Sophisticated Living

Lauren Tolles and Tori Olijar 

Maison Birmingham, Birmingham, MI

This living room included a less-than-exciting fireplace wall and an aesthetic that didn’t quite live up to the sophisticated nature of the rest of this formal home. Tolles and Olijar, working with Meg Corley of Meg Corley Interiors, were challenged with upgrading empty corners that were quite shallow and had very different depths and widths. In an attempt to create some symmetry, the team also ran into an issue with clearance for window treatments to the left.

Slightly different textured wainscot panels warm the space and creep into the contrasting black and glass built-ins. Interior cabinet lighting shows off the veneered panels within the cabinets that continues along the fireplace wall. White moldings tie in with the rest of the room and prevent the focal wall from feeling too heavy.

Building out an additional wall on the left just short of the window treatments helped build in the built-ins while achieving a symmetrical look. Both built-ins are recessed into drywall niches.

The lower custom cabinetry features Alexandria flat panel door style in Cast Iron finish, while the upper offers thin frame metal doors in black with non-tempered, clear glass inserts. Black knob tab pulls provide access.