When Leigh Goodwyn and her family moved to their new home on Eastover Road, the decision to call on Holly Hollingsworth Phillips, interior designer and co-owner of The English Room, for a comprehensive home design was a no-brainer. After all, Phillips had already successfully decorated two of her homes, expertly marrying Phillips’ design style with Goodwyn’s vision for her family.
As a designer and entrepreneur herself, and half of the duo behind dorm room couture experts LeighDeux, Goodwyn had specific desires for her new home—desires she knew Phillips would take into account when constructing the design plan. “Holly made the process a collaborative experience, even allowing me to go along with her to design centers to select pieces for the home. She listened to what we wanted as a family and gave me the opportunity to be an active participant in the finished product,” Goodwyn says.
Known for her elegant design punctuated with eclectic pieces and punches of color, Phillips was the perfect match for Goodwyn’s vision. “Leigh’s previous home in Charlotte was more traditional, a little more conservative and darker,” Phillips says. “The goal here was to design a home that felt lighter, cleaner, fresher, and brighter. We really wanted to take the traditional up a notch, mixing antiques with fresh patterns and colors to give it a contemporary twist.”
The home, designed and built by Don Duffy Architecture and Whitlock Builders respectively, features white walls and darkstained hardwood floors throughout the majority of the home, creating not only a blank canvas of sorts but also imparting a clean, airy backdrop that allows spaces to flow seamlessly into each other. The home’s ample natural light enhances this open quality, available through oversized windows and glasspaned French doors. For a dash of drama, punches of vibrant color and layers of coordinating bold textiles flood the space with fun, contemporary flourishes that not only give the design a modern edge but also welcomes visitors like a friendly hug.
It’s that happy hospitality that truly embodies the Goodwyns’ lifestyle. Focusing on family time as well as entertaining guests, it was imperative that the design represent a space that could be “lived in” yet elegant enough to host get-togethers and events. “I didn’t want a monochromatic show house,” Goodwyn says. “I wanted a multi-functional space that could go from being a comfortable place to relax with family to a beautiful backdrop in which to entertain.”
Upon walking into the home, guests are immediately wowed by the foyer’s crisp white walls, accented with unexpected dramatic elements, including the staircase’s artful runner, which imparts a bit of whimsy into the space, along with the settee’s metallic-printed linen throw pillows, gallery wall, and striking dome chair by Noir Furniture. “We needed something a bit outlandish to fill that negative space in the entry and create immediate interest,” Phillips says.
The formal dining room’s Venetian-inspired chandelier is another statement piece that anchors the room’s design. Its tubular glass bead construction, reminiscent of feathers, along with the room’s metallic grasscloth and accents of corals and blues, perfectly complement the antique sideboard and more traditional dining room table. Ample seating in the living room, including matching semi-circular sofas, a punchy hot pink accent bench, side chair in a coordinating bold floral print, and tassel-style game table promises guests an abundance of opportunities to sit, relax, and chat. For entertaining or family time al fresco, the bluestone patio, complete with covered fireplace and television, offers distinct serving, seating, and dining areas perfect for any event or a night relaxing at home.
Having comfortable family-centric areas in the home was one of Goodwyn’s main requests, and nowhere is this highlighted more than in the kitchen, which has become the hub of the home. “The kitchen area is truly where this family lives,” Phillips says. “They can work on college applications and essays while dinner’s cooking, spending time all in one space as a family.”
Appliance corrals, crisp white cabinetry, and the simple elegance of the Carrara marble countertops give the kitchen sleek, uncluttered lines, while layers of vibrant, printed fabrics give the sitting and breakfast areas a fresh kick of color. A custom silver metallic vinyl double bench and barstools at the kitchen island ensure everyone has a place to hang out.
The Goodwyns’ family room offers multiple furniture groupings of sofas, armchairs, and ottomans, as well as another custom game table, perfect for cozy LeighDeux’s Kimi Lavender line and signature headboard pillow in addition to vibrant splashes of hot pink in the complementary shag rug and curtains. The master suite pulls together the home’s serene, soft colors in the blues, grays, and whites that impart a spa-like feel then kicks it up a notch with vivid turquoise pillows, lamps, and custom benches for some unexpected drama.
Fresh, fun, and fearless. The Goodwyns asked for a design that epitomized their family, and Phillips delivered.