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Whole House Interior Design 2021 Winner

The homeowners of this well-kept 1960s jewel desired an open-concept home with a modern farmhouse flair. The result won the 2021 Design Award for Whole House Design.

by Tessa Cooper

Jun 2021

Whole house design awards winner for 2021

Photo by Starboard and PortStacy Knauer of AVANT Interiors and Adrian Rhoads Design & Construction blended modern and classic styles to renovate this 1960s ranch-style home.

WINNING DESIGNER: Stacy Knauer of AVANT Interiors and Adrian Rhoads of Rhoads Design & Construction

Project Goal Summary

The homeowners of this well-kept 1960s jewel desired an open-concept home with a modern farmhouse flair.

Countless interior designers and builders have already mastered the modern-meets-farmhouse look. However, achieving this look in a 1960s ranch was a challenge Stacy Knauer of AVANT Interiors and Adrian Rhoads of Rhoads Design & Construction were excited to take on.

Originally, the floor plan was not ideal for welcoming guests, who had to enter through the mudroom. Now, this home makes a grand first impression from the revised front entry location. A welcoming foyer with a custom wood table, the living room and dining area are all within eyeshot from the front door.

The clients already owned the heavy beam material the design team used to construct the foyer table. “They had the design idea for [that piece],” Rhoads says. “Between us, our cabinet shop, the painter, the owner and the interior designer––that piece––as simple as it is sitting there, was a collaboration between everybody. When I see it, I remember everybody working together.”

The living room features original exposed brick and structural steel pillars, which didn’t match the aesthetic the homeowners wanted to achieve. Rhoads and Knauer designed and implemented workarounds: They painted the brick around the fireplace and applied mortar to the brick in other spots to give it an aged look. The steel columns now have a wood cover that blends in with the rest of the home.

Interior living room from Whole House Design Awards 2021 winner

Photos by Starboard and PortThe main living space captures what the design team was aiming for with natural light blending with soft, light interiors and detailed brickwork.

Interior bedroom photo from 2021 Whole House Designer winner

Photos by Starboard and PortMonochrome colors help to create a sense of space and offset the low ceilings throughout the property.

Whole House Design 2021 winner living space

Photos by Starboard and PortPaler tones are offset with deep, bold dark tones to create a rich and eye-catching cooking space dappled with streams of natural light pouring in from expansive windows.

Wood touches run throughout nearly every room. Although the flooring in most rooms looks like natural hardwood, it’s a pet-friendly tile alternative. The home initially had solid mahogany vertical wood paneling in several areas. The design team repurposed the wood by applying it horizontally in the foyer, mudroom and primary bedroom and topping it off with a fresh coat of paint. A monochromatic color scheme keeps it from feeling cramped despite the low ceilings. However, the existing structure did allow Rhoads to raise the ceilings in the kitchen. Knauer helped select fixtures that better followed the ceiling’s slope.

“When our client is walking through the home, those details add a level of richness and a feel to the home that quite frankly is indescribable most of the time,” Rhoads says. “You don’t understand why it feels good, but it does.” The home features four bedrooms and four bathrooms. Although the owners primary bathroom remained in its existing location, it did require some reconfiguration. By centering the tub with the original restored window, they created a more functional space. Every room includes nods to surrounding natural elements. Sunlight now flows through the gallery hall, main living room and kitchen thanks to large windows that allow for a picture-perfect view of the property’s pond.

“The owners have such an incredible relationship,” Knauer says. “Helping them through design decisions felt more like I was getting to know them better. One of the greatest gifts of getting to be a designer is the amazing people you meet on the journey and discovering who they are and then showing them how to reflect that in their home. This home is the perfect example of an environment with a beautiful sense of place with copious amounts of soul and meaning.”