'My goal is to create a tranquil place' – Designer Jess Cooney knows just how to fill even the busiest home with a sense of peace

Jess Cooney, a Massachusetts-based interior designer, is recognized for her approach to combining timeless architecture with contemporary, relaxed living. Her work primarily focuses on historic homes in the Berkshires, where she aims to create spaces that are both deeply grounded and highly functional. Cooney’s design philosophy is significantly influenced by her personal experience with a large, active family, emphasizing how design can contribute to a calmer, more fluid, and intentional home environment. She prioritizes storage and flow in her designs, enabling homes to adapt seamlessly from accommodating large family gatherings, like Thanksgiving, to serving as intimate retreats for one or two people. Cooney highlights the importance of versatile spaces that can expand and contract based on the number of occupants. She ensures that her designs account for practical aspects, such as the layout of breakfast nooks and laundry facilities, to facilitate ease of living. Her goal is to create an effortless environment, regardless of the number of people present, promoting a sense of tranquility. A key element of her design strategy involves integrating smart storage solutions, especially for families with children. She designs designated areas for items like band-aids and wet towels, often plotting routes from outdoor areas like pools or yards through mudrooms and laundry rooms. This meticulous planning aims to minimize clutter and allow family members, particularly children, to enjoy their activities without causing disruption to the home's overall peaceful atmosphere. Central to Cooney’s design ethos is the concept of grounding a space through its base materials. When working with older homes, she strives for schemes that are original to the building, often incorporating reclaimed materials. For instance, she might use reclaimed flooring from old barns or limestone pavers from the UK, which already possess a sense of patina and history. This approach, layered with playful elements, helps to root the space and ensures clients feel their investment is worthwhile. She also advocates for the use of plaster walls to enhance this grounded feeling. Cooney notes a cultural difference in the appreciation of patina, with Europeans often embracing it more readily than Americans, who tend to prefer new and pristine finishes. She educates her clients on the beauty of wear and tear, suggesting that scratches and dings contribute to a softer, more character-rich environment over time. While working with traditional homes, Cooney frequently incorporates modern furniture, particularly mid-century pieces, to introduce freshness. She values beautifully worn leather chairs that offer both modernity and comfort. This blend of vintage and new furnishings is intended to cultivate a sense of soul and evolution within a space, contributing to a grounded and calming ambiance. Her preference for 100-year-old rugs is also noted for their durability and ability to withstand heavy use. Additionally, Cooney often uses reclaimed wood beams and handcrafted tiles, emphasizing their tactile qualities and timelessness. She explains that the dramatic seasonal changes in the Berkshires, where she primarily works, necessitate materials that are robust and enduring. These elements, she believes, possess inherent personality and soul, standing in contrast to fleeting trends. Cooney’s work extends to educating her clients on the nuances of design. A frequent piece of advice she offers is that not every element in a home needs to be a showpiece. She encourages clients to selectively choose what aspects will stand out and what will remain subdued. Her philosophy suggests that when too many decisions are treated as major, interesting choices, the overall effect can be overwhelming. Instead, she recommends pulling back at times and focusing on creating smaller, impactful moments within each room, ensuring a harmonious and balanced interior. Her designs underscore a practical, soul-driven approach to creating tranquil and functional living spaces that stand the test of time and family life. #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #JessCooneyInteriors #TranquilSpaces #StorageSolutions #Patina #MaterialSelection #ModernFurnishings #BerkshiresDesign #InteriorDesign #HomeDecor #JessCooneyInteriors #TranquilSpaces #StorageSolutions #Patina #MaterialSelection #ModernFurnishings #BerkshiresDesign