Refined Elegance

Meets Utilitarian Performance

by Poki Hampton

NICK AND KELLY BUCHANAN SOLD their house in Madisonville and moved into their new home in Covington’s Natchez Trace neighborhood in April 2022.

“We love our home! The neighborhood is wonderful and full of great people,” Kelly said. “We love our location because our lot backs up to green space, making our backyard very private and parklike.”

The exterior of the home is painted brick with black trim. The Buchanans wanted lots of large windows to let in the natural light. They found designer Corrinn Fisher from a Women In Business profile that appeared in the May 2021 issue of Inside Northside.

“Corrinn is a true professional and master of her craft. She was instrumental in the selections for our new home build, including exterior and interior finishes. We worked with Corrinn on the interior furnishings, and she executed them flawlessly,” Kelly said. “I am in love with how everything turned out; it’s even better than we had imagined. We are so grateful for Corrinn’s talent. She is so easy to work with and made this whole process so much fun.”

The interior of the house is airy and open. Interior walls were kept to a minimum so the living, dining and kitchen areas flow naturally into one another. The walls throughout the house are painted Dove White; the furnishings are neutral and white with splashes of color. The interior is cohesive, with engineered hardwood flooring in European Oak throughout.

Simplicity reigns in the foyer. A matte gold metal table with glass top is topped by four gold-framed watercolor paintings, which Fisher sourced. A home office is off the entrance. Soft grays and blues in the rug are reflected in the Tremeau mirror that hangs over a washed gray credenza. The chandelier is from the Ralph Lauren Designer Collection.

A large Gabby chandelier crowns the living room. The sofa is a performance textured white linen. The cocktail table is taupe/gray leather.

“Performance fabrics are important to clients who have small children. They are easy to clean and hold up to little hands,” Fisher said.

The console table is covered in blue-gray grasscloth with a beveled glass top. Two freeform, hand-baked ceramic lamps with white linen shades sit on top. The traditional fireplace is flanked by two built-in bookcases that offer ample storage. A contemporary painting by New Orleans artist Jennifer Poe hangs on a side wall, while a handknotted rug in charcoal gray, taupe and soft blue anchors the room.

The spacious kitchen island has seating for five. Acrylic and matte gold barstools, white cabinets with matte gold hardware and Taj Mahal Quartzite countertops give the kitchen a sophisticated feel. The backsplash behind the eight-burner range is mother of pearl Thassos Marble mosaic, while the backsplash under the cabinets is handbaked white subway tiles. Two mercury glass and antique brass chandeliers hang over the island.

The dining area’s windows feature natural woven Roman shades. A Phillip Scott turned trestle table in washed gray is surrounded by cane backed chairs with light gray performance fabric seats. Two Parsons chairs in washable, white textured fabric sit at either end of the table. A pair of white egret paintings hang on the side wall.

The focus of the master bedroom is the upholstered king bed. The same colors that run throughout the house lend the bedroom serenity.

The free-standing tub topped by a soft landscape giclee serves as the focal point of the bath. His and her vanities feature White Silk Quartzite and are topped with gold-framed mirrors and acrylic and brass sconces.

The outdoor living space carries the soft blues and grays from the interior, and a pop of yellow is added in the throw pillows. Textured cushions on the outdoor wicker make a comfortable seating area for yearround entertaining.

“I can’t say it enough. We love our new home,” Kelly said. “We look forward to living here for many years.”