When you think of the homes you’ll find on the outskirts of Nashville, a few particular styles might come to mind. Whether it’s a classic Tudor or traditional Colonial, you likely picture homes with brick or stone exteriors, square facades, or symmetrically placed windows — and most of the time, the interior reflects this architecture, too. However, for one Oak Hill home, when you take a closer look, you’ll spot subtle hints of a remarkable modern design that awaits inside.
As you approach, this might look like your typical Colonial-style home, but the contemporary, single-pane windows provide a glimpse into the interior’s modern design — and a rear view of the home further hints that something unexpected awaits inside.
With the help of Nashville interior designer Marcelle Guilbeau, a pair of empty nesters were able to transform the interior of their seemingly traditional home into a tranquil, nature-inspired retreat. “[There’s an] element of surprise when you walk up the steps to the front door of the house,” says Marcelle of the exterior design. “You can tell there’s a surprise waiting for you and that this house is special because it’s got these contemporary streamlined windows.”
When you step inside, you’re greeted by a bright, airy foyer with an elegant floating light fixture. With help from Huseby Homes, a custom building company in Nashville, a more contemporary staircase was created, allowing the foyer and great room to transform into gracious two-story spaces. Beyond the staircase, you’ll spot the equally inviting great room. Complete with two B&B Italia sofas that the homeowners previously had, the space houses a sleek black stone fireplace and curved windows that overlook the lush backyard.
Before the redesign, the home had an enclosed staircase with a spindle railing. Now, a more open staircase floats between the foyer and the great room, allowing the spaces to flow seamlessly together.
“The homeowners were more than familiar with the idea of taking a somewhat traditional house and updating it with contemporary touches … in a way that still flows well with the bones of the house,” Marcelle says of the overall design goal. “They were ready to be creative and open up the spaces.”
“[The sofas] are beautiful and sculptural, and I love that you experience them in the round,” explains Marcelle Guilbeau. “When we were all done and put them back where they belonged in the house, [the homeowners] were like, “You know what? They really work well here.” Sometimes, it’s just about re-embracing what you have in a new and better way.”
Just off the great room is a contemporary office where one of the homeowners works from home.
Located next to the great room is a space that likely underwent the most transformations: the kitchen. The area started as a traditional U-shaped kitchen with a middle island and a small window looking out the back of the house. “The house has got beautiful views all around it, but from the inside, you almost didn’t know it unless you were right up at a window, so the house was kind of dated in that regard,” adds Marcelle of the previous kitchen.
When transforming the space, Marcelle removed the cased opening between the great room and kitchen to open the spaces up to one another. She also added a wall of windows at the client’s request, which meant a lot of storage needed to be removed.
While removing storage may seem daunting or feel like a pipe dream, Marcelle and her team took inventory of every kitchen item to help the homeowners decide what they could keep and get rid of. From there, they built back storage carefully and deliberately with custom cabinetry from Bryan Walsh of Saw & Dust. “If anything, the storage functions better than before,” explains Marcelle. “It’s all very deliberate and functional, but it’s still very luxurious.”
“I love the way we were able to work in the windows all the way across [the wall],” says Marcelle of the kitchen. “They go all the way to the floor, are very expressive, and really grab your attention.”
The addition of floor-to-ceiling windows allows the homeowners to sit at the kitchen island while enjoying views of nature.
One of the most significant ways Marcelle added storage back to the kitchen was by creating a custom storage wall. “[By dreaming] up the storage wall, we were very strategic with what we needed to put where,” she says. “Everything is allocated to go where it gets used. [The clients] actually got as much storage that’s as usable — if not more — even though we got rid of tons of cabinets.”
A sleek built-in with cabinets and drawers was added next to the refrigerator to compensate for lost storage space that was removed to make room for windows.
Marcelle also added a custom built-in to the storage wall for the homeowners’ cappuccino maker.
Additional storage drawers are located in the kitchen’s center island, making cooking a breeze.
While much of the kitchen storage is used for pots, pans, and other cookware, Marcelle also added storage for entertaining essentials. Just off the kitchen is a dining room complete with an at-home bar that can be accessed from the living room, dining room, or kitchen. Complete with drawers and floating shelves, the homeowners can neatly store items like linens, glassware, and vases.
Thanks to the removal of another cased opening, the kitchen and dining room now open up to one another for effortless entertaining.
“Before, a lot of the stuff was stored all around and in different spots, so we concentrated on that in the bar,” says Marcelle. “We created these floating shelves so you could put the glasses right there on top. Then there are drawers next to the wine fridge for linens, tall vases, and [other entertaining essentials].”
Marcelle is a self-proclaimed fireplace lover. “[Being able to] reconnect my clients with their fireplaces was very special for me,” she says.
**********
Find your home inspiration and more in our interior design archives!
