Dark and Moody Vacation House Makes for a Stylish Getaway
Black trim, faux-crocodile wallpaper and ebony-stained floors are among the sexy touches in this second home in Oregon
When this San Francisco couple bought their vacation house in Ashland, Oregon, they were getting an idyllic setting in a quiet neighborhood far from the hustle and bustle of their regular city life. They were also getting a blank slate with which to create a dark and moody space that felt young and hip but also true to the home’s early-1900s architecture. “The interior of the house was in pretty bad shape,” designer Suzanne Childress says. “We had to take everything down to the studs and then create a new interior that complemented the original architecture.”
The living room includes new ebony-stained wood floors and window and ceiling trim painted in Benjamin Moore’s Black Beauty, in stark contrast to the silvery gray walls covered in Edgecomb Gray, also by Benjamin Moore. Woven window shades add a warm, organic touch.
The black leather sectional, zebra-print ottoman and gold coffee table are among the pieces that create the swanky vibe the homeowners desired. To the left of the sectional, Childress installed a gallery wall of art bought at local antiques shops.
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The black leather sectional, zebra-print ottoman and gold coffee table are among the pieces that create the swanky vibe the homeowners desired. To the left of the sectional, Childress installed a gallery wall of art bought at local antiques shops.
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Childress created a dramatic fireplace wall that includes a two-sided gas fireplace with a custom surround of basalt. The built-in shelving unit to the right of the fireplace holds books and decorative items; the bottom portion conceals an air-return vent. The fireplace wall is covered in a grasscloth wallpaper.
The other side of the two-sided fireplace is in a room that Childress calls “the parlor,” which serves as a TV room and lounge for the homeowners. The fireplace wall is covered in a black faux crocodile wall covering. “The homeowners wanted a space that felt like a sexy lounge where they could watch a movie or make themselves a cocktail and unwind,” the designer says.
The built-in wet bar is lined with grasscloth wallpaper and features a small sink with gold faucet. A pair of leather swivel chairs provide a comfortable spot for watching a movie on the flat-screen TV mounted above the fireplace.
A small office off the parlor gives the homeowners a place to check email and correspond with friends and family. The walls are covered in a wallpaper that features brightly colored birds and animals against a black background. “I’ve loved this wallpaper for a long time and have been waiting for the right project to use it,” Childress says.
The dramatic U-shaped kitchen includes lower cabinets and a paneled refrigerator wall painted in Black Beauty in a high-gloss finish. The upper cabinets are alder and have a custom multilayered stain. The marble-look porcelain countertops provide bold contrast to the dark cabinetry.
A small table and two chairs in a window nook on the opposite side of the kitchen offer just enough space for the homeowners to have a meal.
The doorway in the background leads to the master suite, which includes a small sitting room, bathroom and bedroom.
The doorway in the background leads to the master suite, which includes a small sitting room, bathroom and bedroom.
The master suite’s sitting room features a wall covered in abstract wallpaper. The small gray sofa sits across from a gas fireplace with a flat-screen TV mounted above it (not pictured). “This house features a lot of little areas that the homeowners can tuck themselves into and unwind,” Childress says.
The chic bathroom’s double vanity is also painted in Black Beauty, contrasting with the marble-look porcelain countertops. The brass sink fixtures, library-style wall sconces and hardware add a touch of glam.
On the opposite side of the bathroom, mirrored French doors open to a water closet whose walls are covered in a colorful paper featuring images of rabbits. The wall-hung toilet is a streamlined choice that keeps the small space from feeling too crowded.
The walls of the walk-in shower are covered in cream-toned large-format porcelain tiles, and the floor is black penny tile.
The walls of the walk-in shower are covered in cream-toned large-format porcelain tiles, and the floor is black penny tile.
The master bedroom includes an alcove bed surrounded by custom cabinets in ebony-stained wood with brass pulls. The cabinetry provides additional storage and the black, white and gray wallpaper creates a dramatic feature wall. A pair of pendant lights made of multiple glass spheres drips from the bottom of the overhead cabinets, creating sculptural bedside lighting.
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More on Houzz
8 Reasons to Paint Your Interior Trim Black
10 Ways to Use Black on Bedroom Walls
Look for an interior designer
Browse pendant lights
House at a Glance
Who lives here: A San Francisco couple when on vacation
Location: Ashland, Oregon
Size: About 1,000 square feet (93 square meters)
Designer: Suzanne Childress Design
Since the home’s entry is quite small, Childress wanted to create as big an impact there as possible. Upon opening the lacquered plum-hued front door, one encounters a wall covered in a feather-inspired wallpaper. An antique mirror helps to visually enlarge the space, while the marble shelf underneath it holds a pair of bowls for keys. A chandelier of glass droplets completes the scene.
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