PARADE OF COLOR

Let a talented decorator persuade you to trust your instincts as she employs bold colors to amplify the unique character of her Pennsylvania home.

A Pennsylvania couple incorporate a true-blue color palette and myriad Americana accessories into their Colonialstyle house to symbolize their love of history and celebratory summer traditions.

Parades. Picnics. Fireworks. These celebratory summertime traditions that honor America’s history run deep for Quakertown, Pennsylvania, resident Kimberly Smith-Johnson, whose countdown to Independence Day begins as early as springtime. From Memorial Day to Labor Day, the white picket fence surrounding her home sparkles with red, white and blue lights; the porch is festive with patriotic finery; and the interior resonates with a modern take on Americana. “It’s my longest-running outdoor and indoor decor,” she says.

Kimberly’s affinity for decorating began at an early age, when her childhood home was a primer in primitive furniture, textiles and collectibles. Rearranging rooms ranks among her fondest memories. “My parents’ decor was country. Country decorating was all I knew and liked,” she recalls.

Later, while pursuing a career in real estate marketing, Kimberly broadened her appreciation for myriad styles and expanded her knowledge base by photographing homes and noting color schemes and room settings. Spurred on by that job, she eventually established Designs By K in 2014, a decorating business that allows her to work closely with clients to reimagine their furnishings and orchestrate new living spaces.

Her work with other homeowners led her to dream of decorating a blank canvas, and that aspiration came to fruition in 2017 when she and her husband, Ben Johnson, purchased their Colonial-style home. The 1995-built house was in need of a makeover and allowed Kimberly the freedom to reinvent every area. From the outset, she envisioned spacedefining colors. “I like a home that doesn’t flow from room to room. Each room has its own character and represents its own feel,” she explains.

The painterly touches begin in the dining room, where primitive mustard and black hues adorn the walls. Next, a warm shade of burgundy enlivens the living room and master bedroom. “I like to have a room or two dedicated to American red, white, blue,” Kimberly says. The most adventurous use of color is in the guest room, which Kimberly refers

to as the sunflower room. Here, the walls echo the flower’s bright yellow petals and brown center. “Friends say my home is unique, not something you see in average houses,” she reveals.

Buying new treasures destined to become heirlooms is a philosophy Kimberly advocates. Her home features carefully selected collections purchased from country decor shops. “My favorite aesthetic is a country store. There is so much stuff; you have to walk around for hours to see everything. You savor the rooms and linger in the spaces,” she shares. “There is no such thing as too many items in one room; it’s all about placement.”

Not only are the decorative accents throughout Kimberly’s rooms carefully positioned to their best advantage, but the home is also strategically sited—the family can view Quakertown’s Fourth of July fireworks from the porch. As a kaleidoscope of color illuminates the night sky, Kimberly’s heart is glad. Ben, their children Chelsea and Chason, and their grandchildren are finding joy in Americana traditions—both inside and out.

To cozy up the space near the kitchen’s patio doors, Kimberly selected a bistro table and chairs and positioned them beneath a punched-tin pendant light. She anchors the furnishings with a rectangular braided rug replete with earthen tones that complement the chair pads and valances.

Left: Kimberly adopted a star theme to turn the kitchen wall into a stylish portal. She centered a painted wood trash bin beneath a wall clock, encircled the clock with metal stars, and completed the look with a star sconce and rustic sign.