A dynamic furniture plan maximizes seating and flexible functionality in this small Five Points bungalow, where MA Allen Interiors reimagines the narrow rectangular living room to open up and unify the space to immaculate effect. To start, two large cased openings and a central fireplace on the opposing wall meant traditional and expected seating groups proved unfavorable, explains president and lead designer Allen. Thus, the design team implemented a corner banquette with pedestal table, a sofa centered on the fireplace anchored with a coffee table, and a chair pairing offset on the window wall, thereby creating three distinct zones and one large unified entertainment area. Here, we tap Allen for her inside tips on how to recreate the refresh.
Photography by Stacey Van Berkel Photography
Designer’s Tips Dark & Dreamy Don’t shy away from a darker wall color. Often it makes a space feel larger—as seen here, where walls coated in a rich navy felt neutral yet warming and made the custom upholstery fabric pop.
Don’t Force It If a traditional layout of a sofa and pair of chairs does not agree with your space, don’t force it. “Get creative!” implores Allen.
Well-Dressed “Don’t skip window treatments!” advises Allen. If privacy or lighting control are not issues, opt for a faux Roman shade and save the expense of the functioning Roman hardware. “But nothing helps a room look more complete than well-dressed windows.”
Better Together If you have a room with multiple seating groups, a custom-cut area rug that follows the shape of the room can be a great unifier.
Life is better together—and where better to gather than in a formal-yet-inviting light-filled dining room. Here, locally sourced reupholstered vintage chairs serve as the design inspo for this cerulean oasis where art, floral fabric and brass bar cart surrounds collide to create the perf gathering space. We tap CEO Cate Holcombe of Raleigh’s Cate Holcombe Interiors on how to recreate the luxe look.
Photo by Anna Barzin
Designer’s Tips
Start Small A piece of furniture (in this case, the vintage chairs), a rug or artwork can spark the inspo that converts your blank canvas into a masterpiece.
Keep It Real Here, Holcombe’s team kept the chairs’ unique cerulean blue-and-cream-painted finish and reupholstered with a kid-friendly performance fabric.
Retro-fit To recreate the retro look of the chairs, start with a similar frame; grab two slightly varying shades of the same color and a small brush; alternate shades with each brushstroke to add depth and dimension; and use the carved details to guide the paint placement. And embrace the inevitable imperfections—they add character and charm!
Floral Fun Florals for… summer? Groundbreaking. Bring in gorge floral fabrics to tie together the various shades (as seen here with blue hues).
Cate Holcombe Interiors reimagines this local den into a rich and inviting retreat. Peep the inspiration, palette and local wares so you can bring the look into your own home.
If fall had a look it would have to be this nook Cate Holcombe Interiors installed as part of a larger refresh of a brick colonial in Country Club Hills. The rich, cozy and inviting deep teal den was designed to help the clients max the usage of their space after they unexpectedly found their dream home midpandemic and made the move.
“We wanted to provide a space for the parents to retreat to and host friends in the evenings,” says owner Holcombe. “The client generally leans toward classic blue and white, but the idea was for this room to stand apart from the others while still relating to the rest of the house.” Holcombe and her team took inspo from the clients’ vision and furnishings to create this custom space.
“To emulate the look, someone could source chairs in a deep color first, then choose a paint color similar to that of the fabric. We chose a lighter fabric for the window treatments to add some contrast and lightness to the space.”
— Cate Holcombe
Here, we asked Holcombe for the inside scoop on how to source items from the room in our own homes so you can “reinvent the teal.” Prices available upon request, cateholcombe.com
