Surprising Split Level: Modernizing an Open-Concept Home

This home already had incredible bones—the previous owners had invested in thoughtful structural updates—but my clients wanted to modernize it and truly make it their own. We accomplished this with fresh paint colors, strategic furniture layouts, and by reimagining large spaces into multifunctional, comfortable areas.

Open-concept living comes with its challenges, especially when one room serves multiple purposes. To bring both function and warmth, we defined each zone with rugs, furniture placement, and thoughtful flow. The result is a space that feels open and connected, yet still offers intimate moments for family time and cozy conversations.

Living room with large window, two blue armchairs, white coffee table with books and a plant, patterned rug, and wall decorations.
Living room with a marble coffee table, a blue armchair, and a beige sofa. The coffee table has a small vase with greenery and some books. There is a window with curtains and a small cylindrical side table.
Living room with a white marble coffee table holding a brown vase with green foliage, black cup, and books. There are blue sofas and a beige cylindrical side table in the background.
Living room with beige tufted sofa, decorative pillows, a small table with a vase of green foliage and orange accents, a framed black and white cityscape picture on the wall, and a window with curtains letting in natural light.
Modern kitchen with white cabinets, black island, white barstools, pendant lights, and a window over the sink.
Living room with beige sofa, decorative pillows, a coffee table with a vase of green flowers and oranges, window with curtains, and black and white artwork of city buildings on the wall.
Living room with beige sofa, blue armchairs, marble-topped table with a vase of flowers, large windows with white curtains, framed black and white cityscape photo, and wall clock.
Living room with a beige sofa, framed black-and-white cityscape photograph, wooden floors, and sliding barn door leading to a room with a green wall, window, and armchair.
Modern kitchen with black island, white barstools, hanging pendant lights, white cabinets, and hardwood floors.
Close-up of a beige tufted sofa with rolled arms in a living room.
Living room with beige and blue sofas, a brown piano, a large mirror, a staircase, a kitchen area with white cabinets, an island with white and black barstools, and a dining table with black and white chairs, all with hardwood floors and natural ligh
A living room with a wall-mounted flat screen TV, a beige armchair, a cream-colored round ottoman with a black tray holding photo frames and candles, a white sofa with pillows, a side table with flowers, a window with a blind, and a framed colorful a
Living room corner with a beige sofa, pink throw blanket, cream textured pillow, and window with greenery outside.
A tray on a beige ottoman holds a vase of flowers, a framed photo, a candle, a glass container of toothpicks, and a pair of glasses in a living room with a sofa and patterned rug.