Mother/Daughter Decorating

One style's laid-back, the other is dressed up, but both of these homes are filled with ideas. Take a tour of each in HGTV Magazine.

By: Sarah Bernard

From: HGTV Magazine

Related To:

Shop This Look

Photo By: Zach Desart

All in the Family

Just because you grow up with a designing mom doesn't mean your taste will be like hers when you decorate your own home. Designer Haskell Harris lives in a 700-square-foot cottage in Charleston, S.C., that's relaxed and pared down, with a black-and-white color scheme and natural materials. Her mom, Lou, an interior designer in Martinsville, Va., prefers the opposite: Her traditional home is full of rich colors, classic furniture and fine antiques. Check out both houses and see how this mother/daughter duo differ.

From: HGTV Magazine

Mom: Bedroom

Bed: A carved mahogany four-poster, king-sized frame. Sheets: Fine white embroidered linens and cutwork shams. "I often put a big Sunbrella coverlet over them because my two Portuguese water dogs are always up there," says Lou. Side table: A concave, polished mahogany nightstand with a china dish to hold jewelry. Lamp: A brass swing-arm lamp with a silk pleated shade. Wall: Periwinkle linen wallpaper and a gallery of family photos, sketches and a Mother's Day letter from her youngest daughter.

From: HGTV Magazine

Daughter: Bedroom

Bed: Full-sized headboard upholstered with white Sunbrella fabric, and a beach sarong on top. "It's the easiest way to change the look of a headboard without any time or reupholstering," says Haskell. Sheets: A mix of five black-and-white patterns. Side table: An antique bamboo drawerless one that Haskell found at her mother's house, with a seashell dish for jewelry. Lamp: A white zinc base with a burlap shade. Wall: Swiss Coffee by Behr, above the V-groove paneling on the lower portion.

From: HGTV Magazine

Mom: Siting Room

Chair: A tufted-back club chair with kick pleat skirt. "It's covered in sand-colored polyester linen, which has the tailored look of regular linen but is more durable," says Lou. Rug: An antique Heriz wool rug made from vegetable dyes. Curtains: Fabric-trimmed drapes made of the same polyester linen as the chair. Side table: Antique wood with a marble inset. Lamp: An antique oak candlestick base with a vintage split-bamboo shade. Wall: Tuscan Red by Benjamin Moore, above the white wainscoting. "This is a big room, and I thought a dark red would warm it up," says Lou.

From: HGTV Magazine

Daughter: Siting Room

Chair: A wingback upholstered in a large black-and-white floral pattern from Duralee. "I found the chair duct-taped together in my mom's garage," says Haskell. "It had belonged to my grandma, and I loved the style." Rug: Spotted cowhide in an uneven shape from shopsocietysocial.com. Curtains: None! She also did without a bookshelf. "Stacks of books are less stuffy," says Haskell. Table: An antique pine chest with a glass Pottery Barn cylinder vase holding magnolia branches from the yard. Lamp: Vintage brass base with a black drum shade from IKEA. Wall: Swiss Coffee by Behr, above the paneling. On it: A framed poem by her high school English teacher, a sketch of a textile pattern, and a small sunburst mirror.

From: HGTV Magazine

Mom: Display Case

Hutch: A 12-inch-deep satinwood Hepplewhite cabinet with a glossy finish and rounded fretwork on the glass doors. Inside: Moire silk. "It not only shows off my hand-painted dishes, but it also keeps them from rattling," says Lou. Porcelain fruit and vegetable pieces by Alabama artist Mary Kirk Kelly line the shelves; Lou's been collecting her work since the '80s. Wall: Silver Dollar by Benjamin Moore.

From: HGTV Magazine

Daughter: Display Case

Hutch: A hand-me-down pine cabinet spray-painted with black chalkboard paint (by Krylon). Inside: Minty green paint (Moss by Valspar) in a flat finish. Haskell displays a blend of square and round pieces, IKEA dishes, and mixed metal vintage finds. "My mom can't stand that I let the metals tarnish, but to me, those imperfections look cool and beautiful," she says. Wall: Swiss Coffee by Behr, above the paneling.

From: HGTV Magazine

Mom: Dining Area

Furniture: A 42-inch-by-106-inch piece of tempered glass on top of scrolled concrete bases from Hooker Furniture. "I needed a table for 12 or more and couldn't find one I liked, so I had one made," says Lou. The chairs are lattice-back wicker from Lane Venture topped with blue Sunbrella cushions. Floor: Brick laid in a herringbone pattern, plus an outdoor sisal rug. Accessories: Blue-rimmed glassware and, as a centerpiece, a porcelain Chinese footbath filled with pots of butter lettuce.

From: HGTV Magazine

Daughter: Dining Area

Furniture: White metal picnic table and benches from IKEA. "Benches have a more relaxed vibe for groups than chairs," says Haskell. Floor: Salvaged brick in a traditional pattern, with moss growing between some. Accessories: A table runner Haskell made herself by painting a canvas drop cloth with exterior paint. "I threw the whole thing in the wash to mute the colors, then let it dry outside," she says. The sea-grass-covered pitcher and glasses are from World Market, and the pillow is by Cotton & Flax.

From: HGTV Magazine

Mother/Daughter Decorating

Related To:

Shop This Look

All in the Family

Mom: Bedroom

Daughter: Bedroom

Mom: Siting Room

Daughter: Siting Room

Mom: Display Case

Daughter: Display Case

Mom: Dining Area

Daughter: Dining Area

More from:

Mother's Day

Quick Holiday Decorating 19 Photos

Family-Friendly Home Decorating Ideas 5 Photos

65+ Bedroom Decorating Ideas From HGTV Magazine 70 Photos

7 Chic Sofa Looks From HGTV Magazine Editors 7 Photos

Decorating for the Holidays Around the House

Decorating Therapy 12 Photos

Related Pages