Make a Statement - A large-scale abstract painting by local artist and jewelry designer Hart Hagerty stuns in this Riverland Terrace living room. The art sits amid a vignette reflective of the home at large—a vibrant space where antiques mingle thoughtfully with modern art.
James Hewlette and Jordan Kruse
WARM WELCOME: Working with Birmingham-based architect Jimmy Laughlin, James Hewlette and Jordan Kruse upped the Georgian charm of their circa-1950 Riverland Terrace home. “Scaling the windows a little larger made a huge difference for the proportions of the house,” says their interior designer, and friend, Elly Poston Cooper.
From Room to Room: The Miles Redd for Schumacher wallpaper adorning the dining room largely informed the palette of the rest of the home, including the living room, where neutral walls, rugs, and upholstery provide a calm and cozy base for pops of persimmon (via the velvet sofa) and dusty blue (à la custom drapes and vintage sconces).
A grasscloth-swathed foyer—featuring a black grosgrain ribbon trim—separates the rich spaces.
Pick Your Pace: With white shiplap walls, cabinets, and plaster hood, the home’s kitchen is a calm blank slate. “It’s nice to have a space that sort of gives you a break and is more about function—where you can focus on the task of preparing a meal,” says Hewlette.
The dining space and lacquered bottle green bar room—where family silver and crystal shine through custom cabinetry—are all party.
Each of the home’s three bedrooms has a distinct vibe. In the luxe primary bedroom, Cooper mixed chintz and men’s suiting fabric for a traditional bed canopy, which helped address the room’s odd angles.
On the second floor, this guest room oozes Americana charm.
This guest room speaks toward nature, with mounted antlers, bamboo headboards, and sage green walls (Farrow & Ball’s “Calke Green”). “We upgraded the standard pillows to king size, which makes sleeping solo in a twin bed the biggest treat,” says the designer.
Performance textiles in a host of blues and an Article daybed make the second-floor study a perfect place to both work and unwind.
In the living room, Cooper arranged a Mark Sikes slipper chair and 19th-century settee (the latter of which serves as the seat of choice for the couple’s cockapoo Harper) to create a secondary sitting nook. Anne Jervey Rhett’s portrait of Drayton Hall adds depth and intrigue to the space. “I think it turned out great,” says Kruse, who accompanied Anne—a friend of theirs—on the commissioned shoot.
Furnishings from One Kings Lane and a wood-burning fireplace covered in fig vine make the raised brick terrace irresistible no matter the season.
The team gave the existing shed a facelift and repositioned it within the lot; a new pool and lush lawn complete the picturesque milieu.
The Great-looking Outdoors: Laughlin added two sets of French doors to the rear of the home, filling the first floor with natural light and providing easy thoroughfares to the backyard oasis.
A century-old foursquare is reawakened with playful patterns, eclectic furnishings, and toys aplenty
