Photograph by Mali Azima
How to make a Virginia-Highland bungalow even better? When the location is perfect, but the client needs more space and updating, the answer is Cottage 2.0. Interior designer Nikie Barfield and architect Mark Arnold identified the home’s charm factors and enhanced them. “We maintained the cottage feel by using classic materials like cedar shake, painted brick, and cobblestones in the driveway,” Nikie says, noting that the design team wanted to honor the home’s past while still expanding its size. They also kept the basic footprint the same: a second floor is now in former attic space, and a deck became a covered porch. The renovation added 1,500 square feet, giving the homeowners 4,000 square feet of living space.
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
The curb appeal improved dramatically. Attractive additions to the front porch include Bahama-inspired shutters, hanging lanterns, and new doors. Garden pots and comfy lounge chairs make it a favorite place for homeowners Catherine and Matt Tabor to relax. New landscaping was key, too, with boxwoods and climbing roses softening the exterior.
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Inside, the focus is on natural materials, a light color palette, and a number of high-end touches. The newly renovated kitchen shines with Danby marble tiles, a Lacanche range, and a scullery accessed by custom oak-and-glass doors. The primary bath is timeless and serene with an oak vanity and herringbone floors.
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
While neutral colors and light woods serve as a base, there are surprises in every room. Carefully selected art plays an important role—including Carolyn Carr photography, an etching/aquatint by Robert Motherwell, and watercolors by Whitney Wolf. Some of the pieces in the house are from Tröv Home, a Decatur shop owned by Whitney and Nikie that features handcrafted furniture, art, and interesting finds. “Every piece needed to be thoughtful and special, which typically necessitates a lot of custom work,” Nikie says, adding that the project provided an opportunity for Trōv to design several pieces, including a steel and marble console, a live-edge bleached water oak coffee table, and an ash oval side table.
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Nikie pondered every detail, even deliberating about the project while on vacation. Inspired by a trip to Biltmore Estate, she made the decision to replace the home’s generic light switches with elegant Forbes & Lomax glass-and-brass versions. “After many sleepless nights—as ridiculous as that sounds—I knew we couldn’t have plastic light switches in this house,” she says. As with the rest of the home, the past is respected but tweaked to an even better version.
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Photograph by Mali Azima
Advertisement
