For most people associated with the building or design trades, searching for a silver lining during the supply-chain troubles caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has been an exercise in frustration. But interior designer Ashley Martin of Ashley Martin Home says that being forced to continually pivot in the midst of the manufacturing shortages turned into a “happy accident” for the Naples home she recently completed.
“We constantly had to pivot, looking for similar substitutes for furnishings and building materials, but I honestly feel like the items we reselected were as good, or better, than our original designs,” says Martin. “It was kind of like it was meant to be.” The fact that the project was also completed in four months was “a huge accomplishment,” she adds.
The owners wanted a complete overhaul of their two-story, five-bedroom Mediterranean-style home in The Moorings. They found Martin—whose firm is headquartered in Winter Park—through Instagram. After an initial meeting via Zoom, the partnership was off and running with a clean slate for a top-to-bottom redesign.
Martin’s vision for the home was light, bright, and family-friendly. She began with a color palette of mostly navy and white to create a timeless, nearly nautical feel that can withstand the wear and tear imposed by small children. Furniture upholstered in easy-to-clean Crypton is “super kid-proof,” Martin notes. Part of creating a more classic look meant keeping the design on the subtle side. “We were going for a beach feel with certain elements like woven light fixtures and engineered-wood floors, but we didn’t want it to be over the top. We didn’t go all-in with the coastal theme,” she says.
The first task Martin took on was creating a dedicated entry space. “Before, when visitors entered through the front door, they could see the entire first-floor living space,” she says. “My philosophy is that your home should unfold like the chapters of a book to create a story. If everything is exposed at once, the eye doesn’t know where to look and it can’t appreciate the details of each room.” Martin straightened an angled wall and closed off the office with frosted-glass doors so it could double as a guest room. She then added another wall opposite the office, separating the foyer from the main living area.
From the entryway, the rooms flow seamlessly in a cohesive design with clean, modern furnishings elevated by eclectic touches reflecting the owners’ charm. “I tried to find one-of-a-kind pieces to inject some personality in each of the rooms,” says Martin.
The logistical challenges of completing the project while constantly checking in with suppliers and locating substitutions for items on indefinite hold (or no longer available), made the end result that much sweeter for Martin and the homeowners. “It was insanity to do it in four months during the pandemic,” Martin says. “But this turned out to be probably one of my biggest success stories.”
Story Credits:
Interior Design by Ashley Martin, Ashley Martin Home, Winter Park, FL
Text by Judy Martel
Photography by Amy Lamb, Nashville, TN
Open to see Interior Design Sources:
Sources
Family Room
Sofa – Vanguard Furniture, Conover, NC
Pillows custom designed by Ashley Martin Home, Winter Park, FL
Accent chairs – Brownstone Furniture, Richmond, CA
Cocktail table – Noir Furniture, Gardena, CA
Sofa table – Brownstone Furniture, Richmond, CA
Side table – Made Goods, City of Industry, CA
Sofa table lamps – Visual Comfort, Houston, TX
Drink table – Restoration Hardware, rh.com
Bench under TV – Made Goods, City of Industry, CA
Chandelier – Made Goods, City of Industry, CA
Light fixture – Palecek, Richmond, CA
Area rug – Obeetee, New York, NYfoyer
Console – Woodbridge Furniture, Thomasville, NC
Mirror – Brownstone Furniture, Richmond, CA
Chandelier and lamps – Arteriors Home, Dallas, TX
Area rug – Loloi Rugs, High Point, NC
Kitchen
Backsplash – Stone Impressions, San Diego, CA
Stools – Palecek, Richmond, VA
Pendant lighting and sconces – Visual Comfort, Houston, TX
Powder Room
Cabinetry – Restoration Hardware, rh.com
Wall covering – Osborne & Little, Los Angeles, CA
Mirror – Four Hands, Austin, TX
Guest Bedroom
Bed – Noir Furniture, Gardena, CA
Pillows custom designed by Ashley Martin Home, Winter Park, FL
Bedside table – Four Hands, Austin, TX
Lamp – Visual Comfort, Houston, TX
Area rug – Surya, White, GA
Office
Sofa – Vanguard Furniture, Conover, NC
Accent chair – Brownstone Furniture, Richmond, CA
Pillows custom designed by Ashley Martin Home, Winter Park, FL
Cocktail table – Anthropologie, anthropologie.com
Drink table – Brownstone Furniture, Richmond, CA
Desk – Brownstone Furniture, Richmond, CA
Hanging pendant – Palecek, Richmond, VA
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