COLORFUL CURATION

Designer Nicole Norris mixes new and collected furnishings with a Mexican-inspired color palette in a Daniel Island condo

by DANA W. TODD / photography by HOLGER OBENAUS

To-the-ceiling cabinetry and an expandable dining table allow the condo to live larger than its two-bedroom, two-bath footprint. Finishings such as the Kalco Broadway jewel-metallic pendant enliven the space.

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Interior designer Nicole Norris’ signature statement of bold color is on full display in the living room, where antique turquoise and gold artwork serves as the jumping-off point for the condo’s color palette.

Glance through the portfolio of interior designer Nicole Norris, and you’ll see plenty of colorful inspiration. Her signature work with strong colors is why many Lowcountry homeowners turn to her to enliven their spaces. The need for her expertise struck a little closer to home in this latest project—a luxury condo perched on the bank of the Wando River on Daniel Island owned by her parents, Mary and Tom Folse. They asked Norris to incorporate some of their furnishings and treasures collected over the years while traveling at the behest of the U.S. Air Force, while adding fresh, new pieces and their favorite bold color palette of turquoise, orange and chartreuse to their new waterfront condo.

Since they purchased the condo while it was still under construction, the Folses were not required to use the developer’s recommended in-house finish packages but instead could handpick materials with their own interior designer. “I have designed four homes over the last 30 years for them,” Norris says. “They trust my design sensibilities since I have worked with them on so many other projects.”

By changing the floor plan to suit her parents’ needs and adding their design preferences, the final result is a comfortable, eclectic and transitional condominium bursting with bright colors inspired by the Spanish-colonial town of San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where the Folses own another home. “Charleston and the UNESCO city of San Miguel de Allende have a lot in common,” Norris says. “The cobblestone streets and affinity for food, shopping, architecture and art are important in both cities.” The Mexican city is a hub of American expatriates who enjoy the culture, similar to the recent influx of new residents to the Holy City, which makes sense as both locations have held the title of top city in the world.

The desire for color drove many design choices in the Folses’ condo. A treasured piece of turquoise and gold artwork printed on Parisian paper, which was purchased from Scott Antique Markets in Atlanta, serves as the inspiration for the home’s color palette. It is uniquely hung from a drapery rod in the living room over two swivel barrel chairs sourced from the family’s prior residence in a North Carolina mountain town. “Mom thought she had lost this unique piece of artwork when they moved to the house in Mexico but found it as they moved to Daniel Island,” Norris says. “I was disappointed at the time because I was going to use it in the Mexico house, but it worked out much better as a focal point in this condo.”

Uttermost cabinets read as built-ins on each side of the living room fireplace, while armchairs from Forty West Designs provide a cozy and elegant place to rest by the fire. All are anchored by a Turkish rug in a muted colorway from Textura.

Norris carried turquoise and other key colors into every room through the addition of newly purchased artwork and accessories. In the living room, a muted Turkish Oushak rug just steps away from the Parisian focal artwork continues the theme without being overbearing. Down the hall in the study, a Bernhardt sleeper sofa transforms the room into guest quarters when needed, while orange tones on a vibrant rug and throw pillows brighten the mood and hint at the Mexican aesthetic.