17 minute read
Refreshing Interiors
from Nfocus October 2022
His ric Homes Me Mo rn Design
Historic spaces take on new life in three Nashville homes
As housing needs change, so must the spaces in which we dwell. There remains a reverence for historic homes and an unending love for spaces with walls that speak volumes about the past. Often, splendid stories are passed down through families as they remember specials moments in the lives of the residents. Step inside three historic Nashville homes that were thoughtfully transformed with today's homeowner in mind.
Eclec c Digs
Libby Callaway transforms a midcentury home into the avant-garde Callaway Compound
East Nashville resident Libby Callaway has always been known for her avant-garde approach to fashion and design. In fact, she has made her living on it. The go-to fashion expert made her way back to Nashville after years in New York covering the fashion scene. Building a business out of her East Nashville bungalow, Libby has helped brands curate local shops and immersive experiences with new trends for locals and visitors alike, as well as run a successful public relations operation. In late 2018, Libby began an 18-month renovation on her home.
Known as the Callaway Compound, the 1948 home is situated at the end of a quiet street in the Eastwood neighborhood of East Nashville. Libby bought the house in 2011 with the dream of one day making it her own. Growing up with a mother whose family has been in the business of interior design since the 1940s, Libby was ensconced in the traditional rules of design while also understanding that there are many opportunities to break the rules. “My mom had five different wallpapers in our kitchen growing up,” said Libby. For the Callaway Compound, the only rule of the renovation was: There are no rules. The decor is a harmonious marriage of art deco and contemporary, maximalism and avant-garde.
The first step of the project was to remove the 1,000 square feet of “OK” space on the back of the house and add 1,300 square feet of great space. This created much more functional space while also creating a circular path throughout the home for a more comfortable flow. Recurring themes permeate throughout, such as animals, mythological creatures and circles. Libby scoured the internet for design details for the house.
BY JANET KURTZ PHOTOGRAPHS BY EMILY DORIO
THE KITCHEN Bold, beautiful wallpaper lines the walls of the kitchen, where a red KitchenAid range waits to prepare a meal or boil a pot of water for tea. The wallpaper, a 1980s Waverly blue-and-white floral pattern, covers all but two doors in the kitchen. After running out of that wallpaper, Libby found a bold 1960s black-and-white contrasting paper for the doors that lead into her pantry, complete with a crystal chandelier. The pantry opens into the living room and can serve as a bar during parties.
THE LIVING ROOM What was once a former carport was transformed into a functional living room and gathering spot. French doors lead out to the garden, while suns line the walls, camouflaging the storage rooms beyond. A corridor filled with natural light connects the living room and the bedroom, and the gateway is guarded by dragon-adorned Chinese arches. The arches were purchased on Facebook Marketplace and were being sold in Alabama by a family that had purchased a former Chinese restaurant to renovate and change to a Mexican restaurant. Not one to miss an opportunity, Libby jumped into a borrowed truck and hit the road to procure these treasures.
THE BATHROOM AND CLOSET Stepping into the bathroom feels more like stepping into a spa. Black, hexagonal-tiled walls and the painted concrete floor create a feeling of quiet and contemplation. A glass brick wall closes one side of the shower, while a brass lady Libby found at a flea market in Mexico City swims below on the black tile. A custom-made, gold penny tile soaking tub was designed specifically to Libby’s proportions. The walk-through closet is steps away and is covered in floor-to-ceiling shelving for shoes and racks for clothes, with a guest bedroom closet serving as the second closet housing seasonal garments.
THE BEDROOM The mistress bedroom boasts 15-foot ceilings, round windows, a painted checkered floor and dark blue walls balanced by plenty of natural light from the French doors that lead to the manicured garden beyond. The sitting area at the foot of the 1970s brass bed evokes visions of late-night poetry sessions lit by the gold, ivy-covered ceiling fixture or early mornings filled with contemplative reading with a cup of coffee.
Somewhere, in the winding tree-covered roads of Brentwood, Tennessee, lies a piece of land so peaceful, beautiful, and bucolic, it’s hard to believe it’s only a stones throw from the energy and bustle of Nashville.
Like an old song made new, this poetic piece of land will give way to transcendent outdoor moments— Connection to nature in your exercise garden. Lazy days of relaxation poolside, and joyous memories made on your tennis court or putting green. Reflections in your own sculpture gallery will transform your every day moments into enlightenment. Gatherings will abound here, as the love of friends and family are cultivated by the generous living spaces. Meticulously designed by world-class architects and upheld to the highest standards of construction, homes at Harlan will be immaculate expressions of luxury living. Gated entry and natural surroundings make Harlan a place to be revered.
Life at Harlan is a life lived to the fullest. It is a life set apart; set apart from the crowded hurried life, and fully realized. Every day. Every moment.
Life Set Apart
Two Home Sites Remain $ 6– $ 15 Million Brandon Jenkins
harlanbrentwood.com
615.642.9992
Coec r’s P adise
Robin Rains creates a tranquil setting for world travelers
The owners of this Green Hills residence were faced with a real dilemma when a 200-year-old tree fell during a storm and demolished most of the structure. But after consulting friend and architect Kem Hinton, they decided to completely gut and renovate their 1930s home. They enlisted Salem Forsythe of Innovative Building Specialties to keep the historic presence yet make it more accessible so that they could age in place. That was also when they contacted interior designer Robin Rains.
An avid antiques collector, the wife knew Robin and had bought pieces from her at Leiper’s Creek Gallery. The two hit it off, and they began the three-year process of planning, cataloging and, finally, installing everything in the new and renovated spaces. What might sound like a challenge — the couple’s conflicting tastes — Robin found rewarding. He favors contemporary, uncluttered, clean design, whereas she is drawn to opulence, tradition, a more-is-more kind of style. Fortunately, they respected each other’s preferences, embraced their contrasting styles and found common ground. Now, simple architectural details and steel windows make the perfect backdrop for the art, antiques and treasures on display.
“The couple has traveled extensively, so the rooms aren’t decorated, as much as they are reservoirs for cherished things collected over a lifetime,” explains Robin. French limestone floors and white walls let the art — paintings, etchings and oils — shine, and antique dressers ground groupings of items — mirrors, sculpture and books, a move that keeps the rooms from looking busy. In places, quiet moments, like a painting by Kit Reuther, are balanced out with a “busy moment,” such as blue-and-white porcelain. In fact, it is the collections that unify the rooms, rather than a color scheme. The end result is that every space is comfortable, inviting and beautiful, yet convenient for daily living.
“It’s a world traveler’s home [and] tells their story of where they’ve been and what they love,” says Robin. “This house will only get better with time. It speaks volumes about who lives there. That’s what we, as designers, strive to do. It’s our job to listen, cultivate and, ultimately, tell their story. I feel like we really achieved that here.”
BY HOLLY HOFFMAN PHOTOGRAPHS BY LESLEE MITCHELL
COZY RETREAT The couple, both avid readers, retire to the upstairs library at night to relax. Once a bedroom, all four walls are now wrapped in bookcases. Art rails were installed so that the owners can rotate their pieces. Robin sourced the 1970s Roche Bobois sofa and the tortoise midcentury cocktail table in France, while the owners found the Eames chairs on a trip to New York City. The dark blue walls and leather furniture add to the coziness of the small room.
ROOM WITH A VIEW The limestone flooring continues into a sunroom added to the back of the house, where a glass wall of steel windows looks out onto a new courtyard, garden and pool. The husband wanted a space for casual dinners, and the long table is surrounded by a fun mix of chairs and a banquette from Robin’s shop. Elsewhere in the room, a 17th-century Italian chest surrounded by a grouping of baskets and a geometric Tulum rug create interest but keep it clean so that the focus remains on the garden.
1711 Old Hillsboro Rd
8548 Cub Creek Road
9739 Turner Lane
Investment Opportunity
10 Screen Cinema | 6 Acres | 42K SQFT AVAILABLE | $4,500,000 Partners in Grimes 629.777.6911
2403 Belmont Blvd
180 9th Ave N. #402
3 BR & 2 Full BA | 2,253 SQFT AVAILABLE | $1,250,000 Barbara Breen 615.390.3736
153 Cheek Road
3500 Stokesmont Rd
4 BR & 4 Full, 2 Half BA | 5,531 SQFT AVAILABLE | $2,650,000 Alison Cooke 615.397.4676 Jennifer Cooke 615.406.4844
809 Barrington Place Dr
*REPRESENTED BUYER
Janet Jones Laura Baugh Jennifer Cooke Barbara Breen Alison Cooke Nancy Brock Elaine Reed Partners in Grimes John, Chris & Joey
40 BURTON HILLS BLVD, STE 230, NASHVILLE, TN 37215 • 615.250.7880 • CORCORANREVERIE.COM
THE OFFICIAL REAL ESTATE BROKERAGE OF THE TENNESSEE TITANS
EVERYTHING IN ITS PLACE The new kitchen, while not huge, is extremely practical. Since the wife’s passion for collecting extends to china, glassware and serving pieces, Robin and Katie Woods, then at Tuck-Hinton Architecture & Design, cataloged each item, and cabinets and drawers were built to house everything perfectly. Above the La Cornue range is a custom plaster hood, and the blue-andwhite painted checkerboard floor reminds the owner of Italy, one of her favorite places.
ZEN MOMENT The wife specifically requested a “meditation room,” a beautiful place to rest and rejuvenate, to nourish her soul. Robin transformed the formerly dark spot into a cocoon, painting the walls white and draping the windows in matching sheer fabric. A built-in bookcase was added to hold family photographs and display collections — antique Himalayan singing bowls, pottery and vintage footstools. “It’s one of my favorite spaces,” says Robin. “While it may sound like a more-is-more space, the bookcase housing the collections keeps it tidy and neat.”
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CLHMS, MILLION DOLLAR GUILD GABRIELA.LIRA@COMPASS.COM | M. 615.440.6327 | O. 615.475.5616 GABRIELALIRA.COM
R m G w
Mayra Lehman-Grimes breathes new life into a French Colonial home and grounds
When Mayra Lehman-Grimes and her husband, Shawn, were looking for a new home, they knew they wanted something with a large yard for their family to enjoy. Cocktails with friends led to an opportunity to purchase the stately former home of Frances and Wentworth Caldwell. The French Colonial home, built in 1930 by H.G. Hill Sr. for his daughter and son-in-law, is perched atop a rolling hill that leads to a babbling creek below and rests on 15 acres of stunningly restored grounds.
The home, purchased by the couple in 2019, had beautiful bones and was ready for a refresh to bring it back to its original glory while adding elements for a modern family. There were holes in the roof and repairs needed throughout. Mayra — working with her architect, Julie Hay with Hay Design in Huntsville, Alabama, and builder, Mark Tant with The Tant Companies, and using anecdotes from the family — meticulously worked to restore what she could throughout the house while also repurposing elements that might otherwise have been removed.
Throughout the home, floors were restored, while rooms were repurposed to change the flow of the space. Where details needed to be replaced or changed, Mayra carefully chose designs and custom woodwork that echoed the original work throughout the home. The end result is a stunning home with a palate of muted pastels that are soothing, warm and inviting to guests.
BY JANET KURTZ PHOTOGRAPHS BY DANIEL MEIGS
A GRAND ENTRANCE The entrance to the home is a perfect example of staying true to the original design. Little was changed from the design, other than restoration work and the removal of a mural, which was later gifted to a member of the Hill family. The foyer retains the original grand staircase, tile floor, doors and crown molding. The striking tile flooring, which was popular in the 1920s, is a bold entrance before the eye is drawn up the curved staircase.
THE “NEW ROOM” While the dining room was once a beautiful sitting room, no one wanted to sit in it. They all wanted to sit in the “new room,” which has been converted to the family room. The floor-to-ceiling windows offer beautiful views overlooking the expansive lawn and the creek below. Additionally, the room has original and rare pecan wood cabinets that were restored and are used by the family today.
THE DINING ROOM Mayra transitioned the formal sitting room into a formal dining room. Here, she preserved the fireplace and the gilt mirror that hangs above but modernized the palate to a soft white. She preserved the original red oak floors and used a dark stain to make the room pop. Fred Cox art has been used to add dimension to the room.
BEDROOMS Creating peaceful spaces was important for Mayra as she worked through the design of the home. The second floor of the home is dedicated to the bedrooms. Beautiful light fills the rooms, creating a soft, effervescent energy. The wallpaper she chose for the children’s rooms are matching patterns in coordinating colors, with soft touches of white linens for the beds. Mayra combined two bedrooms to create the master suite. The spacious suite includes a bathroom with a deep tub, as well as a separate shower and a Jack and Jill closet.
THE GROUNDS When Mayra and Shawn began to explore purchasing the home, they met members of the family to talk to them about the house and listen to their memories. Beautiful stories were told and retold, and photos of the home and the grounds began to surface. “[One of] our favorite part[s] has been trying to re-create the grounds based on a picture from the early ‘50s that Edward Jackson of the Hill family let us borrow at the beginning of the process,” says Shawn. “The pond that was completely buried now is a beautiful fountain and home to numerous fish. The great blue heron that lives on our property does not seem bothered, as he has plenty to eat in the creek, which is occupied by many turtles, river otters, beavers, ducks and geese.”
REPRESENTED SELLER REPRESENTED BUYER
2100 ELDERTON COURT, BRENTWOOD 5,537 SF | 5 BD | 5 BA | 2 HB List Price: $3,250,000
REPRESENTED 8 BUYERS
FOUR SEASONS, DOWNTOWN List Prices Undisclosed 3233 BAKER LANE, FRANKLIN 5,530 SF | 4 BD | 4 BA | 2 HB List Price: $2,700,000
REACH US ANYTIME: M: 615.260.4423 O: 615.475.5616 MMTeam@compass.com MMinTown.com MICHELLE MALDONADO TEAM
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