5 minute read
GRAND DESIGNS
Local Designers Share Their Favorite Projects
by Kelly Oden
Great interior design isn’t just about how a space looks—it’s also about how it feels. The best designs reflect the designer’s creativity and the personality and needs of the homeowners. We asked three local interior designers to share their favorite room from recent design projects—a space where they brought a homeowner’s vision to life and got every detail just right. From bold living rooms to tranquil baths, these designs tell a story and offer gorgeous, cozy and practical spaces for everyday living.
LACY PHILLIPS DESIGNS
Designer: Lacy Phillips
We have been fortunate to help these wonderful homeowners with the many stages of renovation and design for their North Hill home. When they called early last year wanting to “glam up” the living room, I couldn’t have been more thrilled. Our intention with the entire house was to bring a more modern and unexpected aesthetic to an older home, showcasing our client’s love for clean lines, art and punches of fun. In fact, they specifically said they wanted this living room to “wow!” The purple chandelier was the only existing item that remained, and we certainly looked to it for inspiration. New furnishings in elegant and cozy fabrics were selected, new sheers for the windows and a new rug and pillows in fun patterns began the process. The “wow” was developing, but we weren’t quite there yet. A wonderful, whimsical butterfly-inspired wallpaper kept coming across my work table, and that’s when the idea to put it on the ceiling was made. To balance out the punch of color on the ceiling, we recruited artist Mandy Glickman to faux finish the walls with a strié design with a luxurious texture. The various elements of design resulted in a luxurious, yet comfortable, elegant space for entertaining friends.
CONSTANCE CROSBY INTERIORS
Designer: Connie Crosby
This coastal home is featured in Amazon Books second highest-selling kitchen and bath title — Inspired Kitchens by Intermedia Publishing. I collaborated with clients from Denver, Colorado to design their retirement home. The couple wanted a traditional home reflecting its location at Landfall in Pensacola. We chose soothing neutral palettes with varying shades of blue. The large primary bathroom has an oversized shower with a flip-down seat and beautiful polished nickel plumbing fixtures. The flooring features large format hand-painted tiles and a contemporary blue ticking stripe accent tile. Touches of acrylic bring a modern feel to the mirrors and vanity bench. The his-and-her vanities feature soft blue cabinet pulls and the mirrors are flanked by contemporary sconces. The vanity dressing area has a large beautiful wooden mirror with a silver-leaf finish. A large beautiful soaking tub sits beneath two windows with a view of the water for relaxation. Beside the tub is a handmade barnacle-inspired garden seat — a perfect place for a glass of wine or cup of coffee. The space exudes a spa-like feel that is made for relaxing.
IN DETAIL
Designers: Liz Lapan, Libby Kees & Cheryl Clendenon
Sometimes the perfect little cottage in a historic corner of town needs a new reason to be the hostessing hotspot for the neighborhood! We all know East Hill is ripe with little gems of this nature, and bringing this one to life was a lot of fun. The initial challenge was to help define a comfortable living area around the beautiful existing fireplace. However, the more we spoke with our travel-inspired client, the more the project grew into creating a more cohesive hostess space between the living and dining areas which are laid out in an open concept. Whimsy, color and fun were high on her wish list!
The owner's vision was a mid-century vibe with a functional layout for fun football gatherings in between her busy work schedule. This meant the flow of the home needed to remain open with lots of secondary seating for when a big group came by. The style of furnishings needed to stand up to bold architectural details — note the luxe teal sectional and the beautiful brick fireplace executed in deep dusty blue, accentuated by the beautiful arch between the sitting and dining areas. Whimsical lighting offered a mod touch and the window treatments were layered in patterns with fun, open-weave textured panels (a signature of our spaces). The layers are really what this design was all about.
The space is pulled together by a fun closed-bar setup and nubby ottomans that are perfect for holding refreshments or for extra seating when there is a crowd. We couldn't help but wish we were the ones who got to move in and enjoy this home once the project was a wrap.
