Room of the Day: Rustic Meets Eclectic in a Mountain Cottage

While this Asheville, North Carolina, home could have gone in more of a rough-hewn-mountain-home direction — full-trunk tree timbers, antlers, maybe some boulders — the homeowner, who’s more of a gardening and MacKenzie-Childs fan, wanted a unique cottage feel instead.

Bright color, antiques and artwork passed down through her family helped her deviate from the expected mountain style. “She wanted people to feel comfortable the second they walked in the house,” says interior designer Pam McKay of Dianne Davant and Associates. If the great room is any indication, they’ll do just that.

“We balanced rustic and sophisticated to create a collected look,” McKay says. The expansive windows provide views to the woods, a trail and the homeowner’s beloved gardens. Inspired by the blooms, McKay chose a floral pattern to bring in bright colors and flowers. “The curtains are floral without being too girly, and they don’t take away from the views,” she says.

The client also had an extensive collection of antiques, which McKay used throughout the great room to give it the collected look. The candle stand, the chest behind the sofa, the lamps and the barley twist table beneath the windows were all pieces passed down through the client’s family. Her aunt and uncle were well-known American artists James and Marguerite McBey, who made many of the paintings displayed throughout the home.

Drapes: Kasmir Fabrics with Stout trim; chandelier: Currey & Company


A large fieldstone fireplace is a focal point, and the small ottomans in front add extra seating for those who want to get toasty in front of the hearth. The ornate mirror and brass candlesticks are family pieces, as is the cabinet on the right. The cabinet on the left was built to copy the look of the antique cabinet, and together the two lend a sense of symmetry.

All of the upholstered pieces are new, and McKay made sure they suited her client’s style. “We tried to make it look like anything we added could have been in the family for years,” she says.

Dot fabric on ottomans: Decorators Walk


Bright suzani fabrics cover the wingback chairs and add more of the playful pattern and colors the client loves so much.

Wing chairs: Duralee


The rug is a patchwork of old authentic Turkish kilims, and grounds the room in color and pattern. The homeowners already had the glass-top coffee table, which doesn’t look clunky, like a solid one would have. It also keeps the view of the rug clear.

The plaid pillow on the sofa is one of the client’s beloved MacKenzie-Childs pieces; the front of it is covered in flowers.

Rug: Togar Rugs


Large stained columns delineate the great room within the large, open space. McKay mixed in painted trim with the natural wood to keep things lighter.


The room opens to the kitchen and dining area. The client brought the floral MacKenzie-Childs chandelier with her from another home, and it inspired many of the design moves used throughout the home. As the homeowners have two adult married sons who are starting families of their own and a daughter in college, the home serves as a comfortable retreat where the growing extended family can spend time together.

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