Inspire Me!: February 2016

Wednesday, February 10, 2016

The Magic of Designer/Client Partnership

Ashlyn & John Whitford built their dream home a few years ago. As with any smart homeowner, she relied on interior designers to help her make her decisions throughout the building process. However, when it came to the interior of the home, one artist/designer friend seemed to really "get" her style.
As she began the process, it was clear they were a match! Both client and designer began pulling pictures from magazines, and it turned out they were dog-earing the same pages. It was clearly a match made in home design heaven, and Ashlyn hired Sloan Ward to help make her make the interior of her home exactly the way she wanted it. The pictures speak for themselves. Lovely in every sense of the word. One cannot help but be inspired. Well done, ladies!

Who wouldn't want to work in this office? I adore this light fixture which adds a bit of modern edge to the Palm Beach vibe. The cane chairs were the client's, but Sloan had them upholstered in fabric with trim.

Love the West Elm Parson's desk, the Megg Braff wall covering and the regency bookshelves.

Stark antelope rug and Palm Beach ceramic pieces are timeless.

Note the details: cording on chairs, trim on panels.

Back hall has same antelope runner by Stark.

David Hicks wallpaper with custom window treatment in half bath.

The family room off the kitchen is stunning! A great example of how you can be glamorous AND functional at the same time.

Love the triple gourd silver lamps by Julian Chichester, the regency mirror, and custom pillows on the sofa. The mirror is Celerie Kemble, and the pillows are custom Madeline Weinrib and Manuel Canovas. Parsons side tables were the clients own. The table is a vintage Mastercraft.

Custom chair in gold velvet with Brusnschwig & Fils "snow leopard" pillow.

A view from the rear.

Again, its all in the details. Sloan went through tons of purple fabrics to find the right hue. Color is crucial.
The elephant side tables were found on one of their shopping trips and add the perfect touch of Palm Beach glamour.

About vanCollier

Established in 1995, vanCollier began as an antique and interior design firm. With backgrounds in art history, fine arts and decorative arts, vanCollier marries old world elegance with contemporary design. The married couple behind this firm-on-the-rise is Beth and Chris Collier, who work together on their wide range of projects domestically and abroad. Their philosophy: Use traditional influences to create sophisticated and approachable environments. Says Beth, "Rooms should be masculine and feminine while conveying both traditional and eccentric details."

To contact Beth, email her at vancollier@suddenlink.net

About Eatman's Carpets and Interiors

Eatman's Carpets and Interiors is my family's business. My grandfather, Bill Eatman, opened its doors in 1957 in Downtown Raleigh as a design studio/upholstery workroom selling high end fabrics, wool carpeting, and wallpaper. My father, Woody Eatman, the current president, followed in his father's footsteps joining the family business after school. Years later, with her Design degree in hand, my mother was hired as a designer by Eatman's. My Dad and my Mom fell in love and married. Over time, Eatman's became a innovator in the world of flooring creating computer systems specifically for the industry as well as adding to the business a supply and installation divisions. Fast-forwarding through my arrival and my sister's, the business is now a hybrid of the past and the present. We continue to be a leading supplier of carpets residentially and commercially, and we continue to expand into the world of interior design with new fabric, furniture and lighting lines. But more than all that, it is where our family hangs its hat. It is, in every sense of the word, a labor of great love.