DESIGN by Elana Ficken, PHOTOGRAPHY by Aaron H. Bible, TEXT by Jasmine Bible
This blank foyer was ready for a dose of design! Located in the historic Montford neighborhood of Asheville, NC, this classic Arts & Crafts style home was about to hit the market and needed to make a strong first impression for potential buyers. We enlisted the expertise of interior designer Elana Ficken of Four Corners Home, who gave the space a fresh look with a mid-century modern flare.
Four Corners Home is an Asheville staple, offering home staging, custom design services, upholstery, and a wide array of furniture in various design styles. Ficken has worked with Four Corners Home since 2013, and has a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from the University of Southern Mississippi. With a lifelong passion for color and spatial structure, we knew she was the perfect designer to tackle this space.
BEFORE:
AFTER:
With any space she designs, Ficken sets out to create visual interest with contrast, colors, and textures. As the foyer is adjacent to other rooms, the space needed to work in harmony with those areas as well, “There should be one fluent thought throughout the home,” explains Ficken. She began with the foyer’s paint color, “because the walls are a warm creamy yellow, we needed to cool down the space.” To create the balance of warm and cool tones, she utilized blue and green shades in the furnishings, accessories, and artwork. She selected the deep blue club chair and wood screen to form a functional seating area, “The slight mid-century modern flare works well with the craftsman style.” The screen, made from a warm walnut, also ties in the wood tones from the floor and banister, and visually breaks up the heavy molding on the staircase.
For the center of the foyer, Finken placed a round tulip table, allowing movement to naturally flow around the room. The bold centerpiece on top of the table adds visual interest— the texture of the ceramic pot feels organic, and pairs perfectly with the lush leaves, “I always add greenery to bring the outside in.” The rug was chosen to add a subtle pattern to the space. The plaid feels classic, not preppy. The metal sculpture she hung at the staircase landing pulls the eye upward, and adds a bit of dimension.
The console to the right was chosen to anchor the room. “The live edge is rustic yet elegant and brings in another natural element to the room,” states Finken. The console also provided a resting place for a light fixture, which casts a soft glow at night. To accessorize the console, she created asymmetrical balance with the stone light fixture on the left, and a vase with height on the right. She also employed her technique of arranging organic objects in a triangle pattern, encouraging your eye to move in a clockwise direction. (See illustration to below.)
The end result is a beautiful space that feels thoughtful, functional, and elegant. The mix of styles keeps it from feeling too uniform or staged. The look captures the attention of a buyer as soon as he or she walks through the door, and it’s a space we’d be thrilled to call our own! Are you feeling inspired to update your entryway? Follow along with Elana Ficken’s design tips below.
DESIGN TIPS
• Begin with function—consider how will you really use the space.
• Create one color scheme for the home—three colors max! Start with a neutral base and create depth with two accent colors.
• Balance cool and warm tones.
• Create contrast with colors and textures.
• Pay attention to the scale of each object, making sure they feel cohesive.
• Don’t overcrowd a room.
• Shop your own home first. Simply moving the objects you already have can affect your mood and stress level.
• Group accessories into a triangle, creating movement and levels with different textures.
• When placing woods next to each other, make sure they’re lighter or darker in value to create contrast.
• Keep clutter to a minimum. Knick-knacks only need a small moment.
• Mix up the textures.
• Add greenery.
• Create a different wow-factor in each room.
• Consider patterns.
• Follow this step-by-step design process:
Step 1 – Paint
Step 2 – Largest elements (rugs, furniture)
Step 3 – Casegoods (side tables, media stands)
Step 4 – Accessories (artwork, pillows)
To connect with Ficken and Four Corners Home, visit fourcornershome.com.
We shared this story with you in our Spring/Summer 2017 Issue of NEST Magazine. To view the full issue, click here.