A Contrast of Glamorous & Classic Elements

Name: Cinda & Mark Boomershine
Location: Atlanta, Georgia
Size: 3 Bedroom, 2.5 Bath
Years lived in: 7 years

An architecturally traditional home filled with bright color and bold contemporary art is just the first of many contrasts that make up Cinda and Mark’s style. Their embrace of design dichotomies works beautifully, thanks to a happy meeting of the minds between a designer (Cinda is the brains behind cinda b bags) and a fine artist (Mark‘s canvases can be spied throughout the home).

Cinda is the daughter of an architect father and a kitchen designer mother, making a case that an eye for design can be inherited (or at the very least nurtured!). The big bold statements in the decor here work because they are fearless – the confidence to go with a David Hicks patterned stair runner in your formal entryway or a bright turquoise in the dining room is infectious. This is an inspired and inspiring home – don’t you feel like doing something just a tiny bit adventurous in your place now?

My Style: Our style is one of contrasts — playful yet bold, glamorous yet bohemian, luxurious yet thrifty, modern yet classic.

Inspiration: We are mostly inspired by our travels. Mark likes to say that we are like bees collecting design pollen while we travel and bringing the pollen home to our hive. Specifically we pulled inspiration from Villa d’Este on Lake Como in Italy, St. Barths and St Tropez. We also find a great deal of inspiration in vintage design books, magazines and movies. We are drawn to 1970’s publications featuring Palm Beach and California as well as French and Italian films circa 1960.

Favorite Element: We have filled our home with items we love and cherish from our travels around the world, our grandparents attics and tons of estate sales and thrift stores around town. But our very favorite element of our home has to be its bones. We were first drawn to the exterior of the house because of its red tile roof and Mediterranean styling. But it was the interior bones that sealed the deal. The house is small yet grand with high ceilings, large scale rooms and a wonderful flow that we have found to be perfect for entertaining. The house was incredibly run down and needed almost a year of restoration and renovation before we could move in, but we knew immediately that it was a diamond in the rough that needed our love and care.

Biggest Challenge: Our biggest challenge was (and still is) budgeting and prioritizing everything we want and need to do. Since the house was in such disrepair when we bought it, we had to invest in all the unsexy, unseen stuff first like new plumbing, electrical, HVAC and drainage. Every year we tackle one unsexy, boring maintenance project and one sexy fun design project. This year we are doing roof repair (not so fun) and finally finishing the master bath renovation we started when we bought the house (lots more fun).

What Friends Say: When we first bought the house, our friends said “You are crazy” because it needed so much work. Some people were more polite and just didn’t say anything. But now we hear two things “Your home is so very you” and “Wow, it doesn’t feel like we are in Atlanta anymore.” We take both as compliments.

Biggest Embarrassment: Without a doubt, our biggest embarrassment is our unfinished and overfull basement that we refer to as “The Pit of Despair.”

Proudest DIY: When we purchased our home, our library/family room was paneled in rich wood. It was beautiful but it made the room dark and gave it a very formal feel. To make the room lighter, brighter and more youthful, we whitewashed all the paneling and then added a pearlescent wash on top of that to give it an unexpected subtle shimmer. It took us three long days to complete but the finished effect is wonderful. It was definitely a project where Mark’s skills as a professional artist came in handy.

Biggest Indulgence: The custom David Hicks stair runner was definitely a big indulgence for us. It is such a strong central design element that you see upon entering our home. It sets the tone for our home as its modern geometric design contrasts the traditional bones of the house perfectly. It is a great testament to Mr. Hick’s design genius.

Best Advice: Be fearless, collect what you love and get thrifty. We spent the bulk of our budget on our actual house and the improvements that are difficult to change in the future (like nice countertops, HVAC, etc). Then we got thrifty on just about everything else. Getting thrifty requires a creative vision and courage. Many of our favorite pieces started out as thrift store rejects that we thought had potential. They just needed some love or as we like to say, they needed to be “Boomerized”. We view our home as our design laboratory where we try out new things. Sometimes our experiments work better than others, but we always have fun trying and the finished effect is totally unique and surprisingly affordable.

Dream Sources: Well if we are talking dreams sources then here you go… For amazing home accessories, linen and furniture, it is hard to top the Place des Lices Market and the stores in St. Tropez. For some fantastically retro, over the top vintage pieces that are a bit closer to home, head to Palm Beach, Florida. Antique Row in West Palm Beach is great for signature pieces with pedigree. But we have had better luck at Circa Who and True Treasure Antiques which are both a bit north of Antique Row. But honestly, our dream source is a good estate sale. That is where we truly find the best, most unique and fabulous things at unbeatable prices. Just be sure to get there early to be the first in the house and take a friend with you to help haul your loot should you hit the jackpot.

Kitchen:
Cabinets: Pratt & Lambert Field Gray #2300 in high gloss marine enamel
Trim: Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee OC – 45 in high gloss
Ceiling: Benjamin Moore Ashwood OC — 47 in flat

Breakfast room:
Window trims: Pratt & Lambert Field Grey #2300 high gloss
Base and crown: Benjamin Moore Swiss Coffee # OC-45 high glossWalls: F. Schumacher Chenonceau wallpaper in Charcoal

• Abstract Woman painting purchased at Circa Who in West Palm Beach, Fl.
• Abstract painting from garage sale
• Furniture all from estate sales in Atlanta

Thanks, Cinda & Mark!

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