IS UPSIZING THE NEW DOWNSIZING?
ONE CHARLOTTE COUPLE WANTED MORE WHEN THE KIDS LEFT THE NEST. SEE HOW LISA SHERRY TOOK A CIRCA 1960S HOME TO A WHOLE NEW LEVEL.
Downsizing. The term always makes me a little sad. Turns out I’m not alone. Today, couples want more when the kids leave the nest. Surprisingly, this usually means more space for the twosome. And unsurprisingly, it always means a design vision that speaks to how the couple wants to live today. They’ve earned it! In my latest home tour, you’ll see how Lisa Sherry Interieurs crafted the just-right solution for one Charlotte couple.
My clients are two busy and accomplished professionals, the type who effortlessly complete each other’s sentences. They’re a dynamic duo. As evidence, the couple successfully raised and launched five children from a spacious family home in Charlotte’s Foxcroft neighborhood. With the last child off to college, the home no longer met their needs. Wisely, this couple saw that they didn’t necessarily want less space, they simply wanted the right space. The couple found a new home with ample room for their community of two and frequent visitors, including the kiddos. Next, architect Ruard Veltman masterminded the renovation. Lisa Sherry Interieurs completed the upsizing team for complete interior design services, including floor, lighting and paint plan, as well as furniture, rugs and accessorization. Downsized? Hardly! You be the judge.
HOW WE DID IT:
FIND THE FLOW
You know what they say about location (location, location, location). A spacious single-floor home in a prime Charlotte neighborhood is a coveted find, indeed, but homes cannot live in the past tense. My clients loved the neighborhood – just a short distance from their former residence – and were wide open to opening up the dated home. Factually, the square footage was just slightly less than their former family home. The layout and use of space made all the difference.
BACKGROUNDS IN THE FOREGROUND
The original circa 1960 ranch house was typical for the period with smaller, well-defined rooms. For some, open floor plans can be a hazard. Without walls to “force” focal points and dictate order, open floor plans can feel chaotic. Everything seems to compete for attention. But for me, an open floor plan is an opportunity. I manage backgrounds – paint palette, flooring and rugs – with thoughtful attention to create synergy and wholeness. This space is awash in Benjamin Moore’s China White, a warm white without a hint of yellow. Similarly, hardwoods and rugs literally ground a space.
EVOLVING NEUTRALS
Over the years, I’ve been sort of a defender of the color white. It’s not a single color, as I’ve often noted. The paint wizards at Benjamin Moore offer dozens and dozens of “whites” in their swatch kits. And over the years, I’ve also been a champion of change. More and more, I see my affinity for neutrals expanding, becoming more nuanced, diverse and resonant. It’s coming to life in this space. I’m crushing on brown/taupe palettes, paired with my signature whites and clarified, as always, with abundant natural and ambient light.
ALL IS REVEALED IN LAYERS
For me, any discussion of color is incomplete without layering in texture. In a very real sense, texture is the new color. Surprising juxtapositions are essential. My rooms are cohesive, but never one note. Throughout the design process – from concept board development to installation day – I intuitively mix old and new, crisp and tattered, nature and artifice to achieve a happy harmony.
INSIDE OUT
As Lisa Sherry Interieurs planning progressed, it became clear that outdoor living was essential in this couple’s right-sizing strategy. A pool was a must have. The fully furnished outdoor living and dining room flow seamlessly from the interiors.
INTERIOR DESIGN: LISA SHERRY
ARCHITECTURE: RUARD VELTMAN
PHOTOGRAPHY: BRIE WILLIAMS