A creative design approach helps this cozy Tennessee farmhouse stand up to the demands of country living.
Designer Eric Ross struck a balance between beauty and utility when he started work on this Morrison, Tennessee, farmhouse. Owners Debbie and Joey Jacobs wanted a home that would live up to minding a farm and raising cattle. The inspiration started with durable slate floors to camouflage the dirt tracked in with a typical day’s work of gardening and tending the herd. The final look was a fresh blend of American and French country. With a kitchen done in a palette of chocolate browns, creams, and verdant hues, collections of Spode Woodland china and transferware appear right at home. “Debbie is an avid collector,” Eric says. “Having the open shelves offered her an opportunity to display a lot of collections.” The shelves also made the small space feel more expansive.
To balance the cabinetry and make the kitchen appear larger, Eric found an antique hutch to place along an opposite wall. Eric explains: “Joey is an executive who has found working on a farm sort of therapeutic.” With plenty of functional elements incorporated into the timeless design, this farmhouse offers a tranquil respite from the couple’s busy lives.Because this farmhouse is a second home, the Jacobs wanted their master suite to have a different look from the blue-hued one in their primary residence. The cream-and-cashew color scheme, anchored by handsome wood furnishings, was a welcome departure for Eric as well. “We don’t do a lot of neutral, so I saw the opportunity to play with textures rather than colors,” he says.
Interiors by Eric Ross Interiors Photography by John O’Hagan Text by Mona Moore
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