Erika and Randy Canady bought their new Bost-built home in 2007. A little more than ten years later, despite wanting more space, they just couldn’t bear to move from a home they really loved—the neighborhood and location were perfect. So, instead, they called on Rufty Homes and designer Aimee Montgomery to design an addition to the home that incorporated a larger kitchen and dining area, a sunroom, and an outdoor living space that included a pool.
Montgomery had been working with the Canadys for almost five years already, adding design elements to their existing business and then designing a new office for them as they expanded. “Erika is wonderful to work with; over the past four years, we have made various changes to their home, the highlight of which was this addition and renovation,” Montgomery says. The couple discussed the vision for their home with Montgomery, which included creating a relaxing, bright, welcoming space for the family while allowing great access and views to the newly added outdoor pool and living space. With previous projects in the home creating colorful and energizing spaces, the team agreed that a more toned-down palette with lots of natural textures would be a perfect departure while also tying everything together.
Rufty Homes came up with an architectural plan that included all the new spaces they needed, while noting what they wanted for the interiors as well. “We previously brought a lot of color into other rooms on the main floor, creating a colorful study for her to work in as well as bold accents in the family room, just off the kitchen,” Montgomery explains. “When it came to the new kitchen, dining area, and sunroom, we wanted to quietly bring a few of those colors into those areas, but create more tranquility as well. Adding warm organic touches really rounded out the design.”
Walnut-stained beams were added to the ceiling in the eating area and sunroom, along with walnut floating shelves in the kitchen, perfectly matching the island. “Seeing the kitchen island and ceiling beams installed was really rewarding,” Montgomery says. “The wood was simply gorgeous, and the kitchen design team did a great job achieving the color we were looking for.”
For a textural feel and a toned-down version of layering, Montgomery opted for natural fibers and warm accents. “Adding natural jute area rugs and a Currey & Company rattan chandelier in the sunroom infused organic elements at every level of the space. Erika and I both love bold lighting, so selecting fun and luxurious lighting for the spaces was a must,” Montgomery says.
When fleshing out the vision for what the Canady family wanted to accomplish with this addition, one thing was abundantly clear: the family longed for a place to cozy up to each other while also stretching out. The first piece of Montgomery’s design, therefore, was a large sectional. “Since we had a large room to work with, we went big,” she explains. “The sectional had to be comfortably soft, but highly durable and stain-resistant. We chose a Crypton fabric in a color that Erika just fell in love with.” With a large swath of color in the sectional piece, the layering elements remained more neutral. Custom drapes sewn with Kravet fabric were constructed with beautiful velvet geometric tape applied to the inside panels. The pillows chosen have a serene and organic feel to maintain the overall design aesthetic, and the plush area rug was layered on top of a jute rug to create a warm, cozy feeling.
In the foyer, color was more streamlined. A neutral, almost tone-on-tone palette was used on the walls, and a punchy navy console with pretty, sleek hardware and subtle gold inlaid pinstripes around the edges added the perfect subtle pop. “As you work your way to the kitchen, we begin to tone down the colors,” Montgomery says.
Canady was really drawn to the colors and movement of the backsplash chosen for the kitchen. With such a dynamic and interesting tile, Montgomery aimed to keep the rest of the kitchen and accessories subdued by using pale tones of blue and gray with accents of wood. “On the shelves, we went with small pops of color to keep it interesting without feeling confusing or cluttered,” she adds. The dining room and sunroom echo the same “easy-on-the-eye soft palettes,” as Montgomery puts it.
When pressed to pick a favorite portion of the project, Montgomery hesitates only for a second. “I love how the sunroom turned out. It really feels like a place to escape. The sectional is incredibly comfortable and affords lovely views of the fire pit, pool, and beautiful landscaping. Looking around at all the organic elements, inside and out, brings a sense of peace and serenity.”