“Color is everything,” says designer Jennifer Huett, who worked with a busy family of five to update their Hot Springs home. “They are a very high-energy group,” she says of the Hannon family. “They like to live life to the fullest and didn’t need a serene space to come home to. They wanted a home that makes them happy.”
Happy, it is. Huett hit all of the high notes of a Crayola box, including vibrant red, earthy green, trendy turquoise and a deeply delightful purple, but did so gracefully enough that the homeowner’s heirloom antiques blend seamlessly into the more contemporary aesthetic. “We had to find a way to use three exuberant colors, but not have them feel forced,” Huett says. A wool rug from Company C featuring red, green and turquoise anchors the living room and became the jumping off point for the adjacent dining room, kitchen and breakfast area.
In the coral living room, an art installation made of reclaimed wood introduces the raw material, which is used throughout the home to temper the vibrant—and often cool—tones of the walls and fabrics. “Paint is an inexpensive way to introduce color,” says Huett. “If you’re unsure, try a piece of art or even a vase with brightly-colored flowers in it. Then, move up to an accent wall. If you keep the big pieces neutral, you can always change your mind.” To balance this space, an inherited pair of armchairs, recovered in red with a cheerful green piping, were paired with a neutral sectional sofa.
“I meet so many people who have storage units full of beautiful pieces that have been passed down to them,” says Huett. “They have proper emotional attachments to them but don’t know how to incorporate them into a more trendy or colorful look.” Huett, however, jumped in with both feet by fearlessly pairing the family’s English antiques with bright colors, modern art and new upholstery. As a result, the home feels unique and authentic.
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