When a client and friend of nearly 30 years approached Charlotte interior designer Hobby Sherman about her new guest cottage, she eagerly accepted. The homeowners wanted the design to blend in with the architectural style of their main house, a 1925 Colonial Revival in the heart of Myers Park.
“Our challenge was to furnish a brand new structure to make it feel old and collected,” Sherman says.
While their home is filled with family heirlooms and antiques, the homeowners envisioned a similar but more relaxed aesthetic in the cottage.
“I’ve always admired the way Hobby mixes traditional design with contemporary touches,” the homeowner says. “She’s so skilled at layering pieces in a way that gives a place personality and charm.”
Sherman, a Richmond native, grew up steeped in Virginia history and surrounded by antiques. Her mother helped run an antiques store and traveled to England each year looking for beautiful furniture and accessories.
“I spent most days after school in the shop surrounded by incredible English antiques,” Sherman says.
After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Sherman enrolled in the Sotheby’s Institute of American Art in New York and spent a year studying fine and decorative arts. That experience led her to jobs with Thomas Jayne Studio, Claremont Furnishing Fabrics and interior designer Charlotte Moss.
“Walking alongside Charlotte Moss while scouring antiques markets in Paris helped train my eye," Sherman says. "Using these treasures in clients’ homes was a lesson in layering textiles and objects to create special, beautiful spaces.”
Sherman usually begins with one item that is meaningful to the client - perhaps a textile or a work of art.
“I had been eyeing this wallpaper by Ottoline for years,” the homeowner says. “It’s a small flower pattern and feels playful and cottage-y.”
With a sample in hand, Sherman began to weave the colorful, layered tapestry of the design.
The cozy sitting area is anchored by a cornflower blue sofa flanked by sage green tables. They are accented by books and collectibles, including a red basket Sherman found at a High Point antique store from noted horticulturist Bunny Mellon’s estate. Sherman found a hand-painted Swedish corner cabinet at a Richmond antiques store.
“It’s the small details and special pieces that give a room warmth and interest,” Sherman says.
In the breakfast nook, a square Parsons table is surrounded by French bistro chairs Sherman spotted at the Bon Marché department store in Paris. She accented the wall with an abstract painting from a Charlottesville antiques store.
“It’s this Rothko-esque painting by Diane Lightsey, and the scale and colors were perfect,” Sherman says. “I love incorporating contemporary artwork with traditional pieces to create an unexpected mix.”
Adjacent to the breakfast area is an antique chest of drawers that's sentimental for the homeowner.
“My dad’s cousin was a renowned interior designer in Charlotte for many years,” the homeowner says. “When he died, everything went to an estate sale in Columbia so I bought several things, including this chest.”
Nestled against a bay of windows, the bed’s soft, tailored linens offer a restful escape for houseguests. Beneath one of the bedside tables sits a favorite piece of the homeowner’s.
"Hobby found this antique tole stack of books that opens for storage,” the homeowner says. “It’s one of a kind and so interesting — a perfect example of what makes her work full of personality.”
The guest cottage doubles as a pool house and has a full kitchen for entertaining.
“We couldn’t be happier with the way Hobby curated such a comfortable, welcoming space for our family and friends,” the homeowner says. “It feels like it’s been here forever.”
It’s the small details and special pieces that give a room warmth.