In order to make the Stillmans’ home of 35 years functional for the needs of

In order to make the Stillmans’ home of 35 years functional for the needs of their family today, Rose Praino of YDC Design worked with her Scarsdale, NY-based clients to clear out rooms full of memories before her process could even begin. “I do believe this was harder than they foresaw,” she admits. “On the flip side, because of the renovations, all three kids are rushing to call dibs on rooms for weekends and holidays.”
Rose’s clients, who are active grandparents and world travelers, asked her to make the space more habitable for an adult daughter and grandchild currently residing there. In this section of the house, she was tasked with creating kids’ and guest rooms, as well as bathrooms, with an open design that would accommodate different uses and aesthetic tastes, depending on the user at any given time. One room that was designed with special care was the client’s office. Previously, things just seemed to find their way into the space for storage. Rose created an elegant home office that touched on all the functional needs, even down to adding a sleeper sofa for company. Another challenge was the six-week timeline from initial design to orders, deliveries, and installation. Within this window, Rose and her company had to clear four rooms and gut two bathrooms, then rebuild them from the bottom-up. Rose is grateful for her clients’ fa...