Brooke Abee and her husband loved the family feel of the Olde Raleigh neighborhood. The established gated community was convenient to downtown, the airport, and all of their favorite haunts. And, of course, there were the beautiful custom homes that dotted the streets. Purchasing a home in Olde Raleigh was an easy decision for the Abees, and although their home was beautiful, it was definitely in need of a “thirty-year facelift,” as Abee puts it. “It would certainly be a work in progress.”
The family started with the living room, dining room, and foyer. While surfing social media, Abee came across a room design by Charlotte-based interior designer Ashley DeLapp. “I immediately saw my own love of color and boldness in her designs,” Abee says. “I knew she would be a great fit for our design style and vision.”
“Luckily, Brooke loves color, which is my specialty! The Abees aren’t afraid to take risks, which made this fun for us both,” DeLapp says. “The home already had bold colors painted on the walls and ceilings, but they were dark and dated. The Abees were ready for a major change, without sacrificing their love of color.”
The homeowners hopped on the phone with DeLapp and discussed their vision for a comfortable, welcoming, and colorful home with plenty of sophistication. “Within two weeks, the design was finalized, and I made a trip to Raleigh to present the fabrics and wallpapers,” DeLapp recalls. “We were in sync on the design, which made it quick and easy. I shipped everything directly to her house, and came up to install the accessories and photograph the space.”
Bold wallcovering in a geometric pattern and neutral tones adorn the dining-room walls, a perfect backdrop for a lemon-yellow sideboard coupled with a bright white dining table and Lucite chairs. This room drove the design of the first floor. The spaces were bold, with bright blue and citron accents, anchored by grays, blacks, and whites. Bright citron walls lead the staircase upward, accenting the tall windows that make the color extra bright and cheery, bathed in light.
The moody foyer is gray with pops of citron artwork and a bold blue chair that welcomes guests beyond the yellow front door. Fast forward a few years, and Abee was ready to work on her kitchen and make it cohesive with the rest of the downstairs living space. “I had a vision for my kitchen in my head for almost ten years,” she says. “It was a very closed off, dark space that needed a huge revamp. I knew I wanted a bold Ann Sacks backsplash and was certain Ashley was the only person to help me pull together all the elements and make it scream ‘Me!’”
Abee sent DeLapp a few things she loved for inspiration, and the designer was able to virtually send back design boards with some options. “Ashley did come to look at my stone in-person and give me her stamp of approval with color choices for ceiling and island,” Abee says. DeLapp adds, “Brooke had a vision, she knew certain elements she wanted, and I filled in the rest. We worked remotely again, and I shipped everything to her house. We treated all the projects like e-design, but the difference is, I traveled there for the install.”
Together, the pair brought the homeowner’s vision to life in a cohesive look that included the bold blue, black-and-white, and yellow hues in a casual but sophisticated design that felt personal and fun. The ceiling was painted a pale blue, mimicking the dining room ceiling, and the backsplash tiles from Ann Sacks that Abee had chosen came together in a pattern reminiscent of wallpaper, but with the durability and uniqueness of tile. The black-and-white backsplash is the centerpiece of the kitchen, with a statement fixture over the eight-foot island with a waterfall quartzite counter for a touch of drama. “The kitchen was designed around that backsplash and island,” Abee says. “A total highlight for me.”
In the breakfast area, Abee opted for a sitting area, with four swivel chairs and a lower glass coffee table for a relaxed feel. “Our family of four enjoys this spot more than any sitting area in our home,” she says. “I tell everyone I know to skip the kitchen table and create a sitting area—you will never look back!”
In the end, DeLapp created a completely personal, colorful, and one-of-a-kind space for the Abee family, filled with pops of color that brighten their everyday living. “I always tell my clients to invest in unique pieces and to only buy something they truly love,” DeLapp says. “I like to mix vintage pieces with new. It gives a home a collected look that no one else can ever exactly duplicate.”