AS MOST EMPTY NESTERS CAN ATTEST, THE silence of an empty home can be deafening in every square foot absent of warm bodies. When children are grown and gone, the lure of a cozy space perfect for a pair to enjoy intimate breakfasts or relaxing cocktail hours grows stronger. So when the Richters discovered a condominium at Opus Myers Park, making the move was an easy decision, especially since it was the first place they’d seen that reminded them of the apartment they’d owned in New York.
Downsizing their square footage but living in a New York–style condo? The best of both worlds was an exciting option. The pair considered several interior designers but couldn’t find a perfect match. Their daughter, interior designer Meredith Powell, suggested they connect with her good friend and designer Hannah Ozburn. “I knew Hannah had recently moved to Charlotte, and with an innovative, artistic modus operandi, I thought she might be an ideal option,” Powell explains.
Ozburn suggested she and Powell work together to design the Richters’ condo, with each of them bringing something unique to the table. “Hannah has a masterful eye for bold color and pattern, which my mom very much appreciates. I could provide some insight into the clients and the art by which they wanted to base their design.”
“Meredith’s mother and I share a love for color, so our styles blended effortlessly together, and she was involved in all of the decisions,” Ozburn says. “Luckily, my style meshed well with Meredith’s, too, and we worked well together. I tend to focus more on the big picture, and she is incredibly detail oriented, so nothing was left behind.”
Getting in during construction of Opus Myers Park meant the Richters had considerable flexibility with their unit floor plan, andenlarging the kitchen and adding a bar area was an easy adjustment. The pair envisioned a home where they could curate a selection of works from their art collection that had previously been housed in their New York apartment. The long central hallway, which acts as the spine of the unit, was the obvious choice for a gallery displaying their most treasured artwork. “Having intimate knowledge of the art, I envisioned the elevator opening to an unexpected, dazzling burst of tones and hues extracted from the works,” Powell explains.
“The central work is an oversized Wolf Kahn piece brimming with shades of peach, pale blue, grassy green, and marigold, with touches of coral and lilac. These also happen to be my favorite colors to work with, so I understood the assignment, as they say.” The team decided on a palette that embraced both neutrals and colors by using brighter, more saturated hues and patterns in peripheral rooms, while softer pastel hues dominated spaces where the art commanded prime attention.
Spread across the entire top floor of the building with windows in every room, the condo had a plethora of light, a must for an art-filled home. The process started with textile selections and creating a vibrant and cohesive color palette, then rug and furniture selections were made from here. From 1stDibs and Chairish to Charlotte Rug Gallery and Stark, the pieces came together cohesively for the design. Powell says that her penchant for sourcing original furnishings was a good match for her parents’ desire to create a unique space that mirrored the originality of their art collection.
The living room and dining room are adjacent to the kitchen, which meant the spaces had to flow seamlessly together, almost as one large room. “I love the Benjamin Moore Puppy Paws peachy color on the walls in the living room and dining room,” Ozburn says. “The blues and oranges of the kitchen next door work well together to create a fun color palette.” On the other hand, the guest bedroom leans more feminine, with beiges and lilacs combining in a soothing mix of pastels that create a sanctuary of a space, one Ozburn credits as among her favorites.
The Richters were generous in granting both designers the freedom to make creative choices within their vision. “Hannah and I have very similar taste on the larger design spectrum but are also distinctive in our own rights. I can become extremely engrossed in detail, which I understand isn’t always efficient,” Powell admits.
“Hannah was able to rein me in, and together, we were more readily decisive in our selections.” Though this project did not present many challenges—part of the joy of working with family and friends—one particular issue arose while relocating a George Nakashima console from the old apartment in New York to Opus Myers Park. “Windows were removed, a crane was required, permits had to be pulled, a New York street had to be shut down . . . only to arrive in Charlotte and be too long for both the elevator and the stairwell,” Powell recalls.
“But it worked out, so it makes for fun cocktail conversation.” Powell likens picking her favorite room to picking your favorite child—it’s nearly impossible. “The entry packs the most punch,” she begins. “When the elevator opens, it feels like you’re walking into a jewel box in the sky,” Powell says of the small vestibule enveloped in an Aux Abris mural. “The Ironies flower chandelier is my favorite light fixture. I adore the Niermann Weeks chair and the Fortuny Piumette fabric on the chair and balloon shade. I also love that you walk into the home from the entry with a direct visual of the Wolf Kahn painting. That, I think, is the most beautiful vignette in the home—the painting at the mouth of the gallery contrasted against Phillip Jeffries pale-blue rivets grasscloth.”
But when it’s described like this, with such affection, it’s clear which is her favorite. When you’re working with friends and family, however, your favorite doesn’t matter because it’s all passion.