Story by Emily Robertson | Photography by Darren Harris | Harris Visual Media
When Laura Lee Childers, owner of Laura Lee Interior Design, was hired to design the interior of a new custom-built house at 670 Goodrum Road in Bowling Green, work was already underway and the framing on the home had begun. But even in that early stage of building, she knew the home, which would go on to be featured in the 2021 Builders Association of South Central Kentucky Parade of Homes, was going to be a special project.
The home has a beautiful painted brick exterior with four bedrooms, three and a half bathrooms and unfinished basement with a bonus room and nursery on the main floor. A beautiful curved staircase and an open view welcomes you at the front entry. The homeowners love treasure hunting, antiques and unique architectural accents, which add so much personality to the home.
“The owners were clear that they wanted a home that was of a southern vernacular and wanted to incorporate antiques they have collected over the years,” Childers says. “They had several pieces they designed around from the very beginning. I tend to be more southern traditional in my own home, so I loved incorporating the old and the new,” she said.
The builder, Kerry Jones of The Jones Company of Kentucky, says this project was really more than just a custom home.
“This project took 16 months from start to finish,” Jones says. “The owner really wanted to tailor the house to their exact needs and with very unique pieces; it was a true customization. It was a learning experience as a builder and we worked hard to accomplish the wish list of the owner and build a home specifically designed by and for them.”
The homeowners had found fretwork pieces, originally from Franklin, Tennessee, to incorporate into the entry of the living room, as well as an antique front door, pantry doors and posts for the kitchen island.
It is not every day that we get to incorporate so many things into the structure of the home and I loved it,” Childers says. “The elements were more than finding a home for an old chest or family heirloom; they were architectural elements that will forever be part of this home.”
Along with the antique pieces, Childers helped the owners find new fixtures and lighting form Ferguson that worked cohesively with older pieces in the home. “Even when looking for new items for the home, the owners did not want the home to feel too modern and consistently said they wanted a classic, southern design,” said Childers.
While much of the home is painted in the Sherwin Williams hue of Alabaster, the owners did love to incorporate bursts of color in certain rooms. “I love their green velvet couches,” Childers says. “Greens are very on trend, but it goes so well in a neutral home because it brings the outside in. It is a classic color in all shades. The couches were a great burst of color and added lots of personality in a classic style.”
Touches of bold colors can also be found in the paint selected for the nursery (Sherwin Williams Rockwood Shutter Green) and the half bath (Sherwin Williams Tricorn Black), as well as tile from Tile Trends and additional furniture and décor pieces from Bowling Green Home Furnishings.
This beautiful home would not have come together without the wonderful work of these local businesses:
BUILDER: The Jones Company of KY, Kerry Jones
INTERIOR DESIGN: Laura Childers, Laura Lee Interior Design
LUMBER + WINDOWS: Kight Lumber
LIGHTING: Ferguson and Homeowner
PLUMBING AND APPLIANCES: Ferguson
FLOORING: Carpet Place
TILE: Tile Trends, installed by Seneca Wilcox
CABINETS: Bluegrass Cabinets
COUNTERTOPS: Sugar Grove Marble and Granite
ARCHITECTURAL ACCENTS: Homeowner
FURNISHINGS: Bowling Green Home Furnishings and Homeowner
WINDOW TREATMENTS: Drapery Nation