Erin Davis has a penchant for the color blue, and plenty of it. However, when it was time to adorn her recently built home nestled in the verdant hills of Mountain Brook, Alabama, she and her spouse, Collins, turned to the creative direction of Elizabeth Miles and Janie Jones from the local design studio Hundley Hilton Interiors. “My taste is clear, but it needs guidance to stay on track,” Erin confides. “That’s where they stepped in. They truly steered me in the right direction, ensuring we remained true to our vision.” When Elizabeth and Janie are at the wheel, “the right direction” often leads to a maximalist twist with a modern edge.
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
“We each contribute something unique to the mix,” Janie reflects on their collaborative partnership. “Merging our styles sets us apart from other designers, as we seamlessly blend the traditional with the modern.” This dual approach to decor is evident throughout, balancing the charm of old homes with the practicality that chaos demands.
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
Erin, with a chuckle, shares, “I hear a lot of people say they live in their homes, but it’s true for us. I have a daughter with perpetually dirty hands, a shedding dog that comes and goes from the yard, and a husband who works in a bank yet somehow ends up with muddy shoes.”
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
The designers’ meticulous attention is immediately noticeable in the foyer. A cobalt blue geometric fixture sourced from The Urban Electric Company seems to hover above Carleton V Ltd’s delicate Kauri wallpaper and a vintage rug from Paige Albright Orientals, both of which are up to the rigors of daily life. “We want the entryway to set the stage for what’s ahead,” Elizabeth explains.
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
This narrative of blue hues extends into the adjacent dining room, where Schumacher’s Madame De Pompadour wallpaper infuses the space with an eternal, lived-in charm. Erin had already chosen the antique table and chairs.
“We appreciate it when clients bring us pieces they wish to repurpose, so we find creative ways to update them with more vibrant or modern fabrics to give them a new lease on life,” Elizabeth notes. This approach was taken with the dining chairs, which were wrapped in sea glass-hued velvet for the fronts and Schumacher’s Santa Barbara Ikat for the backs, with ruffled skirts added to the end chairs for added flair.
In their nine years of working together, the decorators have honed their craft, cleverly masking practical solutions as purely aesthetic. “When you introduce a variety of patterns, it can create a room with a sophisticated, layered appearance,” Elizabeth observes. “But it also adds durability, as textured and patterned fabrics can conceal a multitude of sins.”
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
This philosophy is exemplified in the family room, where they reupholstered a swivel chair (another piece Erin already owned) in Pierre Frey’s Amboise in Ciel and adorned the two small benches in front of the fireplace with Jean Monro’s Hydrangea & Rose chintz in Green/Pink.
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
Despite this, certain high-traffic areas, like the breakfast nook, required additional durability. “We actually laminated the fabric on those chairs,” Janie explains, referring to the Nicholas Herbert Ltd. (Toile de Rosa in Blue) pattern over the vintage frames. “It’s almost invisible! But that’s precisely where young kids will be eating and potentially spilling.”
They enhanced the nook’s resilience with bench seating covered in a performance fabric by Perennials (Tatton Stripe in Zephyr). “We adore the comfort of a banquette,” Elizabeth remarks. “It softens the space. It’s cozy. When you spend a lot of time cooking in the kitchen, it’s great to have someone to sit and chat with.”
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
The kitchen, adjacent and bright, exudes warmth and welcome, thanks to the floral cafe curtains, the homeowners’ existing counter-height barstools (reimagined with Lee Jofa’s Cambrose Weave in Mineral), and two pendants in Farrow & Ball’s Light Blue (No. 22). “The space was lovely already, with its beautiful materials,” Erin acknowledges. “But Elizabeth and Janie made it cozier, brighter, more inviting, and simply sweeter.”
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
The designers aimed to maintain this blend of comfort and style upstairs. In the guest bedroom, a headboard already upholstered in Bennison Fabrics’ Chinese Paper served as a starting point. “We love that pattern, so it was a joy to incorporate it,” Elizabeth explains. For contrast, they installed Robert Kime’s Chou wallpaper in the opposite color scheme and placed a vibrant, leafy-patterned rug on the floor. The vintage chandelier was sourced from Europe. “It brings a bit of funkiness to this very traditional room,” Janie adds.
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
Down the hall in the toddler’s bedroom, they embraced girly motifs, adorning the walls with Jean Monro’s Templeton Stripe paper in Sugar Pink and installing the floral Roman shade (Schumacher’s Floreana in Berry), which had adorned her previous nursery. Sister Parish’s playful Verbena fabric in Pink on the ottoman and the stylish blue-striped canopy above the bed balanced the whimsy. “We wanted to create a space that she could grow into while still being fun and youthful,” Janie remarks.
“We wanted to create a space that she could grow into while still being fun and youthful.” —Janie Jones
This philosophy of timeless ease was their ultimate aim for the entire house. “I didn’t want the home to feel too delicate or precious,” Erin acknowledges. “I didn’t want to worry about reupholstering things or leaving handprints on the walls. We are in every room every day.”
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
The entryway transitions into three additional spaces, all grounded in soothing tones that are echoed throughout the home. The study features Benjamin Moore’s Stratton Blue (HC-142) on the walls and trim. An abstract painting by Tuscaloosa, Alabama, artist Kristin Blakeney hangs above the mantel in the family room.
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
Pattern and texture prevent the predominantly white kitchen from feeling cold or sterile. The formal dining room was a priority for the homeowner, who enjoys hosting family for holidays, while the breakfast nook was designed with the potential for spills in mind.
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
Laurey W. Glenn; Styling: Kathleen Varner
For the young daughter, they adorned a trundle bed with Jim Thompson’s Jasmine Stripe and designed a playful hallway play area. In the guest bedroom, they paired butterfly wallpaper with a plaid chair.
