SOCIAL HOUSE

TEXT BY BLAKE MILLER PHOTOGRAPHY BY BRIE WILLIAMS STYLING BY SARAH CROSLAND

LOCAL SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCER ERIN SPARKS EFFORTLESSLY HOSTS FRIENDS AND FAMILY IN HER MYERS PARK HOME.

EERIN SPARKS never intended to be a social media influencer. In fact, in fall 2020, when she began to decorate the Myers Park home she shares with her husband, Will, all she really wanted to do was pull together a design board for each room. “I loved looking at other home decor Instagram accounts for inspiration,” she says. “I have a background in graphic design, so I started to create room schemes, and then I realized I could be building those on an account for other people to be inspired.” She began the account humbly, never intending to create a following. She simply wanted to inspire others who may be decorating their own homes. As her feed began to grow, so did her followers: today she has nearly 34,000 followers on her Instagram account @byerinsparks. And her fans have inspired her as well; during her home’s renovation, which

THIS PAGE: This stunning charcuterie board by The Culture Shop in Plaza Midwood is perfect for any gathering. The cheese and wine shop, known for its colorful platters and locally sourced provisions, offers everything you need to elevate entertaining in your home.

OPPOSITE: A native Charlottean, social media influencer Erin Sparks and her husband, Will, love to host friends and family in their Myers Park home.

ABOVE AND RIGHT: Sparks, middle, and her friends gather in the formal living room. She and her husband, Will, often gather here for pre-dinner cocktails or wine.

she and her husband oversaw themselves, she loved reading comments about the process. “I posted a lot of befores-andafters of our home and received such kind feedback,” she says. “People were so encouraging when I posted reels or stories of the progress. In general, the home design community online is very positive, which, of course, makes it fun to share.”

Since completing the renovation, she and Will, who is a chairman and professor at Queens University, love to host casual cocktails and dinner parties with family and friends. A Charlotte native, Sparks often invites her parents and her brother—all of whom live within walking distance—over

For a warm, welcoming feel, Sparks wrapped the foyer in a York Wallcoverings grasscloth. She added a Lucite console by Caracole and mirror by Regina Andrew.

The original pass-through between the kitchen and study was an unused space, so Sparks took advantage of it, creating an informal breakfast nook by designing an upholstered tufted banquette. For an extra wow factor, she added wallpaper by Studio Four on the ceiling and a chandelier by Serena & Lily.

ABOVE AND RIGHT: The study is one of the Sparks's favorite places to have an early-morning cup of coffee or a pre-dinner drink before heading into Charlotte. Because the room is open to both the formal living room and the breakfast area and kitchen, Sparks wanted the space to stand out, so she chose a high-gloss Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore for the built-ins and walls for a dramatic effect.

for family dinners. “Most of the time, Will and my dad are doing the cooking,” laughs Sparks. But when the couple have friends over, most of their entertaining takes place around the newly renovated kitchen, in the nearby breakfast nook, or in the adjacent study. There, Will serves up his signature vodka gimlets while Sparks plays hostess.

The Sparks will be welcoming their first baby in January, and the nursery is already underway—a testament to a home being a work in progress. “We’ve really made this home into something we love,” she says. “It definitely took some finessing to bring it from our unimpressive first walk-through to where it is now, but it just keeps getting better and better.” u

The primary bathroom is serene in all white. Sparks outfitted the bright and airy space with a chandelier by Serena & Lily and a soaking tub by Victoria + Albert.

Sparks wanted the primary bedroom to be simple and white, so she opted for a bed by Caracole and chose bed linens by Pottery Barn for an added touch of color.

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