Welcome Home Chris Madden’s tips on how to make your house a haven Photographs by Keith Scott Morton W When Chris Madden decided it was time to update the look of her home, she didn’t have to go far for inspiration. s As an interior designer with her own home furnishings collection at JCPenney, she simply let her mood—a wish to create a cozier feel for the coming winter—and some of her newest fabrics and furniture guide her. “My house is my laboratory,” says Chris of the renovated 1916 stone gatehouse in Westchester County, New York, that she shares with her husband, Kevin, and (sometimes) with their two grown sons. WARM THOUGHTS Chris chose fabrics in fall tones, including houndstooth upholstery for the chairs. s CLOSE-UP “Start with a room’s ‘big picture,’” says Chris, “then create a few smaller scenes.” From JCPenney: Houndstooth chairs, sofa, desk, table lamps, curtains “My home is where I can live with my new designs every day—which really gives me a sense of how they will work for my customers.” Although Chris and her design team recently revamped everything from the window treatments to the furniture, she Welcome Home stresses that updating doesn’t require a major investment. “You can transform a room dramatically with new pillows or a small area rug layered over the carpet or even by switching from white lightbulbs to pink ones, for a warm glow.” And, Chris advises, always consider all five senses. Attend to the visual, of course, but also incorporate texture, sound, scent, and even taste (see “Decorating for the Five Senses”). Then there’s the “sixth sense”: emotion. “You need to really connect with the rooms in your home as you go about decorating them,” she says. “Choose elements that will create the effect you want— whether it’s to energize or relax you. That’s the best way to make a room truly your own.” s PERSONAL HISTORY The open shelves of the dining nook show off Chris and Kevin’s enthusiasm for natural history—and keep s entertaining essentials close at hand. CASUAL DINING Adjacent to the full dining room, this alcove is where Chris and Kevin enjoy intimate dinners—and read the papers on Sunday morning. From JCPenney: Table, buffets, plates, glassware Welcome Home BALANCING ACT “This bed, a new one from my collection, anchors the space in a fresh way,” says Chris. “And the leopard area rug reflects my adventurous sense of style.” From JCPenney: Bed, bedding, throw, rug “Soften the impact of a rich fabric by emphasizing one of the pattern’s secondary colors, like this turquoise.”  Welcome Home  Decorating for the five senses Tips from Chris Madden GUEST SWEET “Fabric is a great way to smooth out uneven plaster walls like ours,” says Chris. She just stapled a cottagey blueand-white print to the wall, then applied white rope trim with a hot-glue gun. From JCPenney: Nightstands, bedding, window treatments, plates, lamps, rug  Sight After you’ve designed the overall layout of the room, create a few “vignettes” of some things you’re passionate about. Hearing Fill your home with the sounds you and your guests love. They can be music, a water fountain, chimes, and even the whir of a fan. Smell It’s the strongest of the five senses, and a scent can set the mood in a room immediately. I like lavender for a guest room and eucalyptus for a bathroom. Touch Make a room come alive with a variety of textures, from the softness of a cashmere throw to the bristly fibers of a sisal carpet. Taste Keep a tray with drinks and snacks in every room. It’s a visual reminder to sit down, slow down, and relax. A few of my favorite things Instant sculpture “Chinese jars like this one imbue a room with a sense of history and culture.” Chris shares her treasures—old and new Great books “As a writer, I love to collect anything related to the written word.” Classic style “The shape of this chair from my JCPenney collection can work in so many settings.” Nice price Small wonder “This rug from my fall line adds so much pop.” “The small size of this table makes it the perfect companion to an armchair.” Practical magic “My new JCPenney dinnerware is designed for mixing and matching on your table—or your walls.” Glass act “These French bistro glasses were a gift from a good friend of mine. I love their texture.”