Sheer curtains, warm gray sofas, and an ash coffee table with a suede ottoman create layers of texture.
The beauty of new construction lies in the chance to create a home that’s distinctly your own. For clients of Nashville designer Brad Ramsey, that meant balancing the edgy lines of a modern five-bedroom house in the Green Hills neighborhood with a relaxed, inviting interior for their family of five.
Cambria design shown: Inverness Frost™
Long before launching his firm, Ramsey enjoyed exploring new construction as a teenager. He’s developed his design practice around getting to know each homeowner and collaborating with them to create rooms that reflect how they live.
“The wife was not into rich tones, so we pulled in a lot of neutrals, then really leaned into texture because a space can get boring if it’s just all neutral,” says Ramsey. He mixed in wood, suede, stone, and other natural materials, and incorporated curved lines and rounded shapes to create a sense of flow and calm.
In the living room, oatmeal-colored sheer curtains, warm gray sofas, and an ash coffee table with a beige suede bumper temper floor-to-ceiling windows with black metal framing. A fireplace wall made of limestone reinforces the organic vibe. Since there was no empty space to hang artwork, Ramsey framed the television in white oak, elevating it from screen to design element. The same wood species and stain color runs throughout the first floor.
The plaster range hood brings in texture, and the arch breaks up the square cabinetry. Built-in shelves, a table lamp, and a framed print add warmth. Cambria design shown: Inverness Frost
At first glance, the kitchen may seem pared-back, but a closer look reveals thoughtful nuance. Custom white oak cabinetry blends with the floors for a cohesive backdrop. Glass-front cabinet doors provide a visual break from the expanses of wood and define a small entertaining area. Black cabinet hardware and metal light pendants nod to the home’s contemporary architecture, while the polished nickel faucet provides what Ramsey calls a “softening moment.” As a rule, he limits each room to no more than two metal finishes.
Cambria’s Inverness Frost quartz design tops the counters. Ramsey says, “They didn’t want their main gathering space to have something too precious they’d worry about with three kiddos or entertaining. [Cambria] has beautiful subtlety with all the performance of quartz.”
On the screened porch, a coffee table resembling petrified wood (though its base is fiberglass) reinforces the home’s organic aesthetic.
Like the kitchen, the laundry room has a vintage rug. “It’s a little history, so it doesn’t all feel like it’s brand new,” says Ramsey. Cambria design shown: Beckington™
The screened porch offers another gathering spot for family and friends, where a hanging chair provides a playful counterpoint to a striking coffee table. In the laundry room, black slate tiles laid in a herringbone pattern keep the space from feeling utilitarian. Cambria’s Beckington quartz countertop, says Ramsey, “is a really pretty, soft grayish neutral and its depth of tone works well with the floors.” Once again, the home’s neutrals prove that understated doesn’t have to mean unremarkable.
