CMM is excited to introduce another home specialty feature –– our 2017 Inspired Interiors. Top designers from the Midlands are featured with a photograph of a beautiful room designed to offer you inspiration for your own decorating. We are proud to be able to include Christy Davis Interiors, Ethan Allen, LGB Interiors, Pulliam Morris Interiors, Steven Ford Interiors, and Veronica Russell Interiors.
As you begin to look at the following pages, remember that design inspiration is derived from a sea of images, thoughts, and life experiences. Creativity can sprout from historical contexts, current styles, personal tastes, desires, and opportunities. Because inspiration is individual, every room has its own personality. Beautiful spaces grow from the designer’s response to the client, and subsequently, interiors then should paint a striking personal statement. A well-designed room is a treasure that can be enjoyed and used for many years.
Inspiration is the creative recipe for a design; however, the artistic process requires so much more thought. For instance, limitations are always present. Design may be limited by existing architectural elements, the floor plan, structural boundaries, the current style of the home, and — of course –– budget! Since a home should emulate how people live, important questions must be considered: How is the room to be used? What are the limitations of the space? How can existing furniture be mixed with new? What are the dynamics of lifestyle? Does the home have children or pets? Does the room need to incorporate a television or sound system? What are the private versus public spaces in the home? Is there natural light? How can individual taste and desire make spaces personal? The list is drawn differently for every situation as no two spaces are alike, and no two people have the same lifestyle.
The other intrinsic aspect of design involves mood. This can be achieved through color, lighting, and style. A designer can create exciting and extravagant rooms with lots of color, or a stunning interior can be designed with muted neutral shades. The color palette often sets the mood. Dark rooms can be quiet and intimate –– or very dramatic. For example, deep reds are perfect in a dining space to reflect candlelight and create a romantic ambiance. Also, walls painted in a dark, rich color can make a bold, sometimes masculine, statement. For example, a library lined in bookshelves with walls painted in a dark tone can be an impressive backdrop for collections and close conversational groups.
In comparison, lighter rooms offer peace and quiet or can be subtle and sleek. Neutral backdrops can offer the designer the perfect background for a host of elements to come into play, whether it is special artwork or a sculpture, beautiful expansive views framed in a window, or the opportunity to showcase important architectural features. A neutral setting can also create the perfect palette for dramatic pops of color. Focus on your own personal preferences to create a mood that reflects your unique style. Each space is perfected through living; the activity of your life in turn brings a room to life.
CMM is fortunate to feature this month such wonderful interiors displaying many different styles, moods, and ideas. It is our hope that you will find the following rooms inspirational for your home.
By Linda Burnside
LGB Interiors
(803) 929-5322
LGBinteriors.com
Newport Beach, California, is the setting for this outdoor living space created to enjoy the year-round average 76-degree temperatures and sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean. When challenged with designing this space, our client wanted to make sure a fireplace was incorporated for each level of seating and would complement the surrounding landscaping, pool, and the custom, cantilevered pergola. I also made sure to select relaxed seating with neutral colors and a pop of blue to let the views of the Pacific Ocean take center stage. By keeping the design elements comfortable, simple, and elegant, entertaining is second nature.
By Christy Davis
Christy Davis Interiors
(205) 276-5775
ChristyDavisInteriors.com
This kitchen remodel was inspired by my client’s love for French interiors. We went with a traditional and timeless white cabinet color and added a pop of interest with a contrasting blue island and walnut wood top. The blue island ties together the hand-painted tile backsplash and window treatments. We added transitional concepts to this traditional design with a clean cabinet door style, gold finishes, and patterned drapery fabrics. The challenge was to maximize storage and functionality without adding square footage. We met this challenge by taking the cabinets to the ceiling, adding hidden storage by the refrigerator, and adding an island. Completing the French aesthetics, the open breakfast room has bistro style seating welcoming all to dine.
By Terri Veitinger
Ethan Allen
(803) 407-1500
EthanAllen.com
The design of this welcoming home represents the timeless, classic look of understated elegance. This light and airy space feels naturally inviting with its soft neutral color palette. The comfortable feel of the curved sofa, paired with an opulent finished round coffee table, creates a simplistic gathering spot for relaxing. An unstructured patterned rug uniquely grounds the space, while the rectangular bronze-finished floor lamp provides a gentle architectural element. As in any perfectly dressed room, the window treatments complete the look. Stationary panels with understated hardware layered over horizontal banded shades create the perfect backdrop for this transitional space. This room, designed by Louis Ferguson, is just one example of how the Columbia Ethan Allen Design Team, with more than 90-plus combined years of experience, can solve any design need.
By Pamela Plowden Rawson, ASID
Pulliam Morris Interiors
(803) 799-4744
PulliamMorris.com
This dining room, part of a Mediterranean-style home on Lake Murray, is situated to take full advantage of the beautiful view of the Columbia skyline. The retractable wall allows access to a walled garden, terraces, pool, outdoor kitchen, and pavilion. The vaulted wine storage encased in brick, distressed beams on the ceiling, Venetian plaster walls, and French limestone floors all contribute to create a space just as conducive to a wine tasting as it is for dinner. The European country feel is further enhanced by furnishings –– inlaid trestle table, iron chandeliers, antique console tables, and high-back chairs –– all carefully selected to feel aged and collected. Project designer: Pamela Plowden Rawson, ASID
By Steven Ford
Steven Ford Interiors
(803) 799-1177
StevenFordInteriors.com
This octagonal glass garden room is an enchanting space in which to enjoy all seasons of the year in comfort and style. This room draws inspiration from the beautifully tended gardens that surround it as well as the adjoining spaces of the main house. Through the spring and summer, the outdoor gardens bloom continuously and are particularly beautiful when the ginger lilies bloom –– thus the air is fragrant with their sweet perfume. This is the perfect spot to enjoy a glass of wine or cocktail from the wet bar as you listen to a spring shower or a summer thunderstorm. As temperatures and leaves drop, some of the outdoor plants winter inside and continue to provide color and warmth to the space as does a fireplace that adds a cozy ambiance. During the holidays, the 20-foot vaulted ceiling can easily accommodate the fully decorated, 10-foot Christmas tree that creates a festive spirit and a great backdrop for holiday parties. This garden room is ever changing with the seasons.
By Veronica Russell
Veronica Russell Interiors
(803) 606-2171
VeronicaRussellinteriors.com
My goal for this space was to incorporate a mixture of styles to create an eclectic and timeless dining room. The layers of neutral textures against the white walls use a classic palette and allow for a unique collection of pieces to work together. The Queen Anne side chairs, paired with the Indonesian bench and slipcovered host and hostess chairs, can nicely coexist with the use of these quiet hues. To feature the natural light, a soft white linen was used for the drapes, providing a nice diffused glow throughout the day. The abstract art, with its bold lines and same neutral palette, adds unexpected fun while the fresh vegetables and flowers complete the space.
