A Designer Spices Up a Black and White Palette With Pops of Warm, Saturated Colors and Striking Art and Objects
Designer Marie Cloud of Indigo Pruitt Design Studio always starts her projects with the why, asking her clients what home means to them. From there, she comes up with a strategy for shaping a space that reflects that vision to intentionally furnish rather than just fill a house. That’s precisely what she did at this home: She turned what was basically a blank slate into a warm, welcoming haven perfect for the family of two that lives there.
Prior to starting on the project, the home wasn’t in disrepair — the rooms just needed personality and purpose. “The home didn’t really have any decorative features,” says Cloud. “The walls were the standard off-white and even a weird baby blue in a few rooms — very bizarre. There was furniture but only from a functional standpoint… nothing eye-catching.” Certain areas of the home weren’t really being used for anything so they became catch-alls for random items. The whole space needed an overhaul, and Cloud was up for the challenge.
To kick things off, Cloud sat down with her client, a doctor raising a five-year-old. “She wanted a space that felt like home and that was mature and inspiring,” says Cloud. “From the moment I met her, I was so inspired by all that she took on and how she exuded strength and worked so hard daily. My goal was to create a space that reflected that strength that I saw in her yet still be a place of retreat and recharge after a long work day.”
Cloud likes to ask prospective clients this simple question: What do you want to feel when you enter a room? “It’s my favorite topic to have with a client, and I spend a lot of time processing over their responses to ensure that my design is not only gorgeous, but it also sparks something within them,” she says.
For this home, the descriptors that came to the forefront were inspiring and uplifting, but still cozy and relaxing. So Cloud set about creating an environment that was just that, first by curating a palette of airy whites and grounding blacks — and then peppering in a mix of warm shades like coral, lilac, green, and cranberry with decorative accents, furnishings, and finishes.
Artwork, pops of pattern, and paint in particular all play starring roles in the home. “We used all Sherwin-Williams products and colors,” says Cloud. “Each room was strategically selected to create playful contrast with hints of bold saturation.” For example, she had the living area walls coated in Eider White (SW 7014), and it sits perfectly next to the renovated fireplace coated in Black Magic (SW 6991). Cloud also incorporated that same black hue on the ceiling of the “she cave,” which has Modern Gray (SW 7632) walls and centers on a curved channel-back lilac sofa that’s meant for sinking into and relaxing.
The dining room, painted in Worldly Gray (SW 7043), features a warm mix of materials, including a handsome wood table, beaded chandelier, and set of oversized floral prints. The ceiling sports a graphic patterned faux coffered look, while metal chairs amp up the glam factor of the space.
In the kitchen, Pewter Green (SW 6208) cabinets introduce a little earthiness to the bold, matte black hex tile backsplash. Black and cream square printed wallpaper above the wainscoting in the nearby breakfast nook plays off the tile’s geometry, while the base of the caned table introduces yet another hexagonal shape to the mix.
The bedrooms, in particular, are true respites from the world for each of their respective occupants. In the kid’s room, soft neutrals and sherbet accents create a sweet backdrop for sleeping. Floor cushions stacked in the corner of the room become a cozy book nook when paired with shelf rails that hold favorite reads.
Cloud also doubled down on a bold, deep wine color for the main bedroom, creating a stunning, cocoon-like backdrop for sleeping with Burgundy (SW 6300) walls that somehow scooped Pantone on their 2023 Color of the Year, Viva Magenta.
Splitting the work into two phases over the course of about a year, Cloud did encounter some pandemic-related setbacks — from material shortages and increased supply chain lead times to inflation and the a couple COVID-19 exposures and necessary quarantines. Still, everything was completed without any major hiccups. “We were very cautious in our efforts to try to keep everyone safe and not put pressure on ourselves to rush the project given all that we were up against,” says Cloud. “In the end we were able to finish well and finish strong, in the midst of that adversity, with a beautiful result that everyone is proud of.”
Talk about house pride — now decorator and homeowners alike can’t believe how beautiful fans functional the spaces have become. “I love that each room has its own uniqueness and personality, yet all spaces have great chemistry and play so well together,” says Cloud. “The homeowner loves that she has a home that has character and reflects her tenacious and bold personality. More importantly, she is so pleased to have a home that she proudly shares with friends and family.”