How a Cluttered Townhouse Became a Soothing Oasis Thanks to Interior Design

Collections assembled by the client and her husband are added to the mix: art from trips to Africa and plentiful greyhound statues inspired by rescues of the much-abandoned breed. The abundance of things made visitors feel like children in a preciously decorated house. “They are not official people,” Mr. Robb said of the couple. “They are casual and kind-hearted and want guests to feel the same.”

He introduced his client to the faux but handcrafted side of 20th century modernism by artists and designers such as Pierre Jeanneret, George Nakashima, and Paul R. Evans. Luxurious textures and a narrow palette of pastel blues, greens, and neutrals added to the home’s warmth, linking 20th-century furniture with 19th-century architecture and many styles of art. “Don’t be afraid to surround yourself with colour,” said Mr. Robb, “but you don’t have to be poppy, bold, and aggressive.”

Click on Quiet Power of Pale Blue

The second-floor lobby consists of a seating and dining area, and its walls are covered in an almost neutral pale blue paint, Whispering Spring by Benjamin Moore. In the dining space, Mr. Robb upholstered the Wegner chairs that surround the walnut Nakashima table in a matching muted blue leather. Black shades of a mid-century-style chandelier visually connect to the shapes in a triptych by British artist Lisa Giles, and a blue geometric sculpted wool rug in the floor unites the two rooms and “invites guests to rest” in the high pile of carpets.

Don’t let the bathroom become too impersonal

The client signed Pierre Jeanneret furniture during the design process – so much so that Mr. Rupp had to “put his foot” to keep her from buying too much – and so he made sure to fit a piece in the bathroom. “I wanted her to start her day with a piece that would make her happy,” he said. The biggest mistake in bathroom design? “Denial of space [one’s] He said. “You don’t want to make it like a hotel bathroom.” Here, he added mats for the Tuareg and the same paint as the reception parlour.

Weave together handmade and machine made

In the master bedroom, Mr. Robb covered the headboard in woven Touareg leather and a reed mat from Morocco. “It brings color and movement to the space,” he said. He painted the walls the same soft blue used elsewhere in the house. To balance out the room’s innovative elements, including the African mask that’s part of the owners’ collection, he added a 1930s Swedish pewter lamp for “some strong metal.” Its luster contrasts with the soft alpaca blanket and lamb’s wool pillow.

Merge elements outside the time period with a layer of paint

The Arts & Crafts fireplace in the saloon came from a 1992 renovation. “He was yelling at us to change,” said Mr. Robb, but instead of replacing it, he painted the mantel glossy black. “It gave her that modern edge.” The background in the painting above the mantel and the leather of the armchair again align with the home’s soft blue, but red connects the signature cushions on the 1950s armchairs with tile trim in the fireplace surround. Meanwhile, a curved sofa draped in fluffy lamb’s wool “calls a detour.”

For calm, associate design with nature

Upstairs, Mr. Robb continues to lean toward the clean lines of mid-century modernism executed with warm materials. Three curved 1930s Axel Einar-Hjorth chairs in poplar pine surround a cork-covered Paul Frankl Cloud 1950s Paul Frankl Cloud coffee table. Blue leather softens the sofa chest, while on the walls, Benjamin Moore’s Hollingsworth Green, a pale sage, connects to the backyard view. Nature also gets eerie recognition from a giant stainless steel flower from the late American sculptor Gloria Kischel. A 1940s Swedish rug matches the home’s blue and green palette but adds touches of pink.