Interior designers and other experts in the home industry work on an impressive number of spaces throughout their careers. But even if some of the makeovers and redesigns start to blend together after a few years, there are some rooms that are just truly unforgettable.
So, to give designers a chance to revisit their favorite projects—and to bring you plenty of inspiration for your own home—we’re sharing the one room these pros will remember forever. For some, there’s a sentimental connection, for others, there was an obstacle they never thought they’d overcome. But no matter what, these rooms are worth remembering.
Many New Yorkers share the same dream: a townhome to call their own one day. The historic features, extra space, and backyard garden are all selling points. For the lucky few that achieve this dream of home ownership in NYC, a brownstone is the chance to make your home a true reflection of you.
For designer Meg Lavalette of LAVA Interiors, a brownstone was the start of her own dream. She designed the primary bathroom and sitting room in this classic space, beautifully melding history and modernity.
"This is the project that launched my firm, LAVA Interiors, and specifically, this is the space that I dove head first into to set the tone for the rest of the townhouse," Lavalette tells MyDomaine. "We poured over the details here to make it thoughtful, intuitive, and effortless."
In this quintessential Brooklyn brownstone, the primary bathroom is attached to a sitting room. The townhome, which was built in the 1860s, boasts original wood floors and even an 1880s six-foot double-ended clawfoot tub with original fittings.
"For me, it’s an over-sweeping use of authentic materials," Lavalette says. "Natural slate floors in the master bath, and refinishing the original wood floors in the sitting [room]. Handmade reclaimed wood vanity with Carrara countertop and aged brass fittings. Changing out the electrical switches to push-buttons with mother of pearl accents to reflect the history of the townhouse. These details will never go out of style."
Keep scrolling to learn more about this beautifully restored bathroom and sitting room.
Though the bathroom sticks to a neutral and earthy palette, Lavalette kept visual interest by added plenty of texture.
"A neutral palette can fall flat when you don’t have the right balance or materials," Lavalette explains. "It can easily look too sterile. I’m a big proponent of natural and handmade objects, and that includes tile, stone, and furniture, like the vanity."
By choosing a black and white palette, Lavalette was able to add plenty of contrast to the space, one of her favorite elements of the room, along with the vintage mirror above the tub.
"I love the graphic nature of the black and white tones paired with wood," Lavalette says. "It’s timeless and classic. The mirror is original to the townhouse and was above one of the seven mantels, and we painted and distressed it for a very nuanced detail with minimal contrast."
While some clients would prefer all new fixtures, this client was onboard with a bringing in an antique tub to perch atop the original wood floors. Lavalette scored the tub and matching orginal fittings after weeks of searching.
"Most clients err on the side of caution and would have it sit on some type of stone or tile," Lavalette says. "It’s riskier, less function/more aesthetic-driven moments like these that make the project less cookie cutter."
The adjoining sitting room includes a forest green velvet sofa, leather ottoman, and stunning blue-gray shelving, in a style that celebrates the history of the home while bringing in more modern elements.
"Great design will carry through decades without following the ever-changing trends," Lavalette explains. "Whether a project leans more traditional or contemporary, I strive for classic and authentic."
When looking back at this space, Lavalette wouldn't change a thing, and her client agrees.
"There’s a feeling of great satisfaction when I can take my client’s own personal sense of style and enhance it," Lavalette says. "Admittedly, I’m not great at pushing my own aesthetic agenda on a client, but I am great at listening to my client’s needs and reading their design cues to set the initial tone.And then when I’m allowed to take the ball and run with it, that dynamic of trust and respect is what produces the best results."