Houzz Tours
My Houzz: Fresh Ways With Neutrals in Nashville
Dark details and midcentury-inspired decor personalize a happy live-work space
Jenna and Josh, pictured on their front porch steps, were born and raised in the Nashville area. Josh is a guitarist and songwriter, formerly of Paramore and currently of Farro, and Jenna handles social media for Nashville companies White’s Mercantile and H. Audrey. She’s also passionate about interior design and fashion.
The couple have been married for seven years. In 2015, they sold their previous house and moved into the basement of Jenna’s parents’ house for a summer until they found this house in their dream neighborhood of 12th South. They loved the idea of being within walking distance of some of the city’s best restaurants and shops.
The couple have been married for seven years. In 2015, they sold their previous house and moved into the basement of Jenna’s parents’ house for a summer until they found this house in their dream neighborhood of 12th South. They loved the idea of being within walking distance of some of the city’s best restaurants and shops.
When it comes to furniture, Jenna leans toward dark neutrals. “My decorating style revolves around five colors: white, gray, charcoal, brown and black, and pops of natural textures.”
Sofa: West Elm; entryway ceiling light fixture: Southern Lights Electric
Sofa: West Elm; entryway ceiling light fixture: Southern Lights Electric
Jenna loves to incorporate elements of nature into her home, such as plants, sheepskin throws, jute and cowhide rugs, and decorative objects like antlers and driftwood. “I think the use of these objects warms up the feel of the home while keeping within the midcentury modern style,” she says.
Modern Pavilion Barcelona chair: Modern In Designs, available on Houzz; sheepskin throw: Walmart; art: John Ha
Modern Pavilion Barcelona chair: Modern In Designs, available on Houzz; sheepskin throw: Walmart; art: John Ha
Jenna added a gray accent wall in the living room after bringing Josh on board with the idea. “I was inspired by an image from a Restoration Hardware catalog featuring a charcoal accent wall surrounding the fireplace. I had to pull up a ton of examples to convince Josh it was a good idea,” she says. “The risk of a bold choice paid off, though, because now that wall is a main point of interest in our home.”
Artificial plant in stand: Target
Artificial plant in stand: Target
Jenna’s choice to design the entire home herself was rooted in her love of decorating, which she’s had since she was a young girl. “I used to rearrange my entire room, spending hours trying to move my dresser across the room just because I thought it was time for a new look,” she says.
Jenna added a bold textured wallpaper to the top half of the dining room. She says it was “kind of a splurge, considering how small the area is.” However, it helps pull the room together and give it some added interest.
Jensen dining table: West Elm; Macalester armchair and Solace Stripes 3D embossed wallpaper: AllModern; leather chairs: Southeastern Salvage Home Emporium; chandelier: CB2
Jenna added a bold textured wallpaper to the top half of the dining room. She says it was “kind of a splurge, considering how small the area is.” However, it helps pull the room together and give it some added interest.
Jensen dining table: West Elm; Macalester armchair and Solace Stripes 3D embossed wallpaper: AllModern; leather chairs: Southeastern Salvage Home Emporium; chandelier: CB2
“I draw a bit of inspiration from images I’ve seen, but most of the time, I just like to look at a space and try to feel what it needs,” Jenna says.
Midcentury console: West Elm; wall hangings: Target; lamp: Southeastern Salvage Home Emporium
Midcentury console: West Elm; wall hangings: Target; lamp: Southeastern Salvage Home Emporium
“The kitchen cabinets were a dark cherrywood, and we had those painted white. That was a really dramatic change, because it seemed to make the kitchen double in size,” Jenna says. She added acrylic bar stools to the island and kept the decor at a minimum to avoid overcomplicating the clean white design.
Vapor acrylic bar stool: CB2; pendant lights: West Elm
Vapor acrylic bar stool: CB2; pendant lights: West Elm
Across from the kitchen is a small nook where Jenna has created a coffee station. She added removable graphic wallpaper inside the nook to help draw the eye into the tiny space.
Wallpaper: CB2
Wallpaper: CB2
One of Jenna’s pet peeves is a home that lacks seating. “There’s nothing worse than having two chairs in a room and nine people standing around!” she says. She added a sectional and a settee to this lounge area just off the kitchen for entertaining or just simply relaxing. This seating area is also next to the door that leads to a screened-in porch, so guests can mingle both indoors and outside.
Crosby midcentury 2-piece chaise sectional: West Elm; settee: Anthropologie; Peekaboo acrylic tall coffee table: CB2; Bleached ivory basket-weave jute rug: Cost Plus World Market; painting: custom by Nashville artist Ryan Winnen
Crosby midcentury 2-piece chaise sectional: West Elm; settee: Anthropologie; Peekaboo acrylic tall coffee table: CB2; Bleached ivory basket-weave jute rug: Cost Plus World Market; painting: custom by Nashville artist Ryan Winnen
The previous owners of the home were songwriters, so they had already built a recording studio with a vocal booth on the lower level. The studio is Josh’s own personal oasis where he writes and records music for his band, Farro. Above the couch sits a framed print of Johnny Cash and Elvis Presley, which the couple won at an auction.
Adeline storage sleeper sofa: Urban Outfitters; coffee table and Sewell Moroccan ivory and gray area rug: AllModern
Adeline storage sleeper sofa: Urban Outfitters; coffee table and Sewell Moroccan ivory and gray area rug: AllModern
The house has five bedrooms, but Jenna has not yet decorated all of them completely. Her main focus has been shared spaces where the couple and their guests will spend the most time. In the guest bedrooms, she kept things cohesive with midcentury modern-inspired style and a neutral color palette.
Nailhead tapered-leg bed: West Elm; Sphera table lamps: AllModern; wall hanging: Urban Outfitters; blanket: Target
Nailhead tapered-leg bed: West Elm; Sphera table lamps: AllModern; wall hanging: Urban Outfitters; blanket: Target
Jenna decided not to add any window treatments, which helps keep every room bright and filled with natural light.
Mirror: vintage; blanket: Target
Mirror: vintage; blanket: Target
This bathroom connects two of the guest bedrooms on the second floor, making it an ideal space for friends and family when they come into town.
City Sketch shower curtain: Target
City Sketch shower curtain: Target
One guest bedroom was given a wall color that’s a light gray with red undertones. A playful patterned rug and a commissioned artwork of a Sigur Rós album cover by Terrell Thornhill, Josh’s stepfather, completes the space.
Wall paint: City Street, PPG Porter Paints; settee and rug: Urban Outfitters; Stuffed Moroccan leather pouf: MPW Plaza, available on Houzz; Case Study planter: Modernica, via Wilder
Wall paint: City Street, PPG Porter Paints; settee and rug: Urban Outfitters; Stuffed Moroccan leather pouf: MPW Plaza, available on Houzz; Case Study planter: Modernica, via Wilder
Josh and Jenna love spending time on the deck that overlooks their backyard. “My favorite moments are spent out on our screened-in back porch,” Jenna says. “I love to let our two cats and our German shepherd out there with me and curl up with a book. It almost feels like a treehouse because it’s elevated, and adds to the feeling of a serene natural environment right in the midst of the city.”
Caffee bench and coffee table: AllModern; exterior and deck paint: Knight’s Armor, PPG Porter Paints
Caffee bench and coffee table: AllModern; exterior and deck paint: Knight’s Armor, PPG Porter Paints
The Craftsman-inspired home has a small front porch, where Jenna added a pair of sleek modern chairs for relaxing in. She says, “A home should be a place of real comfort, a true resting place for both our bodies and our souls.”
Sophia black dining chairs: CB2
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Sophia black dining chairs: CB2
My Houzz is a series in which we visit and photograph creative, personality-filled homes and the people who inhabit them. Share your home with us and see more projects.
Browse more homes by style: Apartments | Barn Homes | Colorful Homes | Contemporary Homes | Eclectic Homes | Farmhouses | Floating Homes | Guesthouses | Homes Around the World | Lofts | Midcentury Homes | Modern Homes | Ranch Homes | Small Homes | Townhouses | Traditional Homes | Transitional Homes | Vacation Homes
Who lives here: Josh and Jenna Farro; their German shepherd, Koda; and two Bengal cats, Bagheera and Begonia
Location: 12th South neighborhood of Nashville, Tennessee
Size: 3,400 square feet (315.8 square meters); five bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms
Year built: 2010
“The home has adapted perfectly into our lifestyle, with the recording studio, screened-in porch and large yard for our German shepherd, Koda, and the walkability to our favorite restaurants,” Jenna says. The couple brought their own style to the new-construction home when they bought it. “When we moved in, we painted everything and brought it to a nice white,” Jenna says.
The couple love the structure and layout of their home, including the existing lower-level recording studio for Josh, a musician, to use. Jenna’s obsession with dark neutrals and taste for midcentury decor helped transform the home into the perfect live-work space for the couple.
Knight’s Armor paint (gray): PPG Porter Paints; coffee table: Mercury Row, AllModern; cowhide rug: Southeastern Salvage Home Emporium; sheepskin throws: Walmart