Southern Home March/April 2023

Color Confidant The arrival of warmer weather brings the anticipation of green lawns and a welcome profusion of flowers—nature’s way of showcasing the multitude of hues that surround us. We celebrate the return of color in the home and the opportunities that abound with an unlimited palette. There is no doubt about the transformative power of color. The designers in this issue let color take the lead in their projects. In Virginia, Kelley Proxmire provided big impact with bold patterns and complementary colors for a large family. Anna-Louise Wolfe dialed up the drama in a historic bungalow in Georgia, while Kara Cox perfectly married her client’s love for color and art in a stately North Carolina home. Enjoy an in-depth Q&A with celebrated designer Michelle Nussbaumer, known for her innate ability to create…

DESIGN, ROBIN GANNON; PHOTOGRAPHY, MICHAEL J. LEE…

Southern Home (SH): Who first nurtured your creativity? Michelle Nussbaumer (MN): Absolutely my mother, who is an amazing artist. She put the first paintbrush in my hand. When I was young, I went with her to Spain for several months while she studied Sorolla’s paintings, and at home in Texas, I’d go paint with her in the studio. There were always models and fellow artists in our house, and everyone in my family was creative—my father was a poet, my aunt was a decorator, and my grandmother, a potter. I still love to paint today, and I frequently reference works by greats like Ingres, Sargent, and Alma-Tadema for the color palettes in my rooms. SH: You majored in theater at SMU, and we definitely see that flair for the dramatic in your…

The subtropical climate and seaside breezes have drawn generations to Palm Beach for years. This legendary island is home to charming bungalows, sleek minimalist houses, Mediterranean Revival residences, and of course beautiful gardens. In Palm Beach Living, Jennifer Ash Rudick showcases the iconic styles of these private homes and gardens that characterize the island. Some of the homes incorporate the exuberant colors of the island’s flora; others opt for a soothing neutral palette. Each abode embraces indoor-outdoor living and reflects the unique aesthetic of its owner, realized with the help of renowned architects, interior designers, and landscape architects.…

Up until the mid-17th century or so, armchairs could have been described as rudimentary at best. More or less consistent in style throughout Europe at this time, armchairs typically had upright carved wooden backs, flat wooden seats that were only sometimes softened by loose flat cushions, imposing armrests, and solid legs that were supported by stretchers. But by the mid to late 17th century, during the reign of the French Sun King, Louis XIV, chairs finally began to be designed for both comfort and style, a development that put French-made chairs in a class of their own and set the standard for seating to come. In one of his numerous efforts to establish French superiority over other European powers, particularly in matters of taste, Louis XIV transformed French decorative arts by…

With five children, Mike and Julie Holmes knew they needed a house with lots of bedrooms and space to work and play. Designer Kelley Proxmire had helped the Holmeses with their previous house, and when they bought an empty lot in Vienna, Virginia, Proxmire introduced them to architect David Neumann, whose rigorously traditional houses grace the D.C. area. “The main requirement of six bedrooms drove the design of a fairly sizable house,” he says. “The rooms are framed, which allows for strong use of color because it can be contained.” Beautifully arched cased openings signal transitions without closing off rooms. Proxmire set about creating vibrant interiors that reflect the youthful exuberance of family life. “The challenge of an open-plan design is to distinguish each space from the next,” says Proxmire of…