True Colors

Designer Nina Long in her light-drenched sunporch, where floral drapery fabric by Jasper through Ainsworth-Noah packs a visual punch.

In the front foyer, an antique chest from Franya Waide Antiques and Interiors sets the stage for an intriguing vignette that includes an antique clock and an alabaster lamp from Scott Antique Markets.

A copper portico with treillage crisply juxtaposes the brick exterior of this 1930s-era Georgian (its previous iteration was also published by AH&L in 2019)

In the family room, botanical prints from Foxglove Antiques & Galleries and antique oyster plates from Interiors Market coexist easily alongside new furnishings by Mr. and Mrs. Howard and Hickory Chair through Mathews Furniture + Design.

An antique rug from Mathews Furniture + Design defines a posh seating area on the sunporch. The antique chinoiserie cabinet is from Chairish.

A dark green velvet sofa by Hickory Chair and a pair of club chairs by Mr. and Mrs. Howard—all through Mathews Furniture + Design—create a spot for conversation in the spacious family room.

A mural wallcovering by Iksel through Schumacher—which was originally handpainted and inspired by artist Nicolas Poussin—makes a lively backdrop for conversation and laughter in the formal dining room.

A French reproduction chandelier illuminates a dining table and chairs in the formal dining room. The woven tray is by Nellie Howard Ossi for Dillards and the rug is from Moattar.

Opening the wall between the kitchen and dining room created a more pleasing flow and flooded both spaces with natural daylight. The original windows are the only things that survived the extensive renovation.

Paired with an antique gilded mirror, a patterned wallcovering from Schumacher adds a touch of pizzazz to the powder room. The smoked bell light is by Edgar-Reeves and the sink and faucet are by Waterworks.

A coverlet from The Antique and Artisan Gallery beautifully accents the upholstered headboard in the well-appointed guest suite overlooking the lush yard. The nightstand is from Chelsea Textiles.

Drapery fabric by Lisa Fine Textiles through Travis & Company enlivens the striped wallcovering by Schumacher in an upscale nursery for a very stylish young tyke. The artwork is by Kayce Hughes and the rug is from Moattar.

An antique desk and a reproduction nightstand flank an upholstered bed by Hickory Chair through Mathews Furniture + Design in the primary bedroom, which is painted in Oval Room Blue by Farrow & Ball.

Flanked by framed sketches, a brass bamboo-style mirror hangs above a tortoise-painted chest from Mr. and Mrs. Howard in the visually stimulating primary bedroom.

A grasscloth wallcovering by Schumacher complements the cabinetry and marble countertops in the chic primary bathroom. The faucets are from Waterworks and the hardware is from Rejuvenation.

Shortly after buying their 1930s-era brick Georgian in Collier Hills, Taylor and Nina Long embarked on a room-by-room renovation. An interior designer with Mathews Furniture + Design, Nina was ecstatic to finally create an environment that truly represented her and her husband’s classic yet comfortable aesthetic. “I couldn’t wait to put my stamp on the house,” she says.

For a blank slate, Long first had the walls throughout painted in a warm shade of white and then, starting with the powder room, proceeded to renovate the bathrooms one-by-one. When they accomplished that mission, they set their sights on the kitchen, incorporating cabinetry and veiny, honed statuary marble countertops. Most dramatically, they opened the space to the dining room, allowing Long to gaze at the adjacent space’s mural wallcovering while she cooks. “It makes me so happy,” she says. “It’s like a piece of art.”

Accented by green-painted trim, the wallcovering depicts scenes of life in Italy—a nod to Long’s heritage. It’s a lush backdrop for a painted table and velvet upholstered chairs underneath an ornate glass bead-adorned brass chandelier—all French reproductions. “Wallpaper is a unique way to add character and the options are endless.”

Indeed, Long incorporated them into key areas throughout the interior. Paired with an antique gilded mirror, a patterned wallcovering with a hand-blocked pattern enlivens the first-floor powder room. A blue-and-white striped wallcovering likewise establishes a distinct mood in their 18-month-old son Collier’s nursery. “I wanted it to be fun and unconventional, not like your typical baby boy room,” she says.

The palette flows into the primary bedroom, which has blue walls punctuated by light patterned floral drapery and colorful bedding. Meanwhile, a neutral grasscloth wallcovering juxtaposes the Carrara marble countertops in the en suite bathroom, which includes a double vanity and a spa-like marble shower.

 While Long established the general design direction and a foundation for each room, she was in no rush to acquire items simply to finish a space. Instead, she left room for serendipitous discoveries, such as the Slim Aarons vintage color photo of Mick Jagger that now hangs over the living room sofa and the antique chest that perfectly occupies a niche in the front foyer. The approach “makes the house feel collected,” something that she learned from longtime design partner and mentor Don Easterling.

“It took many years to come into my own style, and for my own home, it really took me longer to make decisions,” says Nina. “It’s nice having someone I not only completely trust, but look up to, to bounce ideas off of. I ran everything by Don for his blessing before pulling the trigger.”

Today, the couple is blissfully happy in their newly renovated abode. And while Long has been designing interiors for 15 years, it’s only through designing her own home that she’s figured out her signature style—traditional yet updated, elegant yet comfortable. “This is a reflection of me,” she says. “I’ve finally figured out who I am as a designer.”

INTERIOR DESIGN Nina Long, Easterling & Long, (404) 237-8271; easterlingandlong.com CONTRACTOR Dakota Kangas Construction Services