It takes a creative eye to see potential in a lackluster space. These four designers harnessed their skill and foresight to revamp the following rooms, making them fresh new spaces to enjoy for years to come. Turn the page to take a look at these transformations.
A Natural Oasis
Haskell Matheny, ASID, CAPS, Owner and Principal Designer of Haskell Interiors
Photo by: Med Dement
Before designer Haskell Matheny transformed this bathroom into a luxurious oasis, it had dark olive paint, poor lighting, and an odd, half-wall shower. Matheny converted the space with an expert use of surface materials and finishes, without changing the floor plan or adding any square footage. The color palette of soothing greens and blues brings the beauty of nature indoors, and the mosaic tile accent wall is reminiscent of both waves and a green mountain range—an organic look that makes the room feel larger. A large soaking tub is a focal point, and the serving shelf that wraps its corner is a practical addition to the design.
“It’s a room to unwind,” Matheny says. “The bathroom is now a place you really want to be. People spend more time here, so we try to make it as special as we can.”
Opposite the tub and shower are oak cabinets with a limed finish and subtle white tones, adding a clean and modern addition to the room. The cabinets are an ode to having a bathroom that is very spa-like and elegant while the wood vanities and hand-cut tile are more earthy and natural,” Matheny says. “Typically we would have gone white and kept it very clean and modern, but the wood captures the feel of the outdoors.”
Loft Retreat
Tony Thompson, District Chair, ASID Tennessee, Tony Thompson Design
Photo by: Philip Slowiak Photography
When designer Tony Thompson works with clients to create memorable spaces in the home, he often asks if they have a favorite piece of art, a rug, or a piece of furniture to be the basis of the design. And when he moved into his own downtown loft and started to think about the design, he asked himself the same question.
“My answer came in the form of a favorite rug—a lovely Indian Heriz—which would allow me to have what I truly wanted: color!” Thompson says. “The vibrant oranges and reds found in the rug proved to be the perfect foundation for a haven that is at once bright and colorful, yet warm and inviting.”
Mid-century antiques sit alongside new, transitional pieces and combine to create a perfect living space for a hectic lifestyle. Brick walls, numerous floor-to-ceiling windows, a chandelier in the form of a crystal-balled orb, a vintage Spanish painting above the desk, and fabrics in sunset-colored hues help to create a blissful Chattanooga retreat.
Opulent Entertaining
Marsha Yessick, ASID, NCIDQ Certified, Yessick’s Design Center
Homeowners: Pam and Joe Farless
Photo by: Med Dement
Designer Marsha Yessick had a blank slate to work with when she began developing her vision for this dining room. The walls, painted a cranberry color with a faux-finish, were kept the same, but gray tones were added throughout the room to freshen the look.
“Gray is a trend color for 2015, and that’s why we chose it,” Yessick says. “It went so well with the cranberry color that was already on the walls.”
The 128-inch rectangular cherry pedestal table is surrounded by Chippendale chairs. Matching host and hostess chairs, fully upholstered in a fabric that matches the seats of the other chairs, grace each end of the table. A custom-made wool carpet with a geometric pattern of gray and white coordinates perfectly with the white cabinetry. Two mirrored chests are perfect for storing linens, and a sideboard, an 18th century reproduction, adds richness and warmth. Silver accents on the lamps and curtain rods, along with a bronze and marble chandelier above the table, tie the room together.
Farmhouse Fresh
Kimberly Varner, ASID, NCIDQ Certified, Kimberly Varner Interior Design
Photo by: Devon Simmons/Tada Photography
Originally built in the 1940s on the homeowner’s family farm, this house was in need of a complete remodel—the kitchen being no exception. “From the start, the concept was modern farmhouse, and the goal was a fresh, updated kitchen that would remain that way for years,” designer Kimberly Varner says.
A clean, bright space is the result of this renovation that replaced a plain and less functional kitchen. “We bathed the interior with soft layers of white, using Benjamin Moore White Dove and Cloud White,” Varner says. Some additional features of the new kitchen include custom-built, shaker-inspired inset door cabinets, Silestone quartz countertops, classic 3×6 beveled backsplash tile, and stained white oak floors (3/4 weathered wood, 1/4 honey), all of which reinforce the old-meets-new design.
Thanks to the new design, the kitchen flows easily and minimizes congestion. The picture window overlooking the farm adds to the open concept and farmhouse feel, while filling the room with natural sunlight.
