Elegance Up High

In the mountains of Highlands, North Carolina, interior designer Carole Weaks rivals one home’s panoramic views by balancing classic attitude with comfortable beauty

“I don’t want our home to look like every other house in Highlands,” was the only request of Carole Weaks’ client. That might be a tall order for some designers, but in Weaks’ capable hands, it came off without a hitch.

“We had worked with Carole before, and we share the same vision. She knows what I like even though I am particular,” says the homeowner. “This was one of those wonderful working relationships where two heads are better than one,” says Weaks. “My client’s sharp attention to detail made sure we didn’t miss a thing.”

The couple traded in their Highlands condo to build a new home beautifully sited in the Old Edwards Club, where they love the golf course and social community. The outside is in keeping with a mountain home, showcasing stacked stone and a nature-friendly color palette, but this look evaporates as soon as you open the front door. There’s not a whiff of rustic inside; instead, prettiness and sophistication prevail with happy colors, such as persimmon and chartreuse, as well as tailored touches in the form of leopard print fabric, lively wallpapers and Oushak rugs.

Weaks’ signature deft mixing of antiques and newer pieces—without sacrificing comfort—is evident throughout. “My client had several antiques that we included in the home when they worked, and we updated as needed with new fabrics,” says the designer. “We did bring in new upholstery from Edward Ferrell for the living room. The chairs swivel, which is so practical, and the sectional was designed to fit the space perfectly.” Just outside its doors, new Kingsley Bate outdoor seating with feminine curves and a gray-green palette fills the porch. “The minute I saw this furniture, I knew it was right because it transitions so well from the outside in,” says the homeowner.

Completing Weaks’ practical-meets-pretty scheme are one-of-a-kind pieces for layered appeal. The elegant window treatments in the living and dining spaces shimmer in a custom-colored treatment by TylerGraphic with Samuel & Sons trim. For the master bathroom, Weaks transformed antique French plaques that her client had purchased years ago into tall trumeau mirrors. “I also had a piece commissioned by the artist/craftsman Matt Tommey, who creates these woven pieces completely from natural materials. You can tuck in flowers, branches, and the like to give them a new look as desired.” And her client couldn’t be happier with the overall result. “Everyone who walks in says it’s the prettiest house on the mountain.”

INTERIOR DESIGN Carole Weaks, C. Weaks Interiors (404) 233-6040; cweaksint.com