Greening the Bluegrass

Interior designer Isabel Ladd brings a touch of the tropics to a second home located in the heart of horse country. GREENING THE BLUEGRASS Written by Bridget Williams // Photography by Rachel Lutz/Andrew Kung Group

74 slmag.net Th e foyer is enveloped in vibrant bird-of-paradise wallpaper that transports you to a vacation state-of-mind as soon as you cross the threshold.

Interior designer Isabel Ladd understands the importance of making an entrance. When tasked with designing a rural second home retreat for a Lexington native and his wife, who primarily reside in the Northeast megapolis, she ran with a tropical getaway theme. Isabel happily obliged the couples’ request for “an explosion of color and pattern.” Capitalizing on their pledge to not reign in her creativity, she enveloped the foyer in vibrant bird-of-paradise wallpaper that transports you to a vacation state-of-mind as soon as you cross the threshold.

Th is bold opening statement is also a result of the homeowners’ desire to confi ne changes to cosmetics. Working with the home’s existing dark-stained wood trim freed up funds for other splurges, such as the wallpaper mentioned above. Together, the trim and wallpaper conjure thoughts of traditional British colonial design, with a tiered fringe chandelier adding a youthful spin.

Wearing a caftan of her own creation, interior designer Isabel Ladd is dressed to impress in the dining room. The custompainted wall treatment is the artist’s interpretation of a wallpaper pattern.

In the living room, a pair of armchairs are kicked up a notch with orange Schumacher fringe. An eclectic mix of furnishings includes an Indian wedding table used as a coffee table.

A sunlit eat-in area was given a lift with lively drapery, a tulipstyle dining table, and Palm Springs-inspired art.

Playful pattern continues in the dining room. When the initial wallpaper Isabel selected was found to be on backorder, she brought in a decorative painter to create the same effect in the artisan’s own fashion. “Just like my amazing clients let me take the lead as a professional, I do the same with the pros I use, telling them ‘you do you,’” Isabel explained. Employing her triedand-true high-low style, Isabel paired an antique dining table with bench seating from Target. Firmly believing that “beige is not a color,” Ladd had the offending hue on the bench seat replaced with colorful upholstery reminiscent of a Mexican blanket.

In the living room, a pair of armchairs are kicked up a notch with orange Schumacher fringe. An eclectic mix of furnishings includes a malachite side table, a blue velvet sofa, and an Indian wedding table used as a coffee table. A bergère positioned near a unique emerald green console cabinet is upholstered in what Isabel refers to as her “signature tiger-print velvet.”

Photorealistic wallpaper designed by Matthew Williamson for Osborne & Little brings an accent wall to life in the master bedroom.

A bergère positioned near a unique emerald green console cabinet in the living room is upholstered in what Isabel refers to as her “signature tigerprint velvet.”

Th e existing kitchen was left as-is for now, so Isabel added new pendant lighting over the island to bring the space into compliance with the prevailing touch-of-the-tropics theme. A sunlit eat-in area was given a lift with lively drapery, a tulip-style dining table, and Palm Springs-inspired art. Photorealistic wallpaper designed by Matthew Williamson for Osborne & Little brings an accent wall to life in the master bedroom. Rattan pendants hover above colorful campaign-style side tables on either side of the bed. Touches of magic are also found in each of the children’s rooms, spaces this mother of two is particularly fond of designing.

As much as a designer delights in having no-limits placed on their ingenuity, rarely does it come with the luxury of a similarly unfettered budget. In this instance, Isabel governed her gift for penny-wise panache to create a staycationworthy showplace that mirrors the vibrant young family who lives there. sl

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