Project Description

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: a home is meant to be lived in. This can mean so many different things to different people, but I’d like to focus on one interpretation in general.

The Laynes, for example. They are an absolutely beautiful family of three who are constantly on the go. Because they are so busy, they want nothing more than to come home and enjoy their surroundings and be at peace in their home.

This was not the case when we met a few years ago. Their initial consult was like many of my others: They welcomed me at their front door and kindly asked me to ignore their dining and formal living rooms to my left and right because they absolutely hated them.

I began asking my list of questions and discovering how to find the right solutions for them. They had gone years without using two pivotal spaces in their home for two main reasons:

1. They hated the things in them and the way they looked.

2. They just couldn’t figure out a way to repurpose the rooms and make them work.

To begin, we helped them find new homes for the existing furniture and started to make our list of furniture, finishes and fabrics that would become the new look for the space. Mr. Layne really wanted the new “bar and entertaining” room to be reminiscent of a transitional Cuban-esque style.

The second project that we tackled with the Layne’s was the dining room on the front left of the home. We carried the mix of neutrals and metallic elements from the bar over to the dining room, but wanted to incorporate a few pops of color to give the dining room it’s own look.

After the big reveal, the Laynes were absolutely floored with the transformation. Mr. Layne said he now loved the feeling he got when he entered his front door because he has  updated rooms that not only would be used, but felt warm, personal and finished.

In all my years of doing design work, there is no greater feeling than to see your clients thrilled with your work.

Interior design, to me, should be purposeful just as much as it should be aesthetically pleasing.

We featured this home in one of our WV Design Team articles for the Charleston Gazette-Mail. To read the full article: Find a purpose for every room