Pattern Rules in This Fun North Carolina Renovation

Take a tour of a home defined by a young couple's mash-up of old and new.

By: Jeanine Hays and Bryan Mason

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A New Beginning

A home is more than just a house; it holds our memories. So when North Carolina couple, TaLaya Brown and Kerrick Faulkner inherited the house that once belonged to Faulkner’s grandparents, it was a chance to draw from the past while looking ahead to the future. With rescue dog Honey in tow for good luck, the two set out to make a new home out of an old house.

An Eclectic Entryway

For Kerrick, this home is filled with memories. As a child, when it was a second home for him, and this entryway would be the first thing he’d see coming into the house and the last thing he’d encounter as he left. Now, with TaLaya’s help, the couple has brought new life to the small space. Light gray paint gives the entry an airy and relaxing feel, while a floating credenza adds storage as well as style. The entryway also serves as the starting point for the home’s love affair with African fabrics and patterns, a story told several times throughout the house. The drapes and rug are both designed in the Malian bogolanfini or mud cloth tradition, while the planter displays an ikat pattern similar to those seen in Indonesia or along the Ivory Coast.

Cool Contrast of Black and White

In the bedroom, the home's neutral color palette gets a dramatic and moody twist with a black feature wall. The juxtaposition of black wall and white bedspread is mirrored in the patterned rug on the floor. Mud cloth patterned textiles, woven baskets and the repeated use of color, pattern and texture throughout lends cohesion and a unique, personal flair to this home.

Weaving a Design Story

Why bother with a rug when the warm tone of the hardwood floors are one of the homeowners' favorite features? The pattern and color mix continues with a funky woven basket to hold a plant and a graphic credenza with a stunning diamond pattern engraved into the wood.

Small but Stylish Dining

The rug in this tidy dining room is the absolute star of the space. The mud cloth pattern seen throughout this home is repeated on the small planter at the center of the table. On the wall, a set of floating shelves highlight a curated selection of decorative objects. The divided colors of the shelves mirror the bifurcated tones of the wall itself, for an even more eye-catching moment.

Color Tells the Story

Just past the subdued tones of the entryway, the living room explodes with wonderful pops of bold color and more delightful patterns. Colorful pillows on the sofa playfully reiterate the vibrant tones of the vintage kilim rug. Also, on the sofa, one of the room’s few touches of black, a mud cloth textile draped decoratively over the back brings an added dimension of pattern and hue to the space.

A Warm and Welcoming Family Room

This family room features a bold mix of African textiles and an orderly, comfortable mood. The rug in this room is Moroccan, and the storage console is filled with woven baskets, to keep clutter in check. A mix of family photos and wall art decor lend a personal touch.

The Surprise of Color

Color has even more impact when it's used sparingly as in these tangerine and raspberry throw pillows that bring attitude to the neutral palette of this living room.

A Well-Patterned Hallway

Throughout their home, TaLaya and Kerrick have used repetition in pattern and texture to lend design continuity to their space. Mud cloth and indigo textiles hang in this hallway, adding a bold dose of color and pattern.

An Expansive Kitchen

The kitchen is one of the home’s larger spaces and TaLaya and Kerrick took full advantage of the opportunity that afforded. A striped rug stands out against the modern, black cabinetry and plants are sprinkled throughout the kitchen for a touch of greenery. For a modern touch, white subway tile with gray grout creates a stunning kitchen backsplash.

Wood Works

A black and white color palette plays out in different ways throughout this kitchen, from the black cabinetry to the mottled black and white of the countertop to the white brick tile of the walls. Floating shelves are used here to great effect offering both storage and a curated design moment.

Natural Elements

TaLaya and Kerrick found their 1500 square foot home to be a storage challenge. This living room features one of TaLaya’s most creative solutions: a large wooden armoire. Woven cane gives the piece a handmade look that is beautifully complemented by the other woven elements in the space. Of particular interest is the patterned basket that ties together the colors of the rug and pillows in the room. The brass stool and accessories deepen the layers of metallic color in the space.

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Photo By: TaLaya Brown