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etsy and Jeb moved into their home in 2018. “We bought the house before it went on the market,” says Betsy. “We love old houses, and the architecture of this house is amazing.” Betsy is a designer and local artist who specializes in beautiful paintings and mixed media, hand painted mirrors and vases. With her design business, Betsy caters to her clients’ needs, but also likes to push them to expand their concept of what it means to be traditional or modern. For many, modern is too sleek but traditional is too stodgy. Designers like Betsy are seeing a dramatic increase in the number of clients who want to toss the rules out the window and merge traditional elements, such as wainscoting or antique furniture, with modern, clean-lined furnishings. The Burton house is a testament to her design portfolio.
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Betsy’s knack for blending old and new is evident upon entering the front door. The foyer is painted a very pale blue. Betsy used Benjamin Moore paint throughout the house. An antique chest sits grandly with local artwork by Rodney Laughon above it, featuring views of valleys and mountains in soft blues and greens. A pair of mirrored modern lamps with geodes on them sits on a contemporary gold console table with a marble top. Betsy made the lamps as well as a mixed media gold mirror featuring birds’ nests that hangs above the console. A pair of traditional chairs covered in a vibrant yellow Thibaut fabric completes the foyer. Traditional elements are found winding up the staircase where portraits of family members hang and the triple dentil moldings found throughout the house are on full display. In the living room, the palest of pink walls provide a warm yet neutral background to a room full of contrasts. Two hot pink lacquered tables sit on either side of a more traditional sofa.
Central Virginia HOME Spring 2020