HOMING INSTINCTS
A focus on open-plan living and easy-going charm makes this home a place everyone wants to be in
Creating a home from scratch was never high on the to-do list of Miranda Williams and her husband Evan. But when a plot of land came up for sale in a sought-after New York suburb, they jumped at the opportunity. ‘We found an empty piece of land two streets away from where I grew up, so it was a flip of a coin decision and we decided to go for it,’ Miranda reveals. ‘We had been living in Manhattan but always knew we would move to the suburbs as soon as our youngest child was old enough to start kindergarten.’
The couple, who have two children, very nearly ended up somewhere completely different due to Evan’s job. ‘We were previously living in Charleston, South Carolina, where he was posted, and we viewed some houses but then he was offered a fantastic position in New York City.’ But the viewings had made a lasting impression on Miranda and were to influence her future interior design choices. ‘We saw one house with an interior by the designer Cortney Bishop and I just fell in love. I became obsessed with her, following her on Instagram and studying every house she had ever done.’
Leaving the Charleston dream home behind and focusing on their own project, Miranda and Evan began the search for an architect. ‘We found Alisberg Parker through word-of-mouth recommendations and gave them a brief to create a contemporary farmhouse-style home that was open, laid-back and geared towards family entertaining,’ says Miranda. With only one minor setback involving building permits, the house took 22 months to build from the original meeting with the architect to moving in. Never having planned to hire an interior designer, when the challenge of decorating the house became too overwhelming for Miranda she contacted Cortney, yet had little expectation that she would be available. ‘We told her she would be jumping onto a moving train but she said yes. It was incredible. We sent her the plans and a month later she flew down to see the house.’
Joining the project late posed no problem for Cortney. ‘The architectural firm were very gracious and extremely open to collaboration,’ says Cortney. ‘When we came in, the direction was more contemporary but we wanted to layer in some organic textures and make it a bit more playful.’ Taking inspiration from Miranda’s love of blue and the personality of her two children, Cortney set about creating an interior that also has touches of a breezy, sun-bleached coastal setting. Cortney herself could be described as a ‘breath of fresh air’, and was a big influence in bringing a more colourful, relaxed, less fussy interior style to many homes in Charleston, which is known for its traditionality and formality. ‘I grew up around antiques and formal living where you couldn’t wear shoes in the house and had to shower if you’d been wearing suntan lotion, it drove me mad,’ she laughs, remembering her original resistance to formality.
The result of this ambitious project is a lifelong home finely crafted to the family’s needs. Wide hallways beckon guests in, inviting them into the easy interconnected living spaces. ‘The glass doors ensure that rooms can be separated and the milky effect allows the light to be fluid but also brings a sense of privacy,’ notes Miranda. With tremendously tall ceilings, one of Cortney’s great skills was to imbue the interiors with a sense of cosiness despite their huge proportions. The welcoming, jovial atmosphere within the house has already been experienced by many of the family’s friends. ‘We are constantly entertaining,’ concludes Miranda. ‘It’s a house where people love to congregate.’
Cortney Bishop Design, cortneybishop.com; Alisberg Parker, alisbergparker.com