Text: Margaret Zainey Roux
Photo: John O’Hagan
You’ll find what you’re looking for when you least expect it—or where you least expect it, in the case of Kalli and Andrew Delaney. The couple had spent months searching for a lot to build on or an older home to remodel and make their own when they discovered the Cape Cod-style cottage they now call home along with their three daughters, Mary Charles, 7, Betsy, 4, and Cate, 2.
“It’s as though the stars had aligned,” says Kalli Delaney. “This house was exactly what we wanted in the neighborhood we wanted to be in. We set our sights on a project and got turnkey instead, but why mess with perfection? We’ve been here for a few years, and we haven’t changed a thing—nor do we have any plans to do so.”
Built in the 1950s in Birmingham’s Mountain Brook suburb, the house was renovated in 2014 by its previous owner, architect Matt Costanzo, who took painstaking measures to ensure its original cottage charm was never compromised. Hardwood floors, window-pane paneled walls, coffered ceilings, and handsome millwork add a sense of nostalgia throughout the new-old house that nearly doubled in size with the addition of a playroom on the third floor, three bedrooms and bathrooms on the second floor, and a master suite, mudroom, and open-concept kitchen, dining, and family room on the ground floor. With every inch of its 3,700 square-feet perfectly in place, Delaney was able to dive right into what she calls the “the fun phase” of decorating and enlisted Birmingham-based interior designer Catherine Pringle to guide her.
With a young family of her own, Pringle understood the importance of creating spaces for the Delaneys that were not only well-appointed but also practical. She first approached the design by grounding the rooms with indoor-outdoor rugs in tone-on-tone patterns for a fresh look that could corral a sophisticated mélange of modern and antique-inspired furnishings. Tables and case pieces made from weathered oak, honed stone, iron, and acrylic are hard-working but easy on the eye. The rough and tough finishes on the oak, stone, and iron let scuffs and scratches go incognito, while the sleek acrylic surfaces offer low-maintenance luxe. For the upholstery, Pringle sourced featherweight fabrics that were also forgiving. These pretreated linens, natural hides, and high-performance velvets cover sofas, cushions, and chairs that are simple in profile yet generous in scale in order to fill spacious rooms without fuss or clutter. Their neutral hues make ideal matches for the home’s existing pastel color palette, including peaches, pinks, grays, and blues.
“By juxtaposing classic and contemporary elements, light and heavy textures, and clean lines and curves, we created a collected aesthetic that is anything but contrived,” says Pringle. “We exercised a similar balancing act when dressing the house for the holidays. Needlepoint stockings, hand-painted nutcrackers, and cherished Christmas china in reds and greens honor the Delaney’s deep appreciation for tradition and sentiment, while sparkly baubles and satiny ribbons in pinks and blues speak to their youthfulness and whimsy and blend seamlessly with the everyday décor.”
