When I work with clients on their existing homes, I begin by visiting the house and allowing the house to speak to me. The attached photos are from a lovely residence in a historical district in Greensboro. Thefurniture the clients had collected during their college years survived two children but was ready for an update. I always ask my clients how they use the rooms and if they already have a vision. This house spoke to me at once. It is about 40 years old, therefore, the house called for traditional elegance and inviting southern charm.
After talking with the clients and perusing many fabric samples, we came to the conclusion that the clients like yellow and white and lots of color. After drawing the rooms to scale, we selected a fresh
raspberry for the sofa. Some existing built-ins had to be changed to accommodate a new flat screen television. The brightly printed chairs evoke a “cottage feel” and surround a Hickory chair hand-painted
table. The bergere chair is by Pearson and accented with an Aubusson pillow carefully selected from our store in Clemmons, North Carolina. The fabric on the bergere chair was repeated in the window treatments with added tassel trim. All furniture purchased for this room was made in North Carolina.
Changing the appearance of the fireplace, accessorizing the mantle and hanging one of the client’s favorite paintings above it personalize the space. Over the sofa, the client and I used a local framing shop to frame eight antique botanical prints inherited from her grandmother. The house that spoke to me and asked for a fresh update has gone from dark and boring to a light and airy cottage room.