Masterful Mix
Interior designer Brian Watford deftly blends high and low for a homeowner looking for a fresh start in this cozy-meets-contemporary abode.
To play up the home’s modern verve, interior designer Brian Watford complemented the stone fireplace in the combination kitchen and living room with clean-lined seating from Bungalow Classic and a sleek Plantation LA coffee table. Chandelier, AD Lib Antiques. Resin table, Bungalow Classic. Rug, Moattar, Ltd. Iron table and lamps, Arteriors.
A Schumacher wallcovering in the dining room, lends an intimate feeling thanks to its dark, earthy tones.
Custom chairs by Tecnosedia sidle up to a Mr. Brown dining table, while an unusual Arteriors chandelier hangs overhead. Sconces, Urban Electric Co. Painting, Melissa Key at Pryor Fine Art. Bronze bowls, Arteriors.
To give the master bedroom a softer touch, Watford introduced more feminine accents, such as the Jonathan Adler sculpture resting above the headboard and a statement Arteriors chandelier. Bed, Plantation LA. Bedside tables, West Elm. Lamps, Regina Andrews.
Cabinet, Bolier & Co. Artwork, Melissa Key. Chair, Ligne Roset. Lamp, Arteriors.
A Robert Abbey chandelier and Jonathan Adler ottoman inject a dose of glam into the master bath. Wallcovering, Holland & Sherry at R Hughes. Plumbing, Waterworks.
A custom desk by Chris Hagan of Wood Mill Lab, a vintage cane chair from ABC Modern and a Room & Board chaise impart style in the study. Wallcovering, Maya Romanoff at Martin Nash. Rug, Bungalow Classic.
The hood, cabinetry and kitchen island were designed by Watford. Counter stools, Mattaliano. Lighting, Arteriors.
The oft-used dining nook adjoining the kitchen features a custom bench by Tecnosedia. Wire accents, Lush Life.
A custom bar cabinet by Wood Mill Lab graces the kitchen.
Custom lockers by Brian Watford Interiors provide plenty of storage space for a busy young family.
The work- and play-ready space features Ligne Roset seating and Ikea cabinets. Rug, FLOR. Chandelier, Design Within Reach. Desks, West Elm.
Watford created youthful polish in the upstairs loft with pops of color and a mix of high and low. Light fixture, Stray Dog Designs. Cabinet, CB2. Rug, Myers Carpet.
A graphic runner by Stark Carpets complements the iron stair rail custom-designed by Watford.
A pair of bamboo chairs from South of Market cultivates a clean aesthetic outside; the pool deck and surrouding landscape are as inviting and stylish as the inside.
Architect Greg Busch and builder Mike Hammersmith were responsible for the design-build of this fresh abode; Watford enlisted landscape designer Brian James Davis to create a lush backyard ideal for entertaining.
A rare ottoman from South of Market lends a sense of whimsy.
Poolside, chaises from Design Within Reach and an Allegro Classics sectional provide space to lounge.
Give an interior designer carte blanche in a built-from-scratch home, and the result will be nothing short of spectacular. Case in point: this light and bright abode conceived by interior designer Brian Watford.
The homeowner—a recently divorced father looking for a fresh start—approached Watford with little design direction other than creating a comfortable space he could share with his two young children. “His old home was very much traditional, so here I wanted to create something fresh, modern and a bit masculine,” explains Watford. “It’s honestly the home I would design for myself.”
To that end, Watford infused the 5,000-square-foot home—designed by architect Greg Busch and built by Mike Hammersmith—with his signature contemporary aesthetic, jumping at the chance to incorporate designs of his own where needed. In the kitchen, Watford dreamed up a gray oak hood featuring stainless steel accents and hidden spice racks, while a sleek stone fireplace commands attention in the family room. Even the home’s iron stair rails were given special attention with a custom graphic design by Watford. These pieces also serve as a testament to the designer’s affinity for mixing materials. “Combining textures creates depth and intrigue,” he says.
Throughout the house, Watford was also mindful to incorporate durable fabrics such as waxed-linen chairs in the formal dining room so that no space is off-limits to the children—though pulling them away from their bright, colorful upstairs loft might prove difficult. Equipped with computer stations, a drawing table and plush seating, the space may have all the trappings of a typical children’s room, but it comes across as perfectly polished thanks to a masterful mix of high and low in which furnishings from Ligne Roset mix comfortably with Ikea, complemented with youthful pops of color.
In the master suite, Watford presented the homeowner with a sanctuary of his own. “I pushed his limits in here a bit,” says the designer in reference to the introduction of softer, more feminine touches, such as the statement chandelier and wispy fabrics that help temper the room’s modern verve. “This style was new to him, but he was thrilled with the final result,” says Watford.
The client’s wholehearted trust in Watford’s vision for the home also extended to the backyard, where Watford enlisted garden designer Brian James Davis to breathe new life into the overgrown space. “Brian completely overhauled the backyard,” says Watford. “At first the client and I were thinking we should make the space clean and modern, but Brian played with more traditional elements that help make the space much cozier and more inviting.”
If it’s possible to exemplify new beginnings, this handsome and airy home built on faith certainly conjures that notion. “The client was an open book, which is rare,” says Watford. “He was the best client you could ask for.”