It was only meant to be a screened-in porch addition.
A small project to add some life to an East Nashville home. And really, that is all it started out for the homeowner when she contacted designer Brittney Blanton, who had become rather adept at expanded outdoor living and screened-in porch solutions during COVID.
“She was very open, designwise.” Blanton said of the woman who lived there with her husband and two dogs. “But she wanted it to be well-designed, and she wanted it to be very finished.”
The homeowner loved the drawings Blanton did for the porch, so she asked her to then do the front elevation, and then, ultimately, the finishes and furnishings for the entire 1,700-square-foot home.
By walking through each room of the home together, Blanton was able to learn everything about the home the owner was bothered by. And other than knowing how she wanted it to make her feel, she didn’t have any other specifics in mind of what it had to be. And that’s a great starting point for a designer.
“After that walkthrough we came back and put together our design concept,” she says. “We started pulling all the fabrics, building out the space, reworking the floor plan, and had a pretty clear design in place.”
That vision was to make it more functional while also injecting all of the couple’s personality into the space. They opened a wall between the kitchen and the back to create an open flow between areas, while keeping each room distinct. For instance, the front living room is rather contained, but the arched opening leads to the kitchen, now more open and functional, with a wall of cabinets added to a space where there was nothing before.
“We were able to give each space its own personality and identity while keeping a common thread throughout,” Blanton said. “I think that makes it a really fun house to walk through and to entertain in because there’s a different atmosphere within each space as opposed to a big, fully-open concept.”
The result beautifully blends the home’s historic cottage character with modern updates, showcasing the charm of East Nashville architecture.
“This project captures the essence of Nashville—its rich history, growth, and evolving design scene,.” Blanton said.
Antiques, art add to the story
The couple travel a lot, picking up pieces from their trips that add to the story their home tells about their lives – little painted horses from the Netherlands on the piano, or Alice in Wonderland plates from a layover in London over the sink.
“We were fortunate to incorporate the clients’ personal antique collection throughout the space, giving the design a deeply personal touch,” Blanton said. From there, they were able to fill in the blanks from consignment shopping trips, or having art pieces commissioned.
“She had really strong ideas about what she wanted,” Blanton said.
The interest isn’t only on the walls however – look up and you will find most of the light fixtures are almost like art themselves. Some new, many vintage, the pendants and fixtures are all full of personality, including a drop chandelier Blanton had been saving for herself.
“That one was hard to give up,” she said with a laugh.
As for the initial project she was hired for, Blanton transformed the standard wood deck into a true indoor/outdoor space, with heater on one end, fireplace on the other, fully connected to the main house to really expand the living space, which, now, completely fits the people who live there.
“What makes this project feel successful is that it is a reflection of the client,” Blanton said. “It really feels like their personality, but we also got to be very creative because we got to design it top to bottom. Having trust from the client was huge.”
