Ariene Bethea considers herself a modern-day huntress, regularly foraging through consignment stores, estate sales, and online auctions for art, furniture, books, or anything that strikes her. Her Charlotte home is filled with her collections, including treasures from all around the world.
“A client once said she didn’t realize you could mix Asian and African art in the same room until she saw my house,” says Bethea,owner of Dressing Rooms Interiors Studio. Walking through her home is nearly transportive because of her vast assemblage of African masks, Asian statues, and international art. Her appreciation of these cultural relics was inspired by her mother.
“My mom loved to collect art and sculptures and masks,” Bethea avers. “I also gravitate toward a bold and vibrant mix because that was the style of my childhood home.” Bethea inherited numerous pieces from her mother, including a 1960s velvet sectional in her lounge and a 
brightly colored vintage oil painting that hangs over her mantle.
A self-described color-lover, Bethea isn’t afraid to use dramatic hues. She loved the black walls in her upstairs lounge, so she painted a wall in her family room the same color to better display some of her sculptures, masks, and black-and-white photographs. She knew the vivid fuchsia walls in her office would be a perfect backdrop for her Tang horse painting—a consignment-store find—and the hand-painted Asian screen she snagged from an estate sale.
Bethea artfully layers flea-market finds with treasured heirlooms, and she encourages her clients to do the same. “Your home should reflect you and your personal style,” Bethea advises. “Buy things you love, and you’ll always find a place for them."