by Andrea Nordstrom Caughey
photographs by Dustin and Susie Peck
styling by Ashley Hotham Cox
More than just a pretty face, this well-thought-out townhome delivers a low-maintenance design for a “lock-and-leave” lifestyle. Homeowners and empty nesters Lisa and Phillip Cope longed to travel at this life stage, but also entertain and relax at home.
“After living and raising our family in an older Foxcroft home for 25 years, we were ready for a slightly smaller, new and fresh place,” says Lisa Cope. “As empty nesters, having spaces that exude a calm and welcoming vibe was our goal.”
Hadley Quisenberry at The Perch Collective was flagged to balance both aesthetics and efficiencies, all draped in relaxing blue tones and textures. Quisenberry had previously worked with the Copes at their longtime family home.
“The Copes and I agree that blue is the most soothing hue, especially when layered with textured neutrals, so we have always let these principles lead the way for our collaborations,” she says.
“As empty nesters, having spaces that exude a calm and welcoming vibe was our goal.”
“As this was a move down, we spent significant time inventorying pieces they wanted to keep, especially those with sentimental value,” Quisenberry explains. “Also, Lisa and Phillip have collected beautiful and meaningful art, from commissioned landscapes of beloved places to securing works from artist friends that needed to fold into the mix. These palettes helped drive design for many of the spaces.”
Great storage was essential, says Cope, who worked with both Quisenberry and Design Loft Cabinets in adapting to the more compact square footage. An avid entertainer, Cope credits Design Loft with creating customized drawers for kitchen utensils and stacked silverware storage.
“I think my favorite storage is the coffee cabinet where, when we’re not using it, we can keep the coffee maker, cups, condiments, pods and even things like protein powders all tucked away,” says Cope. “And since the bar area is right near the back door to the garage, we made the left tall cabinet essentially a cubby with a hook for my purse, raincoat, etc.”
The laundry room also offered efficiencies, she adds. “In the tall cabinets opposite the washer/dryer, we added pull out drawers in the lower sections to make accessing items easy.”
Quisenberry added additional capacity in freestanding pieces, including a custom foyer cabinet by Aronson Woodworks. Beyond storage, other conveniences made this home hassle-free as well, she says.
“For example, in the kitchen we opted for Lee Industries bench seating for a relaxed feel, and then upholstered them in a wipeable vegan leather for low maintenance.”
Drawing from the past offered cues for the future, Quisenberry says.
“The powder [room] wallpaper is a classic Schumacher pattern that we utilized in a different color, texture and room type than in their previous house. Lisa and I agreed it would be a fun nod to the past to incorporate a fresh take of the favorite style in their new space.”
Quisenberry says her goal always is to create timeless designs for her clients, with a few unexpected and one-of-a-kind touches.
“That was especially important in this case so that the clients can spend their time traveling and enjoying their community instead of revisiting décor.” SP
