My Houzz: Better Flow for Feasts and Family in Alabama

Rachel and Layne Schranz designed and built their home with entertaining in mind. Layne, an associate church pastor and racecar driver, and Rachel, a stay-at-home mom who homeschools their two daughters, worked with builder David Acton and home designer David Smelcer to create a family-friendly home with an open layout. It now accommodates gatherings of up to 80 people and complements the couple’s rustic, traditional style.

Houzz at a Glance
Who lives here: Rachel and Layne Schranz, and their daughters, Ashlyn (14) and Devyn (12)
Location: Leeds, Alabama
Size: 3,900 square feet (362 square meters) on 3 acres; 4 bedrooms, 4½ bathrooms
Year built: 2009

After moving from Colorado, Rachel and Layne purchased 3 acres in Leeds, Alabama, and asked Smelcer to come up with a plan that fit all their needs. “He took our wish list and made it flow into a home design that serves our family well,” Rachel says.

Sofa: BSC; pillows: Lacefield Designs; wall paint: Balanced Beige SW 7037; trim paint: Brainstorm Bronze SW 7033, both by Sherwin-Williams


Rachel stuck to mostly a neutral color palette; the stone fireplace, solid cedar beams and muted tones allow the outside to flow seamlessly in. Finding something big enough and affordable enough to fill the space above the large fireplace became quite a challenge, until Rachel found a local woodworker who could create a framed mirror sized to the space.

Mirror: Kiwi Wood Werks; light sconces: Aidan Gray


Finding an area rug big enough to fill the space also proved challenging. To save money, the owners chose a carpet they liked and had a piece bound to the size they needed — for a fraction of the cost of a ready-made rug.

Although Rachel did most of the decorating herself, she reached out to color specialist Meg Wallace for help picking the paint in the main living spaces. “There were just too many paint colors to choose from, and that decision would have been too expensive to fix later if I guessed wrong,” says Rachel.

Chairs: BSC


Family photos decorate each room, such as on this console table in the great room. The stone fireplace is an ode to the Colorado life Layne had before moving to Alabama to help start Church of the Highlands. He grew up in Colorado and began his life with Rachel there, so the Centennial State will always hold a special place in the couple’s heart.

Chandelier: Currey & Company; sofa table: Aidan Gray


Rachel grew up in homes where gatherings weren’t true gatherings unless an abundance of food was present. This still holds true for her and her family. The formal dining room serves as a great place for intimate dinners or buffet-style feasts. The kitchen was designed to be large enough to feed an army, and to allow many cooks to gather at once without feeling overcrowded.

Mercury lamp: Aidan Gray


The dining room is the one room that is somewhat separate from the rest; it gave Rachel the chance to go bold with dark paint and a brick wall that matches the exterior.

Although the home is large, it does not have an abundance of hidden storage, so the owners picked pieces that were not only beautiful but also practical.

Paint: Brainstorm Bronze SW 7033, Sherwin-Williams; lantern: Solaria; cabinet: Classic Home;
table: custom; chairs: Aidan Gray


Rachel and Layne wanted to have a spot where the girls and their friends could lounge without having to go upstairs. This space and the main living area are just far enough away from each other that both TVs can be on and not interfere with each other.

The porch bed swing beyond is another perfect place to lounge when weather permits.

Swivel chair on left: BSC; TV table: Vagabond Vintage


One thing the owners didn’t want was clutter. Rachel was intent on keeping things minimal. “It makes cleaning easier,” she says.

Painting: Julie Blumenthal, purchased at Commissary (now closed); driftwood piece: HomeGoods; table: Barreveld; chair: At Home, Rowe; sofa: At Home, Rowe


Lowering the ceiling in this area made it feel more intimate, and adding the beams joined the two main living areas. This also left room upstairs for the girls’ space.

Sofa: At Home, Rowe; side table: Aidan Gray


The large island not only serves as a good place to prep food on, but also a great spot for school projects and crafts. Rachel and Layne saved money by buying the Jenn-Air appliances as a set off a showroom floor, and found the farmhouse sink on Overstock.com after seeing something similar in a magazine.

Lanterns: Pottery Barn; granite: Marron Cohiba


Rachel designed this eating area for family meals and much-needed extra seating. “You can cram a lot of people around this little table,” she says.

Chandelier: Currey & Company; pillows: custom, King Cotton; table: custom; built-in bench: Kiwi Wood Werks; art: Katherine Long, purchased at Commissary (now closed); table: custom, UpCycle Birmingham; candy jar: GO Home


This small nook off the master bedroom was the perfect spot for an Ethan Allen piece that was passed down from Rachel’s grandmother. The French water spout above is on loan from a friend who just may have forgotten about it over the years.


The Schranzes wanted every area of the home to have a consistent flow — including the half bath. After a long search for a console sink, Rachel came across a custom piece at a local furniture shop that ended up being cheaper than many of the items she thought were just OK.

Console sink: custom, Seibels; mirror: Seibels; lamp: Cost Plus World Market


The main bedroom has a look based in simplicity; the couple wanted a space that was serene and that lent itself to a good night’s sleep.

What they did not consider when designing the home was how expensive it would be to actually cover the French doors leading to the backyard. Due to the size of the doors, they had to go custom.

Headboard: Three Sheets; pillows, bedding: custom, King Cotton; curtains: custom, King Cotton; trim paint: Warm Stone SW7032, Sherwin-Williams


“We are not bath people, so we didn’t want to sink a bunch of money into something we never use,” says Rachel. “But at the same time, we knew the house needed one.” She found a fiberglass stand-alone tub that beautifully mimics a cast iron piece for less than $1,000.

Wall paint: Warm Stone SW7032, Sherwin-Williams; chair: auction find; antlers: At Home; art: gift from a friend; sconces: Mayer Lightning


Devyn, their preteen daughter, is an avid horse rider, and her room reflects her passions.


Her room is lively and fun. The photograph to the right of the bed was taken with an iPhone and printed on canvas.

Bed: Alabama Furniture Market; chandelier: Large Rainbow Chandelier, Urban Outfitters; paint: Tidewater SW 6477, Sherwin-Williams


Until a recent makeover, Ashlyn’s room was all pale pink walls and Pottery Barn Kids bedding. Now that she’s a teenager, she wanted deep blue walls with bold color accents throughout, and a space that reflected her love of music.

Ashlyn had input throughout the redesign and picked many of the pieces. Rachel just helped pull it all together and make it feel finished.

Paint: Admiral Blue 2065-10, Benjamin Moore; chandelier: Mayer Lighting; bedding: Deny Designs; monogram: Life’s a Stitch, Etsy


Rachel and Layne were both a little nervous with such a bold wall color choice, knowing it would be hard to cover later, but were pleased with the outcome.

Art: HomeGoods; shower curtain: Anthropologie


Desk chair: Southeastern Salvage; lounge chair: Target; music notes: Hobby Lobby

Browse more homes by style:
Small Homes | Colorful Homes | Eclectic Homes | Modern Homes | Contemporary Homes | Midcentury Homes | Ranch Homes | Traditional Homes | Barn Homes | Townhouses | Apartments | Lofts | Vacation Homes

More: My Houzz: Traditional Touches With Cottage Flair in Canada

URL: My Houzz: Better Flow for Feasts and Family in Alabama http://www.decor-ideas.org/cases-view-id-23030.html