Text by Bethany Adams
While interior designer Sarah Moore of Sarah Catherine Design is used to working with a wide range of clients, being asked to help her childhood friend update a 1940s cottage into a livable home for her young family was an exciting prospect. “It was really fun to jump in and work on that project for a close friend,” she says, explaining that she already had an understanding of homeowner Mary Lynn Shadix’s style. “That made it really fun and made the process really smooth.”
When Mary Lynn and her husband, David, purchased the home in 2017, they knew it would need a few significant updates to make it work for their growing family—so, with the help of Mary Lynn’s father, they gutted it to the studs and started fresh. With Sarah weighing in on decisions such as paint colors and finishes, the home soon became the perfect backdrop for a look that speaks to Mary Lynn’s upbringing.
Referring to her father’s background in antiques, Mary Lynn notes, “He’s a big collector—to my benefit.” One of four sisters, she grew up visiting auctions and antiques stores, and the aesthetic stuck. “It just became the style that we were used to and grew up around,” she says. “And so now, of course, that’s where my natural taste lies.”
Combined with a French lineage on her mother’s side, the affinity for aged pieces leans European, as evidenced in the graceful lines and feminine details found in many of the home’s furnishings. And while they were working with a number of true antiques, Sarah was careful to guide the design in a direction that feels natural and comfortable, opting for neutral paint colors and the occasional contemporary detail for balance.
That goal was applied in the kitchen to charming effect, ensuring the updated floor plan and modern amenities flowed seamlessly with the traditional elements that reflect the homeowners’ style. Sarah notes the goal was to “lighten everything up” with a neutral palette and brass hardware to counter the room’s compact footprint. Made from Alabama white marble, the tile of the backsplash was cut from tabletops salvaged from a local American Legion Post, and the café curtain on the window disguises the view of the carport without blocking the natural light.
Connected to the kitchen, the family room was a fun request, as David wanted the space to be more playful than the other areas in the home. As the couple didn’t want to replace the terra-cotta floor tile, Sarah found a rug that complemented the shade while tying in the refreshing blues of the sectional and rattan ottoman. “I would say the goal there was to kind of merge that grandmillennial, French antique style with a modern-day family who really does have real kids and dogs,” Sarah says, noting the use of more performance-based materials over silks or velvets.
When the French doors are opened, the space spills out onto the patio at the back of the house, fulfilling a desire the couple had for the design. “We have a big family, so we knew we wanted to make [the outdoor] space function almost like an extension of the house,” Mary Lynn says. Arranged around a cypress table built by her dad, green bistro chairs mimic those famously found around Paris, and a brick fireplace serves as the anchor to an alfresco living room, complete with umbrellas to provide shade in the warmer months.
Just as in the rest of the home, the space marries the comforts and convenience of the modern age with the elevated charm of antique style, ensuring that each alluring space is ready for use by every member of this growing family. And surrounded by so many beautiful spaces, it’s likely that the Shadixes’ children will grow up with the same appreciation for antiques as the generations that came before.
