The last several years have shifted priorities when it comes to our homes, with people searching for more space and community. For interior designer Tara Kantor, that means business is booming. “This was the second home I had done with this client. We had just completed a small renovation and full furnishing of their home in Scarsdale, New York when they called me to tell me they were building a house and moving to Roslyn,” she says. “As occurred for countless others, the pandemic created a shift that led them to reevaluate where they were living. They decided to move to Roslyn to be closer to family and friends. I was shocked when they called, sad that they would not be my neighbors anymore, but thrilled to work with them again, as we had built a great relationship during the first project.”

Roslyn, New York is a charming village on the north shore of Long Island, and Tara’s clients found a property that a builder had listed. “They bought the land from the builder and were able to customize every detail,” she says. “We wanted to create a current, minimal, bright, and collected home—not overdone or trendy. But we also wanted to have fun in specific spaces, which we did, by adding hints of pattern in window treatments and sparingly in wallpaper or tile.” 

They wanted to reuse as many of the brand-new pieces from their previous residence as possible—but also wanted the home to feel fresh and new. “We decided to reuse her former dining room table in her new kitchen with more casual chairs, giving the table a different feel,” Tara explains. “We then reused the dining chairs in her new dining room but paired them with a sizeable, bleached oak table, creating an entirely different look.” The designer admits they had to seek out creative solutions, while ensuring the scale would work in the new, larger space.  “For example, I paired a mirror over her former fireplace with a console in her former living room once we did an elevation to ensure the mirror was the right proportion for the console. We also had to replace a few items that were damaged or lost in the move, which also left us scrambling. But each challenge was an opportunity to be creative!”

Now, they have the perfect home: close to their community, and thoughtfully designed to fit their lifestyle. “The clients are so happy in their new home,” Tara says with a smile. “I am so happy for them. We both wish there were more rooms to decorate because we enjoyed the process and working together so much.”