Interior Designers: Joshua Ortiz of Ambrose Furniture Works and Hailey Kolbe | Built by: J.D. Smith Custom Homes
Interior designers Joshua Ortiz of Ambrose Furniture Works and Hailey Kolbe were charged with the task of creating a home that merged the old-world Italian style with a modern, progressive color palette. The two designers used the client’s curated collectibles from traveling to Italy, paired with textiles, antiques, and natural materials to create a custom, one-of-a kind space.
“The overall goal was to merge the traditional authentic structural aesthetic seen in Italian homes with a brighter, more progressive color palette that reflects the client’s travels, curated collectibles, and colorful tastes,” Ortiz said. “The goal was to balance the enchanting wall colors and finishes with textiles, antiques, and natural materials to invoke an amber sunset.”
From classic Italian hand-hewn beams to softcolored custom textiles, every inch of this home blends old world charm into a modern setting. The result is a large home that somehow feels both expansive and intimate and reflects the homeowner’s love for Italian charm.
A custom blend paint color adds warmth into the dining room. It reflects sunlight, and the color changes slightly as the sunlight changes. Authentic materials were brought in to keep the space balanced. The light-colored chairs bring out the gray undertones in the hand-hewn beams. Additionally, the custom blend paint color on the walls draws your eyes toward the draperies and the window to make the space feel even larger.
Vervain multi-color linen floral draperies frame the direct view into the back patio to enlarge the living area for comfortable hosting and an outside experience in day to day enjoyment.
The kitchen certainly serves as the heart of the home here. The open concept shelves model a more authentic Tuscan Italian home, while the appliances and cabinetry have more modern appeal. Above the stove is a custom tile backsplash. A photo the homeowners took in a scenic Italian town was turned into a one-of-a-kind focal point. The iron details throughout the kitchen are also reflected in the staircase, living room, and dining room, to create a seamless multi-view experience.
The same stone that was used on the exterior of the walls was continued inside the house in the dining alcove. The iron wall sconces help deepen the illusion and create an indoor-outdoor experience. “The design inspiration started here with wanting to have something that felt like a little bit more intimate for the breakfast area,” Ortiz said. “We wanted to have the inside out feeling of the stone coming in from the exterior and then doing a custom built-in bench and finding the right accent pieces to bring it all together.”
A powder room directly off the family room features sourced antique sconces and mirror. The wallpaper incorporates a subtle shade of sage that is found throughout the rest of the home. The focal point of the room is undoubtedly the onyx vessel bowl that rests on a wooden countertop. The marble aproncut backsplash draws the eye, without being too flashy.
An antique Portugal cherub mantel was installed into the stone exterior fireplace that grounds the back patio, which includes a seating area and dining space designed to feel like an extension of the indoor living space.
In the mudroom bathroom, a reclaimed wine barrel serves as a sink. A patterned tile wall adds visual interest and color while also infusing the space with texture.
The client’s love of butterflies is showcased over and over throughout the home. In the guestroom, they are shown as mirrored prints hanging on the wall above the bunkbeds.
The massage room is a tranquil space with French doors that lead out to the front of the home, where a fountain is located. “We originally had windows in this spot, but removed them to add outdoor access,” Kolbe said. “On nice days, the door can be opened to experience the sound of water while getting a massage.”
“We introduced a lighter stain to add a new natural element in this [study], and also played with mixing a lot of browns,” Kolbe said. The bookshelf items were categorized by scale, with large items being placed into the shelves first. Books were added next to balance the shelves, with smaller accessories placed last. Color was used as needed to draw the eye. The remainder of the hand-hewn beams from the living room were also able to be used in this study.
