Carrie Moore’s introduction to her client was quite serendipitous. While having a team meeting in the lobby of The Durham Hotel, Moore’s husband, Dan, met a man at the bar while ordering a drink. The two began chatting and eventually the conversation turned to how the Duke alumnus had just moved back to the Durham area and was looking for an interior designer. The pair exchanged phone numbers and months later the man reached out to the Moores about working Carrie’s design magic on his new home.
Moore and design associate Grayson Limer agree that the two-bedroom home was “kind of a bachelor pad.” The client had little to start with, save for the Togo sectional in the living room “which we loved!” Moore says. But for the design duo, it was the ideal blank canvas to create an inviting and colorful home. The homeowner allowed the designers to take the reins, but with one request: “He wanted to incorporate as many local artisans and furniture designers that we could into the interior design.” Having worked closely with several North Carolina makers over the years, Moore was ecstatic about the request to highlight local Carolinians’ work. “He was more focused on having an impact on the local community and supporting them versus an overall aesthetic,” she says. “And we loved that approach!”
With that objective at the forefront, Moore and Limer went to work pulling together an array of local artisans who would complement the transitional and colorful aesthetic they envisioned. In the living room, the team added custom cabinetry by Burlington-based shop Skram, which also fabricated the custom red chairs in the adjacent breakfast dining area. In the living room, a coffee table by High Point–based furniture-maker Verellen is a focal point of the room, which also features a floor lamp by local woodworker Elijah Leed.
The designers balanced the local furniture and accents with classic midcentury-modern pieces like the Eames chair and ottoman and the Serge Mouille ceiling fixture, both from Design Within Reach. “We never want to create a cold, modern space,” says Moore. “We bring in natural elements like wood and plants to make it feel very cozy while still being modern. And that’s exactly what we did here.”
To add a personal touch to the home, the designers had custom throw pillows made from colorful vintage Guatemalan fabrics sourced on Etsy. “Our client had really fond memories volunteering for Habitat for Humanity building homes in Guatemala,” says Moore. “So these pillows are a way for him to remember a really special time in his life.”
The project truly exemplifies what Moore and Limer strive for in their work: incorporating local artisans and makers into their designs while creating homes that their clients love. “Our client wanted it to feel relaxed and casual and not too fancy,” says Moore. “He definitely wanted color and didn’t want it to feel austere and neutral. And I think we achieved all of that for him.”