Q & A with Interior Designer Annie Littell at ID.ology
The 2017 Southern Living Inspired Home was recently introduced at French Broad Crossing—a premier gated community stretched out along the French Broad River in Western North Carolina. We recently conducted a series of interviews with the home’s lead designer, Annie Littell of ID.ology, a nationally award-winning interior design firm in Asheville. She gave us a peek inside to help us understand her vision for this awe-inspiring home, which blends indoors and outdoors seamlessly to create a living experience in perfect balance with nature.
Q: Annie, tell us about your inspiration for the master bedroom and bath.
A: The Master Bedroom was the first room I started with in this house. I really felt drawn to that space, which is on the first floor leading out to the porch. It’s very open with large windows looking out over the mountain landscape. I wanted the furniture and accents to complement the outdoor setting, not compete with or distract from it. I started with a rug, believe it or not. That was the first item or piece of furniture I picked out. It was made by Feizy and was very tribal, yet “mountainy.” It has rich tones that will pull out color, particularly the dark wood in the bed and furniture. I worked with Modernist Woodworking in Asheville to have the bed custom made specifically in walnut because it worked nicely with this rug. It’s king-sized, but designed to be sleek so that it wouldn’t overpower the room, which is surrounded by windows. I wanted the room to feel open and connected to the outdoors.
Q: What about the décor and furnishings in the master bedroom?
A: So, with the windows so prominent, the greens and browns from the mountains and trees are always in the background. I wanted the room to be distinctive while also blending with nature, to capture the feeling of the outdoors. I added highlights, or pops of color, here and there to unify the room: you’ll notice small glints of crimson in the rug that match the two bedside lamps. The wood dresser, which is a deep chocolate, mixes well with the walnut headboard, which has refined lines and undulations in the grain. It’s all very complementary and natural. The same thing with the two night stands, which are leather-wrapped to mingle nicely with the wood tones and walnut furniture.
Q: Tell us about the master bathroom.
A: I wanted the bathroom to have a spa feel. The first thing you notice about the bathroom is the natural stone work on the floor and along the shower wall. The dark tones take your eye from the floor to the wall and then outside through the window. I sourced the tile from Crossville, based in Tennessee (with an Asheville showroom), and felt that the natural grays and browns would create a rustic, mountain feel that blends nicely with the dark wood cabinets and the granite vanity countertop. Next I came across this great tub that I thought would add a unique touch to the bathroom. It gives the feel of a European bathroom, making the whole space more of a shower room. Finally, the finishes complement the refined, rustic feel of the stone. You’ll also notice that the tile on the left and right walls match the gray wall color to blend everything together.
Q: And last but not least, tell us about the great walk-in closet.
A: This room is all about space—organized space that allows you to feel comfortable and move freely about, or even sit while you get dressed. The whole idea here was to be free-flowing and spacious to minimize clutter and congestion that many closets can often have. I used a dark hickory laminate on the shelves and cabinets in keeping with the dark tones in the master bedroom and bath. I actually consulted a closet expert in Asheville, More Space Place, to ensure that we provided adequate storage and drawer space, while maintaining the general aesthetics and openness of the room. We also created two spots on top of the drawers and shelving where you can charge your cell phone. I mean, you can’t get dressed without your phone handy, can you?
Come Tour the 2017 Southern Living Inspired Home
The home is open daily for visitors. Call today to schedule your own private tour of the 2017 Southern Living Inspired Home, which is open daily for tours. To learn more about the home and the community of French Broad Crossing, contact us today.