Before Erica Peale entered the picture in 2023, this sun-splashed space in Country Club Hills was a no-frills play area for the owners’ three children. “They had gymnastics mats on the floor and a leftover sofa from their old house,” says the Arlington designer. “No one went in there except the kids and the dog.”
But once the littles weren’t so little anymore, the tumbling stopped and the room became a blank canvas. Peale’s challenge was to transform it into a “ladies’ lounge” where the mom could have friends over or curl up with a book. “She said, ‘I want this space to be mine,’” Peale recalls.
Noting the room’s square dimensions, Peale eschewed the usual sofa and chairs, instead placing four plush Vanguard chairs around a vintage octagonal table from Chairish with Lucite legs and brass accents.
A 4-by-6-foot commissioned painting by D.C. artist Lanie Mann captures the client’s love of pink, while also incorporating blues that form a visual connection to the front door in the adjoining foyer. Eggshell walls with white trim create an ever-so-slight contrast, and a pastel area rug defines the seating area.
The room’s built-in shelves are now a gallery of sorts, displaying a mix of curated pieces and a Murano vase from the owners’ travels. “She didn’t want the shelves to be cluttered with books,” Peale says. “It’s more like a museum of beautiful objects in different shapes, colors and textures.” Turkish velvet ikat throw pillows provide additional pops of brightness.