A timeless and fun look using old and new” was what Lisa and Geoff Centner admired about homes designed by Paige Loperfido of Décor and More Design Studio in Grosse Pointe. The couple, both of whom grew up in the area — Lisa in Grosse Pointe Woods, and Geoff in Grosse Pointe Park — purchased a 3,600-square-foot 1955 Colonial in Grosse Pointe Farms (neutral territory, they say) in 2021, after living away for more than 20 years.
Lisa had seen a bedroom designed by Loperfido at the Junior League of Detroit Showhouse in 2022 and liked her style. “It was important for me to make our space unique and inviting, with an element of surprise,” she explains of the home’s first-floor makeover, which included the entry, living room, and cocktail lounge. She says her goals for the redo were to “modernize a classic Grosse Pointe home” and create “an open environment for entertaining,” while also showcasing personal flair, antiques inherited from Geoff’s family, the couple’s Italian and Swiss heritage, and pieces from their extensive travels. “We’re fortunate to have inherited some great antiques,” Lisa says. “Incorporating those was important, but we needed our space to be fresh and modern.”
Loperfido was up to the task and says she enjoyed “shopping their home” when the project began. She started by adding a large table and dramatic chandelier to the front hall, and moving a large piece of art made by one of Lisa’s friends from a back hallway to a new location near the stairs. “I told Lisa (it needed) to be front and center,” the designer explains, noting that the piece echoes the palette in the nearby living room and ties the two spaces together. She also moved a large rug that was in the cocktail lounge into the living room, where it provided the jumping-off point for the whole room’s color palette. Vintage trays, once hidden in a cupboard, are now used as art on a living room wall.
When the project started, the living room had just a large sectional. The Centners wanted more seating for entertaining, so Loperfido added two large sofas as well as two swivel chairs and other seating designed to accommodate as many people as possible. “We really wanted to make it more functional,” she explains, adding that the larger furniture pieces are new or custom, while many of the accessories and smaller pieces are vintage. “It’s all about balance,” the designer says.
The cocktail lounge was already a deep blue, a hue that Loperfido loved. She moved a piece of art from the kitchen, while adding new custom chairs and a bar cart.
Loperfido enjoys incorporating homeowners’ favorite possessions in her designs and finding new things that complement them. “I wanted (these spaces) to feel true to their personality,” she says. “They’ve traveled and collected these things, and they should be on display.”
Loperfido says people are moving toward more eclectic and colorful interiors. The Centners’ home is “the perfect juxtaposition of old and new,” she says. Lisa agrees. “Reactions from friends and family have been overwhelmingly positive,” she says.
More information: decorandmoredesigns.com
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