Last Wednesday, I attended an invitation-only exclusive sneak peak of The 2015 Nashville Symphony Showhouse and Garden Party. This beautiful home represents Southern living at its finest, and I thought you’d like to see what high style looks like “in the country.”

The 5,556 square foot home is described as “southern contemporary folk style,” and its interior is full of design details that embrace modern southern style. Here I am in Garden Party attire with Castle Homes builder, Alan Looney, and the ShowHouse architect, Wade Weissmann:

Alan Looney, Kristie Barnett, and Wade Weissmann

I noticed a number of things that really make this interior cohesive, even though multiple designers and design firms were involved. And, of course, I’m going to share those observations with you!

Neutral Color Scheme

Mark Simmons Interiors

The color scheme throughout the home is largely neutral, incorporating grays, browns, creams, and whites. The open concept areas of the home and the exterior are painted in Sherwin-Williams Greek Villa. Here I am on the back porch with Nancy McNulty, the lovely lady who spearheaded the PR for the event and who invited me to the sneak peek tour:

Forest Home Media‘s Nancy McNulty and Kristie Barnett

Dark wood floors and a dining table crafted with reclaimed wood from Nashville’s Municipal Auditorium (stop the presses – oh my goodness, I’m having a flashback to the ONLY venue for rock-n-roll in Nashville, and where I saw Def Leppard TWICE) ground all the white walls in the open concept area.

Mark Simmons Interiors

Mark Simmons Interiors

Dark wood (browns), weathered wood (grays), marble, and quartz were used throughout the home, giving you a sense of relaxed formality. Lots of texture and layering, and NO pops of color in this design.

Rozanne Jackson Interiors

The kitchen and three of the baths in the home are primarily WHITE, which makes it all feel clean and fresh.

Julie Couch Interiors

Metal Finishes

In case you haven’t heard, it’s of the utmost taste and style to mix your metals in today’s homes. And that’s certainly what you’ll see in this designer showhouse. Iron is the dominant metal, which is timeless, humble, and masculine all at once.

iron bed – Julie Couch Interiors

But the gold finishes that are scattered about the home warm up the cool grays and whites, and they add the feminine balance for the space.

lighting with gold lining – Rozanne Jackson Interiors

The kitchen and bathrooms feature polished nickel finishes, so that’s 3 metal finishes in a traditional, neutral home. I tell clients that this can be done, and done well, but it always takes some convincing! If the Nashville Symphony Showhouse can do it, YOU CAN DO IT.

Julie Couch Interiors

Lighting

Most homes include an abundance of overhead lighting, but are skimpy when it comes to other light sources. You will see LOTS of lamps in this home, as well as many sconces throughout. Sconce lighting really takes a home to the next level and offers so much variation in mood that can’t be appreciated by those who haven’t had sconce lighting in their homes before! I loved how they put sinks in front of windows, in both the master bathroom:

Julie Couch Interiors 

I couldn’t resist taking a selfie in this fabulous bathroom mirror! The countertop is Bianco Carrera marble.

and again, the sink is in front of windows in the kitchen:

design by Castle Homes

The master bedroom features a fabulous hanging light fixture that certainly makes a statement. It’s a bit unexpected against the painted planked ceiling, and I love it.

Julie Couch Interiors 

Symmetry

I’m a huge fan of symmetry. It’s the basis of Psychological Staging™, for goodness sake!

Mark Simmons Interiors 

Julie Couch Interiors, Andy Detwiler photography on back wall

This is the gorgeous feminine (and very symmetrical!) office at the top of the stairs, between the guest rooms.

Rozanne Jackson Interiors

Symmetry in design makes you feel calm and at ease in a space. It also directs your eye to the architecture, as well as to the views beyond windows and openings.

Mark Simmons Interiors

Ottomans and Tiny Tables

The most repeated design element I noticed in the Nashville Symphony ShowHouse was the ottoman or tiny table. The incredibly functional element was everywhere.

Ottomans are flexible seating options that can be tucked away when not needed.

Tiny tables are a great spot for a cup of joe beside a chair.

I loved how they used low wooden benches for bedside tables in the upstairs bedrooms. And of course, they tucked an ottoman beneath!

Roxanne Jackson Interiors

Here’s another ottoman tucked into the HUGE laundry room off the kitchen – a little desk spot if you care to check Facebook while waiting on the spin cycle.

design by Castle Homes 

In addition to touring this fabulous home, I got to hang out with some pretty fabulous people! Here I am with the darling Carmen Johnston of Carmen Johnston Gardens & Southern Living Contributing Garden Editor:

Kristie Barnett & Carmen Johnston

I’ve met Carmen on a couple of occasions, and she is always so sweet and helpful to those of us with a black thumb. She gave us a hands-on tutorial for planting our very own container garden at the Garden Party!

Her top tip for container gardening? Choose something tall, something thick, and something trailing, and plant in a triangle formation. This is what we planted in our container gardens: Blue Fan Scaevola, Diamond Frost Euphorbia, Dragon Wing Begonia, and Creeping Jenny. It’s all Greek to me, but I’m going to do my best to keep it alive on my front porch!

The party was catered by Miss Daisy’s Kitchen. Daisy King is a southern icon if there ever was one, and every proper southern lady owns at least one of her cookbooks!

Miss Daisy and The Decorologist

Troy B. Marden of PBS’s Volunteer Gardener was gracious enough to give the attendees signed copies of his beautiful book, Southern Gardener’s Handbook.  Troy will be at the ShowHouse on June 20th from 11-1 for a book signing onsite.

The Nashville Symphony ShowHouse is open to the public NOW through June 28, 2015. You don’t want to miss this special home tour presented by Castle Homes and benefiting The Nashville Symphony! The ShowHouse is open daily from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m., and admission is $15 per person.  Find out more here.

The Showhouse made the cover of the latest edition of Greater Nashville House and Home, which I picked up at the tour. While scanning through the magazine, I found that one of my recent kitchen designs had been featured inside. That was a happy surprise to finish off a lovely day at a Garden Party and ShowHouse tour!