Calm, Cool & Collected

Interior designer Tate Reynolds turns a craftsman-style bungalow into a chic cabinet of curiosities.

Written by Bridget Williams / Photography by Andrew Kung

Any woman will sheepishly admit to spending a great deal of effort perfecting hair and makeup that looks "natural." The same can be said for a cozy craftsman bungalow designed by Tate Reynolds for a long-time client and friend. Crossing the threshold, you instantly get a read on the homeowner, and the beguiling spaces make you want to know more. "If you can't get a sense of the personality of the person who lives here, then I haven't done my job," said Tate.

The son of an interior designer, Tate grew up with an appreciation of the things that comprise beautiful spaces. After a stint as a competitive eventer in the mid-1990s, he worked in fashion post-college for Giorgio Armani and Ralph Lauren. His innate talent in textile design allowed him to transition to Ralph Lauren's home design division, where he spent 15 years traveling the world and honing his skills. After decades away, returning home to Kentucky to establish his eponymous interior design firm has allowed him to get back to the people, places, and pursuits closest to his heart.

Interior designer Tate Reynolds in the living room.

Tate's touchstones are on full display in this comfortably elegant home. He has a particular penchant for taking antiques often eschewed by those averse to anything old and making them au courant by mating them with contemporary counterparts. "The unexpected mix makes it all feel fresh," he explained. The homeowner had the good fortune of being on the receiving end of several family heirlooms. These play well with newly acquired midcentury and present-day pieces. In the entry, a contemporary table lamp rests atop a handsome antique drop-leaf table. Always on the hunt for items of interest, Tate found the mirror surmounting the table in the restroom of an antique shop.

Top: The armchairs in the living room were found at the 1stDibs showroom in New York City. Accent pillows on the sofa mix designs from Kelly Wearstler and Brunschwig & Fils Bottom: A cozy second-floor den highlights Tate’s extensive experience in textiles.

In the living room, the sofa is dressed with accent pillows from Brunschwig & Fils and Kelly Wearstler. A well-composed vignette on the table further accentuates the interplay of old and new and perfectly encapsulates the overarching design direction. The mid-century armchairs were sourced from the 1stdibs showroom in New York City.

Conjuring candlelit evenings, Tate chose a lively and saturated blue hue from Farrow & Ball for the dining room walls. The homeowner has an impressive contemporary art collection, and in this room, a whimsical work by Atlanta artist Sally King Benedict hangs above the sideboard. Illuminating the room is a chandelier from Visual Comfort; Tate removed the lampshades and added round lightbulbs to give the fixture a more contemporary edge. The vintage mahogany and cane dining chairs are an Edward Wormley design for Dunbar that have been upholstered with a Clarence House print.

Surrounding the Mackenzie Dow Canterbury dining table are vintage Edward Wormley mahogany and cane dining chairs upholstered with a Clarence House print. Farrow & Ball paint. Visual Comfort chandelier. Arteriors Havana sconce on either side of the painting by Atlanta artist Sally King Benedict.

Compact and chic, the recently renovated kitchen with cabinetry from Century Entertainment & Furnishings boasts open shelving and a backsplash of weathered white enameled ceramic tiles from Zellige. The handmade tiles are perfectly imperfect and imbue a touch of iridescence, while the open shelves provide display space for a collection of mochaware. Tate said that the homeowner is a stickler for finishes and chose burnished brass for the cabinet pulls and faucet.

A focal point of the renovated kitchen are the enameled ceramic tiles from Zellige. GE Monogram appliances. Cabinetry by Century Entertainment & Furnishings. Burnished brass pulls and faucet from Willis Klein.

A powder room near the kitchen was given a facelift with period-appropriate beadboard on the walls and an antique-style vanity with a burnished brass base. A modern mirror and sconce and a lively black and white wallcovering keep things interesting. Adding just the right amount of je ne sais quoi, the simple French ticking stripe window treatment is one of several Francophile-inspired textile touches throughout the home.

Left: A renovated power room near the kitchen. / Right: The second floor was reconfigured to allow for a dedicated primary bath.

Upstairs, carpeting was taken up. The refinished original floors are now dressed with an assortment of antique rugs procured at auctions. The second floor was reconfigured to make room for a dedicated primary bath with a custom vanity. In the guest bedroom, a pair of African side tables inlaid with mother-of-pearl flank a barley-twist bed made in West Virginia. Tate took a classic Pendleton horse blanket and had it fashioned into accent pillows for the bed. A beguiling blend of aubergine and brown, the wall color in the second-floor den imparts a cozy feel, reminiscent of a classic wood-paneled study.

Top: In the guest bedroom, a pair of African side tables inlaid with mother-of-pearl flank a barley-twist bed made in West Virginia. Bottom: Antique indigo fabrics are a defining characteristic of the restful primary bedroom.

"This home tells a compelling story of old and new," said Tate. It's undoubtedly a tale this urbane homeowner doesn't mind reading again and again.