Ashley Shaw is a collector. Over the years, the designer has amassed furniture, collectibles, accessories, and other decor items that speak to her in some way. “My biggest motto for my designs—and the advice I give my clients—is to buy something once,” she says. “Find items that you absolutely love versus what will simply work in that specific room at that very specific moment in your life, and they will stand the test of time.”
That design approach is precisely how she tackled her home, which is decorated with pieces Shaw found during her scouting trips while scouring antique stores, online estate sales, and vintage markets. But long before Shaw was able to put her design philosophy to work, she and her husband, Jonathan, were on the hunt for a home that would allow the couple with two young boys to live comfortably but also one on which she could put her signature stamp.
Back in 2014, the Shaws had been looking for several months for a home in Myers Park. “I really wanted to find an old home in a great location; a home with good bones that needed a minor renovation,” she says. It was at a dinner with friend and general contractor Cam Montgomery that the Shaws learned of a home on one of their favorite streets in the neighborhood that was in the process of being renovated. “Cam really felt like we could do something special with it,” she says. “He was so right.”
It was a circa-1930s single-family home, which had been converted into a duplex in the 1960s and had remained that way for decades. “The curb appeal is what struck us most,” Shaw says. “It didn’t look like a traditional duplex. And the yard had so much potential.” As did the interior, despite dated finishes and a choppy floor plan. “It had twelve-foot ceilings throughout the downstairs and a wide lot, so we knew we could take advantage of that and expand the square footage to the side versus the back.” The Shaws enlisted the help of architects Paul Poetzsch and Dave Miller of Tri-Square Builders, both of whom worked with the designer to tear down the wall separating the two units and open up the space so that it was, once again, a single-family home. Everything—including crown moldings and casings—was removed. “We essentially brought it back to its original footprint and down to the studs,” Ashley says. “Then we expanded the home off to the side to add a breakfast area, kitchen, playroom, pantry, mudroom, and family room. It essentially doubled the size of the home.” The exterior brick was painted white, and new landscaping was added as well.
From there, the focus was all about the interiors and creating a seamless floor plan with modern amenities and finishes. The kitchen, which was last updated in the 1950s, was completely gutted, and in its place, a stunning gathering and cooking space was created. Honed quartzite counters and backsplash are complemented by modern accents such as a light fixture by Arteriors and a breakfast area featuring a Tritter Feefer table. Vintage dining chairs and Brunschwig & Fils pillows add character to the space. Shaw began designing each room by layering in many of the pieces she’s collected over the years. A beautiful trio of panels the designer created by covering wooden panels with wallpaper by Robert Crowder was the inspiration for the family room, which Shaw intentionally kept neutral. “I really wanted those panels to be the centerpiece for that room and not fight against anything else,” she says.
The dining room exemplifies Shaw’s desire to build her designs around things she loves and have meaning to her versus pieces that simply “work with a theme.” The granite-top dining table with iron base was an heirloom from her parents, while the dining room chairs swathed in a whimsical Zoffany fabric, which she also used on the draperies, were a wedding gift from her mother. The antique Swedish chandelier found in Dallas, Texas, was a gift for her thirtieth birthday. “It’s all about collecting and being mindful of the pieces you choose to use in your home,” she says. “This is truly what makes a home interesting.”