Creatives benefit from project briefs and client feedback just as writers are made better from editorial assignments and proofreading. Critiquing oneself is never easy. But what happens when an interior designer is tasked with crafting their own sanctuary? Such was the monumental task for Ania Dunlop of Home for Zen who recently bought and completed a gut renovation of her Westchester family home after 30 house tours. Built in 2003, the structure continues to be the ideal stage for soulful expression as she showcases decades worth of art, heirlooms, and the occasional graphic print for extra pops of personality.

Prospective buyers are enticed by a plethora of things from amenities to flashy finishes, but for Dunlop it will always be about potential. “Despite being a dated Mediterranean-style home, it had great bones, expansive space, and the kind of grounds that are perfect for entertaining,” she says. “I could immediately envision the transformation. It was clear this house was more than just a property; it was a canvas to create something special.”

The sprawling residence now comprises three levels – basement, ground, and first – with a dining, family, living, sunroom, kitchen with cafe nook, two offices, five bedrooms, six full bathrooms, two powder rooms, an indoor pool, entertainment area with bar, gym, and screening room. What’s more, the extensive glazing and generous greenspaces extend the interiors for a great deal of living al fresco all year round. Architectural fixtures like the grand double staircase are retained with a new, streamlined railing to contrast the original, more ornate moldings.

Dunlap maximizes daylighting in the ground floor open plan with barely off-white walls and a whisper of natural hues for paint that barely blushes when kissed by the sun. Other areas are punctuated with lively wallpapers and surface patterns to create visual interest, often organic in appearance. The solarium has quickly become everyone’s favorite room evoking the spirit of a tropical oasis from its botanical surface patterns, gold velvet chairs, and thriving flora staged throughout.

References to earth’s other elements include luxe marble mantles and backsplashes, a smattering of metal accents that will patinate, and handmade ceramics. Much of the home furnishings are made from ash and rift oak then upholstered in shearling, mohair, and boucle textiles. Of note is the first floor design studio, which features a large, weeping willow tree wall treatment whose tendrils extend across the space.

The interior atmosphere can best be described as a fusion of tastes to satisfy aesthetic palates from the Mediterranean to Parisian Chic. Artisan goods and handcrafted collectibles further imbue the otherwise minimalist spaces with some soul. This type of meaningful curation is what the designer encourages her clients to practice for the sake of quality, sustainability, and timelessness. Implementing it herself is a testament to how fulfilling the return on emotional investment can be when the project is fully realized despite self-doubt.

“Designing my own home was more complicated than designing for someone else. I really have to trust my gut that all the decisions that I made are the right ones,” Dunlop adds. “The joy came from doing it on my terms, not for future owners or clients, but for my family.”

To learn more about Ania Dunlop visit homeforzen.com.

Photography by Tim Lee Photography.