
Ethan Allen Interiors
Columbia Metropolitan is once again excited to present Inspired Interiors, featuring seven talented local designers. Locations vary, capturing the life and style of homeowners in Columbia, Chapin, Lake Murray, and even Middleburg, Virginia. Designers artfully and masterfully display exceptional creativity, combining a mix of architectural features, furnishings, fabrics, and accessories with a skillful use of color; the selected rooms are stunning!
Ethan Allen’s Louis Ferguson successfully used a neutral palette of greige, white, taupe, and charcoal to create a serene and sophisticated lakeside living space, integrating linear forms and natural elements. Inspired by the location of her client’s home in Middleburg, Virginia, Linda Burnside with LGB Interiors built her spectacular dining room around a stunning antique Loloi rug. Each detail, down to the lacquer on the dining chairs, is curated to blend modern luxury with historic charm.
Amelia Bradley and Amanda Sease with Strobler Home Furnishings meet their client’s needs with a light and bright family-friendly living space. The foundation for the room is a slipcovered sectional sofa accented by attractive throw pillows and unique accessories. With exceptional flair, Ashley Houston with The Houston House elevates the classic dining experience with layers of handcrafted family treasures and splashes of fresh, bold color.
Meredith Paysinger Hart’s adept design incorporates balance in an open concept plan, anchored by a one-of-a-kind painting by her mother, Deborah Paysinger — brilliant! Veronica Russell of Veronica Russell Interiors features a living space in her own home. Her interior is diverse, personal, and captivating with interesting furnishings and accessories that she has collected over time. An elegant lakeside guest bedroom by Christy Davis of Christy Davis Interiors makes a statement with distinctive layered patterns of nature-inspired blue and white. It is both beautiful and inviting.
We at CMM applaud these wonderful Columbia designers for sharing their talents; every room is exceptional. Savor this splendid collection of interiors — and be inspired!

Contemporary Lakeside Retreat
By Louis Ferguson
When my clients decided to relocate to Columbia from Washington, D.C., they knew they wanted to build a home that celebrated their love of modern design. Taking my cue from the clean-lined architecture of architect Mark Thompson of Edge Design + Development, this Lake Murray home’s serene living room plays with linear forms, while incorporating elements from nature. Metal framed windows are echoed in the design of the large-scale coffee table and metal framed chairs. The three-dimensional stone walls inspired choices of lighting, while the natural wood fireplace hearth is reinterpreted as wire brushed oak end tables.
Working closely with the client, we decided to keep the palette a neutral mix of greige, white, taupe, and charcoal to allow the eye to engage with the wealth of textures in the space. Subtle herringbones, buttery leathers, and luxurious velvets intermingle to create a quiet feast for the senses. The gallery ledges are a casual way to display artwork that can change over time.
Ethan Allen Interiors
101 Harbison Boulevard 29212
(803) 407-1500
EthanAllen.com


Old World Charm
By Linda G. Burnside
Known as the “Nation’s Horse and Hunt Capital,” Middleburg, Virginia, instantly feels like a trip back in time. We knew that blending new, bespoke pieces with timeless antiques would be key to bringing the historic feel of the town into our client’s home. Each detail, down to the lacquer on the dining room chairs, was curated to blend modern luxury with historic charm.
The design of the entire dining room is centered around this stunning antique Loloi rug. The soft blue tones of the custom window treatments in Romo fabric and freshly upholstered chair seats make the perfect complement. Our favorite Phillip Jeffries silk abaca wallpaper ties all of the elements together, while adding just the right amount of texture and shine.
LGB Interiors
614 Hilton Street 29205
(803) 929-5322
LGBInteriors.com


A Cohesive Aesthetic
By Amelia Bradley and Amanda Sease
Having a great foundation is key when designing a space. Here, the family-friendly slipcovered sectional provides that with its soft blue textured performance fabric. To keep the space light and bright, we brought in the easily cleaned acrylic coffee table, along with a neutral patterned chair. It is important for us to blend a variety of textures within a room to maintain visual interest; the hide rug contributes to this concept with its juxtaposition with the coffee table.
Once the core pieces were in place, pillows and accessories were layered in to provide the room with a cohesive aesthetic. Having a classic, yet easily maintained framework allows for the carefree transformation of a room by periodically switching out throw pillows and small accessories, which was of utmost importance for this family constantly on the go!
Strobler Home Furnishings
4721 Forest Drive 29206
(803) 790-6300
Strobler.com


Classic Dining for The Everyday
By Ashley Houston
Dining rooms are meant to be enjoyed. I created this space for our family’s daily gathering and entertaining. The solid wood dining table and china cabinet are not only functional for everyday use but are also family treasures, as they were both handcrafted by my dad. The china cabinet includes a hinged folding shelf that can be used as a buffet for parties. The dining table is heavily distressed, proving to be a perfect finish for two young children. It literally cannot be destroyed!
Surrounding the table are antique dining chairs, lacquered in white with upholstered seats in kiwi-toned performance fabric. Paintings by Atlanta artist Susan Kinsella capture memories from our family vacations. Wallpaper adds a touch of pattern and texture, and pops of aqua and green bring in a breezy, open-air feeling.
The Houston House
211 East Boundary Street
Chapin 29036
HoustonHouseDesign.com


Laidback Living
By Meredith Paysinger Hart
Working with this home was all about easy living on the lake. Prior to the renovation, the home was closed off and disconnected. The transformation into an open floor plan created a great room, dining room, keeping room, and kitchen in one functional space. Open concept plans can present a set of challenges, as they can feel cold and disjointed.
By combining the right balance of careful furniture planning, textural interest, art, botanicals, and calming colors, we created a space that is inviting and warm. We anchored the space with a one-of-a-kind painting by Debra Paysinger that pulled our neutral palette together beautifully. Staying with neutral fabrics and tones, we achieved a timeless balance with our selections, creating a home that can easily host a formal dinner, while also allowing for laid-back nights on the lake.
House of Birdie Interiors
3137 Forest Drive 29204
(803) 479-7743
HouseofBirdieInteriors.com


Collected Over Time
By Veronica Russell
As designers, we bring spaces together with a number of pieces that are planned from the beginning of the design process, but I always have an eye out for interesting furnishings, lighting, rugs, and accessories to incorporate with these to create a collected and more personal space. Several of these pieces that I’ve found have made their way to my den, and we love the character that each brings. The larger items, such as the custom sisal rug, sofa, and nested coffee tables, were planned, but the old column, leather bench, art, pillows, and almost all of the accessories were pieces I’ve collected over time.
The corner of the room, next to the built-ins, has always felt separated from the main sitting area, so I had a custom banquette made to use the game table and chairs. To finish the nook a lantern was hung above, and the room has finally felt cohesive and has been fully used ever since.
Veronica Russell Interiors
3214 Millwood Avenue 29205
(803) 606-2171
VeronicaRussellInteriors.com


A Restful Retreat for Any Guest
By Christy Davis
When my client asked for an elegant guest retreat in her Lake Murray home, I knew she wanted to create a restful space that brings the outdoors in. I selected a sophisticated blue and white nature-inspired wallpaper that makes a statement. A bold blue velvet-covered bench gives guests a place to unpack and get comfortable.
Layered patterns and textures create interest, and artwork painted by the homeowner adds a personal touch. Guests now have the perfect spot to unwind and recharge for another blissful day on the water.
Christy Davis Interiors
3214 Millwood Avenue 29205
(205) 276-5775
ChristyDavisInteriors.com