Like many empty nesters, Russ and Creecy Andrews were embarking on a new phase of their life. After their children had grown and gone, Russ Andrews, a longtime financial advisor, felt called to enter the ministry, and together the couple expanded on their faith foundation. In doing so, they agreed it was time to find a home that was more functional for the two of them and the many groups they enjoy gathering in their home, including their children and many grandchildren.
“I was driving around town and happen to see a home for sale that piqued my interest,” Creecy Andrews recalls. “I called a realtor friend about it, and he said, ‘I’m not sure that’s the right home for y’all, but I do have another I want you to see.’” The realtor took the Andrews to a small twelve-home neighborhood in the North Hills area and walked them through one of the homes for sale. “As soon as we walked in,” Creecy Andrews says, “I had a vision for what it could be.” The home, built in 1980 by John C. Williams, was in great shape and had incredible architecture and quality. But it was also a little dark and needed some updating. The couple agreed it was the home for them, with Creecy Andrews adding a condition to her husband that he allow her to build a secret garden in the back—a request he was happy to oblige.
The couple called on Carter Skinner to flesh out the changes they wanted to make and Matt Walton to execute the build. The team converted a Jack and Jill bathroom and walk-in closet into a private en-suite bathroom for the second bedroom, while downstairs, they added a dedicated dining room and enlarged the den off the kitchen to include a fireplace and some built-in bookshelves. And with the help of landscape designer Tom Nowell, Creecy Andrews was able to create her secret garden in the backyard.
All of these changes were part of what the Andrews call phase one. About a year later, the Andrews’ next-door neighbor suggested they call interior designer Anne Wagoner—A new, young designer with whom her daughter-in-law was working. “My neighbor told me how beautiful Anne’s designs were, and I just called her up, and we instantly clicked,” Creecy Andrews says. “As I later looked through her designs, I saw that she designed with a mix of old and new, with a fresh take on classic design—exactly what I was looking for.”
“When I first walked in, I immediately noticed that what was so special about this home was being hidden by all the floral patterns and bold colors,” Wagoner of Anne Wagoner Interiors says. “The amazing architecture and beautiful outdoor spaces were just begging to be highlighted.” Wagoner got to work streamlining the furnishings and incorporating solid fabrics with dressmaker details to set the stage for the beautiful millwork and high ceilings. “In doing this, your eye is now drawn through the space to the backyard and secret side garden, both of which are my favorite hidden gems in Raleigh,” Wagoner adds.
The goal for the family was to create a space that was peaceful and inviting for the couple to host bible studies, be with their family, and enjoy their grandchildren. To that end, Wagoner started with a complete overhaul of the galley-style kitchen that was to include a massive island that could provide a seat for every grandchild in the ever-growing family. From there, the rest of the rooms took shape, and over the course of a year, the home began to open up. “Anne went with me to every meeting at Kitchen & Bath Galleries and helped me pick out every detail of my kitchen,” Creecy Andrews says, “which was invaluable—she thought of every detail I never would have, and it’s in the details that Anne really shines.”
When working with each room, Wagoner started by combining new furnishings with reproductions and antiques, never ordering anything from a catalog. She shops with purpose, in person, choosing pieces that reflect the story and personality of her clients. “For Creecy and Russ, one of my favorite elements in the design is the pair of bronze plaques that flank the oversized piece of art in the living room,” Wagoner recalls. “The plaques are reliefs of Mary and Jesus, reflecting the foundation of Creecy and Russ’ faith.” Each plaque weighs seventy pounds, and Wagoner had them hung while the couple was out of town so she could surprise them with the reveal. “The afternoon was a series of hold-your-breath moments, but in the end, it was worth it,” she says.
Since the homeowners already had a nice collection of antiques, Wagoner supplemented with just a few pieces here and there, adding her favorite coffee-table books and tortoise-shell jewelry boxes as accents. “I grew up with antiques and oriental rugs,” Creecy Andrews says, “so it was nice for Anne to come in and tell me to keep most of my things but transform them with fresh updates and updated design. She truly is a young person with an old soul.”
Maintaining the design that Wagoner installed has been easy and natural. “I really listened to how Anne designed and why she made the choices she made. That has truly impacted the way I make decisions now when buying for my home,” Creecy Andrews says. “She’s taken my style and refined it for me.”