One local designer put a chic, contemporary twist on a Brown University couple’s home.The dining room features fun pops of color, thanks to art from PSTR studio.

In search of an inviting escape from their studies, a client called upon Desiree Burns of Desiree Burns Interiors (dburnsinteriors.com). Situated walking distance from the campus in College Hill awaited one of Providence’s most storied properties housing five beds, four full and one half-bath. Built in 1795, the John Pitman House features original hardwood floors, open-concept living spaces and a private city garden.

A dark wood Labrica side table compliments the living room’s lighter features.

Playing with the juxtaposition of 18th-century bones and modern details, Burns created a warm, playful escape. “The Gen Z residents envisioned a vibrant, contemporary and whimsical atmosphere for their living space,” shares Burns. “They gravitated toward shades of pink and green and favored an overall organic and cozy feel for much of their inspiration. We decided early on to go with bold pops of color throughout. The sofa fabrics were some of the first materials we grounded the design plan around.”

A bed with soft lines adds a modern element to the primary bedroom, featuring classic details like Schumacher wallpaper.

Following the nine-month project, the couple’s vision became a reality. Vibrant pinks and greens draw you into the main living room, where smooth velvet and performance fabrics pair with soft lines for a calming yet youthful atmosphere. A contemporary Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams (mgbwhome.com) bubble-like sofa complements the bookshelves of a similar hue—Santa’s Suit by Benjamin Moore (benjaminmoore.com)— featuring a pop of classic-style wallpaper.

Ro Sham Beaux sconces frame a Jonathan Adler Ripple Lacquer mirror in this bathroom.

“I think overall they gravitated toward a little bit of a softer look,” she notes. “And for the living room sofa, we wanted to counter the historical elements throughout the house to make sure the shapes and the colors felt current and modern.” Two contemporary olive chairs add an organic touch, accented by the room’s neutral foundational tones, like a taupe Lulu & Georgia (luluandgeorgia.com) shag rug, marble coffee table and cream credenza with bronze details.

A Candelabra Home Jabriyah Tweed bed sits in the guest bedroom.

Down the hall awaits a contemporary organic-style dining room— perfectly suited for the client’s entertainer spirit. Eyes are immediately drawn to the oak table, with smooth, rounded lines. Below the Aldorno (mcgeeandco.com) linear chandelier are matching wood chairs featuring plush white cushions. Vibrant prints by PSTR studio (pstrstudio. com) add pops of green, blue, orange and pink to the space.

Find the Lena sectional by Sarah Sherman Samuel and a Labrica side table in the attic living space.

However, when the residents seek a night off from hosting, the movie room offers a quiet escape. A green colorway anchors the space, splashing across the velvet Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams sectional, balsam-hued built-in and Catasetum green bamboo wallpaper. Adding a natural element is the stone coffee table by House of Leon (house-of- leon- furniture.com), sitting just below the gold Ormandy semi-flush mount by Rejuvenation (rejuvenation.com).

The home office houses CB2 desks and chairs by Mitchell Gold Bob Williams.

Upstairs, the owners can find true bliss in the primary bedroom. The dark green velvet Vivienne bed by Soho Home (sohohome.com) is softened by panels of Schumacher’s (schumacher.com) Delicate Dance wallcovering, while original molding and a cane chair add a timeless element. “The client really wanted her primary bedroom to be calming and welcoming, so you’ll see softer pinks and the delicate pattern in the wallpaper,” says Burns.

The bar wows with original cabinets painted in Benjamin Moore’s Black Bean Soup, a green marble vintage countertop, Lo & Co hardware and reeded glass uppers.

Once the Providence project came to an end, it was the upholstery’s unbridled color palette that stood out to the designer. She concludes: “The fact that we were able to have fun with colors is always really exciting to me. I think a lot of people tend to gravitate toward neutrals, so being able to incorporate bold pops of color isn’t something that we always get to do.”

The movie room’s soft textures offer the perfect spot to unwind with a good film.

DESIGN DETAILS

TYPE
Single-Family

INTERIOR DESIGNER
Desiree Burns Interiors
Dburnsinteriors.com

MITCHELL GOLD + BOB WILLIAMS
Rug, movie room Sofa, living and movie rooms Chairs, office
Mgbwhome.com

LULU & GEORGIA
Rugs, living room and attic
Luluandgeorgia.com

JONATHAN ADLER
Bed, guest attic bedroom Mirror, bathroom
Jonathanadler.com

CRATE AND BARREL
Bed, guest bedroom
Crateandbarrel.com

CB2
Desks, office
Cb2.com