“The dark color really envelops you and feels cozy,” says interior designer Nina Nash. When she and her Mathews Furniture partner Don Easterling created this sultry and sophisticated study in Ansley Park, they installed classic built-ins, then furnished the room in rich tones from both ends of the color spectrum.
Sitting pretty
In contrast to the masculine gray club chairs, a creamy linen side chair provides a lighter hue, while a petite round footstool adds whimsy. Covered in a Hable fabric, the stool works as extra seating, too.
Setting the mood
Antique-brass portrait lights illuminate the bookcase. Nash enjoys strategically placing accessories under their warm glow.
Suzani style
The fabric on the window seat pillows was a starting point for the decor. “We were drawn to the Suzani-like pattern with a nice, crisp ivory background and bold colors,” says Nash.
Rounding things out
A spherical iron-and-brass light fixture helps tie the room’s finishes together. The curvy shape echoes the sphere atop the column.
Secret hiding spot
The fluted column topped with a brass sphere adds architectural interest but also hides a hinged door, which opens to reveal more shelving and storage.
In the club
The upholstered chairs by Hickory Chair are big sellers at Mathews, says Nash. “They’re honestly the most comfortable chairs ever, and they can be placed in any setting from traditional to modern.”
Tip: No gloss, No problem
Nash decided to skip trendy lacquer on the study’s bookcases, but still used paint finishes to add texture. She selected Benjamin Moore’s “Kendall Charcoal” in an eggshell finish for the walls and a semigloss version for the trim and bookcases. “It’s a way to use today’s more daring colors without the labor, cost, and commitment of a super-high-gloss lacquer,” she says.
This article originally appeared in our December 2015 issue under the headline “A Study in Gray.”
