A Classic Spin on Quirky Decorating

As you wind your way along the gently curving walkway that leads to Emily and Patrick McCarthy’s 1980s ranch house in Savannah, GA, it’s hard not to notice the front door. Painted a fiesta-ready orange red (Piñata by Benjamin Moore), it’s an unsubtle hint that what’s inside this home near the saltwater marshes isn’t going to be typical. While Patrick’s born-and-bred-in-Savannah style is pretty much in sync with what’s popular locally — “He’s more straightlaced than I am,” says Emily—she gravitates toward bold decor and was determined to bring some va-va-voom to the 2,700-square-foot house.

To ensure her fun-loving exuberance and Patrick’s buttoned-up traditionalism wouldn’t turn into clashing chaos, she teamed with designer Kathryn Myrick to create a cohesive look out of family heirlooms, eclectic accessories, and break-the-rules pattern mixing. But Emily admits it wasn’t always easy going. “I had to tone down the animal prints,” she says. “It’s a compromise, but that’s what marriage is all about.”

An oak console table from Patrick’s family got Emily’s approval with the addition of a custom linen skirt. “It wasn’t our style,” she says, “but he wanted to hang on to it.” The flax-color linen skirt trimmed with crisp white twill tape keeps it classic. She paired it with a gold pineapple lamp from HomeGoods, a vintage tureen turned planter, and a sunburst mirror from local shop Clutter. The black-and-white rug is from One Kings Lane.  Quirky: A ceiling light with a patterned drum shade

In what Emily dubs the preppy safari room, a pair of 1960s brass giraffes mingle with a microsuede sofa and a hand-me-down chair with a shamrock green linen slipcover. The one-of-a-kind coffee table was fashioned from a metal base Emily unearthed at a vintage shop and a poplar and sapele mahogany top crafted by Patrick and his dad. The black-and-white pillows are from Marimekko, and the palm leaf–patterned ones are from Society Social. Quirky: Art in assorted sizes and frames arranged in a random configuration. Classic: Identical Asian end tables flanking the sofa