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Over a dozen designers working on one home sounds a bit like a new reality show coming to a television near you, but it’s not. Not a show, anyway. It is the reality of the House for Hope Foundation’s annual designer show home. Since 1993, the team at Carbine & Associates have been building homes where one-hundred percent of the proceeds are donated to local charities benefitting children. This year, they decided to switch it up and partner with a myriad of designers, with each getting their own room of the beautiful 4,200 square foot home located in a new neighborhood in Franklin, Tennessee.
It wasn’t a free-for-all, though. A modern farmhouse style was settled upon and Carbine & Associates looked to Kristie Barnett of The Decorologist to help create a color palette (in all Sherwin-Williams!) for the home that would help tell a cohesive story.
The most exciting part? The show home officially opens this Saturday, March 4. That’s right, it’s fully designed and we have the photos. Keep reading to hear a bit about each room from every designer. If you live in the area, tickets are available for purchase for $15! The last day you can see this stunning, modern farmhouse in real life is Sunday, March 12.
One of three porches (yes, really), this back, covered porch was designed by Mitzi Maynard of Redo Home + Design.
She said, “My goal for the outdoor space was for it to flow with the vibe of the house. I wanted it to be an extension of the interior to create an inviting, cozy outdoor room.”
Colleen Locke of Trot Home looked to the study in her own home (that she designed, of course!) for inspiration. She noted that it was one of her family’s favorite, in part because of the cozy feel of the room and the incredible built-ins that she chose to lacquer—instead of removing.
Locke continued, saying, “The challenge for me was creating a room in a new build while using most things “vintage” and making sure it felt modern…while remaining true to how I approach design. I love the contrast of a new space and curated pieces.”
No surprise here that the main inspiration for this teenage girl’s room stemmed from the original artwork that naturally serves as the centerpiece.
The designer (and painter!) Gina Julian said, “I wanted the room to be soft and feminine, but have a bit of an ‘edge’ at the same time, so I juxtaposed soft fabrics and faux fur with sleek elements like brass, lacquer, and lucite.”
(Peek more of her original artwork here!)
This all-American boy’s room is filled with storied vintage finds, thanks to designer Amanda Carlson of Amanda Carlson Interiors in Nashville, who has been scouring antique and thrift shops since she was just 16 years old.
She said, “I loved being able to frame the vintage Switzerland flag over a piece of linen for the art piece over the bed and then I randomly saw the brown wool blanket with the same symbol on the sides and had to use it. It really pulled the idea all together. The framed vintage American flag that is on the campaign chest shelf was found the day before I completed the room and I added it in last minute.”
Julian and Carlson worked together on the Jack and Jill bathroom, which features an on-trend light gray cabinet color, more original artwork, and matching round mirrors. To say we’re fans of how this room turned out would be an understatement.
Jerome Farris and Angie Forte of Peddler Interiors looked to the surrounding landscape and the farmhouse elements of the home for inspiration for the guest bedroom they designed.
Forte said, “We nicknamed our guest room the Tapestry of Travel. By carefully selecting a few antique as well as handmade pieces from different regions of the world, it gives the feeling the items have been collected over time.”
KariAnne Wood of Thistlewood Farms, located in western Kentucky, is responsible for the fun family game room.
She said, “I wanted to create a space where a family could spend quality time together. There are different areas of the room for different activities to take place simultaneously.”
Think activities like checkers, reading, and hanging out on the sofa all at the same time! And yes, those are life size checker and tic tac toe boards on the wall!
This master bedroom has many standout moments, thanks to Kara Blalock and Lauren Elder of Franklin-based decor shop ReFresh Home. A few of our favorites include the chevron headboard and pillow shams made from a scarf Elder was wearing when the two were trying to decide on a color palette for the room!
Their favorite memory of designing the room? Attempting to install the stunning chandelier (evidence can be found here!).
Blalock said, “I was thinking I would just hang it myself with a little help, but I completely underestimated how heavy it was! Over an hour later, it took three guys, two ladders, some seriously burning shoulder muscles, and A LOT of laughs, but we finally got that beauty up!”
The two also designed the master bath, complete with a freestanding tub, incredible mirror, and a mixed-tile shower.
How cute is this kid’s room? While the built-in bunk beds are obviously eye-catching, it’s hard to ignore the natural shiplap ceiling, bold, blue rug, and oversized artwork.
The room was designed by husband-and-wife design duo Jamin and Ashley Mills of The Handmade Home, who looked to their own three children for inspiration.
They said, “We’re parents to three and know how crazy life can get with them. It’s important to step back, and take a moment, because these are the fleeting years where memories are made. This space is the ideal balance for us in a bonus area for kids: a wonderful room for both rest and fun.”
Also to note, all the books in the room were donated by readers of the couples’ blog and will be donated to local children.
Chad James of the Nashville-based Chad James Group designed this tiny bathroom that he opted to paint black proving that no space is too small for a dark color. Our favorite design elements of the bathroom are the detailed, thoughtful touches like the lighting and artwork, while his is the custom limestone vanity.
We instantly fell in love with this sophisticated take on the modern farmhouse style featured in the living room of the home. Between the beamed ceiling, sparkling chandelier, and statement-making fireplace, it’s hard to choose a favorite design element. The designer behind all the magic? Julie Couch of Julie Couch Interiors.
She said of her design process for this particular room, “I feel the most modern rooms are collected and curated with pieces new and old, formal and casual. The living is mostly neutral with a bit of moss green and glamorous brass. I love the mix of the rustic antiques with the clean-lined upholstered pieces.”
Mitzi Maynard (who also designed the back porch, remember?) created a traditional, black, white, and green dining space fit for nightly family dinners. Maynard noted that texture was key to bringing all the different design elements together. If you look hard enough, you’ll see marble, hand-printed linen, an aged brass tabletop, the beads in the light fixture, and a linen wrap on the console table!
This bright, welcoming kitchen was designed by Lucy Farmer of Lucy’s Inspired. While we are feeling inspired by the barn door and massive kitchen island, Lucy felt particularly connected to the mercury glass pendants that hang over the island.
She found them at a salvage store in Cullman, Alabama and said, “They were saved from a warehouse in Philadelphia where there were hundreds. They were used to light up the huge space. I love the way they each have their own character. That’s my favorite part of working on new houses—finding elements that will add character to the room and give it a story before anyone even moves in.”
City dwellers are constantly battling mudroom and laundry room envy—and these two rooms designed by Rhoda Vickers of Southern Hospitality are not helping!
Vickers said of the design process, “We knew early on that the house would be a modern farmhouse, so I kept that in mind as I chose floor tile and wall tile, as well as how to build out the mudroom with a bench seat and hooks for staying organized. I wanted a neutral clean lined design, but nostalgic feeling space to do laundry that was functional and pretty.”
Her favorite part? Accessorizing the space with cozy textiles and special touches from HomeGoods.
Hello, dream pantry! Joanna Teplin and Clea Shearer from The Home Edit worked their magic on this larger pantry and we could not be more jealous.
Teplin said, “We wanted the pantry to be light, airy, and inviting; but ultimately create an organization roadmap for the new homeowner.”
(Pst, the home edit also has a feature in our new Spring Issue, on newsstands now! We love following their organizing adventures on Instagram.)
Both the front porch and upstairs game porch (again, not one, not two, but THREE porches) were designed by Karrie Seaton of J&K Design Studio, who helped make the entrance and exterior of the home just as stunning as the interior.
Seaton said, “The quintessential “Southern” porch is where we started our brainstorming process. A hanging bed with loads of soft pillows nestled in a corner of the porch is the perfect spot to read a good book and have glass of sweet tea.”
We couldn’t agree more.
She also noted the locally-made, cedar planter boxes and the oversized wall sconces as can’t miss features of the porch.
The upstairs game porch certainly doesn’t disappoint. If it were up to us, we’d spend more than a few afternoons and evenings lounging up there.
Now, we’ll close with Seaton’s favorite memory of the design process. She said “This is a unique show house because it’s not only about showcasing designers and their ideas but it is a project that is giving back to the community and supporting local children’s charities. Meeting with the builder and getting an understanding of how many people with be helped by this project has been the best moment of this project. Good design can make people feel energized and excited so if that can be coupled with supporting our local community, we are all in!”
Want more? We’ll be hosting a live tour of the home on our Facebook, so make sure to tune in the afternoon of Friday, March 3.
In the area? Make sure to stop by! Ticket are available at EventBrite.com.