Seller Story: Nashville, TN
I’ve probably wanted to be an interior designer since I was little, but when I was young we lived in a small town, and I don’t even think I knew it could be a job. There were no antique stores; no one hired designers to decorate their houses. We didn’t have a lot of money, but my mother was passionate about decorating. That’s a big part of why I have such a respect for it—I loved our house growing up. For my mom, it was about creating environments rather than falling in love with certain pieces of furniture—and that’s how I design today. It’s more about the feeling than about the pieces.
I’ve had my business about 10 years, and I am probably more client-led than a lot of designers. Nowadays, with Pinterest and everything else online, people know what’s out there. I like to stay true to what they want, but in a unique way so it doesn’t look like every other house on Pinterest.
I like to bring in the unexpected—abstract art next to antique furniture. Often people aren’t confident to mix styles and textures on their own, but they love it when they have someone to guide them through the process. In this sale you’ll see a few old Oushak rugs, for example. We have a lot of big homes in Nashville, but even in large family or living rooms I use those layered over seagrass and sisal all the time. Most people can’t buy a $30,000 antique carpet to fill a whole room, but they can buy a smaller one and layer it and get the same look. And I love the emerald Port 68 lamps. Green is not that common in interiors. Often it’s juvenile, but this is a really sophisticated color.
![Seller Story: Nashville, TN](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2016/05/24/19/36/28/124/160525_Top_Banner_Template_720x800_O1.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=766&h=&fit=max&crop=&auto=format)
![Hand-Painted Polychrome Carnival Game Wheel Hand-Painted Polychrome Carnival Game Wheel](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/22/16/01/59/Attachment-87d16b70-c499-4c02-8ffc-eaa428191cfa.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Hand-Painted Polychrome Carnival Game Wheel
![Neoclassical Style Parcel-Gilt Wood Columns Neoclassical Style Parcel-Gilt Wood Columns](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/16/20/48/13/Attachment-3a2d8b63-12f7-4c52-ad99-9deacc350dae.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Neoclassical Style Parcel-Gilt Wood Columns
![3'8 x 8' Hand-Knotted Caucasian Lenkoran Long Rug 3'8 x 8' Hand-Knotted Caucasian Lenkoran Long Rug](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/09/14/52/27/Attachment-d2d30178-84e3-4cda-b143-2faee8e1e69d.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
3'8 x 8' Hand-Knotted Caucasian Lenkoran Long Rug
![Lorraine Robertson Wooded Landscape Oil Painting Lorraine Robertson Wooded Landscape Oil Painting](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/18/17/39/07/Attachment-8c02c850-2208-47a6-a815-c2f062592a4e.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Lorraine Robertson Wooded Landscape Oil Painting
![KPM Porcelain Plaque "Springtime" After Cuno von Bodenhausen KPM Porcelain Plaque "Springtime" After Cuno von Bodenhausen](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/24/12/28/31/Attachment-2c7f1b40-d0f8-41e1-95b0-04cfaf2a1f3a.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
KPM Porcelain Plaque "Springtime" After Cuno von Bodenhausen
![Phyllis Trager Hyman Abstract Mixed Media Painting "Jubi Lee," 2000 Phyllis Trager Hyman Abstract Mixed Media Painting "Jubi Lee," 2000](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/22/16/12/01/Attachment-7c6ce283-b28b-4910-aaf3-65f303744664.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Phyllis Trager Hyman Abstract Mixed Media Painting "Jubi Lee," 2000
![Chinese Style Burl and Ebonized Wood Cabinet, Late 20th Century Chinese Style Burl and Ebonized Wood Cabinet, Late 20th Century](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/06/27/12/47/36/Attachment-d3be4c2e-0bf4-4ee6-a51d-09a984679aa6.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Chinese Style Burl and Ebonized Wood Cabinet, Late 20th Century
![Ginala Wool and Rabbit Fur Trim Coat from Bonwit Teller, Mid-Late 20th Century Ginala Wool and Rabbit Fur Trim Coat from Bonwit Teller, Mid-Late 20th Century](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/22/11/59/29/Attachment-1214e19b-65ae-407e-9292-1d5c458d02d8.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Ginala Wool and Rabbit Fur Trim Coat from Bonwit Teller, Mid-Late 20th Century
![Seller Story: Nashville, TN](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2016/05/24/19/36/29/144/160525_Middle_Template_1247x585_O1.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=1247&h=&fit=max&crop=&auto=format)
![Hoi Lebadang Color Lithograph "Cheval en habit de Fête II" Hoi Lebadang Color Lithograph "Cheval en habit de Fête II"](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/10/20/27/42/Attachment-e5db88bd-4072-4ad5-90e7-5e7eb43e06ca.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Hoi Lebadang Color Lithograph "Cheval en habit de Fête II"
![Chinoiserie Style Cast Fiberglass Side Table, 21st Century Chinoiserie Style Cast Fiberglass Side Table, 21st Century](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/23/13/11/15/Attachment-40d65a4f-634d-4942-bfc5-79ef54301ff6.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Chinoiserie Style Cast Fiberglass Side Table, 21st Century
![David Andrews Oil Portrait "Falcon at Rest," 2017 David Andrews Oil Portrait "Falcon at Rest," 2017](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/22/16/46/16/Attachment-6cd6cf04-e8ad-4cf0-a3bf-95ceb2576269.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
David Andrews Oil Portrait "Falcon at Rest," 2017
![Persian Lamb Fur Jacket with Black Cross Mink Fur Trim, Circa 1960 Persian Lamb Fur Jacket with Black Cross Mink Fur Trim, Circa 1960](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/23/14/23/49/Attachment-457371ad-dc61-41d5-8958-bc9b32de00c3.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Persian Lamb Fur Jacket with Black Cross Mink Fur Trim, Circa 1960
![Pablo Picasso Linocut "Les Vendangeurs," 1962 Pablo Picasso Linocut "Les Vendangeurs," 1962](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/24/13/58/43/Attachment-140380bf-8267-4e34-b5c6-c9607a926380.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Pablo Picasso Linocut "Les Vendangeurs," 1962
![Aaron Wooten Stylized Forest Landscape Acrylic Painting "The House.," 2024 Aaron Wooten Stylized Forest Landscape Acrylic Painting "The House.," 2024](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/06/26/19/12/13/Attachment-a7e6a3ba-9df4-4aa8-ae1a-030f44d3542f.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Aaron Wooten Stylized Forest Landscape Acrylic Painting "The House.," 2024
![Inga Kovalenko Oil Painting of Bird, 2024 Inga Kovalenko Oil Painting of Bird, 2024](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/06/20/12/57/18/Attachment-cae4e680-15d0-4885-9c53-3a2006ec312f.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Inga Kovalenko Oil Painting of Bird, 2024
![Alexander Calder Color Lithograph "Stabile VII" for "Derrière le Miroir," 1963 Alexander Calder Color Lithograph "Stabile VII" for "Derrière le Miroir," 1963](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/22/18/31/50/Attachment-4e46e52f-c485-4d6e-a82a-372d0ec56f62.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Alexander Calder Color Lithograph "Stabile VII" for "Derrière le Miroir," 1963
![Burger Beer Illuminated Advertising Sign, Mid-20th Century Burger Beer Illuminated Advertising Sign, Mid-20th Century](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/22/14/59/20/Attachment-30358ac1-2628-4165-8ceb-8ddbac9821f2.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Burger Beer Illuminated Advertising Sign, Mid-20th Century
![Saturday Evening Girls Painted Paul Revere Ceramic Paperweight, 1915 Saturday Evening Girls Painted Paul Revere Ceramic Paperweight, 1915](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/06/05/19/20/38/Attachment-ab3d99f4-bd8a-43a4-a792-693e6f26b43e.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Saturday Evening Girls Painted Paul Revere Ceramic Paperweight, 1915
![Bronze-Patinated Sculpture After Auguste Moreau "Spring Symphony" Bronze-Patinated Sculpture After Auguste Moreau "Spring Symphony"](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/07/25/21/41/00/Attachment-9c521a1d-d272-4336-9736-65d9035ba28e.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Cincinnati - Blue Ash
Bronze-Patinated Sculpture After Auguste Moreau "Spring Symphony"
![Salvador Dalí Wood Engraving "Charon et le passage de l'Achéron" Salvador Dalí Wood Engraving "Charon et le passage de l'Achéron"](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2024/03/04/16/03/13/Attachment-83b2f55b-b3f0-4458-96dc-4a3c177ce2b8.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=400&h=400&fit=crop&crop=&auto=format)
EBTH Columbus - Hilliard
Salvador Dalí Wood Engraving "Charon et le passage de l'Achéron"
![Seller Story: Nashville, TN](https://imgix-prod.ebth.com/2016/05/24/19/36/29/758/160525_Bottom_Template_766x1030_O2.jpg?ixlib=rb-3.1.0&w=759&h=&fit=max&crop=&auto=format)
What are some design trends you love, and others you’re tired of seeing?
I will always love a white kitchen and white marble. That’s a huge trend, but it’s such a classic that it’s also timeless. Brass hardware has also really taken off, and I love that too. Though I tend to mix metals—you’re not limited to just one anymore. One I’ve seen too much of is reclaimed wood. It does add patina, but one side or dining table is enough. When it’s everywhere it feels like a theme.
Let’s say I moved into a new house. Where would you tell me to start?
With a seagrass rug and light neutral upholstery with a shape that appeals to you. And then I would encourage you to get some beautiful ceiling fixtures and lamps you love. Lighting is a good place to splurge because it can be a little more whimsical or fragile. It’s generally up high and doesn’t get damaged or dirty. And with those three elements, you would already have a pretty house. Then start adding in some art. It doesn’t have to be gallery investment quality, and it doesn’t have to match anything—you just have to love it.
Nashville is exploding on the design front. You have a show on the DIY network, and HGTV has a couple of shows there too. What’s going on?
It’s really booming. I read somewhere that 30 people per day are moving here. I love the city and the surrounding area. Downtown Franklin is 30 minutes away, and that’s a fun place to spend an afternoon, with clothing shops and furniture stores. Then we have two big antique malls, GasLamp and GasLamp Too, with tons of inventory and vendors. And a flea market every month that I go to a lot. So there’s lots of places to keep a designer busy!