For our own 1950s home in Charlotte, we were determined to honor midcentury heritage with an updated color palette and a layout that works for modern living. When we bought the home, I was pregnant with my first child and the home was frozen in the 1970s, so everyone thought we would treat it as a teardown. Instead, we looked to the California modernism of Richard Neutra and Joseph Eichler for inspiration as we reconfigured rooms all with a mind to letting the outdoors in through our beloved large-scale windows. Then, we layered in saturated colors, graphic accents, and our wide-reaching, ever-growing collection of art. Now, it’s the perfect setting for quiet family time and formal entertaining.

This house on Figure 8, and island destination in coastal North Carolina, was built by Matt Benson, at Arcade. The location’s strict zoning laws—intended to protect the shore’s fragile ecosystem—mean that, like many of the houses here, it’s elevated off the ground, making for an unconventional layout but spectacular views. The homeowners are an active, close-knit family who love to host, so our mission was to create warm, welcoming gathering spaces and living areas that feel connected but separate. We nodded to the 1970s (when Figure 8 was founded) in architectural elements like warm wood louvers and made every square foot super functional, turning this into the perfect getaway.

We’ve done a few projects for this client, but for this family home in Charlotte, we had a specific reference point: New Orleans glamour. The client grew up in New Orleans in a gorgeous old house and, while he never plans to move back there, he wanted to bring a taste of that style to this new home for his own family. They are huge entertainers, so formal spaces that encourage Southern hospitality make the perfect backdrop to cocktail parties and New Orleans-style dinners. That extends outdoors, too, where the pool pavilion and pergolas are inspired by the architecture at the University of Virginia, the couple’s alma mater.

When these clients became empty nesters, they toyed with the idea of relocating and starting afresh in a new space. But the wife, a landscape architect, was devoted to the home’s garden. Her stunning gardens quickly became our inspiration for a total overhaul that would bring the outdoors in for fresh new life. Before we dove in, though, we completely flipped the layout, making room for entertaining spaces like a home bar and scullery as well as functional areas like the living room and breakfast nook that were as welcoming for two as for a houseful of guests. Both the wife and husband are big collectors, so our design was guided by an effort to spotlight their books, china, records, and other beloved objects throughout. Now, the once tired home is a bright, cheerful, and—best of all—well-used oasis in the city.

This 1920s Georgian home in Greenwich could easily go full-on period style. But the owners were adamant that, despite the traditional lean of their two aesthetic points of reference (New England colonial and British country style), the house did not feel at all stuffy. The challenge became outfitting a hundred year old home with an elegance befitting its history and an inviting, cheerful attitude reflective of its inhabitants. We looked to a combination of airy prints—like Indian block prints in the dining nook and window seats—unexpected colors (a lavender bedroom, red wet bar inspired by a club in London), and large-scale pattern (like the dining room’s graphic wallpaper) to balance the traditional footprint, millwork, and interior architecture. While antiques still have pride of place throughout, they’re presented in a fresh context—much like the home itself.

It’s hard to believe looking at it now, but when the clients (empty nesters relocating from Atlanta) first moved into this vibrant Charlotte home, it had a very dark, moody palette. Looking for something different, this family really let us run with a new scheme. They also trusted us to help them begin building an art collection, which took the interiors to the next level. With lacquer walls in jewel tones, oversized animal print, verdant wallpaper, and color block pillows, it’s now a maximalist’s dream—it’s also insanely liveable. By layering patterns and textures, pairing fine antiques with comfy upholstery, and balancing striking art with uninhibited views to the surrounding natural beauty, we created a comfortable family home that still packs a punch.

More often than not we’re the ones pushing a client to go bolder with color and pattern, but in this family home in Charlotte, it was the other way around. The wife has incredible style, she’s a collector, and she really pushes the envelope with us. She’s willing to take risks and, as you can see, it pays off. The family is involved in work with artists and they’re big collectors, so having a bold backdrop really sets off their collection, resulting in a space where every square foot has a compelling visual.