Tour a Kid-Friendly Brooklyn Condo Bursting With Color

How do you turn a big white box of a condo into a cheerful, high-energy place to raise your kids? Fill it with crayon colors and funky pieces. Take it from Kristen and Matt Hill, who bought their Brooklyn, New York, home in 2017. While the brand-new space didn’t need any work, it did need personality, and lots of it. “We have young kids, we love to have people over, and we wanted our home to give off a feeling of happiness,” Kristen says. The couple recruited designer Danielle Fennoy to help make it happen. No color was off-limits and no idea was too bold — having lived in rentals, the couple was game to go all out. “As long as things I chose were both functional and a little crazy, they were on board,” Danielle says. Behold, the zany dining room wallpaper, the not-shy fabrics in the kids’ rooms and the hip seating all over the house. Although each room has its own vibe, a palette of blues, pinks, yellows and greens runs throughout the entire place to tie it all together. Says Kristen: “Every room feels like it’s ready for a dance party at any moment!” Here, Kristen and Matt sit with with Maya, 5, and Charlie, 8.

It’s everyone’s favorite Saturday morning hangout. Just like in the rest of the house, vivid colors and mod pieces deliver major flair — there’s a slim blue sofa by Blu Dot, a fab red chair by Pierre Paulin for Artifort and one unforgettable console by Established & Sons.

Looks like paint, but it’s wallpaper by Flat Vernacular. Finding just-as-cool chairs wasn’t easy — these by Moroso fit the bill.

When you want to pump up a white kitchen, one dynamite piece of art can do it. This was a gift from Kristen’s parents, scored at a charity auction. Those marble countertops were kid- and tomato-sauce-proofed with a clear matte resin sealer. “Our breakfast bar works hard,” Kristen says, “whether we’re baking a donut cake or making a clay creation for a science project.” The swivel stools are from Room & Board.

“Sometimes a house has two living areas but the family really only uses one — not us!” Kristen says. It was important to have a comfy sectional (this one’s from West Elm) that all four of them could stretch out on for movie nights, as well as a peppy rug (found at eSaleRugs). The armchair and ottoman by Eero Saarinen are from Knoll.

The kids’ go-to spot for games is this table from Horne in a corner of the living room. For an especially practical yet chic area, Danielle had box shelves made in various sizes and colors and mounted to the wall in an asymmetrical pattern.

When Charlie’s not building with Legos, he’s drawing, so a Picasso-esque fabric by Kirkby Design was a great choice for the drapes. It has hints of chartreuse, picked up in the yellow desk chair and blanket. Adding a striped IKEA rug gave the room super-spirited style. Kristen and Matt opted for a double bed with a bunk from Room & Board.