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At the end of the day, September Votta just wants to come home to comfort and calm. As a co-founder of fashion and lifestyle brand Tuckernuck and mother of two children under age five, Votta’s world is colored by the visual chaos of her sons’ bright crayons and puzzle pieces and her company’s bold printed caftans and cardigans. “Working in the fashion industry, I am inundated with color and pattern on a daily basis,” says Votta. “So when we embarked on our home’s redesign, I wanted the interiors to be a refreshing departure. A palate cleanser, so to speak.”
September and her husband Michael, who works in commercial real estate, had lived in their late-19th century row house in Georgetown for just over a year when they called on Atlanta-based interior designer and friend Melissa Lacy to imbue their historic home with a youthful energy to match their own.
The front door was lacquered in Farrow & Ball’s Off Black to punctuate the townhouse’s pale gray exterior. Brass hardware by Baldwin and sconces by St. James Lighting.
Adam Macchia
Natural light bounces off a handcrafted modern starburst mirror by Mike Diaz from Blackman Cruz. Rope chairs were revived with a wavy Pierre Frey fabric and Zamani embroidered pillow. A KRB silk shade tops the Besselink & Jones floor lamp.
Adam MacchiaLacy’s first order of business was also her most challenging: to create an airy atmosphere in the absence of natural light, since true to townhouse form, all the windows are relegated to the front and back facades. To filter in light and keep prying eyes out, the designer dressed the windows in gauzy café curtains and shades in solid, textural fabrics that veer toward a crisper, more casual look than the lush, billowy drapes typically found in homes of similar provenance. Lacy also took a less predictable approach when choosing artwork and rugs. In lieu of oil paintings and antique rugs, she opted for contemporary art and custom-cut sisal carpets with an easy, breezy vibe. “I really tried to marry the traditional Georgetown aesthetic with September’s chic but modern edge,” says Lacy.
The moody, oversized Marcel Rozek abstract painting creates modern drama and a counterpoint for the dining room’s more classical furniture and whimsical chandelier from Cox London. Rose Tarlow stripe slipcovers and Jerry Pair leather on dining chairs.
Adam Macchia
Distinctive marbleware platters from La Tuile à Loup in Paris are displayed in a built-in plate rack that gracefully filled an awkward niche.
Adam Macchia
“We fell in love with the wallpaper, so we took it all the way up and across the ceiling!” says Lacy of Schumacher’s Rimini Rib. The floors and trim are painted in Farrow & Ball Slipper Satin.
Adam MacchiaBut perhaps the greatest asset that the designer leveraged to create Votta’s so-called ‘palate cleanser’ came from the palette itself—a composition of warm whites and soft neutral tones. “The main living areas, stairwell, and upstairs hall are all wrapped in Patterson Flynn’s Linen Performance Wallcovering in a wonderful putty color,” the designer says. “It’s subtle but offers a foundation that’s strong enough to support the key pieces of art, statement-making accessories, and handful of patterned textiles we used sparingly and strategically to create a beautiful tension.”
In the primary bedroom, the headboard and bench are softened with slipcovers in Antoinette Poisson’s Grenades. Electric blackout shades by Pilchard Designs in an ivory JAB fabric bring a calming presence.
Adam Macchia
The same Antoinette Poisson pattern on wallpaper visually connects the primary bath to the bedroom. Soane Britain sconces flank a rope-rimmed mirror from Mecox Gardens.
Adam MacchiaIn the dining room, that push and pull is expressed in the drama of the oversized Marcel Rozek painting and antique dining table and the playfulness of the oak-leaf chandelier and pleated slipcovered chairs in a delicate Rose Tarlow stripe. It’s further intensified in the living room where a groovy starburst mirror by Mike Diaz shines above a traditional white marble mantel that’s original to the house.
In the primary bedroom, a custom settee in yellow Dedar fabric offers a bright pop of color and a comfy alternative to the typical window seat for reading or working. A modern floor lamp by Tommaso Cimini is juxtaposed with an antique drinks table from Foxglove Antiques.
Adam Macchia
A favorite Pierre Frey fabric, used on the crib bumper, roman shade, and petite armchair, was the starting point for son Beau’s nursery. The textured wallpaper from Scalamandre layers in warmth. Vintage nautical prints and a Vaughan lantern are timeless additions that nod to the family’s New England roots.
Adam Macchia“Interior design and fashion design are very similar,” says September Votta. “In both, you have to create the right mix and find a good balance. In my home and in my wardrobe, I’m not afraid to go high-low or to experiment with vintage and contemporary pieces. And nothing excites me more than discovering a cool, quirky brand. The two practices really do go hand-in-hand.”
To avoid visually disrupting the small space of son Palmer’s room, it’s swathed in an Ian Makin stripe on the walls, baseboards, and even a built-in desk.
Adam Macchia
A roman shade and shower curtain in Schumacher’s Painterly Windowpane plays nicely off of the subway tile.
Adam Macchia
On the verdant back deck, Lacy paired the homeowner’s sofa and dining table with antique bistro chairs from Pillar & Post.
Adam Macchia
