When trying to find a spot to name residence, Atlanta designer Kevin Francis O’Gara found an uncommon possibility: the house developer’s workplace. “My residence was the gross sales workplace for Hedgewood Houses whereas they have been constructing the neighborhood, so it had a convention room, workplace, and sitting space for potential consumers,” says the founding father of Kevin Francis Design.
Although that won’t have been the primary selection for much less imaginative householders, Francis noticed the potential: “It was such a clean slate once I moved in, however all of the finishes have been unbelievable, from the alabaster partitions to the cream tile within the kitchen,” he gushes. Plus, along with his expertise promoting handmade rugs and curated decor, O’Gara had all of the instruments readily available to reimagine it.
Changing a company area to a residential one had its challenges, nonetheless: “There have been no closets within the residence,” O’Gara remembers, which means he needed to get inventive with storage in sudden locations. An emphasis on the public-facing residing and kitchen areas meant that the bed room and examine have been missing in home windows and thus, treasured mild. Plus, the area’s former life left considerably of a sterile high quality.
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“I needed it to really feel like an escape from the world.”
O’Gara solved the latter two conundrums by including depth and texture—each literal and figurative. He leaned into the again areas with moody palettes and layered antiques and artwork to provide the white field a homey really feel. “It meant loads for me to have the ability to use antiques from my mother and grandparents, particularly items that I grew up with, which actually elevate the design and make it really feel further private,” says the designer. “I actually consider each room advantages from one outdated brown wooden piece of furnishings to floor the design, so I’m blissful to see these kinds of items making a comeback.”
Kitchen
“I’m utterly spoiled by my fabulous kitchen, which options bleached oak cabinetry and a built-in espresso maker, and was designed by Hedgewood cofounder Pam Periods,” says O’Gara. He added barstools from his personal assortment and vintage lithographs to make it his personal.
Dwelling Room
The realm rug, grey barrel-backed chair, and alabaster lamp are all from Kevin Francis Design. “My sources actually run the gamut, from Dwelling Depot to the vintage retailer down the road,” says the designer.
Sectional: Article. Mirror: Ballard Designs. Espresso desk: Vintage/Parc Monceau. Portrait artwork: Josh Younger. Embroidered pillows: West Elm. Blue Ikat pillows: Classic/Antiques & Past. Queen Anne eating chairs: Vintage with China Seas material. Spherical pedestal desk: Anthropologie. Marketing campaign desk: Vintage. Rattan chairs: Primarily Baskets Dwelling.
Examine
Proven at high.
Because the examine—in distinction to the brilliant, open lounge and kitchen—will get little to no mild, O’Gara went all in on making it really feel moody and welcoming. “The wallpaper in my examine is unquestionably a favourite second of mine as a result of it’s such a visible shock that unfolds as you stroll into the room,” says the designer. “It’s been such a dialog starter and individuals are at all times so intrigued by the sample after they peek by way of the doorway; I really like the way it attracts you into the room.”
Workplace
O’Gara framed architectural plans from his childhood residence to hold over his desk, an vintage campaign-style piece whose drawers present loads of storage. The ever-changing bulletin board atop it additionally serves as a type of rotating artwork piece. “With each vignette, I attempted so as to add one outdated factor that might elevate the design and provides a storied, collected look, even when it was only a small accent,” says the designer.
Bed room
“I attempt to place a mirror someplace in each room to provide the area extra dimension,” says O’Gara. The approach is particularly beneficial in a small area like O’Gara’s bed room. Because the room supplied little by means of wall area, he hung darkish curtains throughout the home windows to function a backdrop for the mattress.
Selendi space rug: Kevin Francis Design. Chest of drawers: Vintage. Mirror: Classic. Headboard: Wayfair. Nightstand: AllModern. Quilt and shams: West Elm. Material: West Elm. Throw pillows: Williams-Sonoma Dwelling Summary portray: Kevin Francis Design Lamps: Kevin Francis Design
Q&A
Home Stunning: What was the inspiration for the brand new design?
Kevin Francis O’Gara: With the wall of home windows in my lounge, I needed to emphasise the airiness of this area so I layered shades of cream to create a lightweight basis for this room. I pulled pops of blue into the accents (my favourite coloration), which tie in my Cairene rug and complement the nice and cozy wooden tones on my eating desk and vintage desk. This coloration palette additionally displays the kitchen, creating a gorgeous mix that’s mild and inviting throughout the day however glows at evening.
To distinction the brilliant residing area, I went darkish and moody in my bed room and examine. I pulled grey velvet curtains throughout the complete bed room wall so as to add depth and distinction to the area (which truly helps the again wall recede, making it really feel greater!). I painted the examine a wealthy darkish brown and hung a daring crane wallpaper to make this room really feel further particular. It’s the place I watch films and TV and in addition doubles as a visitor room, so I needed it to really feel like an escape from the world.
HB: What was the trickiest a part of the challenge?
KFO: One of many greatest challenges of this area was the dearth of pure mild within the bed room and examine. These rooms have only one smaller window, however as an alternative of combating this constraint, I embraced the darkish and moody look in these rooms to create cozier areas that really really feel a lot bigger. Additionally, my house doesn’t have a closet because it was designed as a gross sales workplace, so I maximized the storage furnishings in every room, utilizing armoires and dressers to retailer my garments!
HB: The place did the vast majority of the price range go?
KFO: The vast majority of my price range went to upholstered items like my lounge sectional that I knew I’d get plenty of use out of, present the proper setting for entertaining pals and use for a very very long time. I additionally invested in a big, custom-sized rug from my new Iconium assortment for the lounge to actually give the seating space a stunning basis. I actually designed that rug with my lounge in thoughts, utilizing a sun-faded palette and cream background that feels mild however remains to be sensible!
HB: How did you get monetary savings/DIY/get artful?
KFO: I really like a mixture of excessive and low, and my sources actually run the gamut, from Dwelling Depot to the vintage retailer down the road. I additionally scored the pedestal eating desk from an Anthropologie outlet in Augusta—it was so well worth the five-hour drive! I painted plenty of the paintings myself, and bought inventive with discovered items, like framing outdated architectural plans from my childhood residence that I hung above my desk.
HB: Another memorable particulars?
KFO: My poodle Leopold most likely spends about 90% of his time on my lounge sectional—it’s like his little runway. He loves strolling down the sectional and searching out every window to keep watch over each passerby!
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