photos by David Bader
For a PDF version with all images from the story click here.
When Karen Arcara began renovating with hot pink, she knew it would be startling. The response she gets most? “Wow! Your husband let you do this?”
Arcara says cooking is her passion. “So we put in all the fun elements like double ovens, granite counters and a wine bar because our home is always open to a constant stream of family and friends.”
“When I first saw this house, I knew it had good bones and mentally began laying out my color wheel room by room,” Arcara says.
Dining room
“After 180 hours of removing old wallpaper, we tackled the dining room ceiling with a design inspired by a photo my friend Bill Greylak tore out of a magazine,” Arcara says. “When it comes to making bold design statements, I get to a point of 85 percent commitment when I start to doubt myself. That’s when I call in friends like Don Krause of Art Bar and Cherie Klaus from Ethan Allen for the confidence to pull the trigger.”
Living Room
“I don’t love the color purple but Joe, my husband, does. I love him, so this room makes me happy. A gallery wall of black-and-white photos of my kids was always a dream of mine, so at the same time, same place each year, we have the same photographer take photos of Jackie and Mason. It’s wonderful seeing the years go by in their little faces. I also think decorative and personal touches, like tassel and beaded treatments or framed fashion drawings by Joe’s mother, help make our home feel inviting.”
Playtime
“The kids were in diapers when we began all this and were miraculously unfazed by all the noise and activity. Now that the first floor is finished, our plan is to completely redo the upstairs and stay put until the kids are out of school. Then, because we’re urbanites at heart, Joe and I will hoof it back Downtown.”
