This Luxe Townhome Features a Design Team's Best Decor Tips

Designers Carter Kay and Nancy Hooff of Carter Kay Interiors applied an innovative and layered approach to this 4,600-square-foot townhome in Atlanta, whose owners wanted to live within walking distance of restaurants and shopping. "We have been neighbors and friends for years, and we have worked together on five Atlanta homes and two in Colorado," Kay says. "We really do appreciate each other's ideas." The homeowners' main goal for this space involved incorporating their favorite pieces in new arrangements, which the designers executed throughout the 3-bedroom, 4.5-bath townhome. "We flipped it all around!" Kay says.

"Color blocking using the countertops as the horizon line brings calm to this riotous combination of paint and marble," Kay says of the kitchen. She also suggests keeping exposed dishes and accessories in a consistent color palette. A custom hood seamlessly blends into the color scheme, while the red stove knobs add a fun, unexpected use of color. Just as color blocking provides a calming balance, so do modern lines, as evidenced by this sleek counter stool from Design Within Reach and minimalist hardware from Matthew Quinn.

Speaking of lines, "Texture and color combined with horizontal, vertical and random lines keep the dance alive," Kay says. Lined marble is one way to bring more visual interest to a room when adhering to a neutral color scheme. Even though many of the design elements are white, the overall result is anything but boring.

Kay notes how the pantry doors allow the homeowners to hide large appliances, along with dishware and kitchen gadgets. For items that can't be hidden, consider organizing similar objects together, like these trays above the dual Wolf ovens.