Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Classic Charm for a Modern New House in Nashville
Architectural details and vintage decor give this Tennessee home character and a cozy feel
Josh works for Aerial Development Group, a home builder in Nashville, and he built the dining room bookcase. This was his first time building a piece of furniture. He went to Home Depot with an inspiration photo he found online and the dimensions of the wall they were going to place it on and built the entire thing from scratch. Jessica helped him stain it with a dark walnut stain.
Jessica has styled the shelves with books, antique serveware, framed family photos and other mementos, including rocks the couple have collected on their travels. Also displayed are books and journals from their first years of dating and knickknacks picked up at garage sales and flea markets.
The couple enjoy collecting postcards, artwork and driftwood on their trips. They have a large stick on display from a trip to Maui, art prints from New Zealand, two paintings from Kenya and photos from many other trips displayed around the home.
Jessica has styled the shelves with books, antique serveware, framed family photos and other mementos, including rocks the couple have collected on their travels. Also displayed are books and journals from their first years of dating and knickknacks picked up at garage sales and flea markets.
The couple enjoy collecting postcards, artwork and driftwood on their trips. They have a large stick on display from a trip to Maui, art prints from New Zealand, two paintings from Kenya and photos from many other trips displayed around the home.
The windows are tall and narrow, mimicking the style and shape of windows found on Victorian homes. “[We] searched online for inspiration and blended a view of different plantation-style homes and farmhouses together to find the design,” Jessica says. The island features a large slab of Carrara marble for the top. A backsplash of white subway tile with dark grout extends to the ceiling and creates a timeless look.
Leather barstools: White’s Mercantile; pendant lights: Southeastern Salvage
Leather barstools: White’s Mercantile; pendant lights: Southeastern Salvage
Jessica, a real estate agent, knew she wanted to have full authority over the design process so she could create a home that felt like it was an older build that had been updated. She had a connection with the builder, who offered the home to the couple at cost. They ended up paying about 50 percent of what the home would have sold for on the market. Here, Jessica is pictured with Forrest, the couple’s labrador-pitbull mix.
Jessica’s decorating style mixes classic finishes like subway tile and marble countertops with vintage furniture and farmhouse-style accessories, such as this rug she found at a flea market. She layers lots of texture with soothing neutrals and occasional color.
She wanted the home to feel cozy despite its large size. She also wanted to keep the floor plan open for entertaining purposes. “The interior details are where I really got creative on how to make this home feel historic and not blow our budget,” she says.
Sofas: Rooms to Go; coffee table: Nadeau
She wanted the home to feel cozy despite its large size. She also wanted to keep the floor plan open for entertaining purposes. “The interior details are where I really got creative on how to make this home feel historic and not blow our budget,” she says.
Sofas: Rooms to Go; coffee table: Nadeau
For the flooring, the couple used rustic oak hardwoods, which are typically a lower-grade hardwood because of all the natural defects and knot holes. “I felt this gave the house a barn-wood-type flooring while also saving us money,” Jessica says. She sourced furniture from antique stores as much as possible.
Sconce: Overstock
Sconce: Overstock
The walls in the master bedroom are painted a quiet seafoam green. The touches of farmhouse style are seen in the vintage nightstands and burlap Mr. and Mrs. throw pillows.
Bedding: Houzz; paint: Heather Gray, Benjamin Moore
Bedding: Houzz; paint: Heather Gray, Benjamin Moore
The couple have guests frequently — they love to keep their doors open to anyone who needs a place to rest their head. They also love to travel and wanted to create a peaceful space they could come home to.
The blend of Carrara marble and subway tile found in the kitchen is carried into the master bathroom. A blue antique-style rug injects color into the all-white space.
Rug: TJ Maxx
Rug: TJ Maxx
A small office occupies the upper-floor landing. The couple wanted to make good use of all the bedrooms, so they found that this was the perfect nook to incorporate a place to work. The desk was built by the couple’s friend Heather Smith, and the bright green chair was a garage sale find.
The guest bathroom on the second floor features a classic all-white look with subway tile, Carrara marble countertops and a neutral palette.
The house is across the street from a large park, so the porch is definitely a favorite feature of the couple’s.
Jessica’s intention was to have the home remain true to the character of the neighborhood while having the functionality of a new build. “People walk up to our porch and think that the house has been there as long as the neighborhood has,” she says. “Friends are shocked when I tell them that it isn’t a restored Victorian farmhouse but instead a new build.”
Jessica’s intention was to have the home remain true to the character of the neighborhood while having the functionality of a new build. “People walk up to our porch and think that the house has been there as long as the neighborhood has,” she says. “Friends are shocked when I tell them that it isn’t a restored Victorian farmhouse but instead a new build.”
Josh built the porch swing tucked away in a corner. “The wraparound porch was a must, given the beautiful park view,” Jessica says.
The couple call the house their “Big White House.” They added corbels and decorative trim on the exterior to complete the Victorian look they wanted.
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Josh and Jessica Randolph and their labrador-pitbull mix, Forrest
Location: East Nashville, Tennessee
Size: 2,500 square feet (232.3 square meters); three bedrooms, 3½ bathrooms
Year built: 2015
Josh and Jessica Randolph were inspired by the Victorian-style homes in their East Nashville neighborhood when designing their new-construction home. Before buying the home, they spent the first year of their marriage around the corner in a 750-square-foot house built in 1910.
The mantel in the dining room was salvaged from a house that was going to be torn down. “The majority of the house was unsalvageable, and the only character left of the original house was the mantel,” Jessica says. The couple kept it in storage until they were ready to install it in their new home, where it now adds architectural interest to the space.
Both the dining room table and the tufted leather armchair were purchased on Craigslist, and the dining chairs are all vintage. Jessica has collected vintage pieces over the years from thrift stores, flea markets and garage sales and she wanted to combine them with a more trend-forward, modern look.
Wall paint: Black Ink, Benjamin Moore