This inviting and warm center-hall colonial is tucked away in a quaint neighborhood in Hopewell Junction, New York. Owners Suzanne and Don Carroll had it custom built in 1997. “We’re drawn to this neighborhood since we love the community sense of it,” Suzanne says. After you walk into the 3,200 square-foot room you’ll be able to feel the warmth from the oak wood floors, wood furniture pieces and neutral tones that make it feel as if you’ve just stepped into a mountain ski lodge.
Suzanne and Don worked really closely with their builder when building the home and had a friend help them with the design elements. Suzanne describes her design style as,”Traditional, classic, and anything I enjoy and am inspired by at the moment.” She loves shopping at different antique shops and says their next home project is to add new paint and an addition next to the garage to aging parents. Suzanne says she also got help from a designer at the paint store when picking colors to the walls. She also adds,”They maintained the tones warm and neutral to match the wood decor”
at a Glance
Who lives here: Suzanne and Don Carroll and both cats Oreo and Big Red
Location: Hopewell Junction, New York
Size: 3,200 square feet, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths
Rikki Snyder
The first room to the left once you walk in is a seating area with a blue color palette. This room houses a piano that their three kids took lessons on if they were younger, a classic chess set, and a grandfather clock. In addition to the piano is a display of family photographs which are the first things Suzanne would catch if they needed to leave their home in an emergency.
Rikki Snyder
The seating area leads in their family room with oak furniture pieces and double doors that lead into a screened-in porch. They keep it closed for the wintermonths, if the Christmas tree takes centre stage, but it is a favourite place to gather in summertime.
Furniture: JD Cohen Furniture
Rikki Snyder
The corner cupboard belonged to Suzanne’s mom and is now one of her favourite pieces. The leather couch adds a cozy feel to the space.
Couch: JD Cohen Furniture
Rikki Snyder
A slate stone fireplace in the family room acts as a gathering point from the winter months and adds to the house’s hot cabin-like feel. This was something that the Carrolls always wanted and worked closely with the builder when planning this area. Both amber-colored lanterns in front of the fireplace are one of Suzanne’s newest finds from an antique store.
Rikki Snyder
One of the cats, Oreo, is quite photogenic and loves leaping in the bar stools into the countertop. “When company comes more than we usually gather around the kitchen island,” Don says,”We love getting the additional chairs together with the bar stools.” The black granite countertops have been must-haves for the Carrolls when designing the kitchen. This space is one of Suzanne’s beloved accomplishments as a homeowner. She loves how broad it is and how it provides them the capability to accommodate a high number of guests simultaneously. Past the table is a set of doors resulting in their pool and swimming pool.
Bar Stools: JC Penney
Black Granite Countertops: Granite Shop
Dining Table: At Home in the Woods
Rikki Snyder
The dining room — Don’s favourite place in the home — is where the family gathers for holiday feasts. A gorgeous chandelier hangs over their table; a matching hutch displays Suzanne’s china.
Hutch and table: JD Cohen furniture
Chandelier: Electra Lighting
Rikki Snyder
Suzanne and Don’s bedroom is painted sage green, and a matching bedspread matches the hot oak wood tones of the chest and dresser. 2 Asian-inspired blue table lamps flank the bed.
Rikki Snyder
Oak has always been their favourite wood, and their other cat, Big Red, mixes right in. The Carrolls inherited the secretary piece next to the staircase in the foyer. A closet keeps coats and shoes tucked away.
Rikki Snyder
Their finished basement has a pool table, another seating area and a TV, making it a perfect escape room to enjoy with friends. Suzanne and Don’s youngest son spends most of his time when he’s home from college.
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