When the time comes to downsize, it can be an emotional experience. Kids have left the nest, forcing a new chapter of adulthood and a novel space to better suit that new chapter. It can be an exciting new beginning or a distressing and unwelcome change. For two of Beth Keim’s clients, downsizing after their kids went to college felt like a renewal. They embraced the change as an opportunity to reinvent their living space and maybe even reinvent themselves along the way.
The Assignment
When this couple hired Beth Keim, the owner of interior design firm Lucy and Company, their goal was to create an entirely new look and vibe. They wanted it to be completely separate from their previous home. They aimed to prioritize one-of-a-kind pieces, while still preserving cohesion within each space. Each unique piece was to appear intentionally curated, rather than randomly collected. The clients hoped the collective effect would be a different style than any they had pursued in previous houses. Moreover, they were looking for something completely original.
The Canvas
The home that caught the couple’s eye was a four-bedroom, three-bath Myers Park house. It was built in 1938 and renovated in 2013 by Ruard Veltman. Hillary Rondero of Millicent Design, whose style has always delighted Beth Keim, designed the interior. In fact, some of Rondero’s lighting selections were perfect for the couple’s vision that Keim and her client negotiated to include them in the sale of the home.
Whenever Keim takes on an interior design project, it is at least in part driven by the style of the home—its architecture and period. She believes these elements must necessarily inform the interior design. This home, with all its interesting detail, nooks and crannies, and separate rooms, screamed for the types of unique pieces for which Keim’s clients had already indicated a preference. Keim identified the bones and size of the home as perfectly suited to her clients needs and vision.
The Execution
“They were one of those clients whose intended style was very similar to my own. That made this project so much fun,” says Keim. The clients aspired to an eclectic chic aesthetic. Keim achieved this through the lighting she inherited from Hillary Rondero, one-of-a-kind art and furniture, quirky structural bones, and a cohesive color palette that tied it all together.
Keim prioritized an earthy vibe with blacks, shades of white, neutrals, and small pops of caramel and rust. The textiles she incorporated included velvets, wools, leathers, and linens. The living room features a leather wall, which Keim sourced from Brooklyn-based textile/art studio AVO.
Additional vendors who contributed to this space alongside Lucy and Company include Jacob Wolfe, Stark Carpet, Oly Furniture, Verellen Furniture, Lee Furniture, Noir Furniture, Gabby Home, Arteriors Lighting, Circa Lighting, Ron Royals (photography pieces), and Natural Curiosities (wall decor).
