Houzz Tours
Houzz Tour: Boutique Hotel Style Reigns in Raleigh
Sleek style and comfort emerge from an unfortunate architectural mishmash, and even the dog comes out ahead
Heather Garrett's clients needed help with a home that had become a mixed metaphor. After an unfortunate addition more than a decade ago brought traditional architectural details to a "pure midcentury gem" of a house, as Garrett calls it, her clients were eager for a change. But they were averse to a complete teardown.
"They challenged me to make it work by stripping down what I could from the existing design and fooling the eye into missing details like a faux stone fireplace surround in the lounge area," says Garrett. Her clients, avid travelers, asked for blend of modern style and the finer aspects of a boutique hotel's sleek, warm design.
They were floored when they saw the change. "We did the bulk of this work all at once, over a winter holiday while they were on vacation, so they came home to a shocking transformation," says Garrett.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Brooks Bell, Jess Lipson and their terrier, Theo
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Size: 2,435 square feet
That's interesting: Bell and Lipson met and fell in love at Duke University, where they each founded an Internet technology firm (Brooks Bells and NovelProjects) from their dorm rooms.
"They challenged me to make it work by stripping down what I could from the existing design and fooling the eye into missing details like a faux stone fireplace surround in the lounge area," says Garrett. Her clients, avid travelers, asked for blend of modern style and the finer aspects of a boutique hotel's sleek, warm design.
They were floored when they saw the change. "We did the bulk of this work all at once, over a winter holiday while they were on vacation, so they came home to a shocking transformation," says Garrett.
Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Brooks Bell, Jess Lipson and their terrier, Theo
Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Size: 2,435 square feet
That's interesting: Bell and Lipson met and fell in love at Duke University, where they each founded an Internet technology firm (Brooks Bells and NovelProjects) from their dorm rooms.
AFTER: "They really like the easy transition from the dining area to the lounge. After dinner, guests can easily migrate to the fireside with cocktails in tow," says Garrett.
Rug: 27 Ground; chandelier: purchased in Barcelona
Rug: 27 Ground; chandelier: purchased in Barcelona
AFTER: The living room now speaks the sophisticated, stylish language of a boutique hotel lobby. Cooler blue and gray tones in the living room decor and the wall treatment complement the ceiling's warm wood grain.
Chandelier: Design Within Reach; painting: clients' own; floor lamps: Arteriors Home; sofa: Lee Industries; rug: Eskayel; light throw pillows: Ankasa; purple pillows on Barcelona chairs: custom by Heather Garrett; shell side table: Made Goods
Chandelier: Design Within Reach; painting: clients' own; floor lamps: Arteriors Home; sofa: Lee Industries; rug: Eskayel; light throw pillows: Ankasa; purple pillows on Barcelona chairs: custom by Heather Garrett; shell side table: Made Goods
The kitchen pendant and new Earth Glitter granite island countertop add just the right amount of sparkle and wow factor to the kitchen. Sleek modern bar stools also lend the space a sleek appearance.
Light pendant: Arteriors; bar stools: Organic Modernism; cabinetry: grass cloth insets, Schumacher; cabinet hardware: Top Knobs
Light pendant: Arteriors; bar stools: Organic Modernism; cabinetry: grass cloth insets, Schumacher; cabinet hardware: Top Knobs
"We built the luxurious, high-ceilinged master bedroom around a painting that the clients found in a yard sale for just $5," says Garrett.
The designer created the feel of a high-end boutique hotel in the master bedroom by layering sumptuous velvet and luxurious silk with oversize furnishings and sweeping draperies.
Floor lamp: Jamie Young; bench: ambrosia maple and iron, Elijah Leed; silk bedcover: Garnet Hill; velvet pillows: Kevin O'Brien Studio; bedside lights: Y Lighting; iron claw chair and side table: Organic Modernism; velvet chair: client's own, vintage; blue polished plaster wall finish: Can Decorative Paint
The designer created the feel of a high-end boutique hotel in the master bedroom by layering sumptuous velvet and luxurious silk with oversize furnishings and sweeping draperies.
Floor lamp: Jamie Young; bench: ambrosia maple and iron, Elijah Leed; silk bedcover: Garnet Hill; velvet pillows: Kevin O'Brien Studio; bedside lights: Y Lighting; iron claw chair and side table: Organic Modernism; velvet chair: client's own, vintage; blue polished plaster wall finish: Can Decorative Paint
BEFORE: The bathroom felt oppressive and closed in instead of open and expansive. A potted indoor plant fell short in connecting the indoors to the outdoors.
AFTER: Garrett replaced the hardwood floors with marble tiles, bringing together the room's white and cream colors. Hanging terrariums, bamboo shades and grass cloth wallpaper extend the organic character of the outside view.
Étagère, vase: Oly Studio; terrariums: Roost; vanity: West Elm; pendant: Arteriors Home; grass cloth wall treatment: Phillip Jeffries
Étagère, vase: Oly Studio; terrariums: Roost; vanity: West Elm; pendant: Arteriors Home; grass cloth wall treatment: Phillip Jeffries
"My clients' neighborhood boasts of homes built in the '30s and through the midcentury, but I often wonder about the interior aesthetic and if it complements the architectural bones of the house," says Garrett.
Here, the designer rooted the media room in midcentury modern design by filling the space with iconic pieces.
Wall paint: Grizzle Gray, Sherwin-Williams
Here, the designer rooted the media room in midcentury modern design by filling the space with iconic pieces.
Wall paint: Grizzle Gray, Sherwin-Williams
Floor-to-ceiling black and gold wallpaper ups the drama of the wall behind the media console. A leaning mirror reflects light from a nearby window, keeping the room from appearing too somber.
Wallpaper: Monaco in Ebony, Tibi
Wallpaper: Monaco in Ebony, Tibi
The home's previous owners had updated the porch, installed a new entry door and replaced a wood tongue and groove exterior with cedar shingles.
In addition to transforming the landscape, designer Chad Smith created a doghouse for Theo out of a recycled drainage pipe and wood. It has a seasonally planted green roof to keep "the coolest of all pups," as Smith calls him, cool.
Fireplace surround paint: Sherwin-Williams; fireplace fire balls: Blazing Glass; dog portrait: Heather Mattoon; sofa: Lee Industries; felted wool basket: Ronel Jordaan; aluminum side table: West Elm; velvet pillows: Kevin O'Brien Studio; teardrop lamps: Arteriors Home; rug: Safavieh