After Ellie Redders, CEO and Principal Designer of Ellie Redders Interiors, and her husband Brian Redders, had their 25-year-old home renovated a few years ago, Ellie realized that reimagining their formal dining room would make the space more useful.   

    So she transformed the dining room into a vibrant music room and lounge. The family uses the new room far more now than in its previous life, when it was only used on holidays twice a year.

    “We’ll go in there to catch up, relax, have a drink, read a book,” she says. “I do a little work every now and then in there. It’s a room that inspires me. It helps me with creative juices when I’m thinking about other projects with clients.” She says she did the remodel to improve the functionality of the house, but also with the color and vibe in mind, to show what different designs can be done.

    Ellie had the deep red of the dining room walls replaced with Benjamin Moore’s Slate Teal in high gloss. “My goal for the room was to have it be a moody space,” she says. “It evokes that mood, while not being too dark. It also gives a little nod to fun as well.”

    She had drapery made in the same teal, and added a matching teal sofa. They moved the piano that their 15-year-old son Max uses from the great room into the music room.

    A chandelier hangs over the piano, and a collection of artwork graces the walls. Ellie says she already had some of the artwork, and other items she obtained specifically for the room.

    “Two (artwork pieces) are framed piano pieces of songs that I grew up with that mean something to me,” she shares. “They remind me of my mom and my family.” She chose the songs and had them framed to go in the room.

    At The Refind Room in Brentwood, Ellie found two unique chairs covered with zebra print fabric. She had thought about recovering them and using them in a different room, but realized they would look perfect as is in the music room. “That was a fun find for me,” she says. “It’s showing how you can and should mix new with old, and make it come together in a more current way.”

    Ellie often works with clients in newer, traditional two-story homes, who think they can’t do funky or fun design with their space. But she asserts the way to do that is, don’t be afraid of color, and do think outside the box.

    Taking her own advice, she says she designed the music room with a mix of vintage and glam. It makes her happy. “Every time I look at that room I smile,” she says.