When Meredith and Jason Butler first purchased their home in Chapel Hill, they thought the interiors had to be modern. The home was, after all, contemporary in its architecture. “We really just thought that the interior design had to skew more modern because the house was more modern,” Meredith says. But after enlisting the help of acquaintance and designer Kara Cox, the Butlers realized modern wasn’t quite the aesthetic they wanted or needed in their home.
“Meredith liked more bohemian patterns and fabrics, lots of color, a lot of warm metal, a lot of black,” Cox says. “Their style was much less contemporary and much more modern bohemian, so I really went for warm modern with a bohemian touch. This home would definitely be a departure from the traditional homes we’re used to seeing in the South.”
Built in the 1990s, the Butlers’ home hadn’t been updated and was in dire need of a design overhaul. Though the home featured modern architectural details, the finishes were drab and dated. In the first phase of the renovation, Cox focused her efforts on the spaces the Butlers would entertain in and use the most: the family room, the kitchen, and the powder room. Functionality and kid-friendly were top priorities for the young couple who had one small child and a new baby during the design process. To update the spaces, Cox painted over the original peachy color with Benjamin Moore Classic Gray, and the trim with the bright Chantilly Lace. “It instantly made the room feel brighter,” Butler says. “Everything began to pop once we changed the color.”
From there, Cox began with a neutral foundation, adding pieces like the Wesley Hall sectional in a durable Sunbrella fabric. Then she layered more modern-bohemian prints and textures with throw pillows by Robert Allen, Tulu, and Zoffany, coupled with bold turquoise-blue table lamps by Visual Comfort. With an open view to the kitchen, Cox wanted to create interest with even the tiniest details. Such was the case with the trio of counter stools by Stillwater swathed in a playful and durable Palecek fabric. The rope detail juxtaposed with the sleek vinyl was the ideal coupling of bohemian-meets-modern.
Beyond the list of styles and furnishings the Butlers were drawn to, Meredith also mentioned to Cox that she loved copper, “so I knew we had to have it in some element in the home,” explains the designer. The answer was a stunning copper tub by Thompson Traders. “The moment I saw it I had to have it for their bathroom!” The statement piece became the centerpiece of the renovated master bathroom, which is “sleek and modern, but warm,” Cox says. In lieu of slate floors, Cox used porcelain with a dark grout on the bathroom and shower floors, while durable quartz was used for the shower seat and shower-surround detail.
One of the most dramatic changes, however, took place in the master bedroom and adjoining master closet. The bedroom was originally dark navy with white trim. To update and brighten it, Cox “completely flipped the color palette by painting the walls a soft pale blue, painting the trimwork dark, and accenting the ceiling with a lighter color,” she says. “It changed the entire architecture of the room.” The dramatic Kelly Wearstler chandelier hangs above the upholstered bed while vintage pieces such as the sunburst mirror add a modern touch.
The real prize of the upstairs, though, is the master bedroom closet, which was originally dark and disorganized. Streamlined custom shelving by Carolina Closets, a Strada flush-mount light fixture by Circa Lighting, and a playful Cole & Son wallpaper on the ceiling create a jewel-box effect in what was once a dark, drab closet space.
The updates were more than the Butlers had dreamed of when they first asked Cox to tweak their outdated home. “Kara is such a great listener,” Meredith says. “She just got us, and the end result is so different from what we initially thought we wanted.”
One of the most important aspects of Cox’s job as a designer is to simply listen to her clients. In this case, her clients thought they knew what they wanted, but after some time the designer was able to draw out just the aesthetic the couple was truly looking for. “We took something that was so dated and made it fresh and new,” Cox says. “It ended up being exactly what they wanted, even though they didn’t know it at first.”