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The designers paired a duo of Williams Sonoma dining banquettes to create a cozy gathering spot in the kitchen. And, because no one likes getting stuck in the back of a booth, the space between them makes it easier to get in and out.
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The leather sofa is from Arhaus. The bright blue chair and coffee table are from Crate & Barrel, and the light fixture is from Shades of Light.
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(From left) Katie Schlomann and Candice Royall of Spruced & Co. with client Michele Allen
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The designers paired a Love Versus Design wallpaper with a Lulu & Georgia rug to create a positive/negative effect. The sconces are from Crate & Barrel, while the midcentury asymmetrical wood wall mirror and light rods chandelier are from West Elm.
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The updated kitchen includes an island with butcher block top.
Michele Allen likes to say she’s on her second midlife crisis. Her first came at 42 years old, after her husband died of pancreatic cancer. The second is underway now, 10 years later, as she breathes new life in to her Midlothian home, recently redecorated to channel her bold and fun personality.
Allen works for Altria Group and has lived in the Richmond area on and off throughout most of her life. She bought her most recent home off Old Gun Road in 2017, following stints in Chicago and Nashville. Her daughter, Micaela, loved the home’s layout, large rooms and the 1.5-acre yard with room for a pool.
“She was 12 years old, but she’s very insightful,” Allen says. “She picked our last three houses.”
Allen says the traditional Georgian home had good bones and an updated kitchen and primary bathroom, but the interior felt dated. After moving in, she repainted with deep reds and golds and exchanged the fixtures for more modern touches — but her daughter soon pointed out that their new home was starting to feel familiar.
“She told me, ‘I’ve been looking at the same furniture my whole life,’ ” Allen says, “and she was right. Even when I buy something new, it’s all dark cherry and gold. I was stuck in a rut.”
Allen knew decorator Candice Royall from her time in Chicago and admired her style. Royall, who also relocated to Richmond, opened the design business Spruced & Co. in 2021 with partner Katie Schlomann. Not long after, Allen brought in the pair to help with the remodel.
Royall and Schlomann started with a few ideas for the living room, most notably painting the brick fireplace a dark charcoal shade and the surrounding built-ins deep blue. They then filled the space with a low-slung leather sectional, a blue velvet chair and a coffee table with storage for blankets. A console table behind the couch holds a pair of modern lamps that add layers of light to the room.
“What they came back with blew my mind,” Allen says. “I never thought a traditional house could be made into something that modern. It looks like a New York brownstone.”
Allen expanded the project to include the kitchen, dining room and office, with a few requirements: She wanted a modern aesthetic without losing the charm of traditional details. She also wanted to integrate the artwork she had collected over the years. Otherwise, she gave Spruced & Co. free rein.
Schlomann says they started by trading the deep red paint for a neutral gray, creating a fresh, airy feeling throughout the first floor.
“Instead of the more traditional white trim with color on the wall, we painted the walls, all of the trim and the crown molding the same color,” Schlomann says. “It feels modern but keeps the traditional elements like the dentil molding.”
In the dining room, they added texture using bold patterned wallpaper and a gold tray ceiling, and updated the lighting with a modern chandelier and sconces. The space was outfitted with existing furniture, including a recently purchased table and chairs from the kitchen and a sideboard that was repainted dark blue to match the aesthetic.
Allen’s favorite update is in the kitchen, where Schlomann and Royall created a lounge area with a deep blue banquette overlooking the pool and backyard. It’s a statement piece and a comfortable gathering place for friends and family.
“I used to think when I retire, I’d want to relocate,” Allen says. “Now I can see my daughter grown and married and coming to visit [me here].
“They made my dream house. It’s traditional on the outside but cool and sexy inside.”
