Some homes reveal their character not through grand gestures, but through the quiet conversation between materials, objects and light. In Roslyn, Long Island, interior designer Vanessa Rome has given a 1990 residence an entirely new identity, replacing its dated interiors with a richly textured world inspired by the understated elegance of Belgian design.
Set within a private golf course community, the 334 square metre residence belongs to a couple of real estate developers who divide their time between Palm Beach, Southampton and New York. Having designed their other two homes, Rome understood their way of life intimately. Here, the challenge was to reconcile their appreciation for collectible design with the delightful unpredictability of a family that includes four grandchildren.
“The home was inspired by Belgian interiors, but also by the feeling we wanted the house to evoke: calm, layered, and quietly sophisticated,” explains Vanessa Rome.
The transformation took a year. Stripped back to its architectural bones, the three level house received new herringbone floors, a contemporary kitchen, redesigned bathrooms and bespoke millwork throughout. Yet its most defining intervention is almost imperceptible. Limewash envelops the walls and ceilings, lending every room the warmth and irregular beauty of surfaces that appear to have aged naturally.
Inspired by Belgian interiors, Rome composed a palette of earthy neutrals, muted olive, warm timber and accents of black. Rather than imposing a rigid aesthetic, she allowed materials to establish the atmosphere. Marble introduces depth, sculptural silhouettes lend movement, and tactile finishes soften the architectural lines.
Against this restrained backdrop, furniture and art become part of a carefully orchestrated dialogue. Pieces by Casey Johnson, Montauk Sofa, Workshop/APD, Orphanworks, Apparatus, Konekt Studio, Lawson Fenning, Matt Castilleja, Art and Loom, DeMuro Das and Faye Toogood contribute to an interior where contemporary craftsmanship meets everyday comfort. Works by Ian McKeever, Alex Katz, Trishla Jain, Sarah Amos and Hunt Slonem enrich the collection, bringing distinct artistic perspectives into the domestic setting.
In the living room, a monumental abstract artwork sourced with the assistance of Heather Gaudio Fine Art establishes a striking focal point. Elsewhere, a custom bar crafted in Spain introduces an unexpected sense of occasion. The curved staircase becomes an architectural centrepiece, illuminated by a cascading alabaster fixture whose organic luminosity contrasts with the home’s deeper tones.
Rome’s attention extends to the quieter corners. An underused upstairs landing has become an inviting lounge and workspace, while a guest bedroom features an ingenious composition connecting its headboard and bench into a continuous architectural gesture.
Throughout, nothing feels too precious to inhabit. The furnishings invite conversation, the textures reward touch, and the generous family spaces accommodate both moments of solitude and lively gatherings.
For Rome, the home’s defining element remains its limewashed surfaces, which bring what she describes as an “organic warmth and subtle patina” to the architecture.
“The limewashing of every wall throughout the home best captures my point of view. It infuses the spaces with an organic warmth and subtle patina that softens architecture into something timeless and soulful.”
It is perhaps this sensibility that makes the residence so compelling: a home where refinement is never at odds with living, and where luxury is expressed through atmosphere rather than ostentation.
