When it came to creating her dream home, Jenn Feldman had one clear goal in mind: to restore the charm of an older house while making it fit for modern-day living. Nestled in a 1935 colonial-style home, Jenn's vision came to life after a year-long renovation that turned the space into a forever family retreat—complete with a show-stopping dining room designed for memory-making. 

“I always dreamed of having our own ‘grown-up’, forever home,” she shares. “A place where we could raise our boys and host all our favorite people. The dining room was such a huge part of that vision.” 

An Ode to Old Meets New 

Purchased in August 2021 and lovingly renovated before moving in the summer of 2022, the home is a stunning blend of traditional details and contemporary warmth. Sharing the space with her husband Todd, their teenage sons Sammy and Ari, and Frankie Feldman, their mischievous sheepadoodle, the house is full of character—and characters. 

Before

After

With a self-described aesthetic of modern traditionalism, Jenn says she’s always been drawn to the juxtaposition of aged pieces with a story and fresh, clean-lined design. “I love collecting objects that tell your life story—something old, something made, something found,” she says. “If it looks like Picasso painted it, I probably want to live in it.” 

Reimagining the Dining Room 

The dining room was one of the biggest transformations. “I always say a dining room is like your best black-tie dress—you don’t wear it every day, but when you do, you want it to be gorgeous and you want to feel great,” she says. 

Before the redesign, the space felt disjointed, with awkward alcoves and a dated stone mantle. But the bones? They were magic. “The crown molding was so special I literally hung signs during demo warning that anyone who touched it would regret it,” she laughs. 

With those architectural details preserved, the vision began to form—rooted in tradition but layered with modern luxury. The pièce de résistance? A custom mural wallpaper from Phillip Jeffries that married color, texture, and storytelling. 

Finding the Perfect Paint Color 

To complement the mural, Jenn knew where she had to visit first. “We narrowed it down with strike-offs, but once we found Flatiron, we were sold,” she says. “It was the perfect clean paint choice, and the mix of cool and warm tones played beautifully with the wallpaper.” 

Using a tonal match on the paneling and trim created a seamless, elevated look. “That satin finish against the textured mural just sings,” she adds. “The room instantly transformed. It’s just as beautiful for morning light as it is when we’re entertaining at night.” 

A Hidden Surprise—and a Few Lucky Finds 

One of the more creative projects? A custom jib door disguised within the mural—doubling as hidden storage and a seamless design feature. “We wallpapered and painted it in the same shade, and now it tucks away beautifully into the wainscoting,” she explains. “It unlocked this weird little alcove and turned it into something really useful.” 

Among her favorite elements is a vintage corner chest, a serendipitous find at an antique marketplace in Texas. “It just belonged in that spot,” she says. The chandelier, too, has a great story—discovered during a late-night online shopping scroll and ordered from a sketchy website she admits she’d never recommend to her clients. “Lucky for me, it was perfect.” 

Designing for Yourself Isn’t Easy 

Despite being a creative force, the experience came with its own challenges. “I learned it’s really hard to design for yourself,” Jenn confesses. “I I questioned every decision I made and lost my confidence over and over again. But I just kept coming back to what felt authentic. If you love it, it’s right.” 

Now, every time she walks through the front door, she’s reminded why the dining room transformation was worth it. “This space brings me joy. My home was a labor of love and worth every ounce of waiting for!”