Text by Katie Ellis
Seated in the Green Hills area of Nashville, Tennessee, this Southern charmer received a fresh zest for life—packed with color, comfort, and loads of sentimental heirloom pieces—thanks to interior designer Anna Lattimore. “When we started this [design refresh], their youngest was about to graduate high school, so they really wanted to invest in the house and make it exactly what they wanted,” Anna says of the homeowners. “We’ve been calling it the ‘empty nest prescription.’”
One of the key elements in Anna’s design process is to incorporate a blend of old and new pieces, so when she meets with clients, she likes to take inventory of any special heirlooms or antiques to integrate into the updated floor plan. “We may end up moving them around, which is what we did in this house,” Anna says. “I really do think using old things gives a project a lot of personality. You cannot go out and replicate this at a big-box store.” The outcome is a home steeped in traditional design motifs that feel collected and cozy.
Entering through the front door, guests are greeted by a charming alcove addition. Anna took a blank wall and turned it into a reading nook that also provides smart storage with bookcases and a pull-out drawer. Antique lighting, like the delicate sconce in the entry, was added in nearly every room throughout the home. “[The client and I] both love antiques, and we both love making things look cozy and aged,” she says.
To the left of the entry, a once unassuming dining area now commands attention thanks to the striking wallpaper by The House of Scalamandré and the painted ceiling, trim, and paneling beneath the chair rail. “Prior to this [renovation], she could never quite make it appealing and inviting and warm,” Anna says of her client. “She felt like they weren’t using it, and they now love having people over for dinner parties.” Anchored between the exquisite new wall treatments, the dining table is surrounded by the homeowner’s grandmother’s chairs, reupholstered for a fresh look, and a china cabinet that thoughtfully showcases a collection of blue glassware and timeless pewter pieces. “A lot of the fun was using so many of the gorgeous things [the homeowners] already owned,” Anna says. “That’s hugely important in the South . . . [My client has] done a good job of holding on to the things that are sentimental!”
![Anna and her client opted for sill-length window treatments in the dining room. “It’s old-fashioned, but in this setting, it’s really great,” Anna says, adding that their decision for a shorter length was influenced in part by the family’s Maltese dog, Buster. “This [room] looks out to the front of the house, and their Maltese is constantly perched in that front window, so we made the drapes sill-length for him.” The white sideboard is old but was purchased new to the homeowners. Anna says they needed something painted to break up the brown furniture in the space. “We found that [piece] at an antiques store in Nashville and just thought it looked perfect there,” she says.](https://thecottagejournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/Anna-Lattimore-Nashville-26_OTR.jpg)
Just beyond the living room is a pine cabinet layered with majolica that doubles as a serving station and leads into the kitchen. Although the homeowners renovated the kitchen years ago when they first moved into the home, Anna was able to make some subtle updates to best fit their current lifestyle as empty nesters. “We took out a [built-in] desk that was not really used and added a beverage center using the same cabinetmaker who originally did the kitchen,” she says, noting the homeowners are coffee enthusiasts. The serving area holds a stone sink and beverage fridge as well as marble countertops that handsomely contrast the soapstone counters on the island and surrounding surfaces.
The chunky cabinet knobs and shiplap detail above the subway tile over the cooktop add a touch of farmhouse flair to this custom kitchen. Meanwhile, the vintage décor, including a collection of canisters, a copper tea kettle, and a unique light fixture that was fabricated from an old manufacturing factory form, introduces loads of cottage charm.
The eat-in dining area is anchored by a red-painted cabinet the family has had for ages. “It’s from the early 1900s, and we think it might have been designed for a store,” Anna says of the hutch. “It’s huge!” The updated kitchen pairs beautifully with the antique furnishings, which Anna attributes in part to the choices in paint color. “We went softer—the cabinets are creamier, and we used historic colors,” she says. “And [the vintage lighting] gives the whole house a lot of age and a nice sense of place, which is hard to achieve. Half the battle is having the right mood and the sense that it’s been there forever.”
In the back of the house awaits the family game room, which was a major part of the empty nest renovation—creating a space that felt comfortable and inviting for the homeowners’ adult children to come and enjoy. What started with plain white walls is now a room drenched in gorgeous navy blue that extends throughout the trim work and up into the coffered ceiling. “[The homeowners] wanted to take some risks with color,” Anna says, sharing that while there was some initial hesitation about the deep blue color choice, one of the couple’s sons convinced them to go for it. “In fact, [my client] told me that the things that felt the most risky to her are now her favorites [in the house].” All the furnishings are durable for both pets and family activities. “It’s definitely a room to come put your feet up and relax. It’s smart and beautiful,” Anna adds.
The powder room was once rarely used; in fact, Anna says, “they always directed people to another bathroom.” But with vibrant purple geometric wallpaper, an updated vanity, and fresh hardware, the stylish powder room now visually connects to the lively colorway in the adjacent game room and feels both functional and fun. “[The client] was terrified of that [wallpaper], and it’s now one of her favorite things,” Anna says. In a small space, it’s always the details that truly shine, she says, noting the repurposed vintage sconces with new shades custom-made to work with the wallpaper.
Upstairs, the primary bedroom boasts another thoughtful blend of old and new. The green velvet headboard and Ferrick Mason floral print fabric on the shams were the starting points for updating this tranquil retreat. The adjoining sitting room is anchored by the same rug design as in the bedroom, which helps to visually tie the spaces together.
Thanks to a smattering of antiques and heirloom pieces, the rooms feel fresh and contemporary without feeling brand-new. “I love that we got to mix old and new,” Anna says. “That’s my favorite thing to do as a designer; it’s like working a puzzle. You get the functionality of the new things, and then bringing in old things that are worth reusing gives the spaces a lot of character that has value beyond their function.”
