We’re thrilled to share that the entire front half of the duplex is finished — which means the open living and dining rooms on both sides are officially revealed. It’s exciting to see this space come together.
When you walk into the left side and turn toward the living area, this is what you see. Aside from steaming and hemming the curtains, the room is ready. One of my favorite secondhand rugs from New England Loom found its spot here and pairs perfectly with our favorite Crate & Barrel sofa for comfortable, durable seating. We loved this sofa so much in our own home (we bought it in Taft Steel) that we purchased two more for the duplex in Taft Truffle — it’s held up wonderfully in a busy household with kids and a dog.
We also added two armchairs facing a crisp white coffee table, plus a pouf ottoman for extra seating. The armchairs feel especially cozy with pink bolster pillows added for lumbar support.
A quartz-topped end table gives the marble look without worrying about stains, and the large art print behind the sofa ties into the kitchen’s tones just beyond the dining area. It really feels like the art was made for this room.
To appreciate the transformation, here’s a look back at the room when we bought the duplex. It had water damage, crumbling ceiling sections, black mold, and faux plastic paneling. We salvaged a few original elements — like the five-panel doors that we later reused as closet doors upstairs — but most of the space had to be stripped to the studs and rebuilt.
After new plywood and reinforced framing went up, we started to see the room’s potential. We also reframed the doorway to add a tall interior transom window, which brought in more light and felt like an original detail.
Fast forward and the transom is in place along with solid five-panel doors and pocket doors on the laundry/mudroom — details that feel inspired by original features. We exposed the brick chimneys, refinished the hardwoods, and restored diamond windows and front doors where possible.
We’ll share the finished kitchen next week, but for now the dining room light placement worked out perfectly since we planned it months before drywall and floor refinishing. We taped out table placement on the floor to make sure there was room for pulling chairs out and centered the table under the pendant to define the dining zone.
One of the most striking features in both sides of the duplex are the tall windows. The downstairs has 9′ ceilings and windows that start about a foot off the floor and come within inches of the ceiling — each window is over six feet tall. They flood the rooms with light and give a grand feeling to the otherwise rectangular spaces.
To prevent the long room from feeling like a bowling alley, we created two distinct zones: a living area anchored by a rug and a dining area defined by a hanging light. Floating furniture around the rug keeps the living area intimate while the chandelier centers the dining table.
We mounted the TV on the wall across from the sofa and used a thin console table underneath to keep the sightlines open. If a room feels cramped, a wall-mounted TV and a narrow table beneath create a more spacious look. Using a smart TV reduces cords, and we hid the single power cable with a white cord cover for a tidy finish.
The door next to the TV hides our locked owners’ closet; the next door leads to the new powder room. Converting a large closet into a downstairs bathroom was a major functional improvement — now you don’t have to go upstairs to use a bathroom.
The powder room is small but pretty — the vanity and budget-friendly mirror are favorites. Down the hall, brass and oil-rubbed bronze finishes are mixed across the chandelier, mirror, curtain rods, and hardware. A simple rule for mixing metals: repeat each metal a few times so the choices feel intentional and layered.
Now to the right side of the duplex: the layout is a mirror image, but the before condition was slightly different. This side had less rot, though it still needed substantial work. We kept the same sofa and many of the same elements, but swapped in a different rug, dining chairs, lighting, and a concrete-topped coffee table for a calmer vibe.
We kept furniture low to preserve views through the tall windows and the original transom above the front door. The dining table here is secondhand and refinished — a DIY worth doing that saved us a lot compared to buying two new tables.
We love the texture the woven mirrors add on the wall and how the rattan elements repeat throughout the two spaces. From the front door, the Chippendale railing and painted stair risers — pink on one side and green on the other — are charming touches that introduce personality as soon as you enter.
We still have two kitchens, two laundry rooms, the back patio, landscaping, and lots of curtains to finish — so stay tuned for more. For now, it feels so satisfying to see these front rooms warm, welcoming, and ready for guests.
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