“Now look, I’m a man’s man…but I love pattern, color and paisley.” This is one of the first things my client, Brandon shared with me during our initial conversation. From that moment, I knew this design project was going to be special. I was so excited to help him decorate his newly renovated home in Charlotte this summer.

Brandon is a busy bachelor that recently moved from Arkansas to North Carolina. Having lived in the Charlotte area after his college days, he was thrilled to plant new roots in the area, so much so that he purchased his new home sight-unseen. The 3 bed, 2 bath home was gorgeous – a newly-renovated, mid-century modern ranch loaded with charm and nestled in a mature neighborhood in the heart of the Queen City. However, Brandon didn’t know where to start with the decorating and brought very little with him for the move. So, he reached out to BLB for help!

We began our design journey with the living room. True to tradition, we created a classic seating area for the living room with furniture too good for your grandma to put plastic on! This included a new leather sofa and two accent chairs staged for practicality and conversation. We added a glass coffee table and end tables with brass accents to match the newly-installed sphere and stem chandelier. Keeping in mind Brandon’s love for paisley, we found the perfect drapery to add more color and pattern without overwhelming the space. Once brought in Brandon’s global art collection and assorted plants, the bright living room was ready to welcome in guests.

Next, we tackled the kitchen and dining space. There wasn’t too much work to be done here as the kitchen was recently updated (the two-tone cabinets and brass hardware are everything!) and I was able to talk Brandon into keeping his existing dining table to save a few coins (he could always update it later). We purchased new wood and cord-woven chairs from West Elm and replaced the dining room chandelier with a fixture that was little more mid-century and masculine. These darker accents contrasted well with the bright space and tile flooring. After adding a few accents and artwork, the space was complete!

At the rear of the home, you step down into a gorgeous family room. This space immediately caught my eye because of the suspensions on the vaulted ceilings and the beautiful brick wall painted in Benjamin-Moore’s Cheating Heart. We’d frame the fireplace with iron and reclaimed wood etagere bookcases to display more of Brandon’s collectibles, artwork and books. We ordered a custom sectional sofa in a deep rust color performance velvet to bring a pop of color in the space and adequate comfort for lounging and entertaining. The new media cabinet would double as a bar and additional storage in the space. Lastly, we filled the room with more brass accents, texture and pattern with a reading chair in the corner, striped rug and gold and marble pedestal coffee table.

Finally, designing Brandon’s master bedroom was also an easy task. We pulled in the warm cognac leather from the living room with matching channeled king headboard, contrasting nicely with the painted accent wall. Due to COVID, it took a while for his dresser and nightstands to arrive (along with many other furnishings throughout the home), but the black and brass furniture was so worth the wait. We lightened up the space with a black and white area rug under the bed and marble table lamps on each side of the bed. Brandon had an artist friend commission an inspiring and colorful painting for him that would provide a burst of color on the wall and in other areas of his house. Being an older home, the bedroom isn’t as large as most masters, but the finished product was breathtaking and gave Brandon everything he wanted and needed.

That’s it for now! I hope you loved Part I of Project Southern Gent! These rooms far exceeded all of my expectations. Looking forward to sharing more photos of Brandon’s home including his home office, guest room and outdoor space in early 2021!

For more photos, check out my Portfolio and #ProjectSouthernGent on Instagram.

Be Blessed,

ACG

Design Deets:

Leather Sofa – Poly & Bark

Accent Chairs – Wayfair

Glass Coffee Table – West Elm

Spotted Area Rug – Perigold

Side Tables – West Elm

Curtains – Pier 1

Curtain Rods – Target

Throw Pillows – West Elm, Modish Décor Pillows, Glass House Interior, HomeGoods

Decorative Throw - Wayfair

Dining Chairs – West Elm

Chandeliers – West Elm, Wayfair

Sectional Sofa – West Elm

Marble Coffee Table – West Elm

Reading Chair – West Elm

Striped Area Rug – West Elm

Bookcases – Wayfair

Media Cabinet – Article

Floor Lamps – HomeGoods

Zig Zag Area Rug – Wayfair

Leather Headboard – Article

Nightstands – Wayfair

Table Lamps – CB2

Dresser – Wayfair

Rattan Mirror – Vintage

Bedding – West Elm

Brass Planters – West Elm

Ceramic Planters – West Elm

Baskets – HomeGoods

Paint – Benjamin Moore, Sherwin-Williams

Artwork –custom and original artwork

Professional Photography – Brandon Grate Photography