A Hickory Furniture dining table and chairs in a Liberty of London fabric sit beneath a red Fortuny chandelier. Turquoise walls and Zoffany panels help set the dramatic vision for the home.
by Jesma Reynolds
photographs by Catherine Nguyen
It only takes a spark, so they say. In the case of Elisabeth and Todd McGowan’s recent house renovation, a decision to upgrade their kitchen led to a total first-floor overhaul that now brims with sophistication and style.
An Urban Electric light fixture hangs above a table and chairs in the breakfast nook. The striped Roman shade fabric is by Hill Brown.
A massive central island has a soapstone top and cobalt base. The hood and stove are La Cornue; Hickory Chair barstools are covered in a Sister Parish fabric.
Starting in the kitchen, they selected a celestial blueish-lavender-streaked granite for the bar that helped direct other decisions in that space. Cobalt cabinets and a La Cornue range and hood surround a generous square island with a cobalt base that serves as a central gathering spot.
Cobalt blue cabinetry and Azul Macaubas granite make for a dramatic bar.
In the hallway, a Cole and Sons tree wallpaper serves as the backdrop for a chest and mirror found on 1stdibs.com. The lamp was purchased at Raleigh’s La Maison, and the set of mounted agate slabs came from Ryder Hall, also in Raleigh.
On a trip to Atlanta, the two spotted a Fortuny glass chandelier and chose a wow-red version for the dining room. They then picked a brilliant turquoise blue paint for the walls. The contrast is striking. “She’s not afraid to take risks,” Connell says. Though admittedly there were last-minute doubts about the choice of the bold red chandelier just before its arrival, Elisabeth now says she loves it, as does husband Todd, who claims it’s one of his favorite things.
With a running color theme of red with splashes of blue established, Connell suggested a pair of Rose Tarlow sofas upholstered in lipstick red leather for the family room. Hand-blocked blue- and-red star Peter Dunham drapery panels and club chairs in a Lisa Fine blue-and-red weave juxtapose to create an effect both dramatic and alluring.
In the foyer, a piece of art featuring a cotton field by Thomas Sayre hangs on the wall above the stairs.
In the family room, a pair of Rose Tarlow sofas upholstered in Jerry Pair red leather make a statement. The club chairs are upholstered in a Lisa Fine weave. The rug is from The Rug Company. Peter Dunham hand-blocked drapery panels reinforce the blue-and-red theme.
A softer, more ethereal look is employed in the mostly green-and-white living room, where one of Elisabeth’s treasured pieces, a Swedish grandfather clock, stands. Plenty of natural light from a bank of French doors creates a soothing atmosphere. Connell went back to Peter Dunham’s collection for a large, graphic fig-leaf print for drapery panels and pillows. She also introduced Elisabeth to Chapel Hill metalwork artist Tommy Mitchell, whose delicate framed floral sculptures grace a wall.
Drapery panels, a side chair, and pillows feature a Peter Dunham fig-leaf print, anchoring the otherwise ethereal living room. An admirer of Swedish style, Elisabeth McGowan found the Swedish grandfather clock at A. Tyner in Atlanta. The custom chandelier is by David Iatesta.
A collection of framed, metal floral sculptures by Chapel Hill-based artist Tommy Mitchell hang on the wall.
The final effect of the renovation is at once timeless and effortlessly modern, something that was part of Elisabeth’s original vision as she and Todd planted their roots here. “We don’t plan to ever move. This is our forever house. I am picturing our granchildren having an Easter egg hunt in the garden one day.”
The McGowans spend much time on the covered porch and deck that overlooks their yard and gardens. The metal outdoor table and chairs are from Restoration Hardware.
The house’s front exterior is charming and elegant.
The couple enlisted garden designer Meriwether Hill to help find boxwoods large enough for their pair of Versailles planters, painted in a striking French blue.
