ALL OF A PIECE

There’s real joy in a beautifully balanced room, a sense-pleasing satisfaction in a space composed, yet far from constrained. Hitting that sweet spot is no minor achievement. And when a designer brings it all together, you could hardly ask for anything more. Case in point: this utterly perfect Winnetka residence fashioned by New York interior designer Cindy Rinfret.

Educated at the Rhode Island School of Design and the University of Copenhagen, Rinfret is an award-winning designer recognized for her “Classic Greenwich Style.” A reference to the comely Connecticut town on the Long Island Sound, Rinfret describes the aesthetic “as similar to Ralph Lauren or Hermès, a design that never looks dated, a collected look that reflects a life well lived.”

Rinfret’s task in Winnetka was to enhance the existing charm of her client’s traditional home while updating it to meet the needs of an active, young family. “This wonderful client, for whom I’ve since designed a second home in Arizona, had seen my own house in the pages of Traditional Home magazine and called me because she loved the collected feel of it,” says Rinfret. “I think she liked seeing my Golden Retrievers in the article, too, because we both love dogs and feel that a home filled with children and animals can still be beautiful. This family did not want any room to be too precious and off-limits. Which dovetails perfectly with my belief that you should use and enjoy every room in your home.”

Rinfret begins every project by establishing a strong, workable floor plan so that each space has a clear function and then makes sure the rooms’ bones—moldings, ceilings, and cabinetry—are just right. “After that,” she says, “We go for the ‘jewelry’—beautiful rugs, fabric, and art.”

Shades of blue pervade the residence, from the foyer—where a console table from Holland MacRae is outfitted with a cushion at floor level for the family dog to enjoy—to the millwork of the wet bar, the wallpaper adorning the primary bathroom, and the living room’s chenille sofa. The family room is a sea of blue, with contrasting hints of gold in the carpet and upholstery piping. The sunroom’s coffered ceiling sports a whitewash highlighting a pale blue “sky.”

Rinfret orchestrated a rich play of wood and upholstery throughout the home, punctuating each space with unique accent pieces. The living room displays a wide variety of sumptuous fabrics, from the cotton-lined Roman window shades to the hand-knotted, antique Agra rug that spans the floor to the faux snakeskin pattern on the seat of an armchair with fluted legs.

Rinfret’s informed furniture and accessories choices provide a pleasing sense of visual weight and geometry. An antique French trumeau mirror makes a dramatic focal point in the foyer. Curves rule in the living room, from the rounded arms of the sofa and easy chairs to the John-Richard accent tables with etched, gilded detail and the oval iron coffee table from Salvations Architectural Furnishings. The seating in the sunroom—gathered around a large, iron-based ottoman with a tufted, faux leather top—sports a sofa with a unique, almost crenelated back. She anchored the family room with a sectional sofa and added beams to the vaulted ceiling to create a comforting, cocooning effect. “Family rooms are places to gather to watch the ball game or Netflix as a large group, with the dog and the kids curled up with you. I always love a large sectional in a family room to cuddle into with a great throw blanket,” notes Rinfret.

Blending beauty with real life, this Winnetka home epitomizes Rinfret’s design style. “My design motto is that ‘your home should feel like jeans with a silk shirt and a cashmere sweater.’ To me, that means a casual yet luxurious design that feels comfortable and inviting.”

For more information, visit rinfretltd.com.