by Eleanor Lynn Nesmith | Photography by Kip Dawkins
Although patience might be a virtue, sometimes a little prodding from a close friend yields its own rewards. Kim Gottwald had been perfectly content in her late 19th-century Colonial Revival home in Richmond’s historic Three Chopt Road neighborhood, but the interior décor was never quite to her liking. For this single mother with six children under her roof, however, other issues took precedence. Then a few years ago, interior designer Janie Molster stepped in. “‘What are you waiting for?’ I asked Kim. ‘It’s your time now’,” she recalls.
And Molster would know. She and Gottwald grew up in North Carolina, and they have been friends since their college days. “Her six and my five children practically grew up together,” adds Molster. “Interior design is a lot easier when you understand and can identify with a client. I was confident I could interpret her vision and make this house her own.”
The structure is defined by an overscale portico that boldly announces the front door. Although the house had undergone numerous additions over the years, inside and out it is surprisingly true to form, starting with the traditional center hall flanked with well-proportioned living and dining rooms.
“It’s unapologetically elegant and sophisticated, yet the children and dogs have free rein,” explains Molster, who can relate. She also shares an appreciation for Gottwald’s personal collections and inherited family pieces and adds that her friend has a great eye for fine antiques. Gottwald simply needed help arranging them.
The two began the project by digging through Gottwald’s basement and storage unit and agreed that the impressive collection of Delft pottery needed to be highlighted. “The key to displaying a collection is strength in numbers,” notes Molster. The asymmetrical arrangement of 14 favorite pieces on wooden brackets takes center stage in the living room, and the soft blue tones of the pottery provided inspiration for lightening things up.
“We definitely wanted a somewhat feminine feel,” says Molster. “We also wanted to introduce elements of surprise.” Although a few cherished antiques now happily reside in the living room, Molster relaxed the mood with a patterned sisal rug with jute detailing, a contemporary Bradley coffee table, and a Lucite ottoman.
Always ready to embrace color and to experiment, Molster believes the palette can vary from room to room as long as the level of intensity and tones remain in harmony. The dining room deftly reflects that philosophy with its luxurious velvet ombre curtains and pink lacquered walls.
Even in less formal spaces, Molster mingles old and new and makes the most of another prized collection. “Kim had told me she had a few botanicals, but once we unrolled and organized them, I realized there were more than enough prints to make a statement,” Molster recalls. This time, an asymmetrical display of prints transforms the wall behind a stairway leading down to a sunroom.
