Prints Charming
‘‘I’m not the biggest fan of neutrals,” notes interior designer Molly Singer. That turns out to be a major understatement. The newly renovated home in Fox Chapel she shares with her husband and two children is the definition of exuberance. Color abounds, as does texture and wallpaper. Lots of wallpaper.
“I’m a firm believer that you can’t achieve with paint what you can with wallpaper,” she says. “I prefer walls that provide interest through either dimension, such as paneling or molding, or pattern or texture through papers. Many of my clients love wallpaper, but some are still hesitant. If they’re hesitant about patterned papers I try to persuade them into trying a texture so that the walls don’t fall flat. I have lots of clients who initially say ‘no way’ to paper and after the project is over say, ‘I’m so glad we did the paper!’”
Custom cabinetry by Bonura Cabinets is painted in Skywalker by Backdrop Paint. Pendants and sconces from Urban Electric accent the quartzite counters from Ultimate Granite Surfaces and faucets by Waterworks. The appliances are Sub-Zero and Wolf, the stools are from Mainly Baskets and the table is by O&G Studio. Antoinette Poisson fabric was used for the curtains.
For her own home, a traditional six-bedroom built in 1965 with an addition in the 1990s, Singer’s enthusiasm for wall coverings was unbridled. The secluded property with a spring house and pond and Colonial style appealed to Singer when the couple bought it in 2021.
“The house and property felt like it had an old soul, which is really important to me. My vision for the house was to build on the simple Colonial bones and add more character through architectural details and decoration. It offered the perfect building blocks to add my punch. My personal style is very heavily influenced by English and Southern design, particularly the mixing of pattern and color.”
Before she could get to that part, Singer decided to tear off the original addition and do her own. She wanted a first-floor primary suite and a great kitchen. As a bonus, she got a guest suite with a family room and small kitchen in the new basement that was built to support the addition. Wade Weissmann Architecture designed the addition, with construction by Phillip Wentzel Custom Homes.
The original footprint of 2,700 feet grew by another 3,000 feet, enabling the house to be reconstituted for today’s needs. On the first floor, the former family room is now a spacious mudroom with laundry facilities. The living room and reconfigured den retain the cozy charm of eight-foot ceilings, but the house opens up when you walk through to the addition, with its soaring cathedral ceilings.
The kitchen was designed around a large, arched window that frames the view to the backyard. The cabinetry is painted a soft blue with green undertones that leads to a darker blue in the adjoining butler’s pantry, with custom cabinetry by Bonura Cabinets and stone by Ultimate Granite. A large island topped with quartzite countertops centers the room and is balanced by the Wolf stove and full-sized Sub-Zero refrigerator and freezer, placed together for ease and impact.
“Many of my clients appreciate my use of color and pattern. Maybe it’s a counterbalance to the typically gray Pittsburgh days. I largely draw upon the colors I always wear — blues and greens — but I definitely use the whole palette. I prefer to feel something when I walk into a room. When I walk into a neutral room, it’s harder for me to relax, oddly.
“I’m a big believer in continuity of design, so I don’t want you to feel like you’re walking from house to house. But each room should have a different emotion because they serve different purposes. I do try to bring consistency through the color — they flow through but they’re broken up by different patterns and textures. I’m not into super-relaxed spaces. I like things to be crisp, to have some sense of formality, but I also want them to be comfortable and approachable.”
Singer has been in business since 2007, “but I feel like I’ve been doing it almost my entire life — it’s a passion more than anything else.” As a child, her grandmother would let her rearrange the furniture when she visited on weekends. After getting a degree in marketing and business, she started buying, renovating and selling homes in the East End. She began taking clients in 2015 and hasn’t slowed down since. In 2020, she opened Molly Singer Home, a gift, decor and tabletop store in Blawnox that is filled with the things she loves.
When it came to designing her own home, Singer says the process was more challenging. Clients generally give her a specific sense of direction, perhaps photos of what they hope to achieve or things they like. From that, Singer can craft an interior that reflects their style and their needs. They also have veto power — they can reject ideas or make other choices. “But as a designer, we see so many beautiful things every day that it’s difficult to narrow down what you want for yourself.”
Added to the difficulty of editing the new is incorporating the old. Singer likes to imbue a home with character, and that can be tricky if all the furnishings are straight from the showroom.
“I love new pieces mixed with really old pieces. This home incorporates a lot of newly acquired antiques, new pieces and some pieces I’ve had for 25 years. Most of my work is rooted in traditional style, but I like to mix in contemporary elements to intentionally surprise the eye. It’s very satisfying to me to put things together. It never feels like work. It’s a wonderful creative outlet. For me, this house was an opportunity to create an entire home to reflect my personality. I’m pretty happy with where it landed.”
Marylynn Uricchio is the former film critic and SEEN/society editor for the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. She now writes fiction in addition to articles about architecture and design.
