I was thrilled to be invited to the 2024 House Beautiful Whole Home showhouse in Asheville, North Carolina. This year we had the honor of transforming a room tucked at the bottom of the central stairwell of a brand new vacation home into the Zelda Fitzgerald lounge.
We cannot talk about this special project without first acknowledging the unprecedented devastation caused to Western North Carolina in the wake of Hurricane Helene. Hundreds of people lost their lives and many, many more lost their homes and belongings. Originally, ticket sales for the open house were set to benefit the Habitat for Humanity of Henderson County. Even though the house will no longer be open to the public, we want to encourage you to contribute to this wonderful organization as we know the rebuilding efforts will take years. Now, follow along as we walk you through our beautiful space from concept to completion.
When seeking the direction for the design of a project, I often look to history. Given the blank slate of a showhouse, I sought the depths of historical narrative rooted in Asheville, North Carolina – the site of this year’s House Beautiful showhouse. I became captivated by the wife of famed author F. Scott Fitzgerald, Zelda Fitzgerald. An artist, writer and socialite, her globetrotting lifestyle during the height of the Jazz Age led to her mental turn which landed her in Asheville, a city known as a destination for its natural beauty and healing.
The Zelda Fitzgerald lounge is found as you enter the lower level of the home serving as the epicenter of gathering and relaxation. This social space is framed by a large cased opening and a modern sliding door connecting to an outdoor covered patio. A hidden dry bar is tucked into the closet niche allowing for patio service and easy access for entertaining. To encourage feelings of warmth in this pass-through space, we incorporated a custom, free-floating daybed with built-in bookshelves. This design element enhances the room’s coziness while also offering flexibility, serving as both a comfortable seat for enjoying a gin cocktail over an intense game of mahjong, a relaxed reading session or as a practical solution for hosting a last minute overnight guest.
Carrying notable nature themes, ceiling, walls, window treatments, and furnishings are adorned with modern reinterpretations of historic Morris & Co. textiles. Bringing the feel of the Pisgah National Forest indoors, these selections serve as a reminder of the vibrant natural landscape as well as the eclectic mountain community and Zelda’s free spirit.
Accentuated by a gallery of paintings, watercolors, prints and photographs, we sought to create visual interest as well as honor Zelda’s dynamic history, artistic eye and world travels. The many layers add to the healing and cozy atmosphere of a well aged room reflective of the unrestrained globetrotting lifestyle shared alongside her famous husband.
The star of the show is the modern mixed media Zelda Fitzgerald piece commissioned by Clarence Deaton. Each component is unique and created to tell a story – the daisies a nod to The Great Gatsby and the magnolias being the flower of Zelda’s home state, our team sought to honor Zelda in every design decision.
We cannot thank the team at House Beautiful enough for including us in this special project!
A SPECIAL THANK YOU to everyone who helped bring our design to life!
SPONSORS:
Visual Comfort, Morris & Co, Harlequin, Fabricut, Fibreworks, Serena & Lily, Sanderson, Zoffany, Minted, Trend
PARTNERS:
Odette, The Mahjong Line, Sarreid LTD, Villa & House, Clarence Deaton Art, Turkish Carpets INC
Find our room on the COVER of the latest issue of House Beautiful–on stands now!
