Double Vision
Author:Abigail StoneInterior designer Becky Nielsen of Becky Nielsen Interiors skillfully weaves together Southern charm with West Coast aplomb for a home that is fresh, modern and inviting
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How does an interior design unite two disparate visions into one cohesive and beautiful whole? This was the dilemma that interior designer Becky Nielsen of Becky Nielsen Interiors faced when her new clients reached out to her on Instagram, tapping her to transform their new, modern Brentwood home into a space filled with Southern charm and warmth. The young family, who hailed from Virginia, had moved west to accommodate the husband’s job, bringing their treasured collection of antiques along with them. “They were used to traditional, Southern design,” remembers Nielsen. “Our challenge was to incorporate these beautiful, intricate pieces into a modern build in a way that felt fresh and beautiful and seamless.”
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Fortunately, Nielsen is no stranger to the aesthetic that the clients were familiar with. Raised in Nashville, she’s worked at firms with offices on the east coast, including Mark D. Sikes Interiors, known for their fresh take on American design, before hanging out her own shingle. In fact, she now vibrates between L.A. and Nashville and is known for her knack for incorporating inherited and antique pieces into her detailed yet warm interiors, balancing classical principles with a modern perspective.
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But turning a modern space into a traditional one is no easy feat. “The first task was to do away with the white walls!,” she laughs. Color and wallpaper immediately infused the home with warmth. The window frames got a coat of black paint. She installed patterned draperies. She swapped out the home’s sleek modern lighting and simple hardware for more traditional pieces. Small details offered big results. “We revised the fireplaces, renovating them to have lower fireboxes, adding stone surrounds and ornately detailed mantlepieces,” she notes. This immediately infused the room with charm. “We updated the kitchen cabinets, painting them in lighter, brighter colors. We added stair runners and laid down beautiful, plush wool carpets throughout the house.”
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To create coziness from the sprawling 7,000-square-foot, 6 bedroom, 8 bath home took some ingenuity. Without completely overhauling the layout, Nielsen and her team rejiggered the use of the home’s spaces. The oversized entryway became a comfortable and inviting foyer. “It was huge space that felt more like a room than a portal that welcomed you into the house so we reimagined it as a lounge area,” she explains. “Now they can use it as a place to host cocktail parties and their friends are happy to hang out there when the come to visit.” A bedroom became the husband’s office. A basement storage closet became a luxurious wine room. She carved two rooms out of the large living room that spill out onto the back patio and the pool. “It’s Los Angeles indoor outdoor living at its finest,” she shares. Gracie wallpaper was inset into the dining room’s panels.
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“They can remove them and use them as art in another home if they ever move.” In the kitchen, a 14’ island is perfect for hosting lunches or for doing homework. “It was a big undertaking,” says Nielsen, “But it was worth it because they were very happy with how we were able to transform the home. We incorporate their antiques and treasures and layer in color and pattern into the home in a way that feels modern and fresh and intriguing. It feels traditional in the best way.”
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