Brookline designer featured
in Junior League's show house

Those weary of the long winter will feel that spring has suddenly arrived when they step into the Sun Room at the Junior League of Boston's Decorators' Show House. Designer Juliette Reid of Brookline decided to make this room an oasis of light and color, a place to reflect and unwind. Reid also wanted to pay tribute to the room's unique history.

The home was built in 1805 for the Commandant of the Charlestown Navy Yard; the Sun Room was added in 1935. The room's grand Palladian windows reveal not only formal gardens, but also the harbor and dock of the U.S.S. Constitution, "Old Ironsides."

The theme of Boston's China trade is reflected on a mural created by decorative artists Susan Harter and Rena Hedeman. In the mural, stylized tree, birds and flowers wrap themselves sinuously across a buttery yellow background. The interpretation is loose and lively, with touches of cheerful jewel-like colors enhancing Reid's selection of fabrics.

Rather than a stuffy historical recreation, Reid opted for a clever mix of antiques and more modern elements. She chose venerable statues and pottery, and in a nod to the silk trade, she dressed slipper chairs, pillows and windows in the fabric.

Juliette Reid, an interior designer and Brookline resident, created the Sun Room for this year's Junior League of Boston Decorator Show House.