It can be a little tricky to design a shotgun home – that is, a long narrow house, often with a straight shot view from the front door to the back door. It needs to be light and bright, not too cluttered, and have an airy feel. With windows in just the front and back and a limited traffic pattern, it’s a challenge to create that open feeling. What to do?
I recently installed a project like this for a couple of city dwellers who love color and pattern but live in a small space. My design plan centered on all white walls with smaller areas of wallpaper that define each space. The dining room just off the front door and exposed to the kitchen, hall, and stairwell needed to feel open and easy to maneuver.
My solution is to offset the dining table and banquette to allow a traffic pattern all the way through. We outlined the entire space with wallpaper on the ceiling, framed out to define. The result is a bright, open, fun space full of color and light. With spring here, the floral fabric keeps everything airy, and the wallpaper is to die for. When working with a color palette like this, it’s important to keep similar tones with a stronger color on the floor. In this case, we used a dark bottle green over-dyed rug. I am also a huge fan of large centerpieces. It’s all about the scale, and anything small paired with the large banquette would just feel inadequate. Spring has sprung in this fun space.
Beth Keim is the owner of Lucy and Company, a full-service interior design firm located at 2108 South Boulevard, Suite 213. For more information visit www.lucyandcompany.com or call 704-342-6655.