A Cool Ranch House

Although Erin and Sheldon Bryan loved the sprawling layout of the ranch home they bought last year, they didn’t love its stuck-in-the-’60s decor. “It had awful wallpaper, and the floors were either heinous carpet or wood that felt hollow when you walked on it,” says Erin. With three kids (Crichton, 14; Hendley, 10; and Byrdie, 8), four dogs, and two cats, the Bryans knew a down-to-the-studs reno was out of the question, so they focused on what they could update fast. That meant fresh paint, new wide-plank hardwood floors, and a not-for-the-faint-of-heart mix of graphic prints devised by local designer Andrew Howard. “Everywhere you look there’s a pop of something fun,” says Erin.

Bright white paint and a gray door (Meeting House White and Elegant Charcoal, both by Glidden) freshened up the classic one-story house.

Since it’s visible from the entry, Erin wanted the fireplace to make a statement. “I thought about hanging some artwork, but Andrew convinced me to make the fireplace itself the art,” says Erin. A pattern of stenciled triangles gives the painted brick a tile-like look. It also anchors other pattern-happy pieces, including drapes made from Mark Alexander fabric. The sofas are covered in indoor/outdoor fabric—a solid navy by Pindler and a fun check by Christopher Farr—and piled with pillows. Indigo starburst-print fabric by RP Miller jazzes up this Palecek armchair made of rattan and rope.

Built-in cabinets in the living area hold the stereo system. Originally painted brown, they’re now a vivid blue (Van Deusen Blue by Benjamin Moore). The striped painting is from Leftbank Art.