Houzz Tour: Comfort and Elegance for 5
Casual and Formal Looks Combine in an Evolving Family Home
This stylish home near Birmingham, Ala. was designed for a busy family of five with three school-age girls. When the couple realized their house couldn't keep up with the bustling lifestyle of their fast-growing daughters, they knew it was time for a change. They didn't want to leave their neighbors or their neighborhood, though, so they approached designer and close friend Dana Wolter to help them rework the home they already had.
Friends since right after college, Wolter had been helping the client with their home for years and had an intimate knowledge of the family's day to day lifestyle. They wanted a refined, relaxing and efficient home, so Wolter opened up the main floor with arched entryways, used light but durable textiles, and created living spaces that allow for group activities as well as time alone.
Friends since right after college, Wolter had been helping the client with their home for years and had an intimate knowledge of the family's day to day lifestyle. They wanted a refined, relaxing and efficient home, so Wolter opened up the main floor with arched entryways, used light but durable textiles, and created living spaces that allow for group activities as well as time alone.
by Dana Wolter
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The living room is Wolter's favorite, because it's slightly out of the norm. The client's daughters love to come in here and read, so she wanted to create a space that would reflect that kind of cozy atmosphere. Instead of using a standard sofa-armchair configuration, she used two plush velvet chaise lounges.
The wall between the dining room and the living room was knocked out to help with flow and light. "The space is casual enough to curl up with a book or handle the overflow from a party," Wolter says. The sconces are from Village Firefly Antiques in Birmingham, and the white ottoman is from Richard Tubb Interiors. The chandelier in the dining room is from the The Briarcliff Shop in Alabama.
The wall between the dining room and the living room was knocked out to help with flow and light. "The space is casual enough to curl up with a book or handle the overflow from a party," Wolter says. The sconces are from Village Firefly Antiques in Birmingham, and the white ottoman is from Richard Tubb Interiors. The chandelier in the dining room is from the The Briarcliff Shop in Alabama.
by Dana Wolter
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A reupholstered Louis XV style chair and side table makes good use of an empty corner. It offers a nice way to escape from the center of the room if need be — or to draw up closer. The corner is accented by a vignette of vintage and personal items from the clients. Wolter opted to cover the warm hardwood floor in this room with a combination of seagrass and cowhide for a layered, casual look.
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| Another living area on another side of the main floor has a more traditional and slightly formal setup, designed with the same soothing and relaxing color palette. Another seagrass rug grounds the room, and plays off the organic materials in the floor lamps from Visual Comfort, the rustic-style coffee table, and the linen upholstery. A brick fireplace was painted white, which unifies the room and draws attention to the beautiful molding. |
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Wolter found the welcoming wing chair at Circa Interiors and accented it with a soft pillow in fabric by Beacon Hill. A chandelier from Visual Comfort provides a sense of texture and patina in the space. "We chose product by looking at how we wanted each room to function and went from there," says Wolter. The corner bookshelf was painted by the client's husband in a deep gray to complement a piece from their art collection above the mantle.
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The dining room provides an intimate yet formal setting for both casual family dinners and dinner parties. Wolter covered a 60-inch circular dining table in a drum style faux white leather. While Wolter and the client wanted to use a less expensive fabric here — and one that was easy to clean — they also wanted something that would bring an unexpected and luxurious element to the design. Antique chairs reupholstered in a pale blue velvet and custom window treatments complete the fresh but traditional space.
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| Bits of the client's antique china collection rest on top of a vintage sideboard, ready to be put on the table at a moment's notice. The clients love to entertain, so creating a home that was conducive to that — as well as to the needs of their children — was important. "Their main goal was to create a more functional space while still maintaining a very stylish home," says Wolter. |
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Framed black and white photos of the family hang from delicate chains in the entryway as a way to welcome guests into the family's home. "To me this home is clean, crisp, and inviting, but also with a little edge," says Wolter. "You can see glimpses of my style, but more importantly, it reflects my client and her family. I love that she trusted me enough to incorporate what I view as her style into her home."
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A vignette in one of the hallways showcases the client's taste for vintage goods and a classic, well-worn look. "She's a beautiful girl, inside and out," Wolter says of the client. "Her sense of style is definitely seen throughout the home!"
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Incorporating some classic and traditional style into this Georgian Revival home was a must for Wolter and her client. "She had some beautiful pieces we had purchased for her previous home," says Wolter. "So starting with that as a base and then adding to it worked well."
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| Wolter had the home's kitchen completely redone. Initially, the space was an awkward U-shape with outdated appliances and cabinetry that wasn't conducive to cooking, eating or entertaining. Wolter opened up the space, added another arched entryway between the kitchen and the dining room, and put in an island with a marble top. A new cooktop was installed on the island, and barstools from Circa Interiors were set underneath. |
by Dana Wolter
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A breakfast nook at the end of the extended kitchen area makes use of a gap left by the bay window. Wolter custom designed a metal and wood table for nook and used a banquette to provide most of the seating. Wolter loves to incorporate banquettes into her designs and was particularly happy with the way this one turned out.
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The clients' art collection is reflected in many of the darker and bolder tones in the home's color palette. The grays in the painting above can be seen in the dark pillows accenting peridot chairs in the master bedroom. Even the gold accents of the table lamp and the soft hues of the marble topped table seem to pay tribute to the tone of the art.
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| The master bedroom plays with contrasting warm and cool shades in a blend of contemporary and traditional designs. The custom upholstered headboard was made extra tall to accent the room's vaulted ceiling. Wolter had the bedding made custom as well, and threw another cowhide down on the hardwood floor to help prevent feet from getting chilly in the early morning. |
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| The linen headboard, beach-like color palette, glass table lamp, and coral remnant almost evoke a soothing nautical feel — but is still understated enough to work with the rest of the natural elements throughout the home. |
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A modern all-white bath was outfitted with tiles and fixtures from Kenny & Company. Sleek and streamlined, it has the same sort of traditional grounding and organic influences as the rest of the house due to the marble countertop and tile, and the woven straw footstool.
Photos by Jean Allsop Photography
More ideas:
Could Your Living Room Be Better Without a Sofa?
Houzz Tour: Dream Home in Toronto
Houzz Tour: Paula Coldiron's Affordable Elegance
Photos by Jean Allsop Photography
More ideas:
Could Your Living Room Be Better Without a Sofa?
Houzz Tour: Dream Home in Toronto
Houzz Tour: Paula Coldiron's Affordable Elegance
Ideabook published on July 21, 2011.
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But I must ask - what about the computers and tv? If you don't provide a family space to surf together, the kids will go off alone and you won't know what sites they hang at. The world of design has yet to realize that we spend our time with tech gear, not so much cooking anymore.
@Lyvia, it seems they featured living/reading areas (For the girls) Not sure they featured a family room. There is also a TV hanging in the master bedroom over the 2 chairs....so one would think there must be other tech gear...... however, I know some families and will believe that more do actually spend quality time together, cooking, reading and talking.
If this were a commercial space, say.... the world headquarters for some radical militant feminist group, I would give it very high marks. But, it is supposed to be a home........and when you tightly define design elements in a residential space to the point of being exclusive, I have to give it a failing grade. Believe me, most men would be uncomfortable entering this home. I feel for the poor guy that has to live there...... and hope they didn't also do his garage.