Despite the reconfiguration, moments of interest remained. Beverly softened and created cohesion among architectural elements and intricate woodwork by painting most of the walls and trim similar muted shades.

Fine tuning the foyer was essential, because Beverly sees the entry as the key to setting a home’s overall tone. “It’s important to me that when people walk in, they feel a sense of calm and a sense of warmth,” she says. In the vast entrance hall, Beverly painted the hardwood floors with a pattern she recalled from St. Mark’s Square in Venice, Italy. “I wanted it to be continuous and come off as large and long; I needed interest without using a rug,” she says. 

In the gracious space, a black armoire doubles as a bar for arriving guests. “Those are the things I thought about,” says Beverly. “How am I going to make people feel welcome and warm; how is my home going to feel inviting? I think I accomplished all those things I set out to accomplish.”