Houzz Tour: Comfort and Elegance for 5
This stylish house near Birmingham, Ala. was created for a busy family of five with three contemporary girls. When the couple realized their home could not keep up with the bustling lifestyle of their fast-growing daughters, they knew it was time for a change. They did not want to leave their neighbors or their locality, though, so that they approached designer and close friend Dana Wolter to help them rework the house that they previously had.
Friends since right after school, Wolter was helping the customer using their house for years and had an intimate knowledge of the family’s day to day lifestyle. They wanted a refined, relaxing and efficient home, so Wolter opened the main floor using arched entryways, used light but lasting textiles, and made living spaces which allow for group activities in addition to time alone.
Dana Wolter
The living area is Wolter’s favored, since it is slightly from the standard. The customer’s daughters really like to come in here and see, so she wished to make a space that would signify that kind of cozy atmosphere. Instead of utilizing a standard setup, she used two lavish velvet chaise lounges.
The wall between the dining area and the living space was pumped out to help with light and flow. “The space is casual enough to curl up with a book or manage the overflow from a celebration,” Wolter says. The sconces are out of Village Firefly Antiques from Birmingham, and the white ottoman is out of Richard Tubb Interiors. The chandelier in the dining area is in the Briarcliff Shop in Alabama.
Dana Wolter
A reupholstered Louis XV style chair and side table makes great use of a vacant corner. It delivers a wonderful way to escape in the middle of the space if need be — or to draw closer. The corner is emphasized by a vignette of vintage and individual items from the clients. Wolter chose to cover the warm hardwood floor in this area with a combination of seagrass and cowhide for a layered, casual look.
Dana Wolter
Another living area on another side of the main floor has a more traditional and slightly formal setup, designed using the exact same soothing and relaxing color palette. Another seagrass rug grounds that the space, and plays the natural materials from the ground lamps out of Visual Comfort, the rustic-style coffee table, and the linen upholstery. A brick fireplace has been painted white, that unifies the room and brings attention to the gorgeous molding.
Dana Wolter
Wolter found the welcoming wing chair at Circa Interiors and highlighted it with a soft pillow in fabric by Beacon Hill. A chandelier out of Visual Comfort provides a feeling of texture and patina from the area. “We picked product by looking at the way we needed each room to function and went out of there,” says Wolter. The customer’s husband painted the corner bookshelf in a grey to complement a piece in their artwork collection over the mantle.
Dana Wolter
The dining area offers an setting for dinner celebrations and family dinners. Wolter covered a 60-inch round dining table in a drum design faux white leather. While Wolter and the customer wished to use a less costly fabric here and one which was easy to wash — they also wanted something which could bring an unexpected and lavish element to the layout. Antique chairs reupholstered in a pale blue shadow and custom window treatments complete the new but traditional space.
Dana Wolter
Bits of the customer’s classic china collection rest in addition to a vintage sideboard, ready to be put on the table at a minute’s notice. The clients really like to entertain, so creating a house that has been conducive to this — as well regarding the needs of their children — was important. “Their main aim was to make a more functional space whilst still keeping a very stylish home,” says Wolter.
Dana Wolter
Framed black and white photographs of the family hang from delicate chains in the entryway for a way to welcome guests to the family’s house. “To me this home is clean, crisp, and inviting, but also with a small edge,” says Wolter. “You can see glimpses of my style, but more importantly, it reflects my client and her loved ones. I really like that she trusted me enough to integrate what I view as her fashion into her property.”
Dana Wolter
A vignette in one of the halls showcases the customer’s preference for vintage goods and a timeless, well-worn look. “She’s a gorgeous woman, inside and out,” Wolter says of their customer. “Her sense of design is unquestionably seen throughout the house!”
Dana Wolter
Incorporating some classic and traditional design to this Georgian Revival house was a must for Wolter and its own customer. “She had some gorgeous pieces we had purchased for her previous house,” says Wolter. “So starting with this as a foundation and then adding it functioned well.”
Dana Wolter
Wolter had the property’s kitchen completely redone. At first, the area was an awkward U-shape with outdated cabinetry and appliances which wasn’t conducive to cooking, entertaining or eating. Wolter opened the space, inserted an additional arched entryway between the kitchen and the dining area, and place in an island with a marble top. A brand new cooktop was set up on the island, also barstools from Circa Interiors were set under.
Dana Wolter
A breakfast nook at the end of the extended kitchen area uses a gap left by the bay window. Wolter custom designed a metal and wood dining table for nook and used a banquette to supply the majority of the seating. Wolter enjoys to integrate banquettes into her layouts and has been especially happy with the way this one turned out.
Dana Wolter
The clients’ art collection is reflected in many of the darker and bolder tones in the property’s color palette. The grays from the painting over can be seen in the dark pillows accenting peridot chairs in the master bedroom. Even the gold beams of the table lamp and the delicate colors of the marble topped table appear to pay tribute to the tone of the artwork.
Dana Wolter
The master bedroom plays contrasting warm and cool shades in a blend of modern and traditional designs. The custom upholstered headboard has been created additional tall to accent the room’s vaulted ceiling. Wolter had the bedding produced custom as well, and threw another cowhide back on the hardwood floor to help prevent feet from getting chilly in the morning.
Dana Wolter
The linen headboard, beach-like color palette, glass table lamp, and coral remnant almost evoke a relaxing nautical texture — but remains bright enough to work with the rest of the natural elements throughout the house.
Dana Wolter
A contemporary all-white bath was outfitted with tiles and fixtures from Kenny & Company. Sleek and streamlined, it has the exact same form of traditional grounding and natural influences as the rest of the home due to the marble countertop and tile, and the woven straw footstool.
Pictures by Jean Allsop Photography
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