A traditional home gets a fresh makeover. Alicia Harris needed some nudging. The decidedly stylish working mom of two is fairly traditional, so when she and her husband, Jeff, purchased their home on the border of Eastover and Foxcroft, the couple’s directives for the design of the home were simple: fairly traditional yet stylish. “Alicia definitely appreciates traditional design,” says designer Traci Zeller, whom the couple had worked with on the interiors of their previous residence. “But they wanted the design to reflect their young family with a fresh take on a traditional aesthetic.” This minor tweak to tradition proved a bit of a challenge for Harris. “She needed a little persuading when it came to some of the less traditional design aspects,” laughs Zeller. “She has fantastic style but was hesitant at first to step outside her comfort zone with some of the pieces.”
The color palette of warm neutral hues is such a fresh take on the traditional color palette of burgundy, beige, and brown. “Alicia doesn’t love a ton of color so she wanted it pretty neutral and light but not flat and boring,” says Zeller. This is most prevalent in the living room where soothing creams and whites blend seamlessly with subtle textures and patterns to create interest to what could otherwise be a flat design. The room features ample seating perfect for entertaining, as well as an adjacent library, which was a primary request from the beginning.
The dining room is one room where Zeller truly pushed the envelope with Harris. Originally the room came with a stunning traditional chandelier. Although “there was absolutely nothing wrong with it,” according to Zeller, the light fixture was ultra-conservative and far from the fresh yet polished look the designer had been hired to create. “This room is one of the first rooms you see when you walk into the home and sets the tone for the rest of the house. We wanted people to immediately know their home is sophisticated and elegant but young and fresh, too.” The addition of the coastal-inspired bubble glass light fixture by Oly Studios created an instant wow factor to the room while a subtle animal-print wallpaper by Anna French completed the updated traditional look. “Both elements created an easygoing spirit with a polished finish,” says Zeller.
Zeller’s nudge to a bit of a transitional design is truly on display upstairs in one of the Harris’ daughters’ bedrooms. “Reagan loves color,” says Zeller. But in order to appease her mom, who isn’t a fan of bold pops of pink and green, Zeller installed a design based on neutrals. White linens with rainbow pom-pom fringe and patterned draperies boasting subtle color and bold design are inventive ways to combine neutral with color. Colorful fringe hang from the dresser hardware, which instantly creates a fresh, young look appropriate for the then eight year old.
“I could create a half-dozen schemes around this room,” says Zeller of the neutral base from which the design can easily be changed. “If Reagan decided tomorrow she didn’t like pink and green, I could transform the room into a whole new look.” Zeller summarizes this project’s success, “To be able to show someone the beauty in another style and then have them love it, too, is a great achievement!”