If placed amongst Bunny Williams, Nate Berkus and James Farmer of the interior design world, Alabamian Ashley Gilbreath could easily hold her own. With a fierce love of classic colors ("lots of blues and greens - soothing tones from God's creation") and a good stripe, Ashley and her team have been able to create stunning vignettes through the use of textiles, lighting, color, nature, and antiques. And now with a new book out - a beautiful display piece that features some of her most remarkable spaces - it's easy to see how Ashley's name is quickly becoming synonymous with quintessential Southern design.
We talk via phone on a sunny spring day in April; Ashley is en route to pick up one of her children from school, a last minute request, and even though her brain must be going in a thousand different directions, she is incredibly kind and thoughtful. As we exchange initial pleasantries, it's immediately clear that her career is a source of great happiness for her, along with her family and faith. I dive in and ask how she begins the design process with a new client. "When we first start, we ask that they provide three to five images and we ask for no more than that, which can be a little bit tricky," Ashley tells me. "I ask them to give me an aesthetic that they're really drawn to; a whole room or a whole feeling." Ashley and her team really listen to the things that their clients want to see - from incorporating family heirlooms or considering pets when picking upholstery. "It's really important to us that these spaces look like the people who are going to live there. I want them to live in the space and live in it well."
I ask her what Southern decorating means to her and how it's different from other design styles. "I think there's an element of being hospitable. The more you can be in an environment where imperfections are welcomed and quirkiness is key, it becomes much more of a loving, hospitable environment." She continues, "That's why I love the world of antiques. They're messed up a little bit and, goodness gracious, aren't we all anyway as real people?"
Ashley's new book is a full showcase of Southern design at its finest. She mixes old and new, abstract art with old world - beaded chandeliers in open spaces next to puffy couches with cozy throws, a Le Coucou-esque home office with moody greens and a scullery with poppy pink.
As we close our conversation, Ashley reminds me of the true purpose of her book. With all the beauty there is to behold, the real takeaway is the feeling of home. "We aim to create spaces that, as you leave, you may not necessarily remember what was on the wall or what color the rug was, but you walk away remembering the love. That's why we do what we do."
I think there's an element of being hospitable. The more you can be in an environment where imperfections are welcomed and quirkiness is key, it becomes much more of a loving, hospitable environment.
We aim to create spaces that, as you leave, you may not necessarily remember what was on the wall or what color the rug was, but you walk away remembering the love.
