5 minutes readIt all started with a kitchen decorated in blush tones. The owners of this Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, home originally hired Philadelphia-based designer Michelle Gage to renovate their kitchen, which, she says, became a kismet moment when both she and the homeowners envisioned the same color for the cabinets. What started as a kitchen renovation eventually turned into a major remodel. Inspired by the homeowners' love of arts, crafts, and fantasy films, Gage infused every square inch of the home with magic and imagination using her signature look of bold colors and contrasting patterns.
The 20th-century home is located in Pittsburgh's charming Squirrel Hill neighborhood, where it is located Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood was filmed. When designing a space, Gage considers the home itself. “I'm heavily influenced not only by the architecture of the house, but also by the people who live in it,” she says. The designer's goal was for the color story to flow from room to room in a cohesive and creative way, so you know you're in the same house but don't feel like you're experiencing the same space over and over again. “Each room had its own vision. We wanted the house to feel cohesive, but each room took on its own personality,” says Gage.
Tour this character-filled Pittsburgh home to experience the magic for yourself—and take a master class in pattern mixing and color pairing.
dining room
Clients' love of art, crafts, and fantasy films inspired Gage to weave fantasy throughout the home, often using a magical wallpaper print—like this pastoral mural from Designers Guild—as a vehicle to transport you to another time and place. “We wanted to spread their love of fantasy throughout the house and the dining room, located right at the entrance, seemed like the perfect place to have fun with wallpaper!”
In the dining room, the biggest challenge was keeping the space light and airy while still providing privacy for the homeowners. “They have a large, beautiful window overlooking the street where they are displayed,” shares Gage. The solution was layered window curtains that provide privacy while letting in light and adding another dose of pattern.
Kitchen
“It all started with the pink kitchen – a shared vision between our team and our customers,” says Gage. “It felt like we were both together I just knew it That was the intended cabinet color.” She paired the softly toned cabinets with glossy square ceramic tiles on the range hood and backsplash, and used Lacey Pearl, a cream shade from Benjamin Moore, on the walls.
Storage was the biggest challenge in the kitchen. “It's not a large space, but our homeowner is a big baker – she needed not only a lot of storage space, but counter space as well,” says Gage. The designer has incorporated many clever storage solutions into the kitchen, which is connected to the dining room, to create a perfect flow for the homeowners who are both passionate cooks and frequent hosts.
Breakfast nook
To maximize storage space in the kitchen, Gage incorporated shelves and cabinets into this charming breakfast nook. “We added additional cabinets in every corner we could – including around the bench – to meet this need,” says Gage. She continued the blush hue from the cabinets to the floor-to-ceiling shelves and drawers beneath the banquet seating, and introduced her signature pattern layering style through a Ferrick Mason wallpaper and Radish Moon cafe curtains that match those above the kitchen sink.
Living room
For the homeowners, designing a home that wasn't too expensive was a non-negotiable task. They have two small and active children, so comfort and a space that the family can really enjoy live in was at the top of her wish list. The living room is a large area that Gage divided into two different zones. “We had to make sure it was cohesive but also met their functional needs,” shares the designer.
She transformed one side of the living room into a cozy fireplace area and the other into a comfortable game table and reading nook. “It works and flows, but it was difficult to create this large space, especially because the client wanted to keep their existing pink carpet!” In addition, the living room is a great place to get together. “They host many of their creative friends – musicians, artists and the like. Their large living room is where everyone can gather for a great evening jam session,” says Gage.
The designer chose Farrow & Ball's Dix Blue for the walls and hung artwork from the homeowners' collection as well as some special pieces she hand-selected for them in Paris. “We were nearing completion of their project and still had some blank walls that screamed original art,” shares Gage. She was looking for something other than photos and prints and ended up purchasing 14 pieces for her home from some of her favorite sellers in Paris. They loved every single piece I chose and even made up stories for them,” says Gage.
Master bedroom
“In the master bedroom, we created a moodier, more sensual vibe and played with large-format wallpaper in an eggplant hue,” says Gage. The designer paired it with Benjamin Moore's Cabernet on the trim, cabinetry, and doors, and contrasted the large-scale wallpaper print with a contrasting patterned fabric on the custom bed. “I love creating unexpected pattern and color pairings,” says Gage.
While mixing patterns is an intuitive process for the designer, she offers a good rule of thumb to keep in mind: “Prints are about tone, texture and size. They all have to work in harmony to layer one print on another.” The goal is to find a strong balance within the overall design: “We never want a room to be too subdued and flat, but at the same time you can't create a circus,” says Gage.
cellar
Basements are often an afterthought, but this magical space is anything but. “The basement is a full-on atmospheric movie viewing room where everyone can snuggle up on the couch with a bowl of popcorn,” says Gage. The star of the pattern-studded room is – quite literally – a gold star-adorned Maison C. wallpaper adorned across the walls and ceiling for stunning effect.
Maria Sabella is a lifestyle writer with a passion for home and interior design – from colors and holiday decor to the latest design trends. Her work has appeared in branches, among others Better homes and gardensThe Spruce, BuzzFeed and Bustle.