The Best of Everything

Design by Ann Prince Interiors | Story by Terri Glazer | Photography by Ross Group Creative

When a designer partners with homeowners to outfit a new residence, the task is often to select all new furnishings. That wasn’t the case with this East Memphis house, however. Ann Prince, owner of Ann Prince Interiors, became a specialist in “mergers and acquisitions” for the project, crafting a stunning design aesthetic that blends newly purchased pieces, favorite items from their former house and treasured family antiques with furniture, art and more acquired from the previous owner’s estate sale. The finished product fits the home and family perfectly.

The owners, a family with three school-age children, came to own the house through circumstances so serendipitous that they knew it was meant to be. When they mentioned to a family member who is a realtor that they were planning an addition to their former house, she suggested they look at properties instead.

It wasn’t long before she showed them the house they now call home, and although they weren’t initially planning to move, the homeowner says they love their new place. 

The previous owner had raised her family there and was ready for a new chapter. She was ready to part with some of the beautiful furnishings and extensive art collection she had amassed over the years. The new residents were the fortunate recipients of several pieces of furniture and works of art she placed in an estate sale. Prince used her design expertise to incorporate them, along with the family’s existing furnishings and some new pieces, to create an elegant ambiance that is also tough enough to hold up to family life.

Case in point is the green sofa in the living room. The homeowner fell in love with its graceful curved shape when she saw it at the estate sale. Prince had it covered in the striking upholstery that’s as durable as it is beautiful. “It’s Schumacher Performance Velvet and it’s amazing,” she says. “I accidentally left the fabric sample out in the rain and it looked just as good after!”

The living room is a study in contrasts as family antiques in dark wood blend with glass and lucite tables. Prince mixed neutral prints in the rug and upholstered chairs to add interest in the background.

She continued the theme of old and new, bright, dark and neutral in the adjacent dining room, where an original painting by New Orleans artist Ashley Longshore is the focal point. The antique dining table is an heirloom from the homeowner’s grandmother, but the side chairs are all new. Although their light, neutral look is elegant, the chairs are ready for action; Prince upholstered them in faux leather she describes as “indestructible.” Nailhead detail on the end chairs mirrors the table’s oval shape. Scalamandre printed grasscloth wallpaper once again proves that neutral doesn’t mean boring.

Prince worked her blending magic again in the family room, and set it all off by painting the built-ins in Benjamin Moore’s Galapagos Green—a saturated yet sedate hue. The previous homeowner had the pair of abstracts now above the sofa in a different spot, but they look so perfect in their current placement, it seems as though they were meant to be there all along. The size and scale of comfy armchairs from the family’s former home also work well in their new setting.

Just off the family room, a casual dining area seems to bring the outdoors in, taking advantage of the home’s lush, green setting. The gallery-style area is light filled thanks to a full wall of windows that counteracts the weighty design of the rough-hewn wood ceiling. Further down the gallery hall, Prince continued to play up natural elements; she papered the friends’ entry in green Clarence House wallpaper with stylized leaves for just a touch of whimsy.

The kitchen received a facelift, as did several other areas of the home, thanks to Architect David Anderson and RKA Construction. Storage was the homeowner’s top priority and Anderson delivered in spades. From the wall of cabinets and drawers in the kitchen to the “secret” wine closet near the bar area to the mud room with a locker and drawers for each child, there’s a place for everything—even a built-in dog kennel and a Chippendale-style pocket doggie gate to corral Olive the pup. Midtown Cabinetry & Millwork crafted all the custom cabinetry.

The renovation of the master wing included reworking the laundry room and upping its design quotient. A cheerful blue palette that includes eye-catching cement floor tiles makes the thought of doing the wash downright appealing.

The mood is more serene, though, in the revamped master suite. Anderson’s plan reimagined the layout, and the current floor plan is simple and restful. Large windows in the bedroom afford full views of the parklike backyard and pool. The master bath is an elegant blend of marble, white and chrome with soft, blue-gray walls.

Part of the remodel included adding a downstairs bedroom and bath for the family’s youngest child. Her suite is roomy and comfortable, perfect to “age up” with her as she grows.

Although the beautifully blended house is the star of the show, the home’s backyard is another example of how the current residents have meshed with the former ones. The previous owner was an avid gardener and her labor of love is evident throughout the backyard. Winding paths reveal adorable fairy gardens and surprises, all conceived and created throughout the years by the past owner. The current homeowner admits she isn’t an accomplished gardener, however, her mother-in-law is an expert who often lends her talents to preserving and improving the scenery.

The family enjoys the pool, firepit and back house constructed by the last owner, but have put their own stamp on the backyard with the addition of a hidden batting cage and putting green perfect for boys who love sports.

From the front door to the backyard, the house and grounds are truly a haven. The best of everything, whether newly acquired, from the family’s past, or through the home’s heritage, blends so perfectly it feels that it was destined to become the place this family would call home.