an airy family home inspired by nancy meyers films
Designer Dan Mazzarini creates a whitewashed haven on Long Island, New York, with a cozy yet sophisticated style.
JENNIFER FERNANDEZ / FEBRUARY 25, 2016
Meryl Streep’s ranch in It’s Complicated. Diane Keaton’s beach house in Something’s Gotta Give. Cameron Diaz’s contemporary retreat in The Holiday.When those films hit theaters, the featured homes became characters in their own right; people swooned over the creamy palettes, the sophisticated textures, and the kitchens that could be theirs only in dreams. Alyssa Katz was no exception. “I wanted a house that looked like a home in a Nancy Meyers movie,” says Katz, who, with her husband, Todd, traded in a one-bedroom West Village apartment for a family home on New York’s Long Island, ahead of the birth of their daughter. She turned to Manhattan-based interiors expert Dan Mazzarini of BHDM Design to bring her vision to life. “We wanted something clean, with a neutral color palette, mixing a modern and traditional aesthetic.”
The shingled exterior already fit the Katzes’ prerequisite for classic styling, so Mazzarini added architectural details throughout the house to more closely link the interiors, creating visual interest while lending a sense of history at every turn. In the living room, he installed ceiling beams and crown molding, all coated with glossy white oil paint; underfoot, cerused-oak floors in a neutral gray hue break up the whitewashed color scheme. A standard stacked-slate fireplace in the family room was refinished with brick to give it age and a hint of character.
Once a Meyers-worthy backdrop was in place, all that was needed to complete the conceit was a meticulously curated assortment of antique items paired with modern finishes. Plaid rugs become a playful, textural base in the main gathering areas. Meanwhile, heritage fabrics by the likes of Kravet, Schumacher, and Rogers & Goffigon elevate streamlined furnishings collected from eBay and the Paris flea and keep the interiors from feeling too precious. “It was important that our home be welcoming, with a warm and comfortable vibe,” says Alyssa. Thanks to Mazzarini’s guiding eye, the interior elements combine for a look that’s more than mere set.