This Designer Transformed Her Formerly Drab Breakfast Nook

Photo by Michael J. Lee

Throughout the 12 years interior designer Annie Hall has lived in her West Newton townhouse, she’s been slowly overhauling the 1,800-square-foot space. “It’s hard not to as a designer,” she confesses. Hall was initially drawn to the home for its wood-burning fireplace and spacious back deck where her cavapoo, Jake, could safely roam. After she moved in, she focused first on crucial updates, including refinishing the wood floors and removing wall-to-wall carpeting. Last year, though, Hall made her way to revamping her breakfast nook, which felt drab. Her goals? Transform the space to better fit her tastes, while also adding storage.

The designer had removed some kitchen cabinets as part of earlier renovations, and she knew she’d need to make up for that space elsewhere. So in the nook she installed a row of 7-foot-tall, 11-inch-deep cabinets painted in Farrow and Ball’s “Monkey Puzzle.” To bring in more warmth and texture, Hall then covered the ceiling with stained and varnished plywood sheets.

When it came time to choose furniture for the nook, she created a petite custom café table using a cut remnant of Calacatta marble paired with a vintage iron base. For seating, the designer selected a pair of vintage fauteuil chairs that she had covered in cowhide to “add visual interest,” she says. All in all, the space fits Hall to a T: “Besides having wonderful storage, it’s perfect for an intimate meal. I’m thrilled.”