Interior designer Sallie Finney Kjos’ light-filled black-and-white living room—that also functions as her office—is a sophisticated ladylike lair. The stylish and functional space is bookended by two essentials: an inviting oatmeal couch accented with lavender throw pillows and a glamorous, look-at-me mirrored desk.
“I love that desk,” says Kjos, recalling countless designs she created on the chic work surface. The drawback, she says, is fingerprints—but frequent polishing is a small sacrifice for high style.
Between the large black-trimmed windows sits an elegant side chair, its arms Kjos painted a glossy black, and its upholstery she recently recovered in a durable white Sunbrella. Although her cat now claims ownership, the slim chair holds a special place in Kjos’ heart: The $20 yard sale acquisition dates back to her early design school days, and it’s been with her ever since. It was olive green but its third color redo is a keeper. Above the couch hangs a bespoke painting of a woman by a Leesburg artist whose brushstrokes in pink, black and white resemble Kjos’ likeness.
Design Philosophy
“I can find the beauty in most things,” says Kjos. Clients are always impressed by how much of their furniture she reuses and repurposes. Take a tired, old dresser. Kjos might give it a paint job, add artful hardware and turn it into bedside storage, or place it in a front hall to store a family’s haul.
“Good design means that you can take a piece of furniture from one room and put it in another—and it still works,” she says. Like much of her South Riding townhouse, her living room/office is flexible; she can freely move interchangeable pieces. Twin faux-fur ottomans tuck neatly beneath her desk until company calls them into duty. Kjos organizes papers in pretty matching boxes and tops the modern acrylic coffee table with a rotating collection of art books, sculptural pots and vases.
Toughest Hurdle
Kjos says the biggest challenge in designing the room was reconciling its dual purpose within the confines of a small space: It’s the landing spot for her business by day and where she relaxes at night. The key, she says: “You have to be savvy with storage.” She scored a white tufted storage bench that’s perfect for extra seating and stashing wallpaper samples. A pair of baskets contain tile samples; cozy throw blankets hide them.
Favorite Part of the Room
It’s a toss-up between the thrice-rehabbed side chair and her statement-making desk. Kjos has loved the chair’s simple-but-elegant lines for almost two decades. Its yard sale provenance only endears it even more into her heart. The gorgeous mirrored desk proves she’s made it.
