Fashionable & Functional & Fast

By Kari Richardson
September 2023 View more Featured

Designing for young families means finding durable furnishings with quick turnarounds

When a family transplants from the city to the suburbs, it’s a safe bet that their new home is larger than their previous digs. Which means they’re probably going need several new pieces of furniture…ASAP.

This was certainly the case for one couple who wandered into Lauren Fasolo’s Ellce Home, Design Studio + Shop in downtown Naperville. A day of casual browsing led to a connection with Fasolo, also owner of Ellce Designs. The couple hired the firm to curate their recently purchased 6,800-square-foot, five-bedroom, five-bath home in downtown Naperville.

For this family with young children, the Ellce team got creative with sourcing, since ordering furniture can take weeks, if not months. They found key pieces that were available immediately, as well as family-friendly options from accessible brands such as Four Hands and Made Goods.

Comfort and durable fabrics were key for this growing clan. Fasolo helped the couple choose furniture in soft velvets and drew upon a curvy motif that includes a bubbly Visual comfort chandelier, antique mirrored table from Made Goods, and even round accent pieces such as a decorative pillow reminiscent of a beach ball. “Curves continue to be big,” Fasolo says.

Adding artwork was also key. Pieces by Zoe Bios Creative and multimedia artist Yvette Lenzi finish the rooms with polish. The once-sparse home is now comfortable and cozy, with elegant spaces perfect for years of marking family milestones and creating special memories in a new place.

1. (Above) Since the family needed furniture for their new Naperville home quickly, designer Lauren Fasolo found a soft, gray sectional from Arhaus that was in stock. A pair of geometric end tables provide places to park a laptop or drink and can even be used as extra seating during a party. Paired artworks by Zoe Bios Creative crowning the fireplace were customized for the space.

2. A bubbly Visual Comfort chandelier illuminates a welcoming round dining table in the dining nook. Upholstered dining chairs and dining table are available through Ellce Home, Design Studio + Shop.

3. Fasolo continues the curvy motif in the living room with an antique mirrored coffee table from Made Goods and a playful round pillow in a grouping atop the rounded love seat. Accessories available through Ellce Home, Design Studio + Shop.

4. Twin velvet ottomans by Four Hands stand ready in case extra seating or a leg rest is needed. A textured artwork by multimedia artist Yvette Lenzi completes the relaxing family room.

5. Moody blue paint (Benjamin Moore’s Newburyport Blue) paired with a gold-leaf application on the dining room ceiling (which was part of the home’s previous design) creates an air of elegance and sophistication. The table centerpiece, one of the most popular items in Fasolo’s shop, is the Sawtooth Bowl by Global Views.

6. A solid mahogany sideboard in an ash-gray finish by Four Hands fits a nook under the dining room window to a tee. The dining table and upholstered chairs are available through Ellce Home, Design Studio + Shop.

7. A more traditional space, the living room is dressed for company with a striped Loloi rug and upholstered pieces from Ellce Home, Design Studio + Shop.

Blank Canvas

Artwork can capture what’s going on in a room, set a mood, or tie into key colors in your design, says Lauren Fasolo, owner of Ellce Home, Design Studio + Shop. When choosing art for your home, keep the following in mind:

1. Add personality. Art is a great way to make a space your own. Whether it’s a piece purchased in a favorite vacation spot, a landscape of your hometown, or an original painting by an artist who speaks to you, art can tell your story.

2. Arrange and rearrange. Replacing a painting over the sofa or moving a favorite photograph can transform a room instantly. Art doesn’t always have to stay only in one place.

3. Size correctly. Too-big pieces can overwhelm a small room, while tiny ones can get lost on a huge wall. A good rule of thumb is to make sure that a piece is two-thirds the size of the sofa or furniture that it hangs above.

Photos: Leslie Eve Photography Interiors