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"  VIEW MORE PHOTOS  Enter the serene rooms that Grand Rapids, Michigan\u2013based interior designer Kathryn Chaplow recently created in a 1980s Victorian-style home, and you&amp;#039;d hardly believe their surfaces once dripped with dark, ornate moldings and garish floral wallpaper\u2014&amp;quot;even on the ceilings,&amp;quot; she recalls. A 15-month-long renovation yielded streamlined walls painted in subtle shades, midcentury modern\u2013inspired furnishings, and luxe fabrics: ideal surroundings for the new owner, a young businessman with fine wine and art collections. Tired of his cookie-cutter house and generic suburban neighborhood, he was drawn to the five-bedroom, 5,100-square-foot structure for its quiet, 15-acre wooded lot replete with a pond and a babbling brook. The residence was also within an easy commute of his downtown Grand Rapids office, and large enough to host wine tastings and family visits. A major redecoration meant that nearly everything went, including the dreadful moldings and narrow-plank oak floors, which were replaced with more sophisticated wide walnut boards. In the pared-down living room, neutral-colored walls showcase colorful artwork, and a sleek mahogany fireplace panel dramatically sweeps from floor to ceiling\u00AD, its only adornment a thin-profile TV. In the main seating area, grouped around the hearth, the designer combined furniture in the same earthy hues but with varying textures (camel-toned leather, chocolate velvet, and brown-and-black tweed) to add depth and interest. A second seating area behind the sofa\u2014two chocolate-colored, mohair-covered chairs near a large window VIEW MORE PHOTOS  Creating smaller zones within a large house fostersa cozy atomosphere with brook and pond views\u2014scales down the 420-square-foot room. &amp;quot;Creating smaller zones within a large house fosters a cozy atmosphere,&amp;quot; Chaplow says. The first floor now offers several intimate destinations. The dining room off the kitchen became a home office, and a former sun porch at the house&amp;#039;s rear is now an eating area with a twist: It was designed primarily for wine tastings, since the owner prefers them to formal dinners. A handsome bar, made from semicustom cabinetry, spans what had been a secondary doorway into the space. The dark-stained maple unit has a handy pass-through to a hallway leading to the kitchen. The base holds dual wine coolers and drawers for linens. Upper wine racks and seeded-glass-front cabinets are double-sided, making bottles and glassware accessible from either room. Even the 36-inch, counter-height white-oak table was custom-made for tastings. Chaplow encircled it with leather bar stools &amp;quot;so guests can cluster around it like a kitchen island,&amp;quot; she says. VIEW MORE PHOTOS  Party flow was a priority in the kitchen. The old space was divided by an island with cabinets above it, which hindered conversation. Eliminating the upper cabinets created an open, airier feel that beckons guests to a new central island. The homeowner, an admitted neatnik, opted for two 30-inch built-in glass-front refrigerators. They were installed side by side opposite the island and surrounded by pantry cabinets. Though the island is the main work surface, a round butcher-block table at one end is both a chopping block and a cheese server.  VIEW MORE PHOTOS  Upstairs, the master suite was totally redone. &amp;quot;You had to walk through the bathroom and a closet to get to the bedroom,&amp;quot; says Chaplow, who carved a direct entry to the sleeping area from a hall, raised the ceiling from 8 feet to 10 feet, and painted the room a soothing blue inspired by the aquamarine tiles lining the master bath&amp;#039;s whirlpool tub. Once clad in heavy, dark wood, the tub is now faced in white cabinetry matching the room&amp;#039;s double vanity and armoire. A pale limestone floor and countertop complete the urbane look. &amp;quot;Now the house reflects me,&amp;quot; says the owner. &amp;quot;I can finally say that I&amp;#039;m home.&amp;quot; "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.elledecor.com/design-decorate/a791/changing-tunes-16023/>