Reader Design: Oksana's Charming Home

A home is nothing if not a place of love, and love is clear in Oksana's home in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The family home, which Oksana shares with her husband and their baby girl, is full of European charm in the middle of the South.

Oksana fell in love with interior design in July of 2015, when she and her husband bought a 1930 bungalow that was previously abandoned for 20 years. Since then, the couple has worked to bring the house back to life, tackling DIY projects like nobody's business and documenting the fun renovation adventures on their blog, Foxy Oxie. 

From Oksana:

“I wouldn’t say I have a particular style, but I am drawn to an aesthetic of clean lines and geometric elements juxtaposed against more traditional silhouettes. The key, for me, is balance. I want our home to feel sophisticated but also real and honest and truly reflective of our everyday life, especially now that we have a young daughter and another little one on the way. I find that playing up opposing styles – feminine and masculine, soft and edgy, modern and traditional – is a great way to showcase personality in design.

I am a compulsive redecorator by nature, and my style is ever-evolving. But I always, always gravitate towards a neutral color palette with lots of texture. Every now and then I’ll add in a pop of color – the latest being a moody teal – but it never lasts.

More important to me than a specific style, however, is the overall feel of our home – and that’s something that is based on individual design intuition and varies greatly from person to person. ”

“You’ll find a lot of European design influence in our home – from our Italian cantilever dining chairs to the French-inspired dining table to our Chesterfield-style sofa. ”

“I know first-hand the transformation nature of a well-designed room. Our surroundings have the power to instantly lift our spirits, increase productivity and improve our quality of life. Beyond the aesthetics, I strive to make our home feel relaxed – and a big part of that is maintaining a clutter-free environment. You have to give rooms breathing space. For example, I am one of those rare individuals whose countertops are (almost) always empty. Decluttering sprees are a regular occurrence in our home. And as much as I love arranging pretty vignettes, I am not a fan of displaying decorative tchotchkes for the sake of filling a space. ”

Instead of knick-knacks, Oksana gravitates toward more permanent fixtures.

“I am very particular about our light fixtures and am always willing to splurge for just the right one. Lighting is truly the jewelry of a room, and just like a well-designed piece of jewelry can instantly elevate a rather simple outfit, light fixtures have the same effect on a room. ”

Every room is full of love, yet simple; graphic and bold, but timeless. Perhaps it's the combination of Oksana's career as a graphic designer and her family life as a wife and mother that brings balance to bear. Regardless of the reason, it sure has created a beautiful home!

Oksana, thank you for the tour today! 

Follow Oksana and her family along on Instagram at @foxyoxie.

Reader Design: Amber's Fantastical Home

“It represents a world where Alice in Wonderland meets Beetlejuice.”

That's how a visitor once described Amber's family home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Surrounded by a bunch of boys, Amber has created a space that blends everyone's interests and loves.

“Since I reside in a home full of boys, I am drawn to pieces that coincide with my son’s and husband’s interests, but are inspired by my flair for the dramatic.”

“It took a few years, and a couple unsuccessful projects to really find the direction I wanted to strive for in really expressing the inner being of my style. I’m mostly drawn to white and black pallets with a few small bold accents in the form of light fixtures, art work, pillows, and other decor. ”

“I am not opposed to trends, and I believe that they can be incorporated to anyone’s preferences. However, I am very selective in my color palettes, decor pieces, and architecture. I tend to lean more towards modern and vintage furniture, artwork, and miscellaneous decor. When I first began, I knew I loved Art Deco Designs, but I did not exactly understand how I wanted to express it in my own home. It was definitely not just the ‘easy and convenient’ option to freshen up our living space and took years of thought.”

Through some trial and error, Amber has landed on a style that makes sense for her and her family. An important component of that style are family heirlooms, some of which Amber has refinished and some of which she's left in the original state. 

“There are too many of my favorite pieces to mention (I could, and should, write an entire book on that subject), but a lot of my decor comes from heirlooms my Grandparents have left to me in which I restored and customized. One heirloom of which I did nothing to and it means the world to me, is the portrait that graces my hallway wall labeled as “Lady Virginia”. My Grandfather purchased this portrait of an unknown lady in 1968 because it reminisced my Grandmother Virginia. On the backside of the portrait he inscribed that the picture would belong to my late Uncle Gerald, but sadly my Uncle passed away of cancer three years ago. Needless to say, I am proud to display this priceless piece of art in my home due to its’ background in our family history. ”

A home full of stories, some old and some new, is a beautiful thing. Amber, thank you for showing us around! 

Follow Amber along on Instagram at @the_beautiful_savages.

Reader Design: Leslie's Southern Home

I'm back in Richmond for wedding meetings this week, so it's only fitting that our reader design be in another traditionally Southern place. Let's check out Leslie's southern home in Birmingham, Alabama!

“I’m a Southerner through and through. I feel passionate about cultivating heritage in our home by rooting my designs in mostly a fresh traditional style. I think there is a misconception that traditional style is stale, boring or tired. I strive to create a home that is collected, classic with a healthy dose of the unexpected. But most importantly, I want to create a home that is welcoming and comfortable. I seem to find myself drawn to classic furniture with a bit of embellishment, whether that’s a beautifully carved leg, unique details or craftsmanship Thankfully, with the numerous ways to acquire thrifted pieces today, it is easy to create a home that fits my style and my budget.”

— Leslie

“After nine moves, I think we have finally settled in for the long haul with our current house I have dubbed #thetrailhousereno. A little over two years ago I fell in love with a house in our existing neighborhood that needed a ton of love. Somehow I convinced my husband to agree to rehabbing this home. We completely resurfaced the problem front facade with brick and took the opportunity to clean up the bad late 90’s architecture.”

“It is always hard to choose a favorite room but cooking is my love language, so the kitchen is probably a winner by default. It might be hard to believe, but the kitchen was a budget friendly renovation. We were able to keep the existing cabinetry and granite and recycle the old island into a beverage center. A new island was built to fit the kitchen’s new expanded view. We DIY’ed the backsplash and the reclaimed wood countertop and shelves.”

While much of the home is classic and traditional, there are nods to the "now" in a few spots. 

“I would not say I am completely immune to trends. Adding a small trendy piece of pottery or the “color of the moment” in a throw is interesting way to inject life into your home. I thrive on change and yet, I do not subscribe to the notion of replacing larger pieces of furniture based on a trend. I say, collect timeless investment pieces and keep an open mind to trends that speak to you and work well with your overall design aesthetic. ”

One of those spots is Leslie's personal studio.

“Upstairs, in my personal studio, I took the liberty to have a little fun and depart from the underlining color palette of the rest of the house. It is also where I let the plant lady go wild. Even after over a year of working in this space, the room has the power to both excite and calm me at the same time. It is a perfect place to be productive and is definitely a bright, oxygen-filled space.”

This home is certainly one that stands the test of time while still having plenty of personality! Leslie, thank you for letting us in!

Follow Leslie along on Instagram at @deeplysouthernhome and check out her blog at www.DeeplySouthernHome.com