Moving to another state is difficult. Add onto that a home that needs some serious organizing and design and it will make you want to call in reinforcements. Which is exactly what Lynn Petillo and her husband did. “We move a lot for my husband’s job and had just arrived to Charlotte from Seattle,” explains Lynn. “We needed a design that was clean, flows easily from room to room and can easily translate to any home, should we pick-up and move again.”
After interviewing several designers, a friend of Lynn’s suggested she contact Anne Buresh Interior Design for help with their home in Eastover. “As soon as I called Anne, I felt like I’d known her all my life,” remembers Lynn. Though Lynn and her husband weren’t quite sure what design they had in mind, they knew they liked a timeless, classic style. “With two small children, they knew they needed something stylish and comfortable, but also wanted a space in which they could entertain friends and co-workers,” says Anne. During their first meeting, Anne and Lynn discussed how they wanted the house to be used. “It’s important for the client, and by extension, me, to know how they want the rooms to function,” offers Anne. “Once that component is identified, then we can move onto design direction.”
Operating on a “less is best” philosophy adopted by Lynn and her husband, the three worked closely to find a look that made sense for their lifestyle. When agreeing on a color palette, they decided that the “backbone of the design” as Anne puts it, should be a range of neutral tones. They needed some pop, so Anne suggested they take a look through Lynn’s closet to see what she gravitated towards. There, they discovered deep corals and decided that a subtle achromatic range with pops of deep coral would be a logical palette for the living room. A gilded glass coffee table added interest and contrast. The Petillos travel a lot, so it was important to incorporate items they’d acquired along the way into the design. “We added many things, but the book about Seattle on the coffee table was a must,” offers Anne.
Moving from a home in Seattle with a very different floorplan, the Petillos needed furnishings to round out their space, but still wanted to use existing pieces to fill in the gaps. Anne worked with their sofa and chairs in the family room but added a weathered French grey console and various accessories to brighten it up and create unity. ”I love fitting my clients’ personalities into my designs,” Anne smiles. “It can be challenging, but extremely rewarding and I love pleasing my clients.”
Anne easily pulled together a breakfast room off the kitchen and a fabulous dining room where the Petillo’s could host dinner parties. “The whole project was completed in about 3 months,” says Anne, “because they really wanted to host Thanksgiving in their beautiful new home. The dining room was one of the chief projects.” Working with the existing wallpaper, Anne added an antique gilded oval dining table and soft linen-upholstered dining chairs with nailhead trim. “I was excited to find this Greek Key console table,” adds Anne. “It’s a gorgeous piece that fits the space perfectly and adds an ideal flow from the kitchen to the dining room.” A textured rug and antique mirror round out the space, while the Italian chandelier is an immediate eye-catcher. “They really wanted guests to feel comfortable to linger after dinner and converse. This space lends itself perfectly to that.”
On “reveal day”, Anne sends her clients out of the home, often to the spa, and installs the design to be revealed upon their return. Candles are lit, Champagne is chilled and the homeowners get to experience their new look for the first time. “I love to see the WOW expressions on my clients’ faces,” says Anne. “It’s an unbelievable experience.” Of course, no home that Anne designs is complete without her signature bowl of almonds placed as a nod to good old southern hospitality. “It represents a welcome and a wish of good health,” explains Anne, “and what’s more inviting than that? Clients say they can never keep the bowl filled – which I think speaks to how an attention to detail makes all the difference.”
When asked what her favorite room in the home is, Lynn quickly answers that it’s the living room. “I never had one in Seattle,” she explains. “It’s inviting, peaceful and cozy, and with two kids that’s important.”