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Meet Amanda! Based in Nashville, TN, Amanda recently started her own interior design firm where she skillfully blends the old and the new. We love how she mixes patterns to create intricate spaces. Read on to learn all about Amanda!
I am an interior designer in Nashville, TN, where I live with my Husband, my 9 month old son, and our mini labradoodle. Aside from oogling over every new cute facial expression my little guy makes, there is almost nothing I’d rather be doing than hunting for antiques and unique art and objects at estate sales, auctions, local shops, flea markets, the side of the road, etc. I’m on a constant search for beautiful things! I’m also excited to have recently opened a new interior design firm, Amanda Khouri Interiors. I was a part of a wonderful business partnership (Murray Khouri) for 5 years, and it was really bittersweet to leave that behind, but it’s refreshing to be starting something new that is my own. I’m in the process of moving into a new studio space here in Nashville where I’ll be working alongside some other creatives in the industry whom I really respect and I couldn’t be more thrilled to begin this next chapter in my career.
I love spaces that look and feel like they’ve been lived in for years even if they were just recently completed. They’re collected, colorful, not too contrived, warm, interesting, contain elements of the unexpected, and have a certain je ne sais quoi. Those are the qualities I aspire to incorporate into the spaces I’m creating. Stylistically, this can take several different directions, but with those attributes as the base layers, I think many different styles can be done well.
I really wanted this space to walk the line between being playful enough for a little one, but not to feel too “baby” or too precious. I love doing kids rooms that have an eye toward what the child might be interested in five or ten years down the road, so that there aren't major changes that need to be made to turn the space into a “big boy/girl” room. I love green and brown, and couldn’t resist an entire room full of it. The first component selected was the wallpaper which came from Waterhouse – a wonderful company with a treasure trove of archival documents. They custom colored this english mural scene for me, and I adore the way it turned out. My little guy loves pointing out all the animals. The curtain fabric is also from Waterhouse and is such a fun bold moment. It’s called “Moroc”.
Next up was the need for a durable, comfortable rocker – thank goodness for the Hadley Swivel Glider! Truly the perfect piece - we have loved how comfortable it is, and the fabric (Coley’s Ringo in Bay) has held up incredibly well. It’s very rare to find a high performing linen, and Coley has done the job with Ringo. From there, I pulled colors from the wallpaper and created a custom rug with Angie Burge, the wonderfully kind owner of English Village Lane. She worked with me to get the scale for the pattern I drew, and of course the colors, just right. The rug is actually now available for purchase through English Village Lane – just look for the “Hanky Panky”! Finally, I opted for an antique chest to bring a bit of age into the room. I hope my little guy grows up with great memories of this magical little space – and even if he doesn’t, we all know it was really for me anyway, and I sure have loved it!
in Ringo Bay
I suggest choosing mature patterns for the larger, more permanent components of the room like the wallpaper and curtains, and leaving the really sweet patterns for pillows, the crib skirt, even lampshades. Those things can be swapped out when it’s time, and will completely change the personality of the room when the time comes, even if the large pieces stay the same.
I am itching for a reason to use Farrow and Ball India Yellow – I have a feeling it will make an appearance in my house or studio sometime soon.
When possible, being out in the wild visiting places I haven’t been before – but the rest of the time, I love sitting with a great design book and really studying the details.
This is changing constantly, but right now I’m very into David Netto’s new book and his deep knowledge of the provenance of the antiques he uses in his projects. It’s a true education.
I’m always dreaming of Harbour Island, but right now Villa Palladio in Jaipur and Hotel Il Pellicano in Italy are really calling my name.
My husband and I love a good dose of nostalgia every now and then and are re-watching the West Wing at present. We’re also taking in many more children’s board books than adult books these days, but I’ve got Tom Lake by Ann Patchett waiting for me on my nightstand, and I’m looking forward to diving into it – have heard wonderful things!
