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The open floor plan unites the kitchen, dining and living areas and provides sight lines throughout the space ideal for a family with young children. In the kitchen, which doubles as Mullins’ studio, designer Nicole Rutledge customized ceiling-high cabinets that add extra pantry storage.
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“I put shiplap on the dining area ceiling to visually bring it down and give the room more of a cozy vibe,” Rutledge says. The table is from Pottery Barn, the dining chairs are by Dovetail, the pendant lights are from Ferguson, and the curtain panels are from CB2.
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“We chose to mix accessible furnishings with higher-quality upholstery with performance fabrics to make sure it can withstand the test of kids,” Rutledge says of the living room. The sofas are from C.R. Laine, the armchairs are by Four Hands, the rug is from Loloi, and the lamps are from Currey & Co.
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The cabinets in the mudroom are painted a naval blue to give the clients the pop of color they wanted. Baskets provide much-needed shoe storage, and the strategically placed mirror allows allows them to check their looks before going out the door. The rug is by Flor, and the light fixture is from Ferguson.
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“We wanted to go bold in the powder room to create a unique environment,” Rutledge says. The wallpaper is Hydrangea by Rifle Paper Co., the vanity is by Signature Hardware, the round mirror by Interior 2000, and the sconces are from Ferguson.
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In the primary bath, the white oak vanity is accentuated with a mix of brass fixtures and black matte hardware and white marble tile from Mosaic Tile — hexagonal shapes on the floor and linear 12-inch-by-24-inch tiles in the shower. The niches in the shower were designed to mimic the shape of the clerestory windows. The light fixture is from Shades of Light, the rug is from Pottery Barn, and the chair is from Four Hands.
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In Olivia’s room, a Pottery Barn Kids glider upholstered in a boucle fabric provides a cozy spot. The crib and side table are from Pottery Barn Kids, the pouf is from Urban Outfitters, and the rug is Rifle Paper Co. by Loloi.
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Traditional details such as the custom wainscoting and built-ins and the French doors add warmth to Mullins’ office. The large, white floating executive-style desk from Acme Furniture provides the perfect place for blogging. The desk chair is from Pottery Barn, the rug is from Loloi, and the pendant light is from Shades of Light.
Ask just about any interior designer, and they will tell you that for more than a decade, light, bright and open home spaces have topped the list for most homeowners looking to renovate or settle into a new home. For Brittany Mullins, the yearning for a more spacious, light-filled home was more of a necessity.
Mullins, a health coach, nutritionist and the creator behind the Eating Bird Food blog, had outgrown the small kitchen in her North Side home she shared with her husband, Isaac Bernstein-Miller, and newborn daughter, Olivia.
“I loved the neighborhood and my neighbors on North Side, but it was feeling really crowded trying to shoot video for the blog and take care of my family,” she says. Their search for a new house during the pandemic-fueled real estate boom in 2020 was tough. Outbid on every offer for houses they liked west of the city, the couple decided to take a different tack. They bought a nearly 1-acre lot in Chestnut Oaks, a new development on Richmond’s South Side.
Faced for the first time with the task of constructing a home, the couple drew ideas from houses they had toured in Hallsley. The Chesterfield County subdivision had been too far from the city to be a serious contender, but they had liked the homes they toured in the neighborhood.
“We really liked houses built by Biringer,” Mullins says. “All the trim and details in the houses looked so polished and so nicely finished. We also liked the grand ceilings and a stone fireplace.” The couple selected Biringer Builders’ Honeysuckle model and its “modern farmhouse” architectural style. The layout provided the kitchen she needed, as well as a third-floor media room and an office for Bernstein-Miller, who is general manager of Reverie Distribution, a craft beer distributor.
The home’s light-filled open living spaces and kitchen area were particularly appealing. “I really needed the space, and the kitchen layout includes a walk-in pantry, bigger windows and lots of space,” Mullins says. She creates how-to videos and orchestrates photo shoots to guide her more than half a million followers through recipes for health-centric breakfast, lunch, and dinner menus, as well as snacks, appetizers and beverages.
Mullins realized that what she and her husband wanted for their new house and her business and their ability to tackle the complicated process of designing the spaces were very different propositions. She was pregnant with a second child and writing a new cookbook. Building a house and packing up and moving became overwhelming. “I was having a hard time and needed help,” Mullins says. Their real estate agent recommended local designer Nicole Rutledge. “We talked with her and really meshed with her vibe,” she recalls.
Already a blog follower, Rutledge understood Mullins’ need for open, light-filled areas to produce content for her website and blog. She also incorporated elements that could satisfy the growing family’s relaxed lifestyle.
The new house is 6,000 square feet and has four bedrooms, five full bathrooms and one half bathroom. It offers a guest suite to accommodate visiting grandparents.
“The real luxury of design is being surrounded by things that aesthetically really resonate with you, allow you to live with them in a carefree, casual and comfortable way,” Rutledge says. “A home may be rich with great furnishings and fabrics, but it also needs to work with a young family. They didn’t want it to feel precious or fancy. They wanted a modern, warm family home.”
Isaac Bernstein-Miller and Brittany Mullins with their daughter and infant son (Photo by Lindsay Martin Photography)
The designer first addressed Mullins’ business needs. She placed floor-to-ceiling windows in the office and dining room to make them airy and filled with light. She also selected can lights and other light fixtures to boost the interior feel of warmth on overcast days and strategically placed dimmable lights in the home’s gathering spaces.
They didn’t want it to feel precious or fancy. They wanted a modern, warm family home.
—Designer Nicole Rutledge
Next, she turned to the family’s needs. Creating a timeless but functional design, she focused on soft hues of tan wicker and rattan surrounded by white walls and ceilings with accents of black. Blond wood and white cabinets in the kitchen paired with soft, inviting brown counter stools and brass fixtures established a modern but casual atmosphere. A beamed ceiling, floating shelves above built-in cabinets, and a white oak and white marble fireplace surround in the living room pull the soft color palette throughout the first floor.
Soft whites, tans and touches of gray marble carry this feel through the second floor. A burst of pink, blue and green pastels splash Olivia’s room with a floral motif played out in a large rug. The pops of color reappear in a wallpaper that adds unexpected whimsy to the interior of the closet. Even the children’s playroom has a softness, with an inviting and relaxing color scheme.
The result is a warm home infused with light that fits the relaxed personality of the family. To the great relief of Mullins and Bernstein-Miller, it also delivers the environment and tools necessary for their demanding professional lives, providing the perfect recipe for a work-life balance.
