In Partnership with
Photography by Kate Jordan
Words by Jamie Lenore McKillop
Styling by Kate Berry
Color-obsessed design expert Jordan Ferney takes on her biggest challenge yet: Creating a toned-down space for screen-free family time.
Game Changer
“This is our weekend place, so it’s inherently more chill,” Ferney says. “While I’m known for maximalism, I try to let the vibe of the place dictate my approach. This time, I focused on a lot of pared-back hues…but I can’t help but always pull in a pattern or a color.”
Ferney gave the most attention to the parlor area, since that is where the family naturally gathers and unwinds after a long day. As a mom of three kids (two of whom are teens), Ferney knew she wanted a space that encouraged quality time with limited screen time. “Let’s face it, even parents are on screens a lot,” she admits. “But when we get out of the city, it’s especially important to model being engaged and interacting with one another.”
With her family’s penchant for puzzles and game nights top of mind, Ferney leaned on smart styling practices and the help of Walmart’s retro-inspired home designs—as a nod to the predigital era—to make her plans a reality.
As the founder of Oh Happy Day! and Color Factory, it’s fair to say that Jordan Ferney has built a career around celebrating all the shades of the rainbow. So when she began furnishing her family’s new upstate New York home, she gave herself a surprising challenge: staying neutral.
Between get-togethers, she uses it as a potted plant stand (bonus points for wheels, so you can position it for optimal sunlight) and game storage. When happy hour hits, she simply rolls it into the room and dresses it up for cocktails with colorful glassware, pitchers for big-batch beverages, bowls of snacks, and florals.
“I love having a bar cart out, whether I’m hosting or not,” says Ferney. “It’s such a fun piece of furniture, and it’s quite practical.”
House
of Carts
As most of us can relate, Ferney and her family hang out mainly indoors during the winter months—but that doesn’t have to equal giving into mindless scrolling. “We make the best of it with s’mores,” she says. “We have this big fireplace, and we’ll do a large spread cutting boards and platters. It has become a ritual for us; it’s a time to tell stories or to play the guitar, and it creates this lo-fi atmosphere where you’re really not thinking about your phone.” If there are chocolate and marshmallows involved, really who is?
No Phone
Zone
“A few years ago, at a hotel in the English countryside, it had two seats pulled up to a window with a table that invited you to sit down and play cards,” she reminisces. “It was this little area set up specifically for people to interact.”
The setup stuck with her, and Ferney toyed with ideas on how to do something similar at the weekend house. She landed on a pair of chairs and a small table dedicated to puzzles and little else. “My husband and I quickly realized this was a necessity after we started a puzzle and couldn’t finish it before dinner,” she adds. The family can dip in and out as they wish, fostering meaningful bursts of face-to-face connection.
Puzzle It Together
Queer Eye Fallon Modern Accent Chair, Mustard Yellow Velvet
Gap Home Mid-Century Modern Side Table, Blue
Better Homes & Gardens Willow Sage Steel Wicker Bar Cart
Calvin Klein Naturals
Duvet Cover Set in Pure Grid
Better Homes & Gardens Rubber Wood Serve Footed Board
Terracotta Plant Pots Set
Calvin Klein Naturals
Duvet Cover Set in Pure Grid
BirdRock Home Square Pouf Ottoman
“This is our weekend place, so it’s inherently more chill,” Ferney says. “While I’m known for maximalism, I try to let the vibe of the place dictate my approach. This time, I focused on a lot of pared-back hues…but I can’t help but always pull in a pattern or a color.”