As most of you know, renovations are not for the faint of heart! And our office renovation is no different. We were originally hoping to be moved in by the end of this year, but due to a number of setbacks it is now looking like our move will take place closer to February, 2023. While we are counting down the days until we get to call this building home, we are thankful for having extra time to put even more attention into each and every detail. We simply cannot wait to share it all with you but until then, want to give you a few more glimpses into some of the progress and selections being made.

The first thing anyone will see, and one of the areas I have been most excited about, is the building’s front facade. I love a dramatic transformation, and this one will not disappoint! From its former life as the Belle Meade Animal Hospital to our new Design Atelier and Antique Showroom, you will see this 1950’s cinder block structure go from tired and dated to sophisticated and current.

If you have driven by recently, you may have noticed the addition of divided light windows, the removal of the original stucco coating, and changes in both shape and size of the front elevation. Over the next few weeks, you will see a new coating of stucco being applied and the front planting beds enlarged and further defined.  Upon completion, it will include a beautiful antique French iron sign bracket, copper gooseneck lanterns, and sleek metal awnings. These upgrades will resemble our neighboring Iroquois Building, but will take on new life at our smaller and more intimate location.

I have always dreamed about an office with outdoor space to accommodate planters and flowers. I am hopeful to bring that dream to life by enlarging what was originally a small raised planting bed bordered by railroad ties to create a small, but grand French inspired parterre garden. This will be achieved with small boxwoods, a French Versailles planter, trees, and maybe hydrangeas. This garden design, along with the copper lanterns, metal awnings, and sign bracket, should set the stage for what is beyond the front door. 

As you pass through our front door, you will find, for the first time ever, a true retail experience. It was crucial in our search for retail space to find somewhere that was open and airy to showcase our beautiful antique inventory. High ceilings were also a top priority to display the many vintage and antique chandeliers we are known for. We are also excited to share that our showroom will include a coffee/wet bar for pop-up events, community education, and shoppers seeking a brief reprieve from reality.  This bar will feature striking glass and brass shelving backed with wallpaper as well as a leather upholstered panel with a nailhead design. 

It is our goal for clients and shoppers alike to breathe a little easier as they immerse themselves in our beautiful world of carefully curated antiques and treasures. Truly a feast for all the senses with our signature chocolates, a sip of something delicious, music, and objet d’ art to enjoy!

Stay tuned as we share more design details in the coming weeks!

Several weeks ago, we shared exciting news about our new office space and our plans to move in the coming months. We now want to take you along with us on our design journey, as we share snippets of our ideas and inspiration for creating this beautiful and multifunctional space that captures our design philosophy.  

As designers, we understand how much our surroundings can impact our mood, emotional well-being, and productivity. With this in mind, we wanted to be intentional about how we designed both our retail showroom and design atelier. 

We started with our branding colors, which are multiple shades of green and gold. Green has always been one of my favorite colors, and one that I feel is incredibly versatile. I often encourage clients to use green in their homes, almost as a neutral color, because it pairs so well with many other colors. Green is well represented in both of my personal homes and is symbolic of my love for gardening and the outdoors. Gold represents my love for antique giltwood mirrors and lighting, brass accessories, and plumbing fixtures, as well as bronze decorative hardware found on many of the antique chests we have in our inventory. You will find this sophisticated green and gold palette used almost exclusively throughout our antique showroom and design offices – prepare to be green with envy!

One of our greatest inspirations comes from biophilic design, which centers on the idea that indoor spaces should feel connected to the outdoors. Studies have shown that creating spaces with elements that speak to nature aesthetically can foster enhanced focus, increased feelings of comfort and calmness, and the ability to think more creatively – all extremely beneficial features for an interior design office! And while this type of design is all the rage right now, it has always dovetailed perfectly with my personal design philosophy of creating timeless, beautiful, and serene spaces that incorporate fresh flowers, lush plants, and many shades of green.

As most of you probably know, I am a Francophile at heart, with a deep love and appreciation for all things French! You can be sure that our new retail showroom will not only feature many beautiful French antiques, but also many elements of French design throughout. At the core, French design believes in respecting history while weaving together elegance with practical luxury. We will feature portieres (drapery hanging over a doorway), brass shelving, and tapestry-like wallpaper while at the same time incorporating state of the art technology, a comprehensive and user friendly resource room, as well as  a warm and welcoming conference room conducive to creative collaboration.

And while I could go on for days about each and every detail we have selected , I want there to be an element of surprise when we finally open our doors!  We will continue to share sneak peeks throughout this process and look forward to the day we can welcome you in person.  Stay tuned as our grand opening date will be announced soon!

Design by: Debbie Mathews

It has been almost two years since I wrote Linville Living Part II and much has happened during that time. Since being asked by so many about the progress on my mountain cottage, I am pleased to report that it is now complete and very much embodies the vision I created in early 2020. However, that progress did not come easy and was full of roadblocks and hurdles like so many others faced during the crazy time of COVID.

Our initial renovation was nearing completion in early May of 2021 after almost nine months of work.  Several Spring weekend trips allowed us to unpack most of our belongings and settle in. While we were still waiting on a number of back ordered items as well as a new refrigerator we were thrilled with the results and planning for the season ahead.  Our next trip to Linville was to celebrate the Memorial Weekend holiday and much to my husband’s surprise  he quickly discovered upon arrival that our refrigerator hose had burst. Water was everywhere and our Living Room (which is sunken) was acting as a reservoir / swimming pool! Water had likely been running in our kitchen for close to two weeks which necessitated us bringing in a disaster relief company to help us cope with the aftermath. Sadly, our beautiful cottage had suffered greatly and needed to have the drywall, cabinetry, and hardwood floors removed in all rooms with the exception of the bedrooms. We were devastated and could not believe our misfortune – we essentially needed to renovate the entire home for a second time!

After the pity party ended and my tears had dried, it was time to get back to the business of counting our blessings and jump into action. We first had to move all of our furniture into a storage unit in Boone, North Carolina, as well as create a makeshift kitchen so that we could prepare meals during the winter months when many restaurants are closed.  As far as blessings, there were many including  our insurance company  agreeing to cover the entire cost of putting our home back together. This second renovation included all new kitchen cabinetry which we didn’t have before and I was finally going to get a real range hood instead of the faux cabinets that were above the range when we moved in. We now have all new hardwood floors that actually match as opposed to differing oak species that blended but were not perfect. The bottom line is that we lost almost an entire year of enjoying our mountain cottage but we have ended up with a much better end product to enjoy for the long haul and special memories of our makeshift kitchen. 

I always tell my clients not to rush the design process because great things take time, and this certainly proved true in my own life as well. The additional year of renovations gave me more time to focus on the design details that might have otherwise been overlooked. In life, like a home renovation project, if you look hard enough there is almost always a silver lining!

While there have definitely been highs and lows with our cottage renovation project, I am now able to enjoy the fruits of those labors and trevails. I love enjoying cocktails on the screened porch, experimenting with the gardens in the backyard, hiking in the woods with friends, and most of all listening to the sounds of nature.  

I look forward to sharing with you my personal cottage designs and inspiration next and hope you will continue to follow along as we explore Linville Living!