A Sharon Sitting Room Gets a Colorful Update
Interior designer Christina Wikman transforms a dark, dated space into a sophisticated retreat.
Photo by Jessica Delaney
Having successfully launched their three children into the world, Christina Wikman’s empty-nester clients were intent on remaking their Sharon home. When it came time to tackle the sitting room, they asked the Woburn-based designer for a fresh, sophisticated scheme. “The walls were cranberry with white trim, which felt not just dated, but cottage-y,” Wikman explains. “It needed a refresh.”
The couple uses the space for watching television and entertaining, so Wikman stuck with a dark color to maintain the room’s cozy vibe. She used Farrow & Ball “Hague Blue,” a deep teal, on the walls and trim. “A monochromatic approach really modernizes the look,” she says. Its high-gloss finish reflects light, while the white ceiling keeps the room from feeling boxed in. The back wall, which Wikman covered with Thibaut grasscloth and accented with a gold-leafed mirror, draws in the eye. “The space is right off the entry, so we needed a dramatic focal point,” she says.
The layout and furnishings encourage conversation and maximize comfort. The flat-screen television hangs on the wall across from a Wesley Hall sofa fitted with a single bench cushion that Wikman likens to a mattress. A pair of swivel chairs can face the sofa, the TV, or the fireplace, and the Serena & Lily raffia-wrapped coffee table is easily accessible from all seats. A brass bench upholstered in Robert Allen velvet and an ottoman from Lee Industries provide extra places to perch in a pinch.
Wikman’s finishing touches ward off stuffiness. The Greek key print on the throw pillows acts as a foil to the marble patterning of the Roman shades, while a mix of metals defies matchy-matchy. Finally, the earth tones of the Stark “Antelope” rug tie the light hues of the upholstery, raffia, and grasscloth to the room’s darker elements, such as the leather armchair and antique-brass drink table. “The rug plays well with the room’s neutrals,” Wikman says. “It pulled everything together.”
Interior Designer
Christina Wikman Interiors
Painter and Wallpaper Hanger
Scott LaForge Professional Paperhanging and Painting
Photo by Jessica Delaney
