Neutral Design Is Cool

AJ’s top tips for making a neutral color palette interesting

1. Use natural elements. Their colors tend to be more versatile. “Wood, metal and leather are my go-tos for warmth and contrast,” AJ says. “Use metal (both gray zincs and warm brass) to highlight the grays and add contrast to tans. The right leather in a chair or couch can add a great deal of depth to the design.”

2. Add texture. This is easiest to do with fabrics, (think pillows and throws) but you can also add it with a textured tile and finish surfaces. “For example, do a honed countertop instead of a polished countertop,” AJ says.

3. Go green. “This is my best tip for bringing a neutral palette to life— literally.” AJ says. “Get plants!” You don’t need to go overboard, but a few well-placed pops of green can make the difference between “meh” and “wow.”

4. Have fun with mirrors! They are neutral in nature, but you can add a great deal of character with the right mirror. AJ adds, “Be aware of what the mirror is actually reflecting.”

5. Add a pop of color or something metallic. These you can easily change, like fresh flowers, a piece of art, a fun throw or pillow. It gives you a chance to punch up a design but takes away the commitment. “My favorite color when I need that extra oomph is a darker mustard yellow. It doesn’t fight with gray or tan,” AJ says.

DESIGN IN NEUTRAL

AJ knew she wanted an open floorplan with a clear line of sight from the kitchen. “When we were creating the floorplan, my husband came home to find blue tape all over the floor,” she says. “I had mapped out the living spaces and was walking around my makebelieve kitchen island.” Since the kitchen is a natural gathering space, she knew just what she wanted: a light color scheme, wood finishes and accommodations for entertaining.

“The tile is a Walker Zanger white subway tile, and it’s crafted to look handmade,” she says. “We selected a gray grout to highlight its natural look.” AJ selected open shelves and a custom hood in natural wood finishes to contrast with the tiles. “The shelves are a white oak,” she says. “I wanted the hood to coordinate with the shelves because I love the warmth of wood.” AJ says that the kitchen is the heart of the home, and hers is both elegant and efficient. Two sinks allow guests to grab a drink without getting into the thick of food prep, and there’s plenty of hidden storage in the island. “There is no wasted space in our kitchen,” she says. The kitchen orchestrates the movement and meaningful pauses in their active family life.

|TOP LEFT| MODERN MASTER. The master bathroom features an angular freestanding tub and a walk-in shower. AJ says, “My favorite part of the whole bathroom is the walk-in shower and not having to squeegee the glass every morning. Marriage saver, right there.” |TOP RIGHT| PLANNED TO THE NINES. A lot of planning went into the layout of the master bedroom to ensure that everything lined up correctly. AJ says, “I even had the mirrors custom made because in all my searching I couldn’t find anything with the height and width I wanted.” These two mirrors are sized to perfection for AJ’s vision. |ABOVE LEFT| FLEXIBLE FURNISHINGS. AJ makes sure this bedroom could easily fit her daughter, Ava, at any age by allowing for the ability to switch out accessories. Faux flowers and pink pillows by Laura Ashley catch the eye, while a ship from Half Hitch Goods stokes the imagination. “Also, I have an obvious love for metallics and wood,” she says, “so I flipped it in her room and went silver and gray.” There is a special touch in the room from a talented friend— two drawings that hang above the bed. “Hayden Lasher is an incredible purse designer, but she did drawings for us when our daughter was born,” AJ says.

|ABOVE RIGHT| DESIGNED TO LAST. AJ’s key to a successful child’s room is to ask, “Can it grow with them?” and to make sure the answer is yes. For her daughter Ellie’s bedroom, she selects durable items that have the ability to be updated. Mirrors, a Restoration Hardware bed and a metallic blue Laura Ashley comforter give her daughter’s room a playful and feminine feel.

“I feel that new construction can sometimes come off flat, so it was important to bring in elements that gave life to the designs.”

A ROOM FOR THE FAMILY

The living room is a large space but it’s still inviting. “It’s welcoming, which is important to me,” AJ says. She had matching bookshelves painted a custom color that took several samples to get right. “We wanted gray, but not blue,” she says. A 100-year-old reclaimed wood mantel brings a rustic touch to the modern space (AJ rescued it from an old barn in East Mississippi), and shiplap siding on the fireplace adds texture. Couches from Restoration Hardware coordinate but don’t match—as AJ says, “I try to stay away from being matchymatchy. Furniture should be coordinated, but it doesn’t all have to be the same.” Since Garrett and AJ have young daughters, AJ made sure to build discreet toy storage into the living room. “All of the baskets in the coffee table are full of toys,” she says. “We wanted a space that the girls could play in but could still reflect us as adults.”

A TRUE RETREAT

AJ describes the master bathroom as a “true retreat,” with its soothing color scheme and freestanding tub that invites long, luxurious soaks. “The color palette is neutral, yet it is anything but boring,” AJ says. “The tile walls have a soft texture to them, and the floors are actually tile as well.”The soft colors bring rest to the mind and eyes and suggest that inside the tub is comforting serenity.

AJ knew the tub would be a natural statement piece in the bathroom. “A freestanding tub is an amazing focal point,” she says. “I knew I wanted to incorporate it into the design, but it needed to carry the angular, clean lines we have throughout the rest of the home.”The tub has clear angles (no rounded shapes here), and those lines are also found in the sink area of the master bathroom, where two elegant mirrors hang above an alabaster honed-marble countertop. With all of AJ’s careful design decisions, the bathroom bookends the day, offering natural daylight to start off the morning with an invigorating shower and the spacious tub to end the day with a relaxing soak.

Even though AJ and her family only crossed the street to get to their home, the journey involved a whole new build. In the end, it’s a home built to hold all the love of a happy family—because that’s exactly what it was designed for.

TIMELESS STYLE. AJ’s expertise shows that you don’t need a range of colors to create dimension or interest. Finishes, various neutral tones of paint, and textures create an intricately inviting kitchen in a neutral color scheme.

SPACE TO BREATHE. Natural transitions and designated areas were important to AJ. For the dining room, she opted for an open floorplan with a distinguished perimeter. “The pocket doors open on both sides of the room,” she says. “You’re inside, but the transition to the yard is seamless.” She gave the space a dreamy quality with mercury glass, aged brass and a glimmering chandelier.

|TOP LEFT| STYLE RADAR. Barstools add extra functionality to the kitchen. AJ and Garrett came across them at their favorite local French bakery, Pandor. “People around us were just sitting there enjoying their coffee while we were flipping stools over to figure out who the manufacturer was,” AJ says. “They had the wood tops that I knew would pull the hood and open shelving all together.” The stools are from World Market.

BEAUTY OF BALANCE. There is nothing overly ornate in the home’s design, so for the master bedroom, AJ wanted a bed that could stand on its own. An elegant bed from Restoration Hardware was up to the task and sits beneath a Joss & Main chandelier. “My husband has always been dead set against crystal in the bedroom so I had to work to mix a masculine and feminine vibe,” AJ says. “This chandelier let me have a true focal piece while keeping true to that concept.”

|TOP LEFT| SIMPLE RULES. A downstairs powder room is a micro study in AJ’s design philosophy. “It’s a play on contrasts and natural elements, from a custom white oak vanity to an iron arched mirror,” she says. “Tile brings a slight texture and a print gives it an aged look.” |TOP RIGHT| FAMILY AFFAIR. AJ designed her home for her thriving—and active—family. With two young girls, AJ melded durability with style. “One of the first thoughts I had when I began designing was, ‘Where can I hide toys?’” she recalls. She ended up designing plenty of clever storage options throughout the rooms.