Columbia Metropolitan is once again excited to showcase some of Columbia’s favorite and talented designers in this Inspired Interiors 2020 specialty feature. We are proud to include Christy Davis with Christy Davis Interiors, Jolene Smith with Jolene W. Smith Interiors, Linda Burnside with LGB Interiors, Louis Ferguson with Ethan Allen, Steven Ford with Steven Ford Interiors, Amelia Bradley and Amanda Sease with Strobler Home Furnishings, and Veronica Russell with Veronica Russell Interiors.
Artists as well as interior designers know that color dramatically affects mood and emotions. Minimal color with stark contrasts creates different feelings than harmonious warm blendings of complementary color combinations. Interior designers deliberately layer color through furnishings and finishes such as drapery, upholstery, wallcovering, paint, and carpet — or perhaps use color to make a punch with art or pillows. Color can absolutely change the way you react to a space. When selecting the color palette for a room, designers carefully consider limitations, such as existing furniture and finishes, the room’s use, and the needs and personality of the client.
Combinations of green and blue can be restful and serene as seen in Louis Ferguson’s elegant design in his soft blue bedroom. Christy Davis’ aesthetically pleasing living area combines flashes of blue animal print and chartreuse accents in pillows, drapery, and art. Linda Burnside uses neutral upholstery in her architecturally traditional two-story living room, evoking a clean sense of space with sensational splashes of color from the Persian rug to make the room cozy and comfortable. Amelia Bradley and Amanda Sease marry neutral greys, blues, and cream with modern touches in their living area. Their approach using clean lines and fresh design is very restful and inviting.
Jolene Smith’s fabulous kitchen is sublime and sophisticated with dashes of vibrant color in the hand-painted walls and the innovative arrangement filled with positive energy. Steven Ford’s covered porch is breathtaking, each element of the arrangement working with the natural greens and blues of the lake. The harmonious combination is alluring, pulling you to walk outside and enjoy the space. Veronica Russell’s impressive Mediterranean kitchen’s discerning style is casually elegant, contrasting warm walnut wood tones with Dolce Vita Light countertops — stunning!
On the following pages pay attention to how you feel as you look through the lens of color and enjoy the current design trends and beauty that permeate each space.
Luxurious Living Moves Outside
By Steven Ford
An amazing home deserves an amazing porch. My clients’ wish was to have an outdoor living space that showcased their lifestyle and all of their favorite things without giving up comfort, style, or function. Their love of the outdoors, the lake, and entertaining, along with Champagne, wine, and a great bourbon, are all represented here. It is truly a place they can spend their entire day. Their morning starts in a cozy settee to enjoy a beautiful sunrise and a mimosa. A quaint dining spot for a light lunch and a glass of wine was also incorporated. Finally, their day ends in a comfortable sitting group where they share a bourbon cocktail with friends and recap their well-designed life on the lake.
Steven Ford Interiors
2850 Devine Street, 29205
(803) 799-1177
StevenFordInteriors.com
A Living Room With Elevated Coziness
By Linda Burnside
The old adage that form follows function is well at play in this beautiful two-story living room. Our clients approached us with a desire to completely make over their living room and adjoining spaces. A family with two young boys needed a place to gather that didn’t feel untouchable.
It’s always a challenge to make a two-story room feel cozy, and we were up for the task. Finding that perfect color scheme presented itself with an antique one-of-a-kind Persian rug featuring colors in cream, navy, gray, and brown. These colors can be seen throughout the living room project. Starting with a comfortable sofa in a sumptuous cream velvet with chocolate pillows helps create the cozy vibe. The faux finished fireplace anchors the space, and the artwork tells the color story and draws the eye to the fireplace.
LGB Interiors
614 Hilton Street, 29205
(803) 929-5322
LGBinteriors.com
Modern Serenity Among The Clouds
By Louis Ferguson
The inspiration for the clients’ master suite was a calm, peaceful palette of blues, grays, and whites. The goal was to capture the essence of the sky and clouds, incorporating these elements in all parts of the room’s design. Juxtaposed against the rich chestnut-stained modern wood pieces, the wall color, abstract textured carpet, and tonal window treatments surround the space in various shades of gray. The custom bedding, landscape artwork, and various accessories play on tones one might see strewn across the sky from dawn to dusk. Elements of polished nickel in lighting, hardware, and accent tables add a touch of sparkle to the room’s design. Room design by Louis Ferguson.
Ethan Allen
101 Harbison Blvd., 29212
(803) 407-1500
EthanAllen.com
Curated Sophistication
By Amelia Bradley and Amanda Sease
Good design evolves when well-scaled, chic furnishings, unique accents, and texture unite to form a cohesive style. We love how this neutral palette exudes sophistication through the layering of curated accessories throughout, giving the room a textured, warm ambiance. Candles, soft goods, and organic accessories, like fresh flowers and preserved greenery, complete the balanced composition by adding just the right amount of softness.
Integrating practicality is another key facet in today’s interior design, executed here with the performance fabric covered sofa and the additional storage provided by a sideboard full of character. We embraced the challenge of incorporating this practical duality in the spaces we designed. We want our clients to enjoy worry-free living in their beautiful homes for many years!
Strobler Home Furnishings
4721 Forest Drive, 29206
(803) 790-6300
Strobler.com
A Casual, Elegant Mediterranean
By Veronica Russell
With this remodel, we wanted to bring the Mediterranean architecture from the exterior of the home inside. We started by removing the dividing walls of the former kitchen, dining room, and family room and creating an open concept, casually elegant kitchen and living area. The 12-foot island consists of warm, walnut-stained wood and Dolce Vita Light quartzite countertops.
With a focus to incorporate unique elements in the space, we came up with the idea to stylize the fridge and freezer towers as an antique armoire and absolutely love the end result. Two custom sets of arched, stained doors lead into the new walk-in pantry and laundry room. Large wood beams finish the ceilings and add to the mixture of rustic finishes throughout the space.
Veronica Russell Interiors
3214 Millwood Avenue, 29205
(803) 606-2171
VeronicaRussellInteriors.com
A Living Room Retreat
By Christy Davis
Are formal living rooms making a comeback? I believe that they are, however without the pomp and formality. My clients are actually using these spaces as an “adult conversation room” with each other and their friends. There is more focus on a beautiful room to enjoy, almost a retreat from the messiness of day-to-day life, children, animals, and such.
This is exactly what my clients wanted, a beautiful room to enjoy time with one another when their children went to bed. However, they needed their living room to be functional to their lifestyle with two young children under the age of 4 and a dog. I selected performance fabrics that are kid and pet friendly, and the custom rug has stain-repellent qualities. So, when their children do go in the living room, the parents are not as worried about a spill or mess.
Make your living room fun! Don’t be afraid to mix patterns, textures, and colors to showcase your personality! Here I added pops of chartreuse through the drapery, pillows, and art. I also believe animal print should be in at least one room of your home.
Christy Davis Interiors
3214 Millwood Avenue, 29205
(205) 276-5775
ChristyDavisInteriors.com
Sublime Kitchen — A Place to Linger Longer
By Jolene Smith
Envisioning the end result of a project in your own home presents an interesting journey for an interior designer.
The challenge was to breathe life into an old, tired space by creating an inviting kitchen where family and friends would want to gather and linger. It seems when people are invited over to socialize, they always end up in the kitchen, so it was important that I accomplish this goal. I centered the design around the La Cornue range, which was my inspiration, creating unique areas for prepping, cooking, displaying, storing, and cleaning. The mixture of creamy cabinets, glass, marble, wood, copper, and stainless steel was unified by artist and faux finisher Georgia Lake. Georgia combined all my favorite colors in the perfect backdrop, a hand-painted wall.
The elements merged together into a larger workspace and improved traffic flow that is uniquely me. The look is bright. The feeling is warm. It is exactly what I had envisioned.
Jolene W. Smith Interiors. Inc.
(843) 532-1991
jolenesmithinteriors.com
