When designing for a couple, there is usually quite a bit of compromise involved. But as designer Heather Garrett proves it does not need to mean that a compromise on style. This Durham, NC home was purchased by a customer having an eye for design and an extremely minimalist style. No matter how the customer was living with his girlfriend, who had an extremely soft and organic style. To top it off, the home itself is a very traditional structure. “Every job pulls a little bit of me,” says Garrett. “The equilibrium in this house pulled out several sides of my appearance as a designer.”
The couple wanted to change the appearance of the home with no interior renovation. Garrett implemented an open floor plan in the living room, combining dining and living spaces in order that no single room was designated for a single purpose. By using iconic mid-century pieces and softer accents, Garrett successfully mixed the two looks to some place the couple could call home.
The customer had just purchased a lot of mid-century furniture, expecting to integrate it into his traditional residence. He adored the furniture he’d just purchased, so using all of it was a must. Garrett edited and mixed the appearance until it evolved into something seamless.
In this corner of the living room, Garrett joined an orange Womb Chair with gentle lighting in the Flos floor lamp and Oly Studio chandelier. ” Soft light is what creates a contemporary house livable,” says Garrett.
Garrett’s eyesight was to combine the structure of the home with her customers’ two very different styles. From the entryway, a contemporary but timeless David Hicks pattern outlines the walls, while a glitzy pendant from Arteriors adds warmth to the space.
A giant clamshell from Oly Studio along with iconic George Nelson seat add natural and simple contours to the space.
The black stripe running along the walls is a little bit of molding first to the home. Rather than eliminating it trying to work around it, Garrett decided to adopt the molding in her design.
“He loves bold, and that she loves soft. He desired strong, chunky shapes. She likes texture and romance,” says Garrett. “It wasn’t always easy to compromise, but I think that there is power in this combination.”
Garrett maintained accessories limited and successfully mixed the two designs with many different lighting and furniture.
“They wanted it to become a distance that had more of a town studio plan than a home,” Garrett said. By yanking a dining table into the living room, Garrett joined the two spaces into one big family area. The dining table along with stackable dining chairs are from CB2. A faux hide orange carpet adds a splash of bold color for him while floating feather ornaments from Roost include a delicate and fashionable touch for her.
Because of his job in marketing, the customer has an amazing assortment of photography and artwork, including these bold photographs of Michael Jordan. Garrett made every piece a focal point.
The master bedroom is Garrett’s favourite room in the home. “It ended up feeling so romantic,” she says. “Earlier it was harsh. I knew I needed to get soft fabrics and lighting in there.”
A dramatic iron beaded chandelier from Arteriors creates a bold but dreamy effect in the middle of the room. The mattress frame is from Design Within Reach, bedding is from West Elm, and also the tie-dye cushions are by Kevin O’Brien.
Heather Garrett Design
From the master bedroom, Garrett used a tiled mirror from West Elm plus a mirrored sconce from Oly Studio to counterbalance a few of the bolder color choices. “We gave every room in the home a bit of the life,” she says.
Garrett maintained much of the master bedroom in gray and white to appeal to her client’s minimalist style, while accenting with mirrored leather and furniture. “There’s a gentle look to what,” says Garrett. She joined a crackled leather mirror from Arteriors with a desk from West Elm to get a very simple but feminine vanity collection.
Plush poufs from Lee Industries are scattered around the master bedroom. This cowhide model, a white sofa seat and iron floor lamp create a perfect reading corner.
Heather Garrett Design
The customer had already purchased a walnut dresser from precisely the exact same collection as the mattress frame, therefore Garrett dressed it up with another pouf plus a nature-inspired white porcelain lamp from Arteriors.
The toilet got a little glam. An iron and glass chandelier hangs from the ceiling, while an industrial wire basket functions as a place to store an ever-growing assortment of publications. Simple hexagonal tiles from the first home were retained for a clean appearance.
More thoughts:
Couples Therapy: Design a Bedroom You Will Love
Houzz Tour: Balance and Beauty to the California Coast
Designing for Couples: Tips for a Cozy & Content Home