Architect Carey Hollingsworth and interior designer Lisa Flake capture their clients’ dreams of a home that revels in both the past and present throughout every corner.
Childhood ideas of beauty often continue to echo as tastes evolve over time, and that was certainly the case with a Birmingham, Alabama, homeowner who knew what she wanted but had trouble finding it. “I grew up in Atlanta and was so attracted to the historic redbrick homes of architects such as Philip Schutze and Neel Reid in Buckhead, and that was the look I wanted to replicate. After years of looking, my husband and I decided to build on a lot that became available on our same street,” she explains. “It was truly fortuitous—he got the tip from an Uber driver! We didn’t have to change the neighborhood where our children grew up and our friends were.”
With the location secured, it was time to discover like-minded professionals to take that long-hoped-for dream and bring it to life. Enter architect Carey Hollingsworth, who understood the goals from the start of crafting a hybrid of Georgian and Colonial design with old-school detailing for authenticity. “It’s rare to have clients that are so engaged with historic architecture,” says Hollingsworth. “We hearkened back to the olden days with an almost-modified dogtrot design with a large, functional center hall that has a bar and facing rooms on either side that leads to the kitchen and family room.”
“Carey is really a Renaissance man,” says the owner, “and his instincts were spot on. We called him the ‘mad scientist’ because he would noodle on something for days, and then, when you were about to give up, he would present the most elegant solution.”
And while the Flemish bond exterior redbrick, graceful cased openings, and a black-and-white painted entry hall floor speak to days past, the home is also firmly planted in the here and now with input from interior designer Lisa Flake, who had worked with both Hollingsworth and contractor Cleve Shearer on other projects.
Curating a Lifetime of Collections
“Our client has excellent taste and grew up with beautiful things, so we were able to use many special family pieces plus ones she had been storing up for this house for years,” says Flake. “She really needed someone to curate what she had and introduce new pieces to keep it feeling fresh. I knew from her prior home that she loved color, antiques, and a little drama.”
Adds the client: “I have always loved old brown furniture, silver, and porcelain; I’m a collector at heart, and that’s why Lisa was so important—she kept it young and age-appropriate. I brought the stodgy, and she brought the fun!”
Color with a Little Drama
The pair started with the dining room. Schumacher chinoiserie wallpaper sets the stage for the palette throughout the first floor. A luscious lavender shade was plucked for lamps, shades, and seat cushions, while a vibrant blue extends to the facing living room, which is drenched with the hue from stem to stern. “The lacquered walls brought the wow factor and also brought a new attitude to some of her old furniture, now set off by the gleaming blue backdrop,” notes Flake.
Given her client’s preference for antiques, the designer focused on keeping the house from leaning too formal, so instead of antique rugs, she employed natural fiber ones in the elegant dining room and den and included more transitional light fixtures in the mix. For example, an ornate French mirror in the powder bath joins hands with Lucite sconces against deep blue/black walls and a posh brass sink.
Darker colors were also on the menu; the client had always wanted a black kitchen, but it certainly doesn’t read harsh. The dark cabinetry is set off by a white marble backsplash, creamy walls, brass globe lights and sconces, and jolts of color. “I used an inherited still life painting of fruit to inspire the antique chair fabric joined by a contemporary channeled upholstered banquette,” says Flake.
The connecting family room is also dressed in a deep gray/black, which extends to the coffered ceiling, helping to bring down the scale of the room and impart a cozier atmosphere that’s still sophisticated with a chocolate brown sofa and vivid green chinoiserie print chairs and pillows.
A House Born of Memories
“This house was born of memories from both my grandparents’ homes in Atlanta. I’ll never forget standing on the black-and-white marble floors in the entry all dressed up in our Christmas finery and celebrating the season,” says the owner. “This house honors that past, but it’s designed for our family’s lifestyle. It’s hard to capture in words what this house feels like every day of the year. It’s magical.”
Interior Design: Lisa Flake, Caldwell Flake Interiors
Architecture: Carey Hollingsworth
