Stylish Reign
Tucked within Serenbe’s scenic Grange neighborhood, the 2022 Serenbe Designer Showhouse sets a new standard for design
heart of the matter
living room
Lorraine Enwright, Intuitive Dwellings by Enwright Design Collaborative inc.
As a counterbalance to the soaring ceilings and limestone walls in the living room, designer Lorraine Enwright incorporated a pair of curvaceous sofas that surround a quartet of round cocktail tables. “[The homeowner] said it feels like a warm hug,” says Enwright. “We design in a way that speaks to people’s hearts.” Indeed, the designer paired two horse head-shaped concrete pedestals the homeowner had purchased in Mexico with a live-edge oak top to create a desk. On the opposite side of the room, she suspended an oil painting by chains from the steel drapery rod. “We created vignettes that would bring interest into the space,” says Enwright. Involved from the beginning, the homeowner is overjoyed with the result, purchasing nearly every stitch of furniture and many of the accessories, which include custom artwork, crystal table lamps and throw pillows with a bark pattern that brings the outside in. “The space has such a warm feeling,” says Enwright. “It’s really a destination spot.”
FLOORING Mill & Woods LIMEWASH Romabio PAINTING OVER FIREPLACE Barbara Brenner FLOOR LAMPS Circa Lighting DESK CHAIR and DRINK TABLES Made Goods BRASS COCKTAIL TABLES R Hughes CERAMIC SCULPTURE and PLATES Signature SOFA FABRIC Schumacher SOFA CONTRAST WELT James Dunlop Textiles through Paul+ DRAPERY PANELS Frazier Blinds and Shutters DRAPERY FABRIC Romo Fabrics LIVE EDGE DESKTOP Pegleg Studio FIREWOOD Cutting Edge Firewood ARTWORK Through Signature Contemporary Craft Gallery, dk Gallery and TEW Galleries
written in stone
kitchen, dining area & interior specifications
Patrick and Meghan Sharp, Mister + Mrs Sharp
Contemporary furnishings and finishes elevate the stone walls and solid wood beams in the open kitchen and dining area by Patrick and Meghan Sharp, who also served as the showhouse’s interior specifications designers. Embracing the rustic envelope, the designers clad a prominent interior wall with the material, which surrounds a quartzite-lined niche housing the range. “It feels like it has been there for centuries and adds so much gravitas,” says Patrick. On the perimeter walls and in the pantry, gray wood-toned cabinetry with a Shaker-style door by Bell Cabinetry & Design provides ample storage in stylish fashion. In the same spirit, the brass shelves flanking a tall bank of windows display vintage china, which also adorn the plaster wall high above the range niche. Leaning in a more modern direction, the fluted island’s rounded edges play off the curves in the custom barrel-back dining chairs around the table, which has an iron base and a wooden top with a live edge. “We added a little glamour,” Patrick explains. “We took the farmhouse idea to a new, more luxurious place.”
CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry & Design APPLIANCES Signature Kitchen Suite and Miele through Ferguson COUNTERTOPS and BACKSPLASH SLAB Cosentino FAUCETRY Through Ferguson BUTLER’S PANTRY BACKSPLASH TILE MSI FLOORING Mill & Woods VENETIAN PLASTER Romabio PENDANTS Circa Lighting TABLESCAPE Heath Ceramics and Hudson Grace HARDWARE Matthew Quinn Collection
cozy mood
study
Kristan Moore, Kristan & Company
Leaning into the lower ceilings in the study, interior designer Kristan Moore rendered the walls and ceiling in a palette of warm neutral hues. “It’s sexy, dark and moody,” she says. Texture plays a key role in establishing the welcoming milieu. A hide rug, for example, anchors the custom chenille-covered sectional sofa in the den. And dark linen draperies line the wall behind it, creating a soft backdrop for a large-scale painting she commissioned for the space. “The textures added layers of interest,” she says, pointing to the fur-like fabric covering the ottomans. As do the mix of antiques and contemporary pieces. Modern brass sconces flank an antique French mirror over the fireplace, playing off the limestone walls. Vintage and antique accessories likewise juxtapose contemporary pieces in the library, where a gallery wall consisting of a mix of artwork from various eras creates a powerful focal point. “It’s welcoming and very cozy,” says Moore, “a space you don’t want to leave.”
CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry & Design FIREPLACE SURROUND Cosentino FLOORING Mill & Woods LIMEWASH Romabio ANTIQUE FRENCH MIRROR Le Chateau European Interiors PLANTER ON COFFEE TABLE Elegant Earth FLOOR TASK LAMP Visual Comfort & Co. VINTAGE OUSHAK RUG Parviz Oriental Rugs CUSTOM SOFA Westside Custom Upholstery SOFA AND DRAPERY FABRIC Fabricut ARTWORK OVER SECTIONAL Tom Swanston DAYBED VELVET FABRIC Travis & Company ROMAN SHADE Mark Alexander GRECIAN URN Noah J. & Co.
museum quality
primary bedroom
Hope Austin, Hope Austin Interiors
Seeking to create a serene retreat for the future homeowners, interior designer Hope Austin covered the primary bedroom’s walls with a neutral-tinted plaster enlivened by a medley of artwork, beautiful textiles and tailored upscale furnishings. An oversize contemporary brass and quartz crystal chandelier draws attention to the soaring ceilings. And flanked by a pair of painted end tables with a diamond motif, a four-poster canopy bed upholstered in a textural mohair grounds the space. “The layers of texture add interest,” says Austin. “There’s nothing loud about the space because I wanted that bed to shine.” Indeed, the few patterns are quiet yet impactful. A nod to the natural surroundings, for example, the drapery sports a cascading willow tree motif in a blue hue that perfectly complements the area rug, throw pillows and pleated lampshades. “I’m really happy with the softness of the space,” says Austin. “It’s calming and peaceful.”
CANOPY BED, BEDDING and MOHAIR THROW Peacock Alley SHAMS and DRAPERY Romo BOLSTER PILLOW and DRAPERY HARDWARE Kravet TABLE LAMP Circa Lighting BAR CART and BEDSIDE TABLE Stock & Trade Design Co. SWIVEL CHAIR Saatva ARTWORK Through Gregg Irby Gallery TIBETAN RUG Moattar LAMPSHADE Edgar-Reeves
cloud nine
primary bath & closets
Ashley Miller, Ashley Miller Design
Designer Ashley Miller looked to nature when designing the primary bedroom’s closets and en suite bathroom. A subtle reference to clouds, for instance, a chandelier made of handblown glass spheres floats in front of the window over the concrete tub, which sits in a niche defined by a bed of stones and a textural wall tile. Coordinating with the tactile grasscloth wallcovering in the closet, dark blue-green draperies call attention to the space’s high ceilings. “The fabric’s smoother texture contrasts the roughness of the stone,” she says.
Such juxtapositions can be found throughout the space. Next to the tub, the designer paired a contemporary concrete side table with a dark vintage African stool. And the vanity is decorated with an eclectic grouping of pieces that includes a glass box containing a collection of black seashells, a vintage mirror with a goldish-silver patinated frame and a modern geometric black table lamp. “The contrast makes it interesting,” says Miller, describing the space as relaxing and meditative. “I love how design can transport you.”
Bath VANITY Bell Cabinetry & Design TUB Native Trails TILE MSI FAUCETRY Through Ferguson WOOL DRAPERY, CORNICE and ROMAN SHADE FABRIC Cowtan & Tout PILLOWS and CORNICE TRIM Holland & Sherry ROMAN SHADE VELVET TAPE TRIM Samuel & Sons CHANDELIER Apparatus through R Hughes BRASS MUSHROOM SCULPTURE Arteriors VANITY LAMP Visual Comfort & Co. Closet CUSTOM CLOSETS Closet Envy
flower power
laundry room & mudroom
Courtney Shearer, The Designery
A playful juxtaposition to the existing checkerboard marble flooring, a handpainted floral wallcovering elevates the walls and ceiling in the mudroom and laundry room by interior designer Courtney Shearer. “It gives the room a hug and adds some whimsy and pizzazz,” she says. Playing off the linen wallcovering in both color and form, a chartreuse flower-shaped metal chandelier beautifully illuminates the laundry area, which is outfitted with blue cabinetry accented with unlacquered brass hardware with an equine theme—a subtle nod to the new homeowner’s love of horses. Occupying a niche in the mudroom, a bench covered in a complementary smaller-scale floral pattern with leather strapping creates a spot to get cozy with a book while the laundry dries. “It feels like a happy, inviting space where people will actually want to spend time,” says Shearer. “It’s important to make these utilitarian spaces fun.”
CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry & Design APPLIANCES LG through Ferguson COUNTERTOPS Cosentino TILE MSI WALLPAPER and BENCH PRINT DESIGN Kelly Ventura BENCH Made by Bjork Studio, fabric by Paul+ SEPIA INK BOTANICALS and FRAMED FACES Vickey Sides CHANDELIER The Urban Electric Co.
hive of activity
reading room
Angela Means & Danielle Carney, Means Carney Interiors
When they selected the bold blue wallcovering with handpainted bees for the reading room, Angela Means and Danielle
Carney weren’t aware that the new homeowner’s mother went by Bee Bee—a moment of serendipity that packs a visual punch. “[The wallcovering] is cozy, but it still has color and personality,” says Means. A complementary tweed-like wallcovering and draperies with a fern motif define the daybed area. The same fern fabric also covers a window valance behind a contemporary Parsons-style wooden desk, which is paired with a custom desk chair by a Brazilian furniture designer. Rounding out the space are artworks, colorful patterned pillows, antique foo dog lamps and several of Bee Bee’s possessions, including her high school cheerleading uniform and the golden bee pins she wore on her sweater. “This space unexpectedly evolved to tell a story,” says Means. “It has depth and soul.”
HANDPAINTED WALLCOVERING Fromental through Holland & Sherry FOO DOGS Foxglove Antiques & Galleries AREA RUG Hazel’s Flooring LLC DESK Aronson Woodworks MATTRESSES Saatva CUSTOM COVERLET Perennials Fabrics ROMAN SHADE FABRIC Mark Alexander OCCASIONAL and DESK CHAIR Daniel Simonini SWING ARM SCONCES Circa Lighting SCONCE SHADES Edgar-Reeves Lighting CHANDELIER The Urban Electric Co. CUSTOM OTTOMAN Schumacher
high contrast
bunk room
Joy Williams, Joyful Designs Studio
Envisioning a more sophisticated milieu than the typical bunk room, interior designer Joy Williams selected a chic black and white color palette that flows into the en suite bathroom and closet. “Black and white is a classic color palette that brings a bit of modernism into spaces effortlessly,” she says. Framed in black lacquered moldings, a handpainted Gracie wallcovering with a butterfly motif defines an accent wall in the landing—a moment of color in the otherwise dualistic space. A reference to African architectural traditions, a custom credenza studded with black spheres provides a similar moment of drama in the bunkroom, where a dark grasscloth wallcovering plays off a black and white sofa and mismatched chairs around a fluted concrete pedestal table with a round quartzite top. Softening the palette, a brown and cream striped fabric covers the exterior of the bunks, which are outfitted with complementary draperies that allow them to be closed off. “It’s bright and airy, comfortable and relaxed,” says Williams. “A place to be inspired.”
Bedroom FLOORING Mill & Woods DRAPERY PANELS, VALANCE and CLOSET WALLPAPER Thibaut BEDDING Saatva RIVETS WALLPAPER Phillip Jeffries BUTTERFLY WALLPAPER Gracie SMOKED MIRROR and BRONZE BENCH Iatesta Studio SOFA FABRIC Fabricut Bath VANITY Bell Cabinetry & Design TUB Hydro Systems FAUCETRY Through Ferguson TILE MSI
blue ribbon
bedroom & bath
Loren Taylor, Loren Taylor Interior Design
Looking out the window of the guest suite during her first visit, interior designer Loren Taylor saw streaks of purple against a bright blue sky and realized straight away that those hues would beautifully complement the black and white envelope she envisioned for the space, which she designed with a teen in mind. Inspired by the rocky geography, an amethyst lamp in a soft shade of purple “feels dramatic and gives the room a sense of place,” says Taylor. “It’s a very special foundation.” Both purple and blue hues can be found in the biophilic abstract painting that Taylor hung above the iron four-poster bed, its white linens accented by patterned pillows in complementary blue shades that perfectly coordinate with the microsuede draperies. The palette flows into the en suite bathroom, where Taylor incorporated a white plaster mirror and a pair of paintings depicting Frederick Douglass and Kurt Vonnegut. “This space feels homey yet refined,” says Taylor. “It’s timely but timeless all at once.”
Bedroom BED Jerry Pair BEDSIDE TABLE Bjork Studio SILK BED PILLOWS Jim Thompson BEDDING Peacock Alley ROOT MIRROR Made Goods DRAPERIES Kravet LAMP Kathryn McCoy Designs ARTWORK Deedra Ludwig Bath VANITY Bell Cabinetry & Design COUNTERTOPS Cosentino FAUCETRY Through Ferguson ARTWORK Melissa Dixon Jackson PLASTER MIRROR Ballard Designs
neutral territory
guest apartment
Christopher Rankin & Barbara Williams, Stock & Trade Design Co.
When designing the bright and airy apartment, Christopher Rankin and Barbara Williams took their cues from the sense of casual elegance in the main house, selecting a neutral color palette punctuated by textiles and artwork that “adds a wow factor,” says Rankin. In the living area, a pair of large-scale abstract pieces in an earthy colorway create a beautiful focal point for a sofa chaise and a hide-covered armchair atop a textural wool rug. “Texture creates warmth and visual interest and makes the space more inviting,” says Rankin. Another abstract artwork pops against the charred wood siding on the covered porch, where a pair of slipcovered white chairs provide a protected outdoor space to take in the bucolic views. And a wall of framed butterflies likewise enlivens the white walls in the bright and airy bedroom. “A warm, inviting feeling emanates from the entire space,” says Rankin, describing it as “the perfect guest suite for visitors or a private retreat for family members.”
CABINETRY Bell Cabinetry & Design APPLIANCES Signature Kitchen Suite through Ferguson FAUCETRY Through Ferguson FLOORING Mill & Woods RUGS Jaipur Living UPHOLSTERY Atelier Home and Bernhardt OUTDOOR UPHOLSTERY Atelier Home LIGHTING Visual Comfort & Co., Currey & Company
higher ground
design build
Serenbe Planning + Design, 10/23 Construction, Land Plus
Enchanted by the hilltop property’s agrarian surroundings, architect Steve Dray conceptualized the 2022 Serenbe Showhouse as an old, stone-walled barn that has been added onto over the years. Built by 1023 Construction, the home’s white Texas limestone walls are accented by black shou sugi ban siding and cedar timber framing, lending it a sense of modernity that contrasts the age-old materials. “It’s a glamorous version of itself,” says Dray.
Atop the metal catslide roof, a cupola with clerestory windows allows natural light to filter into the living room, which has stone walls and soaring ceilings detailed with weighty timber beams. Large metal windows frame pastoral views of the neighboring organic farm, blurring the line between inside and out.
Just outside, a spacious rear patio overlooks the swimming pool—one of the many outdoor living zones. Linear pavers inset into the grass foster a decidedly contemporary look that juxtaposes the more naturalistic mix of native plants in front. Designed by landscape architect, Alec Michaelides of Land Plus, an intentional mix of native plants that include shrubs, grasses and wildflowers allow the newly constructed home to blend into the natural surroundings.
Back inside, Dray is astonished with the way the interior designers enhanced the home, noting that the homeowner purchased many of the furnishings. “They really brought life to it,” says Dray. “It shows the power of teamwork.”
LANDSCAPE Encore Landscape Company PAVERS Hartstone POOL CERAMICS Rachel K. Garceau
sunny outlook
patio, porch & poolside patio
Shane Evans & Deena Levine, Ansley Interiors
Exemplifying the happy marriage of inside and out that characterizes the Serenbe Showhouse, Shane Evans and Deena Levine furnished the patio, porch and poolside patio with upscale pieces grouped in areas for living, dining and relaxing. “It feels like an extension of the interiors,” says Evans. Black outdoor rugs reference the home’s charred wood siding while teak elements speak to the cypress details. Petrified wood side tables, cocktail tables with teak-root tops and tall planters that resemble volcanic rock likewise reflect the natural landscaping. Adding a touch of whimsy, ceramic umbrellas by a local artist seem to float over the living and dining areas. They play off a series of wall sculptures by the same artist that pop against the charred siding on a covered porch with a custom swing. The result is a hit with the new homeowner, and the designers are equally pleased. “It’s very livable and feels like an extension of the interior,” says Evans. “Visitors really enjoyed it.”
GRILL Sedona through Ferguson PAVERS Hartstone LIMEWASH Romabio ROUND STONE DINING TABLE, TEAK SIDEBOARD, SOFA, LOUNGE CHAIRS, NESTING TABLES, TEAK DINING TABLE and DINING CHAIRS Woodbridge METAL SWIVEL LOUNGE CHAIRS and COCKTAIL TABLE Tommy Bahama WHITE CONSOLE TABLE Century ACCENT PILLOW Perennials TALL LAVA ROCK PLANTERS Sutherland PORCELAIN UMBRELLAS and WALL ORBS Rachel K. Garceau OUTDOOR RUGS Surya
front & center
front porch
Coley Cuttino, Coley Cuttino Interiors
Awestruck by the home’s beauty, interior designer Coley Cuttino took a minimalist approach to the design of the wide front porch. Playing off the exposed timbers, for example, a pair of teak swivel rockers enable folks to converse with neighbors or survey the beautiful landscape. “It’s such a front porch community that I just really wanted to make it comfortable for the people living there to be able to hang out and enjoy their neighbors,” says Cuttino. “The community is pretty utopian.” As evidenced by the branch-like ironwork surrounding the local stop signs, it’s also artistic, a fact that inspired Cuttino to design a custom iron swing with a complementary motif. “I wanted something that was sculptural but functional,” she says, noting that Gault Designs implemented it to perfection. Indeed, the branch-like swing was a big hit with visitors at the showhouse. “It’s gotten a lot of great feedback,” she says. “That makes me so happy.”
PAVERS Hartstone LIMEWASH Romabio PLANTERS M. Delia Designs for Lucy’s Market TEAK SWIVEL CHAIRS Kingsley Bate POTTERY Pollen IRON AND BLUESTONE END TABLE Noah J. & Co. CUSTOM IRON SWING Gault Designs CUSHIONS and THROW PILLOWS Perennials
about the decorative arts
fellowship artist
Lyall Penley
Lyall Penley was the recipient of the Serenbe Showhouse’s inaugural Decorative Arts Fellowship. An Atlanta native and the son of two professional artists, Penley has always had a passion for art and photography, having a skillful eye from an early age. After a trip to Wyoming in 2019, his passion for landscape and wildlife photography emerged. Before the showhouse opening, the young photographer spent a weeklong fellowship on Serenbe’s grounds and captured numerous photographs that were displayed at the 2022 Serenbe Designer Showhouse—including Bowie (pictured above). lyallpenley.com