W
hen Bryan Batt and Tom Cianfichi laid eyes on a pale peach, two-story Uptown cottage two years ago, they knew they had found an extraordinary space where their design sensibilities could take flight. After renting a St. Charles Avenue carriage house for seven years, the couple had decided to put down permanent roots. Batt likens their 10-month search for a home to the Goldilocks story: “Everything we looked at needed so much renovation, or was too big, or too small,” he says. “This house was just right.” The former grocery store was not only the perfect size for the couple and their Boston terrier Peggy, it made effective use of every inch of space. Originally only one story, the house was raised by its former owner to include a new kitchen and dining room on the ground floor. It also had an abundance of structural details: high ceilings, a kitchen inlaid with gleaming subway tiles, and brass hardware on the doors. “(The former owner) was doing things that people are doing now to houses, only 30 years ago,” Batt says. “The use of the space is brilliant.” One of Batt’s favorite features is a massive oak French armoire with a built-in bar that came with the house and sits in the living room. Closed, it’s an innocuous storage piece; open, it’s an invitation for revelry. A glittering collection of vintage barware pays subtle tribute to Sal Romano, the hard-drinking ad executive on AMC’s hit series Mad Men, the portrayal of whom brought Batt critical attention and acclaim. Both Batt and Cianfichi spent years navigating New York show business while cramped in tiny, one-bedroom Manhattan apartments. They were exhilarated when confronted with the space and possibility their new home afforded them. Aside from tweaking a few paint colors, they found no need for changes. Instead, they concentrated on selecting furniture and decorative pieces that complemented the building’s unique structure and exhibited their aesthetic. “The house itself spoke to us to use more subdued, grown up and monochromatic colors — with a little bit of glamour,” Cianfichi says. Batt points to the living room as a good example of this philosophy, where the decor takes its cue from a large metallic painting by local artist Blake Boyd, which depicts Disney’s Snow White receiving a resurrecting kiss from Prince Charming. Batt and Cianfichi discovered a low, retro couch at a Salvation Army store and reupholstered it in textured white fabric. Iron console tables designed by Cianfichi flank the windows and are topped by an elaborate Sumatran headdress on a display stand. “We decided to let the outside be the accent,” Batt says, gesturing toward leafy treetops visible through the bare windows. “It’s glorious to sit in here any time of day and look out at the view.” The natural surroundings shine through due to the room’s neutral, muted palette and the lack of window treatments. “It’s real fun for the neighbors,” Batt jokes. Never interested in formal design education, Batt cultivated his strong style persona by taking cues from his hometown. “I’m very inspired by New Orleans,” he says. “I grew up loving the interiors and the furnishings here.” His home is full of inherited pieces, as well as objects picked up on trips to places like France and Thailand. The couple also pulls from their personal experiences and interests. The upstairs hallway has a “Wall of Shame” display-
the bathroom boasts a cool palette of soothing shades of blue.
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