After relocating from Homewood to The Preserve in Hoover, the Rothermich family enlisted designer Kelly Neely of Kelly Neely Interiors to transform their new home from dark and industrial to colorful and cohesive.
Working within the home’s existing footprint and without altering any architectural elements, Neely nixed heavy, black finishes in favor of brass fixtures and swirls of color, both moody and cheery.
“It’s incredible how different the house looks from where it started,” she says.
Neely's process always starts the same way, regardless of the project: with inspiration images gathered from the client. “Someone might say ‘I like traditional.’ I try to understand what that really looks like for them," she says. Looking for common threads and color schemes, she begins to dial in the client’s style. As for her own creative fuel, she's candid about the source: "My client is really where I draw the most inspiration. I want to enhance their personal style."
Fabrics are often a jumping-off point for a room’s scheme. In this home, kid-friendly fabrics were paramount.
"Like me, the client has three young kids and wants to entertain,” Neely explains. “The way I approach certain projects has evolved so much in the last five years. I'm able to lean into my own experiences as a mom.”
Much of the project was less about redesign than negotiation. The homeowners had pieces they weren't giving up — an oversized black console from early in their marriage held sentimental value — so instead of fighting those elements, Neely built around them. The console found its home in the primary suite, prompting a more masculine palette the designer softened with golden-hued grasscloth and a floral bolster pillow.
Likewise, the dining room’s coffered ceiling – originally painted black and something the homeowners considered removing – was incorporated in the room’s teal-toned color drench. Now, it plays a supporting role to the room’s new pièce de résistance: House of Harris’ Fauna wallpaper.
Throughout the home, Neely deftly incorporated pre-existing features while expertly layering pattern, applying color, and swapping lighting fixtures. The result is a home with rooms that speak to one another in the language of their happy new owners.
Left
The cheery breakfast nook’s banquette is upholstered in a sage leather that plays well with the homeowners' existing caned dining chairs. Table by Villa & House.
Center
The kitchen’s green cabinetry and tile backsplash are original to the house. Neely tempered rather than replaced them, swapping three heavy black iron pendants for two oversized brass Visual Comfort pendants and updating the sconces. New Roman shades in a coordinating fabric family unify the kitchen with the adjoining living space. Barstools by Worlds Away.
Right
In the living room, a conversation sofa by CR Laine does not obstruct the window. Abstract artwork above built-ins by local artist Margaret Anne Lee (@drawingsbymappy).
"My client is really where I draw the most inspiration."
-Kelly Neely