Text: Courtney duQuesnay
Photos: Heidi Harris
When Matt and Caroline Womack first laid eyes on their English Tudor–style bungalow in Cartersville, Georgia, Matt, a builder by trade, knew it was fate.
Anna-Louise Wolfe Curates Colorful Cartersville Abode
Anna-Louise Wolfe Curates Colorful Cartersville Abode
Anna-Louise Wolfe Curates Colorful Cartersville Abode
Anna-Louise Wolfe Curates Colorful Cartersville Abode
Anna-Louise Wolfe Curates Colorful Cartersville Abode
Anna-Louise Wolfe Curates Colorful Cartersville Abode
He recently started Womack Custom Homes, along with his brother, Stephen, after more than a decade of working for a custom builder. Matt’s experience was far-reaching, but his specialty was taking turn-of-the-century cottages and updating them into more livable, modern homes for today’s families.
“I knew exactly what I wanted to do the first time I saw it. I knew that to get the space we needed, we would have to add on, and from my experience at my previous job, I knew we could do that and keep the curb appeal and historical charm,” says Matt.
Caroline was on board, and the couple purchased the home in 2014. Architectural plans were completed, and soon after, they met interior designer Anna-Louise Wolfe. The Womacks knew that Wolfe was the perfect partner to bring their vision to life.
The exterior of the home features classic details like an arched entryway and casement windows that meld seamlessly with the architecture of historic Cartersville. All the home’s front-facing windows and doors were left intact in order to remain as true to the home’s original architecture as possible. The interior, however, left something to be desired with its small, choppy rooms and tiny footprint.
“The homeowners’ goal was to honor the architecture while also making the interior functional and welcoming,” says Wolfe. To accomplish this, the team opened the kitchen, family, and living rooms and added a second story.
When it came to choosing materials and wall treatments for the interior, Wolfe let Caroline’s love of color lead. “Caroline loves bright, cheerful colors. She wanted the house to feel happy but still calming and soothing,” says Wolfe.
The living room is outfitted in custom geometric wall moldings, with expertly layered patterns and textures in its furnishings and accents. Rich green velvet sofas ground an array of prints from chintz to tiger.
A favorite color combination of Caroline’s is blue and white, which shows up throughout the first story in the form of glass-front kitchen cabinets with a tranquil blue interior, plush seating and throw pillows in the breakfast nook, and an eye-catching wallpaper in the mudroom. Benjamin Moore’s Downpour Blue appears on doors, trim, and lockers throughout the first floor and combines with shades like Calm and Chantilly Lace to produce a soothing palette.
In the primary bedroom, Wolfe incorporated more color by custom upholstering a Frontgate bed in lilac linen and adding amethyst lamps. The pagoda-shaped cornices bring an unexpected touch of whimsy to the space.
Overall, the couple couldn’t be happier with the finished product, with Matt sharing, “It’s truly a sanctuary when I get home in the evening.”
Caroline added, “It was just a super fun project—one I’m glad I got to share with my husband, brother-in-law, and a good friend like Anna-Louise. We really made it our forever home.”
