• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer

Jennifer Sergent

Freelance design writer + blogger | Marketing copywriter

  • About
    • About Jennifer
    • Blog Information
  • Editorial
    • Design
    • People Profiles
    • Trends
    • Neighborhood Guides
  • Marketing
  • Blog
  • Contact

A Dining Room With Happy Memories

August 27, 2019

My favorite magazine stories are the ones where an interior truly speaks to its inhabitants, and it’s filled with furnishings, patterns, artwork or objects that are especially meaningful. That’s going to be the subject of the keynote speech I’ll be delivering at the Resources Tabletop Trade Show on Sep. 10, sponsored by the local chapters of the IFDA, NKBA, and Home & Design Magazine; the title is “Passion and Storytelling in Design.” I hope you’ll join me!

For now, this dining room I wrote about for the current issue of Arlington Magazine is a case in point.

All photography by Jenn Verrier

Designer Marya Karlton swung into action for her clients, Amy and Jack Smith of Arlington, when they moved into their house in 2014—a week before Thanksgiving. They had twin 2-year-olds, and Amy was pregnant with their third child (a fourth has since arrived). Marya made an initial push to make everything functional throughout the house, which included furniture that was in stock at Restoration Hardware for the dining room.

Then they spent the next five years moving from the functional to the personal.

The gorgeous draperies—Schumacher’s Citrus Garden—came in 2016, and they define the room. “I knew I wanted something cool to stand out, because it’s one of the first things you see when you walk through the front door, so I didn’t want to rush it,” Amy told me.

This part didn’t fit into the story, but I love how Marya used red trim tape to dress up the white Roman shades and also the smaller draperies on the side windows.

 

Here’s the part of the story that is sad but also beautiful: Amy’s sister Mary died of cancer in 2013, before the Smiths moved into this house. In honor of her memory, Amy incorporates yellow wherever she can, because it was Mary’s favorite color. “We have that color everywhere—even our front door is bright yellow,” she told me.

And that’s where the next installment for this dining room comes from. Earlier this year, Amy and Marya found the room’s bright focal point: a giant yellow heart painted by Artist Kerri Rosenthal.

 

“That heart marks her presence when they’re gathering with their family,” Marya said. How completely beautiful and appropriate! In another view here, you can see how it picks up from some equally dramatic artwork around the corner, which also has pops of yellow:

 

Marya was holding off on wallpaper for this dining room until that final piece of art was in place. She turned to a textured blue pattern by Cowtan & Tout, for a “crisp, tailored” look, Marya said. Yellow, blue and white—can’t think of a more classic (and happy!) combination.

Now, although Amy’s sister wasn’t able to share a meal in this dining room, her memory is right there. Waiting to find that perfect piece was well worth it in this case, Marya told me. “If people want to take their time to find just the right thing, those rooms end up being extra special.”

Filed Under: Designers, Home Decor Tagged With: artwork, dining room, Kerri Rosenthal, Marya Karlton

Before Footer

View

Jan 22

Open
When I told my husband I wanted to name our first son Henry, he readily agreed because Henry Aaron was his favorite baseball player of all time. And several years later, my mother gave a framed, signed photograph of this legend to @hjsergent for Christmas, and it hangs right next to his bed. What a sad day, felt all the more personally because I can’t think of my wonderful son without thinking also of the great man who helped inspire his name.🙏🏻
View

Jan 21

Open
Interior design isn’t just pretty. There’s real power and symbolism in the choices you make, which deeply affects how you and your visitors feel in your home. This @washingtonpost piece on the #ovaloffice, linked in bio, illustrates how. @potus 
📷 @olearypix
Story by @alinskey
View

Jan 20

Open
January 20 is finally here!! Sending Godspeed to @joebiden and @kamalaharris ❤️🤍💙
📷 @senatephoto
View

Jan 13

Open
The amazing thing about the #uscapitol is that we enjoy the same beauty as the generations before us. Our fashions might change, but not the glorious encaustic tile, gilded mirrors or the clover-like pendant lights in the Senate Press Gallery. Swipe to see the modern version, shot by @ronbluntphoto. 
Full post in my bio link!
View

Jan 12

Open
With the help of photographers like @adam_brockett who took this glowy halo around the #uscapitol, and my friends who know and cherish that building, here’s a love letter, blog link in bio
View

Jan 7

Open
Memories of the late-night lines to see George H.W. Bush lying in state. Thousands of peaceful mourners waiting to pass through the Rotunda of this majestic Capitol.
View

Jan 6

Open
May your passage through 2021 be delightful! Grateful to clients like @mode4architecture for sharing so much beauty 🌱💚 
📷 @studiohdp
View

Dec 12

Open
CONGRATULATIONS to Michele Lerner for her award from the Nation Association of Real Estate Editors on a @washingtonpost story about bringing the outdoors inside, which features our bathroom renovation by @aidandesign ! The judges wrote: “She finds the perfect couple to illustrate the theme of her story. They lie by a nature trail, so they wanted to add natural stone to the shower.” Great story Michele, and it was a pleasure to speak to you! 
Story linked in bio
📷 @stacyzaringoldberg
View

Dec 10

Open
So thrilled to be working with a new client, Michigan design firm @arminainteriors. I just love how luminous her work is, and her use of dramatic light fixtures. Enjoy!
View

Nov 20

Open
Welcome to DC Mayor @murielbowser's home, where designer Trystin Kier Francis of @thekiercompany painted this chest purple with gold hardware. Regal, just like the mayor, Trystin told me. I agree! Full story at the link in my bio.
View

Oct 6

Open
Is anyone else in need of some calm right now? Take me away, @m.naeve! 
(For more #kipsbaydallas escapism, link in bio 🖤)
📷 @stephen_karlisch_photo
View

Oct 2

Open
@markdsikes does it again at #kipsbaydallas with this dreamy living room, Happy Friday! 
Link to more images and virtual tour in bio
📷 @stephen_karlisch_photo
Load More...

Footer

DC by Design is my passion project, a chronicle of design talents throughout the DC-Maryland-Virginia region who are doing beautiful and imaginative things in the categories below. Click here for blog information and guidelines.

  • Architecture
  • Art/Photo
  • Designers
  • Furniture
  • Home Decor
  • Kitchen/Bath
  • Outdoors
  • Real Estate
  • Shopping
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Subscribe to my newsletter, which sends out weekly(ish) blog posts and monthly newsletters about what I’m seeing in the design industry.

Please click here if you're a

  •    

© 2021 Jennifer Sergent • All Rights Reserved