces.  The windows were bare and beautiful, but stark.  I wanted to find a way to accent them without hiding our great view.  I knew I’d need some help moving from the traditional to the contemporary, and Kim did a phenomenal job.”
The dining area, once dominated by a rectangular table now invites guests to relax at an over-sized walnut dining piece large enough to accommodate a queen’s family, and her royal guests.  This relaxed family gathering spot is aglow with the delightfully warm accent lighting and the crisp, custom drapery forming a gentle fringe in the front window.
As you weave deeper into the home and the family’s hearth room, there is a sense of peace, balance and sheer comfort.   Sara comments, “Kim’s designs have brought life to our hearth room windows!  No more boring, straight lines.”
The custom draperies in the hearth room stand out with shape and curve, and bring creative interest to the room’s design.  Granite kitchen counter tops rest in clean, hard lines just opposite the comfort and warm safety of plush sofa seating.  Dark cherry blinds provide privacy in the kitchen area, and custom window treatments frame the incredible backyard view.  Unique lighting and table lamps compliment Kim’s placement of bold, brilliant mantle pieces, and her custom window dressings bring height to keep the eye drawn out into an expansive view of nature’s beauty.
“My wish for this home was to create a unique interior giving family and friends an elegant surrounding while still feeling the comfort of a welcoming home. Because the homeowner’s personal preference to color is monochromatic, we chose the color palette of taupe.  This taupe palette is soft and warm with deep eggplant, chocolate and bronze accents which help balance the large scaled rooms and windows. The window treatments bring life to each room by framing the picturesque outdoors without covering any of the actual window space.  Oversized architectural accessories bring appreciation to the Neoclassic decor favored by the home owner.”
A winding staircase intends to carry visitors into a basement den area, but instead one pauses to admire an amazing art piece in plaster that presents an incredible surprise.  One must stop in mid-descent to admire and wonder. 
The bottom of the stairwell delivers you into the warmth of dark wood and the fun and frolic of an Irish pub, softened with the familiar aura of home.  A sectional sofa floats atop creamy tan carpeting, and family photos smile brightly from Kim’s unique choice of drop framing.  An impressive mosaic ceiling entices the eye to admire the rich colors and detail that are complimented perfectly by decorative custom drapery, and the space culminates as the perfect storm of familiar and brand new favorites.
“Everything seemed disjointed before, now it has all come together into a warm and wonderful family space. Kim was really easy to work with, and she worked easily with my taste.  She gets a feel for what you want, and we are thrilled with the result,”  said Sara.
The successful mixture of old flair and new favorites has blended beautifully in this family home with professional design that’s changed from monochromatic modern into a contemporary haven of comfort.