Hold the Line

Big choices can feel totally elegant-as one designer proves. Just stick to a restrained color palette and then don't hold back.

FOR A CHICAGO FAMILY with three small children, a cozy house was imperative, but not at the expense of good design. "They are not flashy people, but they have very discerning taste," says interior designer Wendy Labrum, who worked on the 6,000-square-foot, six-bedroom, seven-bathroom 1926 home for two-and-a-half years. "They value something special and historic over new and generic." Labrum worked with Michael Abraham Architecture to channel an English country estate with a contemporary twist.

"Spaces need to be layered to have good design intelligence," says Labrum, who is known for balancing traditional with modern elements.

"When everything is from the same era, it tends to feel one-note." This is evidenced in the white oak paneling Labrum added to the dining room. A nod to the wood-clad studies of yesteryear, the room-a sumptuous medley of pieces, including a travertine table and leather dining chairs is anything but heavy. Plaster was used on the rest of the main level walls. "We needed a neutral color to unify it, but that can feel a bit blank. Plaster makes it more layered and nuanced and finished," she says.

Vintage Italian and French accessories, lighting in particular, punctuate the decor throughout. More unexpected is the abstract art on the walls. Labrum studied art history and curated the collection herself. Juxtaposing antiques next to modern art gives the space intention, she says.