by Catherine Currin | photography by Catherine Nguyen

Homeowners Karren and Mike Jackson had a clear vision of their dream home. They purchased the land for their Barton Grove home almost two years ago, and began the building process with Homes by Dickerson. The couple wanted French chateau style, with curved windows and details. “It’s not their typical style of home, and we definitely pushed them in the design process,” says Karren Jackson.

Jackson worked for a home builder in California before returning to her native North Carolina, and she says she loved every minute of the building and design process. “I went to NC State at the College of Textiles. I’ve always been drawn to all things beautiful and I love going into other homes for inspiration.” The request at the top of the list: outdoor living as much as possible. “We wanted the ability to walk in the front door and see straight out the back. We love being outside especially with our girls.” The couple wanted room to grow with their daughters, Olivia, 8, and Brinkley, 4. They’ve alloted enough space on their 3.2 acres for a pool in the coming years. “It was important to us to have a comfortable flow from indoor to outdoor,” says Jackson. “I spend most of my time on the back porch, and we love to eat out there as a family.”

To assist with the decorating details, the Jacksons hired Lauren Burns of Lauren Burns Interiors. “We sold everything from our old house and started with a clean slate,” says Jackson. “Lauren [Burns] really understood what we wanted for the house.” The interiors are filled with clean lines and crisp neutrals, with Karren Jackson’s favorite pops of pink throughout. “I love adding girly touches, like the pale pink living room walls.” Jackson says their old home was full of dark woods and lacked natural light. “We wanted clean, open spaces that felt airy and allowed for tons of natural light.” Jackson says the couple was inspired by the travels they’ve taken together. “My work allows me to travel, and one of our first trips as a couple was to France. We just fell in love with that style of architecture. We tried to include influence from all our travels and fit them into one home.”