When a young family enlisted New York City-based Ariel Okin to transform their new-build in New Canaan, Connecticut, into a child-friendly retreat, the designer jumped at the opportunity to leave her mark. "It was an empty white box when we started working on it," she explains. "While beautiful, the space felt impersonal at the outset, so we really tried to incorporate the client’s love of nature into our design."
The residence already boasted an undeniable New England feel, thanks to its bucolic surrounding landscape. In fact, the five-bedroom, white clapboard oasis is mere steps from a horse farm. Okin leaned into that surrounding beauty.
"The clients, a married couple with a toddler and an infant, wanted to feel like they were bringing the beauty of the pastoral farmland indoors, so we focused on chintzy floral patterns balanced with stripes, airy linens, pale blues, and chocolate browns," Okin explains. That driving vision is on proud display in nearly every space, including the dining room, primary bedroom, and one of the several powder rooms, where florals, gentle earthy tones, and touchably soft textures reign.
Apart with the wallcoverings and fabrics, Okin's blatant celebration of nature also takes form in the furniture and decorative objects—namely, the client's bird figurine collection. "Incorporating that into the project was a really fun and special challenge," Okin admits. Careful not to make parts of the home feel like a museum, she continued the bird theme with an elegant approach. In the bright and sunny dining room, Okin opted for a Lewis & Wood wallpaper with quite a few winged motifs, and in the first-floor powder room, a bright green bird-accented wallcovering she designed in collaboration with The Mural Source.
While most of the rooms emphasize Okin's clever use of colors, patterns, and symbols, a select few take a swift departure from the more nature-inspired theme of the house—especially the children's rooms. It's clear that Okin had plenty of fun in the nursery, with its creamy striped wallpaper and bright primary colors, and the youthful and whimsically outfitted playroom. She notes, "We wanted to create spaces that were dynamic and that could grow with the boys but still felt really exciting for them at the toddler stage."
The little ones weren’t the only family members impressed with Okin’s creation. “It was so satisfying when they moved in and wrote us the most special note of gratitude," she says. "I printed it out and have it in my office because it is such a good reminder of why we do what we do and why I love what we do so much."
Exterior
“The client's home is such a classic Colonial and sits beautifully on a hill near a horse farm. It is pure New Canaan splendor," Okin says. She worked with Mike Cerreta of Cerreta Builders throughout the project.
Entryway
Okin says, "The foyer needed to be both warm and functional, so we added some antique and vintage pieces, including the settee." Bench: Vintage from 1stDibs. Rug: Etsy. Umbrella stand: Scully & Scully.
Living Room
Pictured above.
In this living room, styled for photography, along with the rest of the house, by Grace Harris, Okin says, "The artwork, which client's own, plays so nicely with the color palette in this room," Okin notes. "Two favorite pieces of furniture in this room are the antique French Louis commode and the Victorian-era set of chairs from Sharland England, my friend Louise’s beautiful shop in London. The contrasting pale blue paint on the millwork, Borrowed Light by Farrow & Ball, paired with the neutral grasscloth creates an airy space without feeling too one-note." Sofas: Serena & Lily. Ottomans: Serena & Lily. Coffee table: Theodore Alexander. Pendant: Circa Lighting.
"The window treatment fabric is really the star of the show here—it's hand-embroidered and pairs so beautifully with the Bennison chintz on the sofa," she adds.
Kitchen
"The Hollywood at Home rush and cerused oak barstools add texture to an otherwise pretty stark, white space," Okin says. "Additionally, the ticking stripes from Schumacher add color that ties back into the light fixtures and and adjoining breakfast nook. We love a blue and white moment, always!" Lanterns: Urban Electric Co. Stools: Hollywood at Home. Window treatments: Schumacher.
Dining Room
"The dining room is certainly a 'wow' moment in this house and one we are really proud of," says Okin. "This room really to me was about standing the test of time; I envisioned them hosting Thanksgiving in here 20 years from now, and trying to make it as true to their personality and as timeless as possible." Table: Custom by Kittinger Furniture Company, Inc. Chairs: Bungalow 5. Tablecloth: Etsy.
Left: "The vignette of the sideboard with the white lamps and gilded Carver's Guild sunburst mirror is my personal favorite spot in this room, framed by the ornithology prints on either side," Okin says. Wallpaper: Lewis & Wood. Lamp: Visual Comfort. Shade: Bunny Williams. Mirror: Carvers' Guild. Buffet table: Theodore Alexander.
Right: "The hero is obviously the wallpaper, which created the perfect backdrop for the rest of the furniture in the space, from the mirror to the custom settee in that gorgeous burgundy and cream stripe." Settee: Custom. Fabric: Paloma Embroidery in red, Schumacher.
Family Room
"The clients spend the majority of their time in this room, so it was really important to us that the room not only be beautiful, but also extremely functional. It is a perfect cozy hangout room for watching TV with the fire on, and it also is a great spill-over space for entertaining from the kitchen area," Okin says. "I love the mix of deep olive greens, pale blue, ivory, and chocolate brown from the bone inlay side table that we had custom made in India," the designer adds. Area rug: Safavieh. Sofa: Serena & Lily. Side table: Custom. Green table lamps: Christopher Spitzmiller.
Powder Room
"We fell in love with the slate top on the powder room vanity. The textured wallpaper really pulled that grey-green in so nicely," Okin notes. "The mirror ties it all together with an understated pop of a graphic silhouette." Mirror: Oomph Furniture. Wallpaper: Lee Jofa. Vase: Stylist’s own.
Bedroom
"We envisioned the primary bedroom as a soothing and calming oasis for the clients," Okin says. "The bones of this room are pretty neutral—solid pale blue grasscloth wallpaper and white drapery with a patinated brass French return rod—but the patterns in small doses, on the bedding, and the fabric on the custom storage ottoman, really make the room sing." Canopy bed: Serena & Lily. Botanical prints: Three Posts. Wallpaper: Schumacher.
A comfy chair and sunlit window invite rest and reflection—and make an ideal reading spot. Lounge chair: Serena & Lily. Pillow: Artemis Design Co. Vase: Pottery Barn.
Nursery
Okin says, "Mixing different textiles in here but still staying within the same palette allowed us to play around freely with shapes." Wallpaper: Schumacher. Crib: Clients’s own. Chair: Serena & Lily.
Playroom
"The playroom was so fun to design," says Okin. "The primary colors really make the space feel warm and inviting for the kids to play in. They really wanted a swinging chair, so we added those in, and tried to go with the animal theme by incorporating the horse fabric from Schumacher, mixed with some other great textiles from Sister Parish, Peter Dunham, and more. The stuffed tiger is my personal favorite accessory.” Rugs: Patterson Flynn and BD Fine. Hanging chairs: Serena & Lily. Wallpaper: Chasing Paper. Sofa: Pottery Barn Teen.
Powder Room
"We were so excited to use this paper from my collection with The Mural Source in the powder room," Okin recalls. "It is such a beautiful green in person!" Okin says. Wallpaper: The Mural Source. Sconce: Hudson Valley Lighting Group.
Patio
"We love helping clients with their entertaining trousseaus, and we're always happy to help throw a party or style a dinner table," Okin notes. "The more the merrier!" Table: RH. Chairs: Vintage. Planters: Ferm Living. Vase: OKA.
Q&A
House Beautiful: Did you encounter any memorable hiccups, challenges, or surprises during the project? How did you pivot?
Ariel Okin: It was not a challenge in particular, but our client was pregnant with her second son at the same time that I was pregnant with my second daughter, so navigating maternity leaves was a logistical feat for sure! It was also peak COVID as we were designing this house, so navigating two pregnant women who couldn’t be around others at that time with our project management was also difficult, but we figured it out!
HB: Where did the majority of the budget go?
AO: A lot of the budget certainly went to custom furniture, great fabrics, custom window treatments, custom rugs, and wall finishes with a lacquered ceiling in the formal living room in pale blue and different wallcoverings in many rooms.
HB: Any other memorable details?
AO: These clients really were just such a kind, warm family. We felt so lucky to work with them—we think of them as the gold standard for us as clients because they really gave us full rein creatively, trusted our vision and appreciated what we were bringing to the table in terms of quality of work and professionalism. We just absolutely adored every second of working with them!
