Modern Romance

ELEGANCE PREVAILS This page: Magenta desk chairs, crystal lighting, unique art, and soft draperies create a romantic feel in the office and bedroom.

Modern

Romance

Interior designer Carrie Long puts her heart and soul — and pops of pink — into a Birmingham beauty

ARcHITEcTuRE: bRIAN NEEPER, bRIAN NEEPER ARcHITEcTuRE, bIRMINGHAM

INTERIOR DESIGN: cARRIE LONG, cARRIE LONG INTERIORS, ROYAL OAk

TEXT: PATTY LANOuE STEARNS

PHOTOGRAPHY: JOHN cARLSON Carrie Long, of Carrie Long Interiors in Royal Oak, has been in high demand these past couple years. One of her prettiest projects to date is a romantic three-level, 4,500-plussquare-foot Tudor for which she worked on interior design. The house, just a quick walk from downtown Birmingham, oozes with character, charm, tray ceilings, and custom moldings. Working from Birmingham architect Brian Neeper’s drawings, she detailed out the interior and all the millwork, and specified finishes for the exterior. Royal Oak’s HM homes served as the builder.

“I put my heart and soul into it,” the designer says. “I wanted it to be modern classic Birmingham, true to the city’s architecture. I also wanted it to be timeless.”

The residence, which features a lovely palette of pinks, grays, whites, and creams, was built to be a family home where the owners’ grown

son, daughter-in-law, and grandchildren could gather comfortably around the holidays. It features two master suites — one for the homeowners and another in the guest wing over the garage, which has its own special entry and stairway. Two more bedrooms and a total of seven baths guarantee privacy and deluxe accommodations for the homeowners’ overnight visitors.

The kitchen is bright and creamy white, with a glass mosaic backsplash, quartzite countertop, stainless-strapped steel vent hood, custom cabinets, high-end appliances, and three seats at the island. LED lighting from the tray ceiling adds ambience and texture.

Upstairs, a large circular anteroom leads to the master bedroom, bath, and master closet. Lavish materials, custom furniture, plush bedding, a crystal chandelier, and built-ins abound. In the lower level, which spans the entire footprint of the house, there’s a bar, a wine room, game room, and a huge library, all perfect for family gatherings.

Long calls her design eclectic and transitional. “That blend gives the house a little soul,” she explains.

IN THE DETAILS This page: The living room’s stunning wall art is head-turning. The kitchen’s dark island complements the space’s bright whites.