Date:  December 22, 2017  |   Story: Stephanie Maxwell Newton  |   Photography: Rett Peek  |  

A chic yet efficient workspace gives equal weight to the homeowner’s style and passion

When Stuart Thalheimer Davis started working on this home office for client Amanda Patterson, she says that the space was, for the most part, a blank slate. “She had a temporary desk, a chair that needed recovering, a ton of empty bookshelves, and a timeline,” Davis says, noting that they completed the room in less than a month. “Luckily, Amanda had a clear idea of what she wanted in the space. She wanted a color palette of creams and neutrals with gold accents, and wanted to keep the look ‘dressy French country.’”

Davis started with a collection of antique books and Patterson’s unifying color palette, finding several other opportunities to repeat motifs throughout the room. For example, the waffle-weave textured fabric on the re-covered chair plays off the design of the ceiling, while its pillow complements the light fixture above it.

Patterson is the owner of the Miss High School America Pageant, and she wanted elements of her work reflected in the office design as well. To achieve that, Davis framed photographs of past winners for the walls and shelves, displayed Patterson’s recent awards, and incorporated a piece of art depicting the pageant’s logo painted by a family friend. “I wanted [the design] to fit with the house and be pretty, but also something that incorporated the girls’ photos and what the pageants are about,” Patterson says.

Designer Stuart Thalheimer Davis